High Court Madhya Pradesh High Court

Sanjay Dwivedi vs The State Of Madhya Pradesh on 4 May, 2011

Madhya Pradesh High Court
Sanjay Dwivedi vs The State Of Madhya Pradesh on 4 May, 2011
  HIGH COURT OF MADHYA PRADESH : JABALPUR

                  M.Cr.C. No. 4546/2010

                     Sanjay Dwivedi
                          -Vs-
          State of Madhya Pradesh and another


         PRESENT :       HON. M.A.SIDDIQUI,J.

           Shri Mahendra Pateria, Advocate for petitioner.

           Smt. Sushila Paliwal, GA for State.

      ORDER RESERVED ON          29/04/2011.

      ORDER PASSED ON            04/05/2011.

                        ORDER

This petition has been filed under Section 482 of

Cr.P.C.to invoke the extra ordinary jurisdiction of this

Court to expunge the adverse remarks passed against

petitioner Sanjay Dwivedi in paragraph 20 of judgment

dated 16.09.08 delivered in ST No. 143/2008 by the 6th

Addl.Sessions Judge to the Court of 2nd Addl. Sessions

Judge, Sagar, Camp at Rahli.

(2) Learned counsel appearing for petitioner submitted

that petitioner was the Incharge of PS-Garhakota,

District-Sagar. In the instant case, the Investigating

Officer Krishnkant Mishra who was posted as ASI at the

relevant time conducted the entire investigation, only

challan was filed by the petitioner in the case, and in the

trial of ST No.143/08 said Krishnkant Mishra was
-2-

examined as a prosecution witness no.7. Petitioner was

never examined and no opportunity was given to him of

being heard and certain remarks were passed against

him by the learned trial Judge in his judgment in para 20

in which not only strictures were passed against

Krishnkant Mishra, but at the same time, strictures were

also passed against the petitioner and a departmental

enquiry was ordered to be initiated and it was expected

that petitioner will be punished.

(3) Learned counsel for petitioner has placed reliance

on a judgment of Apex Court in A.M.Mathur vs. Pramod

Kumar Gupta and others (1990) 2 SCC 533 wherein it

has been held that adverse comments without giving an

opportunity of hearing to the person concerned were

unwarranted, unjustified and without jurisdiction and

therefore, must be expunged.

Learned counsel for petitioner has further placed

reliance on a judgment of this Court in K.P. Singh

Kushwaha vs. State of M.P. 2005 (2) MPHT 423 in

which it has been held that where during trial while

acquitting the accused certain adverse remarks were

made in the judgment against the conduct of the

Investigating Officer and trial Court also gave directions

to police authority for initiation of departmental enquiry
-3-

and to punish him without giving opportunity to show

cause, such action of trial Court was not proper, it was

held that trial Court has no jurisdiction to direct the

authority for initiation of DE and to punish the applicant.

(4) From perusal of judgment delivered in ST

No.143/08, it is clear that no opportunity of hearing was

provided to the petitioner though learned GA appearing

for State has supported the judgment and adverse

remarks, but legally such remarks cannot be allowed to

stand as no opportunity of hearing was given to

petitioner which is against the principle of natural

justice. I find present to be a fit case to invoke the extra

ordinary jurisdiction of this Court under S.482 Cr.P.C.by

expunging the adverse remarks made against petitioner

Sanjay Dwivedi. The adverse remarks made against

petitioner Sanjay Dwivedi in para 20 of the judgment

delivered in ST No.143/08 referred to above are

expunged.

(5) Resultantly, petition is allowed.

(M.A.Siddiqui)
Judge.

Jk.