{"id":195714,"date":"2011-11-15T00:00:00","date_gmt":"2011-11-14T18:30:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.legalindia.com\/judgments\/girish-kumar-ors-vs-the-state-of-bihar-through-vig-on-15-november-2011"},"modified":"2014-03-13T16:50:41","modified_gmt":"2014-03-13T11:20:41","slug":"girish-kumar-ors-vs-the-state-of-bihar-through-vig-on-15-november-2011","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.legalindia.com\/judgments\/girish-kumar-ors-vs-the-state-of-bihar-through-vig-on-15-november-2011","title":{"rendered":"Girish Kumar &amp; Ors vs The State Of Bihar Through Vig on 15 November, 2011"},"content":{"rendered":"<div class=\"docsource_main\">Patna High Court<\/div>\n<div class=\"doc_title\">Girish Kumar &amp; Ors vs The State Of Bihar Through Vig on 15 November, 2011<\/div>\n<div class=\"doc_author\">Author: Dharnidhar Jha<\/div>\n<pre>                               Criminal Appeal (SJ) No. 918 of 2011\n                                             -------\n<\/pre>\n<p>        Against the order dated 23rd June, 2011 passed by Shri Ramesh Chandra Mishra,<br \/>\n        Authorized Officer, Special Court II, Patna in Special Case No. 7 of 2010.\n<\/p>\n<p>                                              &#8212;&#8212;&#8211;\n<\/p>\n<p>           1.        Girish Kumar, son of Late Sidheshwar Sharma,\n<\/p>\n<p>           2.        Saphalta Devi, wife of Girish Kumar,\n<\/p>\n<p>           3.        Roshan Kumar, son of Girish Kumar,\n<\/p>\n<p>           4.        Rajnish Kumar, son of Girish Kumar, all residents of Park Road,<br \/>\n                     Kadamkuan, Patna,\n<\/p>\n<p>           5.        Sachchidanand Singh, son of late Sidheshwar Sharma, resident of<br \/>\n                     village &#8211; Tineri, P.S. &#8211; Masaurhi, District &#8211; Patna<br \/>\n                                                          &#8230;&#8230;&#8230;&#8230;&#8230; Appellants<\/p>\n<p>                                               Versus<\/p>\n<p>        The State of Bihar    through Vigilance          &#8230;&#8230;&#8230;&#8230;&#8230;&#8230;.. Respondent.\n<\/p>\n<p>                                              &#8212;&#8212;&#8211;\n<\/p>\n<pre>        For the Appellants         : Sarvshri Rana Pratap Singh,\n                                              Chittaranjan Sinha, Sr. Advocates\n                                              Pramod Kumar, Advocate\n\n        For the Vigilance          : Sarvshri Ramakant Sharma, Sr. Advocate\n                                              Arvind Kumar, Advocate.\n                                              --------\n\n                                          PRESENT\n\n                      THE HON'BLE SHRI JUSTICE DHARNIDHAR JHA\n                                        -------\n\n\nDharnidhar Jha, J.             The appellants were respondents before the learned\n\n<\/pre>\n<p>        Authorized Officer, Special Court II, Vigilance, Patna in Special case no. 7 of<\/p>\n<p>        2010 which arose out of Vigilance P.S. Case no. 39 of 2006. The appellants<\/p>\n<p>        challenge the order passed by the learned Authorized Officer designated under<\/p>\n<p>        Bihar Special Courts Act, 2009 (hereinafter referred to as the \u2015Act\u2016) dated 23rd<\/p>\n<p>        June, 2011 on a petition filed under section 13 of the Act directing the<\/p>\n<p>        confiscation of the properties described in Schedules A and B of the petition and<\/p>\n<p>        further directing the appellants to surrender and deliver the possession over the<\/p>\n<p>        properties contained in Schedules A and B of the petition in favour of the District<\/p>\n<p>        Magistrate, Patna, who was authorized by the learned Authorized Officer to take<\/p>\n<p>        possession of the same within thirty days of the impugned order. An alternative<br \/>\n<span class=\"hidden_text\">                                          2<\/span><\/p>\n<p>direction was also issued to the District Magistrate, Patna that, in case of refusal<\/p>\n<p>on behalf of the appellants to surrender the properties as directed by the<\/p>\n<p>Authorized Officer, possession over the properties shall be resumed by the<\/p>\n<p>District Magistrate even if it required use of some force.<\/p>\n<p>2.             The facts leading to the passing of the impugned order may be<\/p>\n<p>noticed. Undisputedly, the appellant Girish Kumar was appointed as a clerk on<\/p>\n<p>compassionate ground on account of the demise of his father Siddheshwar<\/p>\n<p>Sharma in Patna Treasury, Collectorate, Patna. The appellant was appointed in<\/p>\n<p>1992 and from 1992 to 2004 he had, reportedly, amassed huge properties, in<\/p>\n<p>various forms, to the tune of Rs.51,10,826. It appears that certain Brajeshwar<\/p>\n<p>Prasad Singh had filed a complaint before the Lokayukta, Bihar and that was<\/p>\n<p>transmitted for enquiry by the Vigilance Department of the Government of Bihar<\/p>\n<p>and, accordingly, after enquiry, Vigilance P.S. Case no. 39 of 2006 was instituted<\/p>\n<p>and during investigation of the case, it was found out that the appellant Girish<\/p>\n<p>Kumar had amassed the properties by commission of the offence defined under<\/p>\n<p>section 2(d) of the Act and, as such, the application was filed under section 13 of<\/p>\n<p>the Act before the Authorized Officer by the State of Bihar.<\/p>\n<p>3.             It was stated that the total income of the appellant Girish Kumar<\/p>\n<p>from his salary during 1992 to 2004 was Rs.6,95,340 only, one third of which<\/p>\n<p>came to Rs.2,31,780. In addition to the above, the delinquent public servant, i.e.,<\/p>\n<p>the appellant Girish Kumar had also received Rs.72,738 as half of the retiral<\/p>\n<p>benefits of his late father, the total of which was Rs.1,45,476 only. It was stated<\/p>\n<p>that the total assets which was found in possession of the appellant Girish Kumar<\/p>\n<p>either in his own name or in the names of other appellants stood at Rs.51,10,826<\/p>\n<p>and after deducting the sum total of Rs.2,31,780 and Rs.72,738 from the total<\/p>\n<p>assets of Rs.51,10,826, the disproportionate asset found in possession of the<\/p>\n<p>appellant in any form was of Rs.48,06,308. The split up of the assets in the forms<\/p>\n<p>of bank deposits in different accounts standing in the name of either Girish Kumar<\/p>\n<p>or in the names of other appellants was given in Schedule A besides stating that<br \/>\n<span class=\"hidden_text\">                                          3<\/span><\/p>\n<p>the appellants had a motorcycle bearing registration number BR-1W-1160 of the<\/p>\n<p>value of Rupees thirty eight thousand and he had also purchased a pistol and<\/p>\n<p>cartridges as per licence which was of the value of Rupees forty thousand. In<\/p>\n<p>addition to the above, the appellant Girish Kumar had a Maruti Zen car costing<\/p>\n<p>Rs.4,48,190 in addition to possessing a tractor and a trailer in the name of his<\/p>\n<p>brother Sachchidanand Singh, which was of the value of Rupees three lacs. The<\/p>\n<p>immovable properties were described in Schedule B and as per those details the<\/p>\n<p>appellant was found in possession of a plot of land measuring 1905 sq. ft. in<\/p>\n<p>Shivpuri mohalla, Patna and another at Park Road, Kadamkuan, valued at<\/p>\n<p>Rs.3,67,362 and Rs.5,28,308 respectively, both properties standing in the name of<\/p>\n<p>Smt. Safalta Devi, one of the appellants who was the wife of appellant Girish<\/p>\n<p>Kumar. A third house was standing in the same Park Road, Kadamkuan, which<\/p>\n<p>was of the value of Rs.5,28,392 and thus, the value of the immovable properties<\/p>\n<p>along with buildings came to Rs.14,24,056 only. It was alleged that the properties<\/p>\n<p>were acquired by commission of the offence under section 2(d) of the act and they<\/p>\n<p>were liable to be confiscated in view of the provisions of the Act.<\/p>\n<p>4.             On presentation of the petition under section 13 of the Act, it<\/p>\n<p>appears, notices were issued to the appellants and they appeared in response<\/p>\n<p>thereto and filed their respective show cause cum statements in defence before the<\/p>\n<p>learned Authorized Officer. The main statement of defence appears filed by the<\/p>\n<p>appellant Girish Kumar and while the other appellants were also filing their<\/p>\n<p>written statements of defence, they were mainly relying upon the major part of the<\/p>\n<p>statement made by appellant Girish Kumar. It was stated by the appellant Girish<\/p>\n<p>Kumar that Maruti Zen car was not valued at Rs.4,48,190 rather it had costed him<\/p>\n<p>Rs.3,33,339 only and the same was purchased on availing a car loan from State<\/p>\n<p>Bank of India, BSEB branch, which was of Rs.2,58,399 only. So far as the<\/p>\n<p>acquisition of three plots including building as per Schedule B of the application<\/p>\n<p>under section 13 of the Act was concerned, appellant Girish Kumar stated that the<\/p>\n<p>appellants were members of Hindu undivided family and they had ancestral<br \/>\n<span class=\"hidden_text\">                                           4<\/span><\/p>\n<p>irrigated land which generated agricultural income which was not taxable and out<\/p>\n<p>of agricultural income of the land and the retiral benefit of his father as also loans<\/p>\n<p>taken from his friends and relatives those properties were acquired and some part<\/p>\n<p>of the payment was made from the account maintained by the appellant Girish<\/p>\n<p>Kumar in State Bank of India, Gandhi Maidan Branch. Likewise, so far as the<\/p>\n<p>total deposit of Rs.27,41,555 in his bank account number 01190015057 was<\/p>\n<p>concerned, it was stated that it had already been closed on 15.7.2004 and the total<\/p>\n<p>transaction was more that the above amount and, thus, were not illegal. Likewise,<\/p>\n<p>the appellant was also explaining his fixed deposits as per Schedule A to the<\/p>\n<p>petition which was in the sum of Rs.90,000 by stating that those were the<\/p>\n<p>investments made out of the agricultural income of the family of the appellants.<\/p>\n<p>As regards the acquisition of motorcycle and the pistol and cartridges, it was<\/p>\n<p>stated that the motorcycle was not the property of Girish Kumar or any of the<\/p>\n<p>appellants rather the same belonged to one Akhilesh Kumar, who was sometimes<\/p>\n<p>the tenant in the house of the appellant and the pistol and cartridges were<\/p>\n<p>purchased out of the agricultural income. On the allegation of acquiring the<\/p>\n<p>tractor of the value of rupees three lacs, the reply of the appellants was that the<\/p>\n<p>tractor stood registered in the name of the appellant Sachchidanand Singh, brother<\/p>\n<p>of the appellant Girish Kumar and the appellant Girish Kumar had contributed<\/p>\n<p>only Rs. 95,000 and remaining amount was pooled from the agricultural income<\/p>\n<p>of the joint family. It was stated that Sachchidanand Singh was employed as<\/p>\n<p>Yakshma Sahayak at Hariharpur in the district of Sahebganj and he served from<\/p>\n<p>20.2.1987 to 11.5.1992 on which date he was terminated and he had his own<\/p>\n<p>source of income and some part of the money had also been contributed by<\/p>\n<p>appellant Sachchidanand Singh in purchase of the tractor.<\/p>\n<p>5.             Appellant Girish Kumar stated that the State Government had<\/p>\n<p>illegally bifurcated the retiral benefit which was received on demise of his father<\/p>\n<p>in two halves; one part going to appellant Girish Kumar and the other to his<\/p>\n<p>mother. In fact, the appellant pleaded, he had received the whole of the amount<br \/>\n<span class=\"hidden_text\">                                          5<\/span><\/p>\n<p>which was paid as retiral benefits which were due to his demised father. It was<\/p>\n<p>also stated that the agricultural income had not been taken into account and those<\/p>\n<p>were the reasons that the State of Bihar had filed a completely untenable petition.<\/p>\n<p>6.             Appellant Saphalta Devi, who is the wife of appellant Girish<\/p>\n<p>Kumar, filed her separate statement of defence and, stated that initially the plot<\/p>\n<p>situated at Sheopuri, Patna pertaining to plot no. 163, Khata no. 734 was<\/p>\n<p>purchased out of the savings of appellant Girish Kumar together with agricultural<\/p>\n<p>income of the family and the family pension and agricultural income of the family<\/p>\n<p>of appellant Girish Kumar in addition to taking loans from friends and relatives<\/p>\n<p>and the loans which were borrowed from friends and relatives were repaid by<\/p>\n<p>appellant Girish Kumar through cheques to be drawn at the account of appellant<\/p>\n<p>Girish Kumar at Gandhi Maidan branch of SBI. It was stated by the appellant<\/p>\n<p>Saphalta Devi that she did not maintain any separate bank account and her<\/p>\n<p>income, i.e., gifts received from her parents, was deposited in the SBI account of<\/p>\n<p>her husband. Likewise, the mother of Girish Kumar was also not having any<\/p>\n<p>account except that in which she used to receive her pensionary benefits and, as<\/p>\n<p>such, the whole agricultural income of the family was being deposited in the<\/p>\n<p>account of appellant Girish Kumar.\n<\/p>\n<p>7.             So far as acquisition of the two immovable properties in<\/p>\n<p>Kadamkuan is concerned, it was stated that before acquiring properties in Park<\/p>\n<p>Road, Kadamkuan, appellant Saphalta Devi sold her plot of land situated in<\/p>\n<p>Sheopuri, Patna which was earlier agreed to be sold to one Shri Krishna Singh<\/p>\n<p>and others after having received a premium of Rupees three lacs. The subsequent<\/p>\n<p>sale was for Rupees five lacs out of which the premium of Rupees three lacs<\/p>\n<p>received from earlier three prospective purchasers was returned and the two plots<\/p>\n<p>in Kadamkuan was purchased. The remaining amount in addition to Rupees three<\/p>\n<p>lacs was pooled from the income of joint family generated through the irrigated<\/p>\n<p>agricultural land and as such there was no illegality in acquisition of the<\/p>\n<p>properties. The same stand was taken by Smt. Saphalta Devi also as regards the<br \/>\n<span class=\"hidden_text\">                                          6<\/span><\/p>\n<p>acquisition of trailer and tractor for Rupees three lacs as was done by her<\/p>\n<p>husband.\n<\/p>\n<p>8.             The two sons of Girish Kumar and Safalta Devi who are also<\/p>\n<p>appellants had also been noticed under section 14 of the Act to appear and file<\/p>\n<p>their show cause against confiscation of the properties. Both of them appeared<\/p>\n<p>and filed their show cause taking the same stand as was taken by their parents and<\/p>\n<p>uncle Sachchidanand Singh.\n<\/p>\n<p>9.             The learned Authorized Officer, thereafter, heard the parties and<\/p>\n<p>went on to consider the allegations along with the evidence which was produced<\/p>\n<p>before him and directed the confiscation of the properties detailed in Schedules A<\/p>\n<p>and B of the petition.\n<\/p>\n<p>10.            It was contended that the motorcycle, the value of which was<\/p>\n<p>Rs.30,000, did not stand in the name of any of the appellants rather it stood<\/p>\n<p>registered in the name of one Akhilesh Kumar and, as such, the clubbing of that<\/p>\n<p>particular property for being confiscated was not proper. Submission was also that<\/p>\n<p>the amount of Rupees four lacs as price of Maruti Zen car also appears<\/p>\n<p>exaggerated and thereby inflating the total value of the disproportionate assets<\/p>\n<p>allegedly acquired by the appellants. Besides, the appellants had taken out a loan<\/p>\n<p>from the State Bank of India for purchasing Maruti Zen car and that acquisition<\/p>\n<p>may not be illegal. Likewise, it was contended that the initial acquisition of the<\/p>\n<p>immovable properties at Sheopuri was made out of the funds generated from<\/p>\n<p>agricultural income and that plot was admittedly sold by the appellant Saphalta<\/p>\n<p>Devi to one Moina Begam for which an agreement to sale was scribed on<\/p>\n<p>22.11.2003. The remaining amount for purchasing the two plots and the house at<\/p>\n<p>Kadamkuan was pooled from the agricultural income of the joint family<\/p>\n<p>properties besides personal income of the appellants and as such there was no<\/p>\n<p>illegality in it. It was, lastly, contended by the learned counsel for the appellants<\/p>\n<p>that it was malafide on behalf of the State of Bihar and its agencies to file a<\/p>\n<p>petition under section 13 of the Act and not to proceed with the trial of the case in<br \/>\n<span class=\"hidden_text\">                                          7<\/span><\/p>\n<p>which charge sheet, admittedly, was filed long back in the year 2006 as may<\/p>\n<p>appear from the details of the case and investigation given by the State of Bihar in<\/p>\n<p>its petition under section 13 of the Act. It was, as such, contended that the<\/p>\n<p>impugned order was bad in law as also on facts and was fit to be set aside.<\/p>\n<p>11.            The learned Special Public Prosecutor submitted that except the<\/p>\n<p>bald statements that the family was joint and it possessed substantial agricultural<\/p>\n<p>land which yielded sufficient produce to generate those lacs of money for<\/p>\n<p>purchasing the two plots at Kadamkuan or for creating a deposit of over rupees<\/p>\n<p>twenty seven lacs in bank account, there was no evidence produced in support<\/p>\n<p>thereof. Even appellant Sachchidanand Singh has not said as to what was received<\/p>\n<p>by him as salaries, etc. for the period he was serving a particular organization<\/p>\n<p>under the State of Bihar. It was contended that bald statements are never to be the<\/p>\n<p>basis for considering the defence statements as it has always to be supported by<\/p>\n<p>some evidence raising a prima facie presumption of existence of a particular fact.<\/p>\n<p>It was contended, as such, that the order impugned is fit to be upheld.<\/p>\n<p>12.            This Court does not want to go into the legal aspects of the matter<\/p>\n<p>as it has already explained the position on all aspects of confiscation proceedings<\/p>\n<p>which could be taken up by the State Government through a petition filed under<\/p>\n<p>section 13 of the Act in Shiv Shanker Verma Vrs. State of Bihar reported in<\/p>\n<p>2011(3) PLJR 813. The procedures are elaborately laid down in Chapter 3 of the<\/p>\n<p>Act and through relevant rule as may appear from Rules 11 and 14 of Rules. It<\/p>\n<p>appears from the perusal of the impugned order and the lower court records that<\/p>\n<p>there is no procedural illegality apparent on the face of the record as after the<\/p>\n<p>filing of the application under section 13 of the Act the learned Authorized<\/p>\n<p>Officer issued notices to all concerned persons who appeared holding the<\/p>\n<p>properties said to be illegally acquired by commission of the offence under<\/p>\n<p>section 2(d) of the Act by appellant Girish Kumar.\n<\/p>\n<p>13.            However, it was contended that it was mala fide on the part of the<\/p>\n<p>State of Bihar to have filed a petition under Section 13 of the Act in respect of an<br \/>\n<span class=\"hidden_text\">                                                8<\/span><\/p>\n<p>offence which was registered and investigated into quite ahead of the passing of<\/p>\n<p>the Act without going through the trial procedure and keeping the matter pending<\/p>\n<p>before the trial court as, admittedly, the investigating agency had filed charge<\/p>\n<p>sheet as back as on 12.9.2006. In other words, what was contended was that no<\/p>\n<p>confiscation proceeding could be maintained against a public servant, if the<\/p>\n<p>offence appeared committed prior to coming into force of the Act. This issue<\/p>\n<p>appears seriously raised by Shri Rana Pratap Singh, the learned senior counsel<\/p>\n<p>appearing on behalf of the appellants and I desire to examine it. What appears<\/p>\n<p>suggested by the learned senior counsel was that the application of the Act could<\/p>\n<p>not be retrospective.\n<\/p>\n<p>14.            On examining the provisions of Chapter 3, especially that of<\/p>\n<p>section 13 of the Act, one may come to a conclusion that the confiscation<\/p>\n<p>proceedings could never be confined to the acquisition of any properties by any<\/p>\n<p>public servant only after the Act had come into force. If one considers the<\/p>\n<p>provisions of section 13 of the Act, one may find that it is too clear to confuse the<\/p>\n<p>issue. The provision reads as under:-\n<\/p>\n<blockquote><p>               \u201513. Confiscation of property.&#8212;(1) Where the State Government,<br \/>\n       on the basis of prima-facie evidence, have reasons to believe that any<br \/>\n       person, who has held or is holding public office and is or has been a public<br \/>\n       servant has committed the offence, the State Government may, whether or<br \/>\n       not the Special Court has taken cognizance of the offence, authorize the<br \/>\n       Public Prosecutor for making an application to the authorized officer for<br \/>\n       confiscation under this Act of the money and other property, which the<br \/>\n       State Government believe the said person to have procured by means of<br \/>\n       the offence.\n<\/p><\/blockquote>\n<blockquote><p>               (2) An application under sub-section (1)&#8211;\n<\/p><\/blockquote>\n<blockquote><p>                           (a)     shall be accompanied by one or more affidavits,<br \/>\n                                 stating the       grounds on which the belief, that the<br \/>\n                                 said person has committed the offence, is founded<br \/>\n                                 and the amount of money and estimated value of<br \/>\n                                 other property believed to have been procured by<br \/>\n                                 means of the offence; and<br \/>\n<span class=\"hidden_text\">                                             9<\/span><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<blockquote><p>                            (b) shall also contain any information available as to<br \/>\n                                  the location for the time being of any such money<br \/>\n                                  and other property, and shall, if necessary, give<br \/>\n                                  other particulars considered relevant to the context.\u2016\n<\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p>15.             The words \u2015who has held or is holding public office and is or has<\/p>\n<p>been a public servant\u2016 could leave no manner to doubt the scope, ambit and extent<\/p>\n<p>as regards the application of section 13 of the Act and could not be confined to<\/p>\n<p>any prospective date to the date on which the Special Act had come into force. If<\/p>\n<p>a person against whom the application had been filed and against whom the State<\/p>\n<p>Government had reasons to believe on the basis of the prima facie evidence that<\/p>\n<p>he had committed the offence under section 2(d) of the Act and had thereby<\/p>\n<p>acquired properties either in his own name or in the names of any other persons,<\/p>\n<p>the date on which the Act had come into force, becomes irrelevant and<\/p>\n<p>meaningless. The only thing to be considered by the court or the Authorized<\/p>\n<p>Officer is as to whether the person against whom the application has been filed<\/p>\n<p>alleging commission of the offence and thereby acquisition of properties by him<\/p>\n<p>was indeed a public servant on the date of commission of the offence. Thus, if the<\/p>\n<p>date of offence was prior to the date of promulgation of the Act or the date of<\/p>\n<p>enforcing the provision of the Act, then it has always to be read as an enactment<\/p>\n<p>which was enforcing its provisions retrospectively. These were never to be<\/p>\n<p>pointed out because I have already extracted the relevant part of the provision of<\/p>\n<p>section 13 of the Act, which itself is so clear as to leave any manner of doubt that<\/p>\n<p>the provisions had to be applied to the date of acquisition of the properties and<\/p>\n<p>after considering the status of the person on that particular date as that of the<\/p>\n<p>public servant. This, I believe, takes care of the argument of Sri Singh, the learned<\/p>\n<p>senior counsel in its entirety.\n<\/p>\n<p>16.             However, the grievance of the appellant that the State Government<\/p>\n<p>and its agencies were acting malafide, to me, appears of no importance so as to be<\/p>\n<p>taken note of when I am judging an order passed by the Authorized Officer under<\/p>\n<p>section 15 of the Act. Whether the government is sleeping over the trial due to its<br \/>\n<span class=\"hidden_text\">                                          10<\/span><\/p>\n<p>slackness or disinterestedness, so to say, in production of evidence could never be<\/p>\n<p>the consideration while judging an order under section 15 of the Act on an<\/p>\n<p>application filed under section 13 of the Act. A court, specially the appellate court<\/p>\n<p>has to confine itself to the allegations which have been placed on record through<\/p>\n<p>the application along with the supporting prima facie evidence so as to inferring<\/p>\n<p>reasons to believe that a public servant, past or present, had acquired properties<\/p>\n<p>disproportionate to the known sources of his income after commission of the<\/p>\n<p>offence under section 2(d) of the Act which is an offence defined and made<\/p>\n<p>punishable under section 13(2) of the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988. The<\/p>\n<p>other aspect which the appellate court has to look into are as to whether the<\/p>\n<p>provisions of sections 14 and 15 of the Act have duly been complied with while<\/p>\n<p>carrying out the proceeding of confiscation on an application under section 13 of<\/p>\n<p>the Act. I have already noted that the learned lower court does not appear<\/p>\n<p>committing any error on the procedural aspects of the matter as regards carrying<\/p>\n<p>out the proceedings after having received the petition under section 13 of the Act.<\/p>\n<p>17.            It requires hardly to be pointed out that the State Government<\/p>\n<p>could frame its petition if it has the prima facie evidence so as to giving it<\/p>\n<p>sufficient reasons to believe about commission of the offence and the acquisition<\/p>\n<p>of the properties by a public servant, past or present, which had been found<\/p>\n<p>disproportionate to the known sources of his income. On an application being<\/p>\n<p>received, notices for confiscation have to be served calling upon him to reply<\/p>\n<p>within the stipulated period of thirty days or which may be extended to a<\/p>\n<p>maximum of 45 days to the allegations and the contents of the evidence. The<\/p>\n<p>public servant when replying to those allegations, is supposed also to file his<\/p>\n<p>written statement of defence and while so doing as may appear from Rule 11 of<\/p>\n<p>the relevant Rules which is known as Bihar Special Court Rules, 2010<\/p>\n<p>(hereinafter referred to as the Rules), he may also enclose some documents or<\/p>\n<p>evidence in support of his statement of defence. It could be plainly clear from<\/p>\n<p>Rule 11(b) of the Rules that the delinquent public servant was to be given<br \/>\n<span class=\"hidden_text\">                                          11<\/span><\/p>\n<p>opportunity of meeting out the allegations       fully and completely so that the<\/p>\n<p>principles of natural justice were not violated. The second intent which appears to<\/p>\n<p>me was that the public servant had also the opportunity of rebutting prima facie<\/p>\n<p>evidence by enclosing his documentary evidence or any other evidence which<\/p>\n<p>could be lying in his possession or in possession of all other persons who are<\/p>\n<p>alleged possessing the properties on behalf of such delinquent public servant. The<\/p>\n<p>third purpose is contained in the rule itself. When the same rule 11 by virtue of<\/p>\n<p>sub-rule(e) grants an opportunity to the public prosecutor to reply to the statement<\/p>\n<p>in defence filed by the delinquent public servant. The purpose was, firstly, to<\/p>\n<p>abdicate the full-dressed hearing on the petition as we may imagine in a trial-like-<\/p>\n<p>situation and to allow the placing of all the relevant documents and evidence<\/p>\n<p>along with explaining statements from both the sides so that the Authorized<\/p>\n<p>Officer did not have any difficulty in reading probabilities arising out of the<\/p>\n<p>assertions and counter assertions and thereby in recording his findings clearly.<\/p>\n<p>This appears more the intent of the legislature when one considers that the very<\/p>\n<p>Act has created two fora; one for the trial of the offence which had to be done as<\/p>\n<p>per the provisions of Chapter 2 of the Act. The other forum is for carrying out the<\/p>\n<p>adjudication of proceedings arising out of the petition filed under section 13 of the<\/p>\n<p>Act which has to be summary and in which rules of evidence have never to be<\/p>\n<p>applied. Nonetheless, it could not be said that the adjudication of the petition<\/p>\n<p>under section 13 of the Act has to be done as per the whim of the Presiding<\/p>\n<p>Officer. It can never be so else, it could be violative completely of the principles<\/p>\n<p>of natural justice. It has to be as per the provisions of section 15 of the Act and<\/p>\n<p>Rule 11 of the Rules on the balance of probabilities.\n<\/p>\n<p>18.            But then, the question is in case the delinquent public servant or<\/p>\n<p>the persons who have been issued notice under section 14 of the Act do not<\/p>\n<p>choose to place evidence by enclosing the same with their statements of defence,<\/p>\n<p>then where from the court or the Authorized Officer could be reading those<\/p>\n<p>evidence. The present appears a case of that class where the appellants were<br \/>\n<span class=\"hidden_text\">                                           12<\/span><\/p>\n<p>making statements, placing explanation in their own ways on acquisition of<\/p>\n<p>different properties, which were found in their possession as per description in<\/p>\n<p>Schedules A and B of the petition. But, they did not enclose any document with<\/p>\n<p>their written statements of defence which were filed before the court below. Even<\/p>\n<p>their statements appear quite contrary to each other. Appellant Girish Kumar was<\/p>\n<p>stating that the retiral benefits accruing on account of the demise of his father<\/p>\n<p>were improperly partitioned in two halves, one to himself and other to his mother.<\/p>\n<p>In fact, it accrued to him alone in its entirety. But his wife appellant Saphalta<\/p>\n<p>Devi, while explaining immovable properties of Sheopuri and Kadamkuan, was<\/p>\n<p>stating that the Stridhan properties of her mother-in-law were also coming handy<\/p>\n<p>in acquisition of the properties. In addition to that, the appellants were speaking of<\/p>\n<p>their irrigated agricultural land. They did not state as to what was the area of the<\/p>\n<p>land which was in their possession and they did never furnish as to what was the<\/p>\n<p>annual income by way of net savings due to the produce of those lands. All<\/p>\n<p>acquisitions, may be of the pistol and cartridge, the tractor and trailer, the plots of<\/p>\n<p>land and houses in Kadamkuan or even the Maruti Zen car, appears being<\/p>\n<p>financed either fully or in part by the agricultural income of the joint family<\/p>\n<p>without even stating in a consolidated manner as to what was the total income of<\/p>\n<p>the family from agricultural lands from the year 1992 to 2004. The court would<\/p>\n<p>have been happy had it received any reasonable explanation by way of furnishing<\/p>\n<p>accounts of receipts from agricultural land, year-wise or otherwise, by the<\/p>\n<p>appellants. Thus, what appears is that the whole statement of defence of the<\/p>\n<p>appellants was based on bare statements which were too general and specific on<\/p>\n<p>any part and without any support from any acceptable evidence or material. There<\/p>\n<p>was no prima facie evidence produced by the appellants in support of their<\/p>\n<p>statements of defence though the appellants appear not controverting that they had<\/p>\n<p>the properties in their possession. This may appear from different paragraphs of<\/p>\n<p>the statements made either by the appellant Girish Kumar or appellant Saphalta<\/p>\n<p>Devi.\n<\/p>\n<p><span class=\"hidden_text\">                                          13<\/span><\/p>\n<p>19.            In my considered view, the learned Authorized Officer was<\/p>\n<p>perfectly justified in holding that the properties were acquired by commission of<\/p>\n<p>the offence under section 2(d) of the Act.\n<\/p>\n<p>20.            So far as acquisition of motorcycle is concerned, it was stated that<\/p>\n<p>the vehicle was owned by one Akhilesh Kumar. It appears from the impugned<\/p>\n<p>order that Akhilesh Kumar was also issued a notice under section 14 of the Act<\/p>\n<p>but, he did not choose to appear. Again, there was no documentary evidence<\/p>\n<p>produced before me showing the source of finance to purchase the motorcycle<\/p>\n<p>least to say that it really belonged to Akhilesh Kumar. It may be true that Maruti<\/p>\n<p>Zen car had been purchased by taking out a loan but that may not shut the matter<\/p>\n<p>out of the court unless the delinquent public servant, i.e., Girish Kumar was<\/p>\n<p>successfully pointing out to the learned Authorized Officer and this Court as to<\/p>\n<p>how the loan was repaid. There was no statement as to from which account in<\/p>\n<p>which he had kept his validly earned money, the loan amount was repaid. May be,<\/p>\n<p>that acquisitions had been financed properly by taking out loans but in that case,<\/p>\n<p>in my considered view, the repayment of loan has also to be equally from the<\/p>\n<p>valid source of income and in all such cases, the delinquent public servant owes a<\/p>\n<p>burden to justice to explain as to how he had discharged that burden. The<\/p>\n<p>appellants have not done it in the present case.\n<\/p>\n<p>21.            The appeal appears de-meritorious and the same is, accordingly,<\/p>\n<p>dismissed.\n<\/p>\n<\/p>\n<p>                                    (Dharnidhar Jha, J.)<\/p>\n<p>Patna High Court,<br \/>\nThe 15th November, 2011,<br \/>\nNAFR\/Anil\/\n <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Patna High Court Girish Kumar &amp; Ors vs The State Of Bihar Through Vig on 15 November, 2011 Author: Dharnidhar Jha Criminal Appeal (SJ) No. 918 of 2011 &#8212;&#8212;- Against the order dated 23rd June, 2011 passed by Shri Ramesh Chandra Mishra, Authorized Officer, Special Court II, Patna in Special Case No. 7 of 2010. [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_lmt_disableupdate":"","_lmt_disable":"","_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[8,26],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-195714","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-high-court","category-patna-high-court"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v27.3 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>Girish Kumar &amp; Ors vs The State Of Bihar Through Vig on 15 November, 2011 - Free Judgements of Supreme Court &amp; High Court | Legal India<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.legalindia.com\/judgments\/girish-kumar-ors-vs-the-state-of-bihar-through-vig-on-15-november-2011\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Girish Kumar &amp; 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