{"id":204537,"date":"2008-12-17T00:00:00","date_gmt":"2008-12-16T18:30:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.legalindia.com\/judgments\/raghu-raj-singh-rousha-vs-ms-shivam-sundaram-on-17-december-2008"},"modified":"2018-07-28T04:23:43","modified_gmt":"2018-07-27T22:53:43","slug":"raghu-raj-singh-rousha-vs-ms-shivam-sundaram-on-17-december-2008","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.legalindia.com\/judgments\/raghu-raj-singh-rousha-vs-ms-shivam-sundaram-on-17-december-2008","title":{"rendered":"Raghu Raj Singh Rousha vs M\/S. Shivam Sundaram &#8230; on 17 December, 2008"},"content":{"rendered":"<div class=\"docsource_main\">Supreme Court of India<\/div>\n<div class=\"doc_title\">Raghu Raj Singh Rousha vs M\/S. Shivam Sundaram &#8230; on 17 December, 2008<\/div>\n<div class=\"doc_author\">Author: S.B. Sinha<\/div>\n<div class=\"doc_bench\">Bench: S.B. Sinha, Cyriac Joseph<\/div>\n<pre>                                                                      REPORTABLE\n\n                   IN THE SUPREME COURT OF INDIA\n\n                  CRIMINAL APPELLATE JURISDICTION\n\n              CRIMINAL APPEAL NO. 2054              OF 2008\n               [Arising out of SLP (Crl.) No. 3031 of 2008]\n\n\nRaghu Raj Singh Rousha                                        ...Appellant\n\n                                     Versus\n\nM\/s. Shivam Sundaram Promoters (P) L &amp; Anr.             ...Respondents\n\n\n\n\n                            JUDGMENT\n<\/pre>\n<p>S.B. SINHA, J :\n<\/p>\n<\/p>\n<p>1.    Leave granted.\n<\/p>\n<\/p>\n<p>2.    Whether the High Court in exercise of its jurisdiction under Sections<\/p>\n<p>397 and 401 of the Code of Criminal Procedure (for short &#8220;the Code&#8221;) can<\/p>\n<p>pass an order in absence of the accused persons in the facts and<\/p>\n<p>circumstances of this case is the question involved in this appeal which<br \/>\n<span class=\"hidden_text\">                                    2<\/span><\/p>\n<p>arises out of a judgment and order dated 25.02.2008 passed by the High<\/p>\n<p>Court of Delhi at New Delhi in Criminal Revision Petition No. 116 of 2008.<\/p>\n<p>3.    Before adverting to the said question, we may notice the admitted fact<\/p>\n<p>of the matter.\n<\/p>\n<\/p>\n<p>4.    Respondent No. 1 is a company registered and incorporated under the<\/p>\n<p>Companies Act, 1956.       It filed a complaint petition in the Court of<\/p>\n<p>Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate, New Delhi at Patiala House<\/p>\n<p>Courts under Section 200 of the Code in respect of an offence purported to<\/p>\n<p>have been committed and punishable under Sections 323, 382, 420, 465,<\/p>\n<p>468, 471, 120-B, 506 and 34 of the Indian Penal Code accompanied by an<\/p>\n<p>application under Section 156(3) of the Code.\n<\/p>\n<\/p>\n<p>5.    It is not necessary for us to deal with the allegations made in the said<\/p>\n<p>complaint petition in details. Suffice it to say that by reason of an order<\/p>\n<p>dated 7.02.2008, the Metropolitan Magistrate, New Delhi in whose court the<\/p>\n<p>aforementioned complaint petition was transferred, refused to direct<\/p>\n<p>investigation in the matter by the Station House Officer in terms of Section<\/p>\n<p>156(3) of the Code, stating:\n<\/p>\n<p><span class=\"hidden_text\">                                    3<\/span><\/p>\n<blockquote><p>            &#8220;In the present case all the facts and circumstances<br \/>\n            of the case are within the knowledge of the<br \/>\n            complainant.     Both the complainant and the<br \/>\n            accused company have been dealing with one<br \/>\n            another by way of contractual agreement and a<br \/>\n            MOU dt. 05\/08\/05 was entered between them as<br \/>\n            alleged in the complaint. From the complaint and<br \/>\n            the documents placed on record, it appears that<br \/>\n            there is some dispute between the parties in<br \/>\n            respect of immovable property and the payments<br \/>\n            pertaining to the sale of the same.             The<br \/>\n            complainant submits that the accused had cheated<br \/>\n            him. In the facts and circumstances of the case<br \/>\n            there is no requirement of collection of evidence<br \/>\n            by the police at this stage as the complainant can<br \/>\n            lead his evidence. In view of this, present<br \/>\n            application u\/s 156(3) CrPC is dismissed. The<br \/>\n            complaint can be conveniently dealt with U\/s 200<br \/>\n            CrPC and subsequent provisions. If there is<br \/>\n            necessity however of police that shall be taken u\/s<br \/>\n            202 Cr.P.C.&#8221;<\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p>      On the aforementioned premise, the complainant was asked to lead<\/p>\n<p>pre-summoning evidence. It was directed to furnish list of witnesses, if any.<\/p>\n<p>6.    Aggrieved by and dissatisfied therewith, respondent No. 1 filed a<\/p>\n<p>revision application before the High Court impleading the State only as a<\/p>\n<p>party. By reason of the impugned judgment, the High Court, having regard<br \/>\n<span class=\"hidden_text\">                                       4<\/span><\/p>\n<p>to the purported consent of the learned APP appearing for the State, on the<\/p>\n<p>very first day of hearing, passed the following order:<\/p>\n<blockquote><p>             &#8220;On hearing learned counsel for the parties, it is<br \/>\n             agreed that the impugned order dated 7.2.2008 be<br \/>\n             set aside with direction to the learned MM to<br \/>\n             examine the matter afresh after calling for a report<br \/>\n             from the police authorities. The police authorities<br \/>\n             to hold a preliminary inquiry on basis of the<br \/>\n             complaint made by the petitioner\/ complainant and<br \/>\n             submit a report to the learned Magistrate within<br \/>\n             three weeks from today. The petitioner to appear<br \/>\n             before the trial Court on 24.03.2008. Petition<br \/>\n             stand disposed of.&#8221;\n<\/p><\/blockquote>\n<blockquote><p>      Appellant is, thus, before us.\n<\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p>7.    Mr. H.S. Phoolka, learned senior counsel appearing on behalf of the<\/p>\n<p>appellant, would contend that having regard to the fact that the complaint<\/p>\n<p>petition was filed in terms of Section 200 of the Code read with Section 156<\/p>\n<p>(3) thereof and as the learned Magistrate directed the respondent No. 1 to<\/p>\n<p>produce witnesses so as to enable it to proceed in terms of Chapter XV of<\/p>\n<p>the Code, the revision application could not have been disposed of without<\/p>\n<p>notice to the appellant.\n<\/p>\n<p><span class=\"hidden_text\">                                     5<\/span><\/p>\n<p>8.    Mr. Jaspal Singh, learned senior counsel appearing on behalf of the<\/p>\n<p>respondent No. 1, on the other hand, would contend that the criminal<\/p>\n<p>revision application having been filed at the pre-cognizance stage, the<\/p>\n<p>accused has no right to be heard. Strong reliance in this behalf has been<\/p>\n<p>placed on <a href=\"\/doc\/1758785\/\">Chandra Deo Singh v. Prokash Chandra Bose<\/a> alias Chabi Bose<\/p>\n<p>and another [AIR 1963 SC 1430] and <a href=\"\/doc\/1938541\/\">Mohd. Yousuf v. Afaq Jahan (Smt)<\/p>\n<p>and Another<\/a> [(2006) 1 SCC 627].\n<\/p>\n<\/p>\n<p>9.    A person intending to set the criminal law in motion inter alia may<\/p>\n<p>file an application under Section 156(3) of the Code.         When a First<\/p>\n<p>Information Report is lodged, a police officer has the requisite jurisdiction<\/p>\n<p>to investigate into the cognizable offence in terms of Section 156(1) of the<\/p>\n<p>Code. Where, however, a Magistrate is entitled to take cognizance of the<\/p>\n<p>offence under Section 190 of the Code, he may also direct that such<\/p>\n<p>investigation be carried out in terms thereof.\n<\/p>\n<\/p>\n<p>      When a complaint petition is filed under Chapter XV of the Code, the<\/p>\n<p>Magistrate has a few options in regard to exercise of his jurisdiction. He<\/p>\n<p>may take cognizance of the offence and issue summons. He may also<\/p>\n<p>postpone the issue of process so as to satisfy himself that the allegations<br \/>\n<span class=\"hidden_text\">                                     6<\/span><\/p>\n<p>made in the complaint petition are prima facie correct and either inquire into<\/p>\n<p>the case himself or direct an investigation to be made by a police officer or<\/p>\n<p>by such other person as he thinks fit for the purpose of deciding as to<\/p>\n<p>whether or not there is sufficient ground for proceeding. By reason of the<\/p>\n<p>aforementioned order dated 7.02.2008, the learned Magistrate intended to<\/p>\n<p>inquire into the case himself.     It is for the said purpose, he directed<\/p>\n<p>examination of the complainant and his witnesses.<\/p>\n<p>10.   One of the questions which arises for consideration is as to whether<\/p>\n<p>the learned Magistrate has taken cognizance of the offence. Indisputably, if<\/p>\n<p>he had taken cognizance of the offence and merely issuance of summons<\/p>\n<p>upon the accused persons had been postponed; in a criminal revision filed<\/p>\n<p>on behalf of the complainant, the accused was entitled to be heard before<\/p>\n<p>the High Court.\n<\/p>\n<\/p>\n<p>11.   Section 397 of the Code empowers the High Court to call for records<\/p>\n<p>of the case to exercise its power of revision in order to satisfy itself as<\/p>\n<p>regards correctness, legality or propriety of any finding, sentence or order<\/p>\n<p>recorded or passed and as to the regularity of any proceedings of such<\/p>\n<p>inferior court.   Sub-section (2) of Section 397 of the Code, however,<br \/>\n<span class=\"hidden_text\">                                       7<\/span><\/p>\n<p>prohibits exercise of such power in relation to any interlocutory order<\/p>\n<p>passed in any proceeding. Whereas Section 399 of the Code deals with the<\/p>\n<p>Sessions Judge&#8217;s power of revision; Section 401 thereof deals with the High<\/p>\n<p>Court&#8217;s power of revision.\n<\/p>\n<\/p>\n<p>         Sub-section (2) of Section 401 of the Code reads, thus:<\/p>\n<blockquote><p>               &#8220;(2) No order under this section shall be made to<br \/>\n               the prejudice of the accused or other person unless<br \/>\n               he has had an opportunity of being heard either<br \/>\n               personally or by pleader in his own defence.&#8221;\n<\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p>12.      Submission of Mr. Jaspal Singh that by reason of the impugned order<\/p>\n<p>the appellant was not prejudiced and in any event at the pre-summoning<\/p>\n<p>stage, he was not an accused, cannot be accepted.\n<\/p>\n<\/p>\n<p>         Sub-section (2) of Section 401 of the Code refers not only to an<\/p>\n<p>accused but also to any person and if he is prejudiced, he is required to be<\/p>\n<p>heard.\n<\/p>\n<\/p>\n<p>         An order was passed partially in his favour.              The learned<\/p>\n<p>Metropolitan Magistrate has refused to exercise its jurisdiction under<br \/>\n<span class=\"hidden_text\">                                    8<\/span><\/p>\n<p>Section 156(3) of the Code. Had an opportunity of hearing been given to<\/p>\n<p>the appellant, he could have shown that no revision application was<\/p>\n<p>maintainable and\/ or even otherwise, no case has been made out for<\/p>\n<p>interference with the impugned judgment.\n<\/p>\n<\/p>\n<p>13.   <a href=\"\/doc\/923392\/\">In Makkapati Nagaswara Sastri v. S.S. Satyanarayan<\/a> [(1981) 1 SCC<\/p>\n<p>62], this Court opined that the principle of audi alteram partem is<\/p>\n<p>applicable in a proceeding before the High Court.<\/p>\n<p>      Yet again in P. Sundarrajan and Others v. R. Vidhya Sekar [(2004) 13<\/p>\n<p>SCC 472], this Court held:\n<\/p>\n<\/p>\n<blockquote><p>            &#8220;4. On the above basis, it proceeded to consider<br \/>\n            the material produced by the petitioner before it<br \/>\n            and without taking into consideration the defence<br \/>\n            that was available to the respondent proceeded to<br \/>\n            set aside the order of the Magistrate, and directed<br \/>\n            the said court to take the complaint on file and<br \/>\n            proceed with the same in accordance with law.\n<\/p><\/blockquote>\n<blockquote><p>            5. In our opinion, this order of the High Court is<br \/>\n            ex facie unsustainable in law by not giving an<br \/>\n            opportunity to the appellant herein to defend his<br \/>\n            case that the learned Judge violated all principles<br \/>\n            of natural justice as also the requirement of law of<br \/>\n            hearing a party before passing an adverse order.&#8221;\n<\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p><span class=\"hidden_text\">                                    9<\/span><\/p>\n<p>14.   We may also notice that this Court in <a href=\"\/doc\/114000\/\">Vadilal Panchal v. Dattatraya<\/p>\n<p>Dulaji Ghadigaonkar and<\/a> another [AIR 1960 SC 1113], opined:<\/p>\n<blockquote><p>               &#8220;9. The general scheme of the aforesaid<br \/>\n            sections is quite clear. Section 200 says inter alia<br \/>\n            what a Magistrate taking cognisance of an offence<br \/>\n            on complaint shall do on receipt of such a<br \/>\n            complaint. Section 202 says that the Magistrate<br \/>\n            may, if he thinks fit, for reasons to be recorded in<br \/>\n            writing, postpone the issue of process for<br \/>\n            compelling the attendance of the person<br \/>\n            complained against and direct an inquiry for the<br \/>\n            purpose of ascertaining the truth or falsehood of<br \/>\n            the complaint; in other words, the scope of an<br \/>\n            inquiry under the section is limited to finding out<br \/>\n            the truth or falsehood of the complaint in order to<br \/>\n            determine the question of the issue of process. The<br \/>\n            inquiry is for the purpose of ascertaining the truth<br \/>\n            or falsehood of the complaint; that is, for<br \/>\n            ascertaining whether there is evidence in support<br \/>\n            of the complaint so as to justify the issue of<br \/>\n            process and commencement of proceedings<br \/>\n            against the person concerned. The section does not<br \/>\n            say that a regular trial for adjudging the guilt or<br \/>\n            otherwise of the person complained against should<br \/>\n            take place at that stage; for the person complained<br \/>\n            against can be legally called upon to answer the<br \/>\n            accusation made against him only when a process<br \/>\n            has issued and he is put on trial. Section 203, be it<br \/>\n            noted, consists of two parts: the first part indicates<br \/>\n            what are the materials which the Magistrate must<br \/>\n            consider, and the second part says that if after<br \/>\n            considering those materials there is in his<br \/>\n            judgment no sufficient ground for proceeding, he<br \/>\n<span class=\"hidden_text\">                                    10<\/span><\/p>\n<p>            may dismiss the complaint. Section 204 says that<br \/>\n            if in the opinion of the Magistrate there is<br \/>\n            sufficient ground for proceeding, he shall take<br \/>\n            steps for the issue of necessary process.&#8221;\n<\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p>15.   The question again came up for consideration before this Court<\/p>\n<p>recently in <a href=\"\/doc\/336701\/\">Divine Retreat Centre v. State of Kerala &amp; Ors.<\/a> [AIR 2008 SC<\/p>\n<p>1614], wherein this Court opined that the jurisdiction of the High Court<\/p>\n<p>even in terms of Section 482 of the Code is not unlimited. It was held that<\/p>\n<p>even in a case where no action is taken by the police, the informant&#8217;s<\/p>\n<p>remedy lies under Sections 190 and 200 of the Code.<\/p>\n<p>      Similar view has been expressed by this Court in Sakiri Vasu v. State<\/p>\n<p>of Uttar Pradesh and Others [(2008) 2 SCC 409].\n<\/p>\n<\/p>\n<p>16.     It is in the aforementioned backdrop the decision of this Court in<\/p>\n<p>Chandra Deo Singh (supra) may be considered. Therein, this Court opined<\/p>\n<p>that although an accused has no right to participate unless the process is<\/p>\n<p>issued, he may remain present either in person or through a counsel or agent<\/p>\n<p>with a view to be informed of what is going on. It was held that one of the<\/p>\n<p>objects behind the provisions of Section 202 of the Code is to enable the<br \/>\n<span class=\"hidden_text\">                                    11<\/span><\/p>\n<p>Magistrate to scrutinize carefully the allegations made in the complaint with<\/p>\n<p>a view to prevent a person named therein as accused from being called upon<\/p>\n<p>to face an obviously frivolous complaint but that is not the stage where<\/p>\n<p>defence of an accused can be gone into, stating:\n<\/p>\n<\/p>\n<blockquote><p>                &#8220;&#8230;An enquiry under Section 202 can in no<br \/>\n            sense be characterised as a trial for the simple<br \/>\n            reason that in law there can be but one trial for an<br \/>\n            offence. Permitting an accused person to intervene<br \/>\n            during the enquiry would frustrate its very object<br \/>\n            and that is why the legislature has made no<br \/>\n            specific provision permitting an accused person to<br \/>\n            take part in an enquiry. It is true that there is no<br \/>\n            direct evidence in the case before us that the two<br \/>\n            persons who were examined as court witnesses<br \/>\n            were so examined at the instance of Respondent 1<br \/>\n            but from the fact that they were persons who were<br \/>\n            alleged to have been the associates of Respondent<br \/>\n            1 in the first information report lodged by<br \/>\n            Panchanan Roy and who were alleged to have<br \/>\n            been arrested on the spot by some of the local<br \/>\n            people, they would not have been summoned by<br \/>\n            the Magistrate unless suggestion to that effect had<br \/>\n            been made by counsel appearing for Respondent 1.<br \/>\n            This inference is irresistible and we hold that on<br \/>\n            this ground, the enquiry made by the enquiring<br \/>\n            Magistrate is vitiated&#8230;&#8221;<\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p>      It was emphasized that the question as to whether a process has to be<\/p>\n<p>issued or not lies within the exclusive domain of the Magistrate so as to<\/p>\n<p>enable him to arrive at a satisfaction that there is sufficient ground for<br \/>\n<span class=\"hidden_text\">                                     12<\/span><\/p>\n<p>proceeding but not with a view to see as to whether there is sufficient<\/p>\n<p>ground for conviction, stating:\n<\/p>\n<\/p>\n<blockquote><p>                 &#8220;&#8230;No doubt, as stated in sub-section (1) of<br \/>\n             Section 202 itself, the object of the enquiry is to<br \/>\n             ascertain the truth or falsehood of the complaint,<br \/>\n             but the Magistrate making the enquiry has to do<br \/>\n             this only with reference to the intrinsic quality of<br \/>\n             the statements made before him at the enquiry<br \/>\n             which would naturally mean the complaint itself,<br \/>\n             the statement on oath made by the complainant<br \/>\n             and the statements made before him by persons<br \/>\n             examined at the instance of the complainant.&#8221;\n<\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p>17.   In Mohd. Yousuf (supra), whereupon reliance has been placed by<\/p>\n<p>Mr. Jaspal Singh, this Court made a distinction between a pre-cognizance<\/p>\n<p>stage and post-cognizance stage. It was opined that an order under Sub-<\/p>\n<p>section (3) of Section 156 of the Code need not be passed when the<\/p>\n<p>Magistrate intends to take cognizance.        Extensively referring to the<\/p>\n<p>decisions in Gopal Das Sindhi v. State of Assam [AIR 1961 SC 986] and<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"\/doc\/1034761\/\">Supdt. and Remembrancer of Legal Affairs v. Abani Kumar Banerjee<\/a> [AIR<\/p>\n<p>1950 Cal 437] as also other decisions, it was held that as in those cases<\/p>\n<p>cognizance had not been taken.\n<\/p>\n<p><span class=\"hidden_text\">                                    13<\/span><\/p>\n<p>18.   Here, however, the learned Magistrate had taken cognizance. He had<\/p>\n<p>applied his mind. He refused to exercise his jurisdiction under Section 156<\/p>\n<p>(3) of the Code. He arrived at a conclusion that the dispute is a private<\/p>\n<p>dispute in relation to an immovable property and, thus, police investigation<\/p>\n<p>is not necessary.    It was only with that intent in view, he directed<\/p>\n<p>examination of the complainant and his witnesses so as to initiate and<\/p>\n<p>complete the procedure laid down under Chapter XV of the Code.<\/p>\n<p>19.   We, therefore, are of the opinion that the impugned judgment cannot<\/p>\n<p>be sustained and is set aside accordingly. The High Court shall implead the<\/p>\n<p>appellant as a party in the criminal revision application, hear the matter<\/p>\n<p>afresh and pass an appropriate order.\n<\/p>\n<\/p>\n<p>20.   The Appeal is allowed.\n<\/p>\n<\/p>\n<p>                                            &#8230;&#8230;&#8230;&#8230;&#8230;&#8230;&#8230;&#8230;&#8230;&#8230;.J.\n<\/p>\n<p>                                            [S.B. Sinha]<\/p>\n<p>                                            &#8230;&#8230;&#8230;&#8230;&#8230;&#8230;&#8230;&#8230;&#8230;&#8230;..J.\n<\/p>\n<p>                                            [Cyriac Joseph]<br \/>\nNew Delhi;\n<\/p>\n<p>December 17, 2008<\/p>\n<p>      .\n<\/p>\n<p><span class=\"hidden_text\">14<\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Supreme Court of India Raghu Raj Singh Rousha vs M\/S. Shivam Sundaram &#8230; on 17 December, 2008 Author: S.B. Sinha Bench: S.B. Sinha, Cyriac Joseph REPORTABLE IN THE SUPREME COURT OF INDIA CRIMINAL APPELLATE JURISDICTION CRIMINAL APPEAL NO. 2054 OF 2008 [Arising out of SLP (Crl.) No. 3031 of 2008] Raghu Raj Singh Rousha &#8230;Appellant [&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":[30],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-204537","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-supreme-court-of-india"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v27.6 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>Raghu Raj Singh Rousha vs M\/S. 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