INTHECOURTOFDr[CASE NUMBER][ENTITY]:SPECIALJUDGE (PCACT):CBI01:CENTRALDISTRICT: TISHAZARICOURTS:DELHI CriminalAppealNo[CASE NUMBER]48/2018 [CASE NUMBER] [CASE NUMBER][CASE NUMBER][CASE NUMBER] Sh[CASE NUMBER][ENTITY] S/oSh[CASE NUMBER]HawaSingh R/oH[CASE NUMBER]N[CASE NUMBER]51,VillageNithari, NewDelhi Appellant Versus The[ENTITY] (Govt[CASE NUMBER]ofNCTofDelhi) Respondent DateofInstitution: 17[CASE NUMBER]09[CASE NUMBER]2018 Judgmentreservedon: 25[CASE NUMBER]09[CASE NUMBER]2018 Judgmentpronouncedon: 26[CASE NUMBER]09[CASE NUMBER]2018 JUDGMENT:
(1) ThisCriminalAppealhasbeenfiledagainsttheimpugned orderdated05[CASE NUMBER]07[CASE NUMBER]2018passedbytheLd[CASE NUMBER]MM01,Central,TisHazari Courts, Delhi in FIR No[CASE NUMBER] 112/2013, under [SECTION] [ACT], PS Lahori Gate thereby dismissing the ProtestPetitionfiledbytheappellantandacceptingtheCancellation ReportfiledbytheInvestigatingAgency[CASE NUMBER]
(2) Thebrieffactsassetoutbythecomplainantarethaton 02[CASE NUMBER]10[CASE NUMBER]2009at about 11:00AMthe complainant/appellantcameat KhariBaoliforsomepersonalworkandwhenhestartedreturningto [ENTITY][CASE NUMBER][ENTITY],[CASE NUMBER]) PageNo[CASE NUMBER]1of9 hiscarhefoundthatthechequebookcontainingfivechequesand other miscellaneous papers were missing, after which he lodged a report regarding lost of the five cheques vide complaint No[CASE NUMBER] 1013/2009atPoliceStationLahoriGateDelhi[CASE NUMBER] On19[CASE NUMBER]03[CASE NUMBER]2010the complainantreceivedalegalnoticewhereinitwasallegedthatthe complainanthadtakenafriendlyloanfromoneSurinderKumarand onaccountofrefundofthesaidamount,theappellant/complainant hadissuedthesaidchequesinhisfavour[CASE NUMBER]Theappellantdulyreplied tothesaidnoticeandon26[CASE NUMBER]03[CASE NUMBER]2010helodgedacomplaintatPolice StationLahoriGatevideDDNo[CASE NUMBER]41BbuttheSHOPSLahoriGate didnotregistertheFIRnorinitiatedanyaction[CASE NUMBER]Therefore,havingno option,thecomplaintalongwithanapplicationunderSection156(3) [ACT]wasfiledpursuanttowhichtheLd[CASE NUMBER]MMhaddirectedtheSHO toregisteracaseunder Section420/403/468/471[ACT][CASE NUMBER] Pursuantto thesame,thepresentFIRNo[CASE NUMBER]112/2013wasregisteredatPSLahori Late[CASE NUMBER]Thereaftertheinvestigationinthepresentcasewerecarriedout andaftercompletionofinvestigationsaCancellationReporthasbeen filed by the Investigating Agency[CASE NUMBER] The appellant/ complainant thereafterfiledaProtestPetitiontothesaidcancellationreport[CASE NUMBER]Vide order dated 05[CASE NUMBER]07[CASE NUMBER]2018 the Ld[CASE NUMBER] Trial Court dismissed the Protest PetitionfiledbytheappellantandacceptedtheCancellationReport filedbytheInvestigatingAgency[CASE NUMBER]Beingaggrievedbythesame,the appellanthasapproachedthiscourtonthefollowinggrounds:
ThattheLd[CASE NUMBER]Trialhasfailedtoapplyitsmindtothefactsand laws before passing the impugned order and has failed to considerthestatementoftheappellantandhasnotgivenhima [ENTITY][CASE NUMBER][ENTITY],[CASE NUMBER]) PageNo[CASE NUMBER]2of9 chanceofleadingevidencetoprovehiscaseunderSection200 [ACT]
ThattheLd[CASE NUMBER]TrialCourthasfailedtoconsiderthatasperthe settledlawanopportunityofleadingevidencebytreatingthe protestpetitionunder[SECTION][CASE NUMBER]P[CASE NUMBER]C[CASE NUMBER]shouldbegrantedto theappellant[CASE NUMBER]
ThattheLd[CASE NUMBER]TrialCourthasfailedtoconsiderthatnostatement wasrecordedbytheIOinrespectofthechequeswithdrawn fromthebank[CASE NUMBER]
ThattheLd[CASE NUMBER]TrialCourthasfailedtoconsiderthecomplaint and the material on record and wrongly relied upon the statementofaccusedandhiswitnesses[CASE NUMBER]
(3) Pursuanttothefilingoftheappealnoticewasissuedtothe respondent/[ENTITY][CASE NUMBER]Ld[CASE NUMBER]Addl[CASE NUMBER]PPforthe[ENTITY]hasnotfiledanyformal reply to the appellant and has filed his written memorandum of argumentswhereinhehassubmittedthatasperthesettledlawitisnot mandatoryfortheLd[CASE NUMBER]MMtotreattheprotestpetitionascomplaint under [SECTION] [ACT] in every case if cancellation report is accepted and the Ld[CASE NUMBER] MM has the discretion whether to treat the protestpetitionascomplaintunder[SECTION][CASE NUMBER]P[CASE NUMBER]C[CASE NUMBER]Inhisregard hehasplacedhisrelianceuponthejudgmentinthecaseofDr[CASE NUMBER][ENTITY][CASE NUMBER]Dr[CASE NUMBER][ENTITY][CASE NUMBER][CASE NUMBER][CASE NUMBER][CASE NUMBER] decidedon22[CASE NUMBER]03[CASE NUMBER]2009[CASE NUMBER]
[ENTITY][CASE NUMBER][ENTITY],[CASE NUMBER]) PageNo[CASE NUMBER]3of9 (4) Ihaveconsideredtherivalcontentionsandalsoperusedthe Trial Court Record[CASE NUMBER] At the very Outset I may observe that the appellant/complainanthasnotapproachedtheTrialCourtwithclean hands[CASE NUMBER]Itisevidentthatinhisentirecomplaint,thecomplainanthas beenassertingthathewasnotknowntoSurenderKumaratanypoint of time but the material collected by the Investigating Agency confirmsthathewasverywellknowntotheallegedaccused[ENTITY]whomtheappellanthascleverlyomittedtoarrayasoneofthe necessaryrespondentinthepresentpetition[CASE NUMBER] (5) Secondly,it isnotdisputedthatSurenderKumar against whomtheappellanthadmadethecomplaint,hadfiledacomplaint under [SECTION] of [ACT] against the complainant[ENTITY]muchpriortotheappellant/revisonist filingthecomplaintwhichagaingoestoconfirmthattheappellant was known to [ENTITY] against whom he has now made allegationsinthecomplaint[CASE NUMBER]Itisnotdisputedthatthecomplaintwas filed by the appellant after [ENTITY] filed the case under [SECTION][CASE NUMBER]Infact,theappellantreceivedalegalnotice fromSurenderKumaron09[CASE NUMBER]03[CASE NUMBER]2010towhichherespondedandthe complaint to the police was made only thereafter on 26[CASE NUMBER]03[CASE NUMBER]2010[CASE NUMBER]
Hence,thepossibilityofthepresentcomplaintbeinginthenatureof defenceinthesaidcaseunder[SECTION],cannotberuled outsinceitisacommonpracticethatinordertocreateadefencein chequebouncingcasesnormallypeoplelodgeNCRsregardingstolen chequeswhicharenotfoundtobecorrect[CASE NUMBER]
(6) Thirdly,theinvestigationsconductedbytheInvestigating [ENTITY][CASE NUMBER][ENTITY],[CASE NUMBER]) PageNo[CASE NUMBER]4of9 OfficerconfirmsthatasumofRs[CASE NUMBER]2,49,972/(RupeesTwoLacsForty NineThousand,NineHundredSeventyTwoonly)hadbeendeposited by said [ENTITY] in the account of the appellant [ENTITY][CASE NUMBER] ThisagainconfirmsthattheappellantbeforethisCourt was known to [ENTITY] and also primafacie explains the issuanceofthesechequesinquestionwhichtheappellantnowclaims hadbeenstolen[CASE NUMBER] Asreflectedfromthe[ENTITY]mentofAccountofthe bankaccountofappellant[ENTITY]thereisacreditentryof Rs[CASE NUMBER]2,49,972/ through RTGS from [ENTITY] and the corresponding[ENTITY]mentofAccountofthebankaccountof[ENTITY] shows a debit entry of Rs[CASE NUMBER]2,50,000/ to the account of the complainant on 25[CASE NUMBER]06[CASE NUMBER]2009[CASE NUMBER] Under these circumstances, it is impossiblethattheappellantwasnotknowingSurenderKumar[CASE NUMBER] (7) Fourthly, the Investigating Officer had recorded the statementofoneHemChanderwhobelongstothesamevillageas that of the complainant [ENTITY][CASE NUMBER] [ENTITY] has specificallystateditwashewhohadintroducedhisnephewRajiv Vijayran to [ENTITY] and asked [ENTITY] to lend money to the complainant after which the cheque in question was issued by complainant [ENTITY] to [ENTITY] in his presence[CASE NUMBER] In this regard, a vague ground has been raised by the appellant/complainantintheprotestpetitionthatthereisadispute betweenhimandHemChanderinrespectofelectricitybilland[ENTITY]hadtransferredtheamountthroughRTGSinhisaccountto make the payment of electricity bill[CASE NUMBER] However, no supporting documents have either been placed on record by the appellant/ [ENTITY][CASE NUMBER][ENTITY],[CASE NUMBER]) PageNo[CASE NUMBER]5of9 complainant either before this Court or in his protest petition to confirm the existence of such a dispute between him and [ENTITY] RTGSinhisaccounttomakethepaymentofelectricitybill[CASE NUMBER] (8) Fifthly, the case put forth by the appellant that on 02[CASE NUMBER]10[CASE NUMBER]2009atabout11:00AMhecameatKhariBaoliinhiscarfor makingpurchasesofDryFruitsandwhilehestartedreturninginhis carhefoundthathischequebookcontainingfivesignedchequeswas missing, does not inspire confidence because 02[CASE NUMBER]10[CASE NUMBER]2009 as a government holiday being Mahatma Gandhi Jayanti and every businessmanwouldknowthatanymarketingonaNationalHoliday wouldinvitepenalty(ReferenceismadetotheprovisionsofNational FestivalandHolidaysActandalsototheprovisionsofDelhiShops& Establishment Act, 1954)[CASE NUMBER] Even otherwise, no person of ordinary prudencewouldkeepfilledupandsignedchequesinthecar[CASE NUMBER] (9) Lastly,comingnexttothelegalargumentraisedonbehalf oftheappellantthattheonlyoptionavailabletotheLd[CASE NUMBER]TrialCourt was to treat the protest petition as a complaint under [SECTION] [ACT],whichthe Ld[CASE NUMBER]MMdidnotdoandhencethecaseneedstoberemandedback,is devoid of merits[CASE NUMBER] There is no reason why the Ld[CASE NUMBER] MM who is convincedandnotsatisfiedwithregardtotheallegationsmadeinthe protestpetition,toproceedfurtherunder[SECTION][ACT] regardthejudgmentofourownHighCourtinthecaseofDr[CASE NUMBER][ENTITY][CASE NUMBER]Dr[CASE NUMBER][ENTITY][CASE NUMBER][CASE NUMBER] decidedon22[CASE NUMBER]03[CASE NUMBER]2009areveryclearandIquoteasunder:
[ENTITY][CASE NUMBER][ENTITY],[CASE NUMBER]) PageNo[CASE NUMBER]6of9 " WhatthelearnedMMshouldhaveandcouldhave doneisexplainedbytheSupremeCourtinH[CASE NUMBER]S[CASE NUMBER]Bainsv[CASE NUMBER] U[CASE NUMBER]T[CASE NUMBER]ofChandigarh (supra)[CASE NUMBER]TheretheSupremeCourt explainedthecoursesopentothelearnedMMtofollow uponreceiptofsuchreportbythepoliceasunder(SCC @p[CASE NUMBER]63435):
"Itisseenfromtheprovisionstowhichwehave referred in the preceding paragraphs that on receipt ofacomplaintaMagistratehasseveral coursesopentohim[CASE NUMBER]Hemaytakecognizanceof theoffenceandproceedtorecordthestatements of the complainant and the witnesses present under [SECTION][CASE NUMBER] Thereafter, if in his opinion there is no sufficient ground for proceeding he maydismissthecomplaintunderSection[SECTION][CASE NUMBER]Ifin his opinion there is sufficient ground for proceeding he may issue process under Section
[SECTION][CASE NUMBER]However,ifhethinksfit,hemaypostponethe issueofprocessandeitherenquireintothecase himselfordirectaninvestigationtobemadebya PoliceOfficerorsuchotherpersonashethinksfit forthepurposeofdecidingwhetherornotthereis sufficient ground for proceeding[CASE NUMBER] He may then issueprocessifinhisopinionthereissufficient groundforproceedingordismissthecomplaintif thereisnosufficientgroundforproceeding[CASE NUMBER]On theotherhand,inthefirstinstance,onreceiptofa complaint,theMagistratemay,insteadoftaking cognizanceoftheoffence,orderaninvestigation under [SECTION][CASE NUMBER] The police will then investigate and submit a report under [SECTION][CASE NUMBER] Oft receiving the police report the Magistrate may take cognizance of the offence under [SECTION] and straightaway issue process[CASE NUMBER]Thishemaydoirrespectiveoftheview expressedbythepoliceintheirreportwhetheran offence has been made out or not[CASE NUMBER] The Police report under [SECTION] will contain the facts [ENTITY][CASE NUMBER][ENTITY],[CASE NUMBER]) PageNo[CASE NUMBER]7of9 discovered or unearthed by the police and the conclusion drawn by the police therefrom[CASE NUMBER] The Magistrateisnotboundbytheconclusionsdrawn bythePoliceandhemaydecidetoissueprocess even if the Police recommend that there is no sufficient ground for proceeding further[CASE NUMBER] The MagistrateafterreceivingthePolicereport,may, without issuing process or dropping the proceeding decide to take cognizance of the offence on the basis of the complaint originally submitted to him and proceed to record the statementsuponoathofthecomplainantandthe witnesses present under [SECTION] [ACT]Themere factthathehadearlierorderedaninvestigation underSection156(3)andreceivedareportunder [SECTION] will not have the effect of total effacement of the complaint and therefore the Magistrate will not be barred from proceeding under [SECTION], [SECTION] and [SECTION][CASE NUMBER] Thus, a Magistratewhoonreceiptofacomplaint,orders an investigation under [SECTION] and receives a police report under [SECTION], may,thereafter,dooneofthreethings: (1) he maydecidethatthereisnosufficientgroundfor proceedingfurtheranddropaction;(2)hemay take cognizance of the offence under [SECTION] on the basis of the police report and issueprocess;thishemaydowithoutbeingbound inanymannerbytheconclusionarrivedatbythe policeintheirreport:(3)hemaytakecognizance oftheoffenceunderSection190(1)(a)onthebasis oftheoriginalcomplaintandproceedtoexamine uponoaththecomplainantandhiswitnessesunder Section200[CASE NUMBER]Ifheadoptsthethirdalternative,he mayholdordirectaninquiryunderSection202if he thinks fit[CASE NUMBER] Thereafter he may dismiss the complaintorissueprocess,asthecasemaybe "
[ENTITY][CASE NUMBER][ENTITY],[CASE NUMBER]) PageNo[CASE NUMBER]8of9 IntheabovedecisioninH[CASE NUMBER]S[CASE NUMBER]Bains,theSupremeCourt noticed its earlier judgment in [PRECEDENT]
DineshMishra(supra)
19[CASE NUMBER]Areferencewasmadetothejudgmentofthe [ENTITY][CASE NUMBER]Commissioner of Police (1985) 2 SCC 537 where again the three optionsopentothecourtonareceiptofthereportunder Section173(2)CrPCwerediscussed[CASE NUMBER]Thosethreeoptions readasunder(SCC@p[CASE NUMBER]543):
"(1)Thecourtmayacceptthereportanddropthe proceedings;or(2)thecourtmaydisagreewith thereportandtakecognizanceoftheoffenceand issue process if it takes the view that there is sufficient ground for proceeding further; or (3) the court may direct further investigation to be madebythepolice "
(10) Applying the above principles of law to the facts of the presentcase,failureoftheLd[CASE NUMBER]TrialCourttograntanopportunityto the appellant by treating the protest petition as a complaint under [SECTION][ACT][CASE NUMBER]
(11) Inviewoftheabove,Ifindnoillegalityintheorderofthe Ld[CASE NUMBER]MMdated05[CASE NUMBER]07[CASE NUMBER]2018[CASE NUMBER]TheappealisherebyDismissed[CASE NUMBER]
(12) TrialCourtRecordbesentbackalongwiththecopyofthis Digitally order[CASE NUMBER] signed by [ENTITY] (13) AppealfilebeconsignedtoRecordRoom[CASE NUMBER] [ENTITY] Date: 2018[CASE NUMBER]09[CASE NUMBER]26 17:33:58 +0530 Announcedintheopencourt (Dr[CASE NUMBER][ENTITY]) Dated:26[CASE NUMBER]09[CASE NUMBER]2018 SpecialJudge(PCAct),CBI01, CentralDistrict,TisHazariCourts,Delhi [ENTITY][CASE NUMBER][ENTITY],[CASE NUMBER]) PageNo[CASE NUMBER]9of9