Om Kr. Dhankar vs State Of Haryana & Anr

3. The appellant (hereinafter referred to as 'the complainant') filed a criminal complaint against the 2 respondent No. 2 in the court of duty Magistrate, Gurgaon. In his complaint, the complainant stated that he was a transporter and operating buses on the contract basis in the name of M/s Chaudhary Bus Service. On May 1, 2000, his two buses bearing registration Nos. DL-1P-7077 and DL-1PA-3927 were impounded. On that date, the third bus bearing registration No. DL-1PA-4007 belonging to the complainant was also impounded. The respondent No. 2 at the relevant time was working as Deputy Excise and Taxation Commissioner, Gurgaon. The complainant visited his office and enquired about the impounding of his three buses. He was told that he (complainant) had not paid the passenger taxes in respect of these three buses. The respondent No. 2 told the complainant that Rs. 2 Lakhs were due towards the passenger taxes in relation to these three buses and asked the complainant to deposit that amount at his residence if he wanted the buses to be released. The complainant arranged Rs. 1,50,000/- and paid this amount to respondent No. 2 at his residence at about 1.45 p.m. on May 1, 2000. The respondent No. 2, according to the complainant, promised him to issue receipts from the office. The complainant visited the office of the accused at about 4 p.m., but there was no one in the office except one office clerk who told him that two buses have been released and the third bus would be released on payment of Rs. 50,000/- at the residence of the respondent No. 2. The complainant paid Rs. 50,000/- at about 9.30 p.m. at the 3 residence of the respondent No. 2 and the third bus was also released. In the complaint, the complainant alleged that the respondent No. 2 had cheated him and the public money has been embezzled and the accused also received illegal gratification; the intention of the respondent No. 2 was malafide while issuing directions to Inspector posted at different tax collection points not to accept passengers tax at tax collection points. It was thus alleged that the accused had committed offences under Sections 420, 409 and 427 IPC and Section 13(1)(d) of the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988.

4. The complainant appeared before the Magistrate in support of his complaint and examined himself. Two other witnesses were also examined on his behalf. Certain documents were also placed before the Magistrate.

5. The Magistrate vide order dated June 2, 2001 found that sufficient grounds existed to proceed against respondent No. 2 to be summoned to stand trial under Sections 420, 406 and 161 IPC.

6. The respondent No. 2 challenged the summoning order in Criminal Revision before the Sessions Judge, Gurgaon which was finally heard and disposed of by the Additional Sessions Judge, Gurgaon on February 1, 2002. The Additional Sessions Judge, inter alia, held that in the absence of sanction by the competent authority, the summoning order could not have been issued. The Additional 4 Sessions Judge, accordingly, vide order dated February 1, 2002 set aside the summoning order.

10. In view of the above legal position, we hold, as it must be, that revisional jurisdiction under Section 397 Cr.P.C. was available to the respondent No. 2 in challenging the order of the Magistrate directing issuance of summons. The first question is answered against the appellant accordingly.

15. As a result of the above discussion, the Appeal is allowed. The order dated May 17, 2007 of the Punjab and Haryana High Court and the order dated February 1, 2002 of the Additional Sessions Judge, Gurgaon are set aside. The order dated June 2, 2001 passed by the Judicial Magistrate, First Class, Gurgaon in the criminal complaint filed by the present appellant is restored. Trial court shall now proceed against the respondent No. 2 as per the summoning order.