Research › Browse › Judgment

Patna High Court · body

1961 DIGILAW 24 (PAT)

Gobardhan Das v. Ramautar Dhanuk

1961-02-09

K.SAHAI

body1961
Judgment Kamla Sahai, J. 1. A proceeding under Sec.147 of the Code of Criminal Procedure was drawn up under an order passed on the 7th October, 1958, at the instance of the first Party, who is the petitioner before me. A pleader commissioner was subsequently appointed to hold local inspection and to report. The Magistrate heard the parties after submission of the pleader commissioners report, and, by his order dated the 9th January, 1960, he has come to the conclusion that the pleader commissioners report showed that the space in question between the parties could not have been used as a pathway. On the basis of this conclusion, he dropped the Proceeding. The first party has moved this Court against that order. 2. The point which Mr. Ghosal, who appears on behalf of the petitioner, has taken is that the learned Magistrate should have taken the evidence of the parties as required by Sub-section (1A) of Sec.147 and thereafter concluded the proceeding. His contention also is that the pleader commissioners report should not have been taken into evidence and considered until the pleader commissioner was examined in Court. 3. It seems to me that a Magistrate, who draws up a proceeding under Section 147, may drop it in certain circumstances even before he has taken the evidence of the parties; but, in so far as this case is concerned, I am of opinion that the Magistrate has acted wrongly. It has been held by a Bench of this Court in Chulai Mahto V/s. Surendra Nath Chatterji, ILR 1 Pat 75: (AIR 1922 Pat 224 (2)) in connection with a proceeding under Sec.145 that a pleader commissioners report cannot be taken into evidence without calling the pleader commissioner. The procedure laid down in Sec.145 has been altered by the recent amendment; but the procedure applicable to a case under Sec.147 is the same as that in a proceeding under Sec.145 before the amendment. This decision is, therefore, applicable in the present case. 4. For the reason given above I am of opinion, that the Magistrate has wrongly dropped the pro ceeding. This application is, therefore, allowed, and the learned Magistrates order dated the 9th January, 1060 is set aside.