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1981 DIGILAW 421 (CAL)

Lokenalh Auddy v. Ashim Kumar MaUlk

1981-12-09

AMITABHA DUTTA

body1981
Judgment This Revisional application is directed against the orders dated 25.3.1980 and 31.3.1980 passed by Sri J. K. Mitra, learned Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate, Calcutta in case No.C/20/80 issuing process against the petitioner and another under Ss. 448/504/323 of the Indian Penal Code. 2. On 24 11.1978 the opposite party filed a petition before the learned Magistrate alleging commission of offences by the petitioner and another under Ss. 323/448/504 IPC with a prayer for ordering investigation into the alleged offences by the police under S.156(3) of the Code of Criminal Procedure. The learned Magistrate allowed the prayed and directed the police to investigate the case. Subsequently the police after completion of investigation submitted a report to the effect no evidence was forthcoming against the persons complained against and prayed for their discharge on 28.6.1979. The learned Magistrate accepting the police report discharged the accused persons including the petitioner. Later the petitioner filed a complaint under S.500 IPC for defamation against the opposite party on 18.1.80 and on such complaint the learned Magistrate issued process against the opposite party. Subsequently on 25.3.80 the opposite party filed a petition of complaint against the petitioner alleging commission of offences under Ss. 448/504/323 IPC. The learned Magistrate on receiving such complaint examined the complainant and his witness on 25.3.80 and thereafter on the prayer of the complainant fixed the case on 31.3.80 for further bearing and directed the putting up of the record of the earlier case which ended in discharge of the petitioner. On 31.3.80 the learned Magistrate after considering the record of the earlier case and the evidence adduced on 25.3.80 issued process against the petitioner and another under Ss. 448/504/323 IPC. 3. It is contended by the learned Advocate for the petitioner that the learned Magistrate has erred in not acting simultaneously under Ss.200 and 204 of the Code as he proceeded under S. 200 of the Code of 25.3.80 and thereafter under S.204 of the Code of 31.380. It is further submitted on behalf of the petitioner that the learned Magistrate was not competent to issue process on the subsequent complaint of the opposite party as in the proceeding arising out of the earlier complaint of the opposite party making exactly the same allegations against the petitioner he was discharged on 28.6.79 on consideration of the police report of investigation. 4. 4. In my view, these contentions raised on behalf of the petitioner are without force. The learned Magistrate after examining the complainant and his witness on 25.3.80 was competent to postpone the issue of process and make further enquiry apparently under S. 202 of the Code before taking his decision in the matter of issue of process and that is what he did by directing the putting up of the record of the earlier case on 30.3.80 and taking decision after considering the materials in that record and the evidence already taken on 25.3.80 although there is no specific mention in the order of the learned Magistrate that he was postponing the issue of process to make further enquiry into the complaint under S.202 of the Code. 5. The fact that the petitioner was discharged by the learned Magistrate on acceptance on the police report of investigation in the earlier case does not preclude him from taking cognizance of the offences in question on the petition of complaint filed by the opposite party on 25.3.80. In the earlier case the learned Magistrate did not take cognizance of the offences and directed the police to investigate into the offences in question under S.156(3) of the Code. He discharged the petitioner as the police reported that there was no evidence. The order of discharge does not amount to an acquittal nor to a final order. It is not a judgment although it is a judicial order In spite of such order of discharge the accused can be proceeded against for the same offence on the basis of a complaint lodged by the opposite party and the evidence adduced by him disclosing sufficient grounds. This view is supported by the decision of the Full Bench of the Delhi High Court in the case of Narayan v. State reported in 1972 Criminal Law Journal 1446. 6. It is further contended on behalf of the petitioner that as the offences under S.323 and 448 are pusishable with the imprisonment for one year and it has been alleged in the complaint filed by the opposite party that the alleged offences were committed on 21.11.1978 taking cognizance by the learned Magistrate of the offences under S. 323/448 IPC in relation to the petitioner is barred by limitation, in view of the provisions of S.468(l)(b) read with S.469 of the Code. In my view this submission is not well founded in view of the provisions of sub-so (3) of S.469 of the code which provides that-for the purposes of S.468 the period of limitation in relation to offences' which may be tried together shall be determined with reference to the offence which is punishable with the more severe punishment or as the case may be the most severe punishment. In the present case the alleged offence under S.504 IPC is punishable with imprisonment for two years. It cannot therefore be said that taking of cognizance by the learned Magistrate of the offence under Ss. 323/448/534 I.P.C. is barred by limitation. 7. In the result the application fails and is dismissed. The Rule is discharged. 8. Let the records be sent down to the learned Magistrate within a month. Rule discharged.