Research › Browse › Judgment

Orissa High Court · body

1994 DIGILAW 280 (ORI)

DEBU ALIAS DEBASHIS ALIAS DEBABRATA TRIPATHY v. STATE

1994-09-19

ARIJIT PASAYAT

body1994
ARIJIT PASAYAT, J. ( 1 ) PETITIONER calls in question legality of proceeding initiated by Executive Magistrate, Anandapur, in purported exercise of power under S. 110 of Code of Criminal Procedure, 1973 (in short, 'code' ). According to him, mandatory requirements were not observed and he has been erroneously directed to furnish bond and thereafter because of non-furnishing of bond, has been remanded to custody. Learned counsel for the State supports the action. ( 2 ) BACKGROUND facts as stated by petitioner are essentially as follow. Petitioner was produced in custody by Officer-in-charge, Anandapur Police Station through Court Sub-Inspector, Anandapur before Executive Magistrate. Order dated 6-5-1994 shows that charges were read over and explained to the petitioner and since he did not plead guilty and wanted to be tried, he was directed to furnish bond of Rs. 10,000. 00 with two local sureties for the said amount. It was stipulated that in case of failure to furnish bond, he was to be remanded to custody. Direction was given to put up the matter before Sub-Divisional Magistrate, Anandapur. Later that day, on account of petitioner's failure to furnish bond, custody warrant was issued fixing 19-5-1994. On 7-5-1994 a petition was filed by petitioner to take up the matter, as a prayer for bail was made. The motion was objected to by learned counsel for State on the ground that petitioner's previous conduct and present activities caused serious threat to local peace and tranquillity. The matter was adjourned to 19-5-1994 for consideration of bail. Since on 19-5-1994, Sub-Divisional Magistrate was on tour, petitioner was remanded to custody till 1-6-1994 by Executive Magistrate. The course adopted, according to petitioner, is not sanctioned in law. Petitioner moved this Court, and by order dated 25-5-1994, he was directed to be released on bail on Rs. 2000. 00 with one surety for the like amount. Learned counsel for State on the other band submitted that statutory requirements were complied with. ( 3 ) SECTION 110 of the Code appears in Chapter VIII relating to security for keeping peace and for good behaviour. As the heading the Chapter itself indicates, it contemplates two kinds of securities. Sections 106 and 107 relate to security for keeping peace, while Sections 108, 109 and 110 relate to security for good behaviour. Proceedings for security under Sections 107, 108, 109 and 110 are started on information. As the heading the Chapter itself indicates, it contemplates two kinds of securities. Sections 106 and 107 relate to security for keeping peace, while Sections 108, 109 and 110 relate to security for good behaviour. Proceedings for security under Sections 107, 108, 109 and 110 are started on information. On receipt of information, Magistrate concerned shall, if he deems it necessary to require any person to show cause why he should not be ordered to furnish security, pass a preliminary order to show cause in terms of Section 111. If the person is present in Court order shall be read over and if necessary, explained to him as required under Section 112. If he is not so present, a copy of the order has to be served on him along with summons or warrant requiring him to appear before Court. Necessary procedure is laid down in Sections 113 and 114. When order under Section 113 has been read over or explained to the person present in Court or when he appears or is brought before Court in compliance with, or in execution of, a summons or warrant, issued under Section 113, Magistrate shall proceed to enquire into truth of the information upon which action has been taken. That is the requirement of Section 116. If on such enquiry it is not proved that it is necessary to require security, the person informed against shall be discharged as prescribed in Section 113. If, on the other hand, it is proved that it is necessary for keeping peace or maintaining good behaviour that the person should be required to give security, he shall be ordered in terms of Section 117 to do so. Sections appearing in Chapter VIII are preventive Sections which are not intended to be used to punish accused persons for offences that have been committed but to prevent them from committing offences which they are by their nature or habit likely to commit. Power contained in Section 110 is a preventive power and not a punitive one; therefore in its exercise, it is not confined to cases in which positive evidence of commission of offences is forthcoming against a person charged. A person proceeded against under the preventive Sections of the Code is not as accused of an offence, nor is he prosecuted. The proceedings against him do not, therefore, end in his 'acquittal' or 'conviction. A person proceeded against under the preventive Sections of the Code is not as accused of an offence, nor is he prosecuted. The proceedings against him do not, therefore, end in his 'acquittal' or 'conviction. These two words are appropriately applied to the result of a criminal trial. They are quite out of place when the result in the proceedings under the preventive Sections has to be described. The word 'trial' as used in the Code seems to presuppose the idea of an offence - a word defined in Section 2 (n) of the Code. No offence is involved in an enquiry under Chapter VIII of the Code. Therefore, enquiries under the Chapter are not trials. ( 4 ) PROCEEDINGS under Section 110 are intended to be precautionary and not punitive and, therefore, a very large amount of security should not be required. The object of taking a bond is not to obtain money for the State, but to prevent crime. The object of law as to security for good behaviour is not to fill the jails with bad characters, but to bring reasonable pressure on such persons to respect law. ( 5 ) MAGISTRATE initiating proceeding under Section 110 is not bound to inform the person concerned the source of his information or the nature of such information because the information is no evidence against the person. The information may, to some extent, be of a hearsay and of general description. All that the Magistrate is bound to state is the substance of the information. Section 110 has been enacted to keep under control such persons who are habitual criminals and take their habit with them wherever they go. It is intended to deal with exconvicts or habitual criminals and dangerous and desperate outlaws who are so hardened and incorrigible that ordinary provisions of the penal law and normal fear of condign punishment for crime are not sufficient deterrents and adequate safeguards for the public. The provisions are really intended to curb the dangerous activities of harden criminals and to secure the interest of the community from injury at their hands. Proceedings under the Section are judicial and not executive and Court is expected to follow the requisite procedure strictly. The predominant ingredient in Section 110 is "habit'. It implies a tendency or capacity resulting from frequent repetition of the same Acts. Proceedings under the Section are judicial and not executive and Court is expected to follow the requisite procedure strictly. The predominant ingredient in Section 110 is "habit'. It implies a tendency or capacity resulting from frequent repetition of the same Acts. The words 'by habit' and 'habitually' imply frequent practice or use. These words are used in Section 110 in the sense of depravity of character, as evidenced by frequent repetition or commission of offences mentioned in the Section. But it is not necessary for taking action on the ground of being a habitual offender that a person should have been convicted of any crime. Even without conviction, there may be good reasons for believing that he is a habitual offender. ( 6 ) WHILE setting forth the substance a particular clause of Section 110 under which allegations are made has to be indicated thereby granting the delinquent an opportunity to rebut the allegations. It has to be borne in mind that habit is to be proved by an aggregate of acts. The word 'habit' means persistence in doing an act, a fact which is capable of proof by adducing evidence of the commission of a number of similar acts. "habitually" must be taken to mean repeatedly or persistently. The word "habit" implies a tendency or capacity resulting from frequent repetition of same acts. A number of similar incidents cease to be isolated facts and become evidence of habit and character. How many facts must be proved to enable the Magistrate to draw a reasonable inference of habit of an accused cannot be laid down by any hard and fast rule. It depends upon the circumstances of each case. Learned counsel for state with reference to records submitted that the petitioner is a man of desperate and dangerous character as set out in Clause (g ). Persons who are extremely rash and act without any regard to their consequent action are desperate men. In the case at hand the order dated 6-5-1994 does not throw much light on the actual nature of the allegations for resorting to action under Section 110. It is not reflected in order dated 6-5-1994 that action was under Clause (g ). It is not even indicated as to what were the accusations. Section 110 is not a weapon given to Executive Magistrate in his executive capacity for suppression of crimes in his local jurisdiction. It is not reflected in order dated 6-5-1994 that action was under Clause (g ). It is not even indicated as to what were the accusations. Section 110 is not a weapon given to Executive Magistrate in his executive capacity for suppression of crimes in his local jurisdiction. Power is no doubt given for suppression of crime, but once a case has come to a Magistrate. Section 116 provides that enquiry has to be conducted as a judicial one and then becomes a judicial proceeding pure and simple. To constitute an admission sign of the charge against a person proceeded against under Section 110, he must admit all the necessary ingredients for holding that he "habitually commits, or attempts to commit, or bets the commission of offences involving a breach of peace", or "that he is so desperate and dangerous as to render his being at large without security hazardous to the community". The Executive Magistrate does not appear to have kept the essential aspects in view while passing the order dated 6-5-1994. In that view of the matter, the matter is remitted back to the Executive Magistrate for fresh consideration. Petitioner shall appear before him on 25-10-94, and the concerned Magistrate shall deal with him in terms of Section 112 of the Code and pass necessary orders. ( 7 ) CRIMINAL Misc. case is disposed of. Order accordingly. .