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2004 DIGILAW 380 (RAJ)

B. A. S. F. India Ltd. v. State of Rajasthan

2004-03-12

N.N.MATHUR

body2004
Honble MATHUR, J.–By way of instant petition under Section 482 CrPC, petitioners seek to quash the proceedings pending against them in the court of ACJM, Suratgarh being Criminal Case No. 257/2000 for the offence u/Secs. 3(A), 17, 18 read with Sec. 29(1)(A) of the Insecticides Act, 1968. (2). Briefly stated the facts of the case are that on 25.5.2000, the insecticides Inspector inspected the shop of M/s Rishi Pesticides, Suratgarh and took the sample of Cypermethrin 10% EC. The sample was sent for analysis to the State Pesticide Testing Laboratory, Jaipur. It was reported that the sample did not conform to ISI specification of active ingredient and, therefore, it was held to be misbranded. A show cause notice dated 21.6.2000 was given to M/s Rishi Pesticides. A detailed reply was submitted denying the allegations. A prayer was also made for sending the sample to the Central Insecticide Laboratory for analysis under Sec. 24 of the aforesaid Act. The complaint has been filed against the petitioners describing them as Managing Director and Directors of the manufacturing Company viz; BASF India Limited. The learned Magistrate has taken cognizance against them for the various offences referred-to above. Petitioners have challenged the proceedings on number of valid grounds. The petition deserves to be allowed even on a single ground that sanction for prosecution has been accorded without arriving at the requisite satisfaction and without containing full facts. (3). It will be convenient to extract the office order granting sanction by the Joint Director of Agriculture (Plant Protection), Jaipur in exercise of powers under sub-section (1) of Section 31 of the aforesaid Act: ``Government of Rajasthan Directorate of Agriculture, Rajasthan, Jaipur No. F.4(34) WC/Tech1/PP/2000/8783-84 Dt. 5.7.2000 OFFICE ORDER In exercise of the powers conferred under Sub-section (1) of Section 31 of the Insecticides Act, 1968 (Central Act 46 of 1968) and after careful examination of the case, I hereby give written consent on behalf of the State Government (Authorized vide Govt. Notification No. F.4(4) Agri./Gr.2/A/79, dated 19.4.84) to the insecticide Inspector & District Extension Officer, IGNP, Suratgarh to institute the case for prosecution under sections 29(1)(a) of the Insecticides Act, 1968 in public interest against the following: DEALER : 01: M/s Rishi Pesticides, 117, New Dhan Mandi, Suratgarh. 02: Shri Prem Kumar S/o Sohanlal Agrawal, Ward No. 27, Suratgarh, District Ganganagar. DISTRIBUTOR: 01: M/s Rishi Pesticides, 117, New Dhan Mandi, Suratgarh. 02: Shri Prem Kumar S/o Sohanlal Agrawal, Ward No. 27, Suratgarh, District Ganganagar. DISTRIBUTOR: 01: M/s Rishi Pesticides, 117, New Dhan Mandi, Suratgarh. 02: Shri Prem Kumar S/o Sohanlal Agrawal, Ward No. 27, Suratgarh, District Ganganagar. MANUFACTURER: 01: M/s B.A.S.F. India Ltd. 7, Basant Lok, Basant Bihar, New Delhi-110057. 02: Dr. S.A. Nadgouda S/o Shri Anant Nadgouda, R/o Flat D/214, Devdeveshvar Cooperative Housing Society Limited, Telly Galli Cross Lane, Andheri (East) Mumbai-400059, Manager-Quality Assurance of M/s B.A.S.F. India Ltd., 7, Basant Lok, Basant Bihar, New Delhi-110057. 03: Mr. P.M. Thampi R/o BASF India Limited, Rhone Poulene House, S.K. Ahire Marg, Mumbai-400025, Chairman & Managing Director, M/s B.A.S.F. India Ltd., 7, Basant Lok, Basant Bihar, New Delhi-110057. 04: Dr. W. Burgert, R/o BASF South East Asia Pvt. Ltd., 7, Temasek Boulevard, 35-01, Suntee Tower One, Singapore 038987, Director of M/s B.A.S.F. India Ltd., 7, Basant Lok, Basant Bihar, New Delhi-110057. 05: Mr. L.S. Naik, R/o BASF India Limited, Rhone Poulene House, S.K. Ahire Marg, Mumbai-400025. Alternate to Dr. W. Burgert, M/s B.A.S.F. India Ltd., 7, Basant Lok, Basant Bihar, New Delhi-110057. 06: Mr. K.R. Cooriawala, R/o BASF India Limited, Rhone Poulene House, S.K. Ahire Marg, Mumbai-400025, Director of M/s B.A.S.F. India Ltd., 7, Basant Lok, Basant Bihar, New Delhi- 110057. 07: Mr. Prasad Chandran, R/o BASF India Limited, Rhone Poulene House, S.K. Ahire Marg, Mumbai-400025. Director of M/s. B.A.S.F. India Ltd., 7, Basant Lok, Basant Bihar, New Delhi- 110057. 08: Mr. Darsan Lal, R/o BASF India Limited, 201, New Delhi House, 27, New Delhi-110001, Director of M/s B.A.S.F. India Ltd., 7, Basant Lok, Basant Bihar, New Delhi-110057. 09: Mr. E.I. Lilgemann, R/o BASF South East Asia Pvt. Ltd. 7, Temasek Boulevard, 35-01, Suntee Tower One, Singapore-038987, Director of M/s B.A.S.F. India Ltd., 7, Basant Lok, Basant Bihar, New Delhi-110057. 10: Mr. R.E. Vaz, R/o BASF India Limited, Rhone Poulene House, S.K. Ahire Marg, Mumbai-400025, Alternate to Mr. E. Hiigermann of M/s B.A.S.F. India Ltd., 7, Basant Lok, Basant Bihar, New Delhi-110057. 11: Mr. Y.H. Malogem, R/o BASF India Limited, Rhone Poulene House, S.K. Ahire Marg, Mumbai-400025, Director of M/s B.A.S.F. India Ltd., 7, Basant Lok, Basant Bihar, New Delhi-110057. 12: Dr. W. Practorius, R/o BASF Aktiongcscllschall, 67056, Ludwigshefon, Germany, Director of M/s B.A.S.F. India Ltd., 7, Basant Lok, Basant Bihar, New Delhi-110057. 13: Mr. S.G. Kulkarni R/o BASF India Limited, Rhone Poulene House, S.K. Ahire Marg, Mumbai-400025. Alternate to Dr. 12: Dr. W. Practorius, R/o BASF Aktiongcscllschall, 67056, Ludwigshefon, Germany, Director of M/s B.A.S.F. India Ltd., 7, Basant Lok, Basant Bihar, New Delhi-110057. 13: Mr. S.G. Kulkarni R/o BASF India Limited, Rhone Poulene House, S.K. Ahire Marg, Mumbai-400025. Alternate to Dr. W. Praetorius of M/s B.A.S.F. India Ltd., 7, Basant Lok, Basant Bihar, New Delhi-110057. 14: Mr. S. Raghunath R/o BASF India Limited, Rhone Poulene House, S.K. Ahire Marg, Mumbai 400025, Director of M/s B.A.S.F. India Ltd., 7, Basant Lok, Basant Bihar, New Delhi-110057. 15: Dr. F. Schuider, R/o BASF India Ltd. Tokyo Office, Nambu Building, 3-3-Kioicho Chiyoda, Tokyo, 102, Japan, Director of M/s B.A.S.F. India Ltd., 7, Basant Lok, Basant Bihar, New Delhi-110057. 16: Mr. R.A. Shah, R/o BASF India Ltd., Rhone Poulene House, S.K. Ahire Marg, Mumbai-400025, Director of M/s B.A.S.F. India Ltd., 7, Basant Lok, Basant Bihar, New Delhi-110057. Sd/- Joint Director of Agriculture, (Plant Protection) Raj. Jaipur. (4). It clearly appears that the sanction has been accorded for prosecution by the authority mechanically without application of mind. The prosecution on such a sanction is held to be illegal by various decision of this Court. Reference be made to M/s Gupta Chemicals Pvt. Ltd. vs. State of Rajasthan (1). Besides this, there is nothing to show as to how the petitioners were responsible for conduct of business. They have also been deprived of their right to get the sample analyzed by the Central Insecticide Laboratory u/s. 24 of the Act. It is not necessary to examine these contentions in detail, as the petition deserves to be succeeded on first ground alone. (5). Consequently, the petition is allowed. The proceedings pending against the petitioners in the court of ACJM, Suratgarh being Criminal Case No. 257/2000 stand quashed.