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2006 DIGILAW 511 (UTT)

Sri Rai Singh - Revisionist v. State of Uttaranchal

2006-09-07

PRAFULLA C.PANT

body2006
Judgement- Heard learned counsel for the parties. 2. This Revision is directed against the judgment and order dated 18-07-2006, passed by learned Sessions Judge, Tehri Garhwal in criminal revision No. 39 of 2005, whereby the order dated 02•07-2005, passed by Special Judicial Magistrate, summoning the accused respondent No.2, is set aside. 3. Learned counsel for the revisionist/complainant drew attention of this Court to the principle of law laid down in Adalat Prasad Vs. Rooplal Jindal and others; 2004 Supreme Court Cases (Cri) 1, wherein it has been held that the summoning order passed under Section 204 of the Code of Criminal Procedure is an interlocutory order and revision is not maintainable against said order. Though, this court finds that the revisional power exercised by the learned Sessions Judge in the present case, did not vest in him in view of the principle of law laid down in Adalat Prasad (supra) but the reasons on which the order dated 02-07-2005, passed by Special Judicial Magistrate, mentioned in the impugned judgment are concerned, they deserve consideration by the court which has power to examine the summoning order. In the present case, in exercise of its powers, this Court has to see that by setting aside the impugned order, the order which was passed by trial court against provisions of law, is restored. 4. In the criminal complaint No. 53 of 2005, complainant made allegations against respondent No.2, who is a Principal of a Government Inter College and, who, refused to admit son of the complainant. Needless to say that Principal of Government Inter College is a public servant. The complainant's case was that the Principal did not admit his son, as his son is a member of Scheduled Caste. In his statement recorded under Section 200 of Cr. P.C., as is clear from the copy of order passed by the Magistrate, it was admitted that the Principal of the college (accused respondent No.2) told the complainant that his son has not secured sufficient marks, and for that reason he can not be admitted in the college. As such, denial of admission of the complainant's son in the college, was definitely in exercise of duties performed by the public servant. As such, denial of admission of the complainant's son in the college, was definitely in exercise of duties performed by the public servant. In such case, neither the cognizance could have been taken without sanction under Section 197 of the Cr.P.C., nor there was sufficient evidence to summon the accused that he had committed offence punishable under Section 4 of the Scheduled Caste Scheduled Tribe {Prevention of Atrocities) Act, 1989. 5. It is pertinent to mention here that offence punishable under Section 4 of the Scheduled Caste Scheduled Tribe (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, 1989, gets attracted when a public servant neglects to perform his duty under said Act. In the present Case, duty of respondent NO.2 to give admission to the son of complainant, was not in exercise of the above Act, as such the order passed by Special Judicial Magistrate summoning the accused was against the law, on this ground also. 6. It is argued on behalf of the revisionist that Section 20 of the said Act overrides the provisions contrary contained in other law. I am at loss to understand how that provision comes to the rescue of the complainant as there is nothing contained in the Scheduled Caste Scheduled Tribe (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, 1989, which is contrary to the provision of Section 197 of the Code of Criminal Procedure, 1973. 7. For the reasons, as discussed above, this Court in exercise of its revisional power read with powers under Section 482 of the Code of Criminal Procedure, quashes not only the impugned order dated 18-07-2006, passed by Sessions Judge, Tehri Garhwal on the ground that against the summoning order it could not have exercised revisional/power, in view of Adalat Prasad case (supra), but also quashes the order dated 02-07-2005, which is an order which suffers manifest illegality and which can not be allowed to get restored. Therefore, criminal revision is disposed of with the direction that the order dated 18-07-2006, passed by Sessions Judge, Tehri Garhwal, in criminal revision No. 39 of 2005 and the order dated 02-07-2005, passed by the Special Judicial Magistrate, in criminal case no. 53 of 2005, are quashed with the observation that the complainant may seek remedy available to him under the law in the light of observations made above. (The stay application No. 1471 of 2006 also stands disposed of). * * *