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2007 DIGILAW 301 (ALL)

BADAR ALAM v. STATE OF UTTAR PRADESH

2007-02-08

VINOD PRASAD

body2007
JUDGMENT Honble Vinod Prasad, J.—Heard Sri V.M. Zaidi learned Counsel for the revisionist in respect of this revision and Sri A.K. Solanki, learned Counsel for the respondent as well as learned AGA. 2. The prayer of the prosecution for summoning Shoaib, Abdul Rahman, Daud and Mateen under Section 319, Cr.P.C. as an accused has been rejected by the Additional Sessions Judge, Court No. 8, Muzaffarnagar in S.T. No. 232 of 2006 by observing that because investigation is still going on in respect of these persons, therefore, the application of the prosecution under Section 319, Cr.P.C. is not maintainable. The said order dated 18-10-2006 is under challenge in this revision. 3. After hearing Sri V.M. Zaidi, learned Counsel for the revisionist in respect of this revision and Sri A.K. Solanki, learned Counsel for the respondent as well as learned AGA, I am of the considered opinion that the said order passed by the trial Court is wholly illegal. The power of the Court under Section 319, Cr.P.C. is not in any way silhouetted, abridged or abrogated by the power of the police to make investigation. Power under Section 319, Cr.P.C. is the wholesome power, which has been conferred by the statute on the Courts to summon anybody, who, on the basis of the statement recorded during the trial, seems to be an accused who can be tried alongwith already tried accused. What is sine qua non for exercising power under Section 319, Cr.P.C. is the recorded statement in the trial. So far as the facts, which are culled out during the investigation by the Investigating Officer, the same are irrelevant for the purpose of summoning anybody as an accused under Section 319, Cr.P.C. The Apex Court has also held that so far as Section 319, Cr.P.C. is concerned, the statement recorded during the trial essential and the material collected by the Investigating Officer is of no consequence. What matter at the stage of Section 319, Cr.P.C. is the recorded statement of the witnesses the stage of trial. In this view of the matter under Section 319, Cr.P.C. has got a different purview all together. The said Section is not circumscribed by the power of the police under Section 156(1), Cr.P.C. 4. What matter at the stage of Section 319, Cr.P.C. is the recorded statement of the witnesses the stage of trial. In this view of the matter under Section 319, Cr.P.C. has got a different purview all together. The said Section is not circumscribed by the power of the police under Section 156(1), Cr.P.C. 4. In view what I have stated above, the impugned order dated 18-10-2006 passed by Additional Sessions Judge, Court No. 8, Muzaffarnagar in S.T. No. 232 of 2006 cannot be sustained and deserves to be set aside. 5. This revision is allowed. The impugned order dated 18-10-2006 passed by Additional Sessions Judge, Court No. 8, Muzaffarnagar in S.T. No. 232 of 2006 (State v. Nishat & Ors.) is hereby set aside. The matter is remanded back to the trial Judge to re-consider the prayer of the prosecution under Section 319, Cr.P.C. and pass a reasoned order in accordance with law. ————