Sandeep Kumar Tekriwal Vs State of Bihar and Anr on 09 Sep 2008

Posted on December 28, 2022 by ShadesOfKnife

A single judge of Patna High Court held as follows,

From Para 15,

15. Section 317, Cr. P.C provides for inquiries and trial being held in the absence of accused in certain cases. However, if the Magistrate finds that personal appearance of the accused is necessary, he would direct that accused would no longer be represented on the next date by a pleader under Section 317, Cr. P.C but would appear in person. If the accused in spite of such order does not appear in person, it would be open for the learned Magistrate to issue warrant of arrest and proceed in accordance with the procedure prescribed in Chapter-VI of the Cr. P.C and may also cancel bail and bail bond and proceed in accordance with Chapter XXXIII of the Cr. P.C It does not appear from the order of the preceding dates i.e 31-1-2008, 26-3-2008 that personal attendance of petitioner would no longer be dispensed with, and he is required to attend in person. The Magistrate in view of Section 317(1) Cr. P.C ought to have given an opportunity to an accused to appear in person who was being allowed to be represented through a pleader. The order of preceding dates in the case on the contrary shows that Magistrate in fact accepted the representation under Section 317, Cr. P.C The magistrate has to follow the procedure prescribed therein, if it does not dispenses with his personal attendance. A Magistrate while rejecting a representation under Section 317 Cr. P.C cannot at the same time cancel bail bond and issue non-bailable warrant of arrest, if on preceding dates has not clearly directed that personal attendance under Section 317, Cr. P.C will no longer be dispensed with. The Court ought to provide a reasonable opportunity to the accused to appear in person whose representation was earlier being allowed under Section 317, Cr. P.C In this case, it appears that trial lingered as a co-accused Prem Prakash was absconding. Learned counsel for the petitioner has also submitted that there have been no latches on his part.

Sandeep Kumar Tekriwal Vs State of Bihar and Anr on 09 Sep 2008

Citations : [2009 AIR JHAR R 2 203], [2009 PLJR 2 260], [2008 SCC ONLINE PAT 254], [2009 (2) PLJR 263], [2009 CRI LJ 523]

Other Sources :

https://www.casemine.com/judgement/in/56b49331607dba348f00518d

Tillottama Kumari Vs State of Bihar and Ors on 16 May 2019

Posted on September 12, 2022 by ShadesOfKnife

A Single judge of Patna High Court held as follows,

In my previous order dated 10.04.2019 while calling for a report from the learned Sub-Divisional Judicial Magistrate, Katihar as to why any effective order has not been passed till date despite hearing the case on behalf of the parties on several dates, I had already indicated that the Protection of Women fromDomestic Violence Act, 2005 (for short ‘the Act’) has been enacted by the Parliament to provide more effective protection of the rights of women guaranteed under the Constitution.
Section 12(5) of the Act provides that the Magistrate shall endeavour to dispose of every application made under subsection (1) within a period of sixty days from the date of its firsthearing. Under the circumstances, keeping the matter pending for over two years is wholly unjustified.
In that view of the matter, I direct the learned Sub-Divisional Judicial Magistrate, Katihar to dispose of the complaint in accordance with law as early as possible preferably within six weeks from the date of receipt/production of a copy of the order.

Tillottama Kumari Vs State of Bihar and Ors on 16 May 2019

Other Sources:

https://indiankanoon.org/doc/82362334/

Connects to a PIL here.

The National Highway Projects in the State of Bihar Vs State of Bihar on 10 May 2022

Posted on May 26, 2022 by ShadesOfKnife

The Court-1 of Patna High Court passed the following guidelines to the State and Oil Companies…

69. In furtherance of the above discussions, we find it necessary to issue the following directions:-
i) The Chief Secretary, Government of Bihar, to convene a meeting of all stakeholders to examine the best and most efficient way to realize the multifarious benefits arising from the establishment of petrol pumps with equal importance being placed upon economic, social and environmental aspects. Also ensure that a sample survey for ascertaining the requirement of additional fresh Petrol Pumps/Gas Retail Outlets is carried out at the earliest.
ii) The Development Commissioner, Government of Bihar, who is already seized of the matter shall take expedient steps in furtherance of the action(s) taken thus far.
iii) The State, National Highways Authority of India and the Oil Marketing Companies consider constituting Public toilets and public conveniences at places easily identifiable and accessible by the public at large, and in this regard, signboards of “Public Toilets” or “Private Toilets” be displayed at the retail outlets. Such facilities should be easily accessible by the ladies walking or driving on the roads.
iv) The amenities constructed should be done so, keeping in mind accessibility for persons with disabilities. The State has a responsibility to provide them equitable access to basic amenities while undertaking road travel, in light of the Constitution of India and the various international Human Rights obligations.
v) All toilets be adequately staffed for taking care and maintaining the same with a proper system for the disposal of sanitary napkins.
vi) Authorities may also consider making it necessary/mandatory for all the Dhabas/ Restaurants on the highways to make available public toilets and drinking water facilities for the use of the general public. While granting permission to such establishments, authorities should consider incorporating specific conditions regarding the provision of toilets and restrooms. Also, maintain the same hygiene, failing which their registration/ permit is cancelled.
vii) The State Authorities and corresponding Central Authorities will take expedient steps to check the practice of the black-marketing or open unauthorized sale of petrol/diesel and initiate action after the proper investigation against units aiding the perpetuation of such practice.
viii) The Oil Marketing Companies to take steps to verify the continued interest or otherwise of the allottees/proposed allottees. The entire pending
process of allotment shall be finalized within the time stipulated in the minutes of the Development Commissioner, Bihar.
ix) The authorities may consider the development of a mechanism to:-
(a) institute a randomized checking system to ensure facilities and resources’ quality and proper availability.
(b) in consultation with OMCs and furtherance of the Statutory obligation take constructive steps to ensure sustainable use of resources and all other
related issues.
(c) Prepare a digital platform furnishing complete information of such places of convenience to the general public with a provision of lodging online remarks.

The National Highway Projects in the State of Bihar Vs State of Bihar on 10 May 2022

Ajay Kumar Saboo Vs State of Bihar on 30 Jun 2017

Posted on December 1, 2021 by ShadesOfKnife

A single-judge bench of Patna High Court held as follows,

It appears from the averment made in the instant petition that at the relevant time the petitioner was Managing Director and whole time Director of the Company and the complaint was filed by Registrar of the Company under section 58(A) of the Companies Act read with Rule-3 (i)(a) proviso (i) Rule 10 of the Company within (Acceptance and Deposits) Rules, 1975. The reason for rejection of the application under Section 205 Cr. P.C. as appears from Annexure-2 that the offence is non-bailable. The court below committed error of jurisdiction in ignoring the fact that in the instant case after taking cognizance, summon was issued by the court below and in view of the judgment of the Division Bench in the case of Ram Harsh Das case reported in 1998(1) PLJR 502, the court was required to consider the application of the petitioner on its own merits without being prejudiced by the facts that the offence as alleged is non-bailable. In similar circumstances, a Bench of this Court in Cr. Revision Nos. 543, 454 of 2006 in the case of Manish Giri vs. State of Bihar reported in 2007 (1) PLJR has discussed the scope under section 205 Cr.P.C. and noticing the Division Bench judgment in the case of Ram Harsh Das (supra) and various other judgments held out that power to refuse permission under section 205 Cr.P.C. should not be used as a substitute for ultimate punishment which could be awarded. The court decided the matter but also in the last paragraph issued direction to the Registrar to circulate the copy of the order for to all the Civil Courts in the State of Bihar for guidelines of Judicial Officers in future.

Notwithstanding the aforesaid judgment which was circulated to all the Civil Courts, the court below rejected the application of the petitioner filed to dispense with personal appearance vide order dated 9.12.2010 and even the revisional court in Cr. Revision No. 97 of 2011 has failed to exercise judicial discretion for the ends of justice and as such the petitioner was constraint to approach this Court by way of filing the instant application.

Ajay Kumar Saboo Vs State of Bihar on 30 Jun 2017

Casemine version:

Ajay Kumar Saboo Vs State of Bihar on 30 Jun 2017 (CM ver)

Md. Naim @ Md. Naimuddin Vs. State of Bihar and Ors on 08 Dec 2006

Posted on December 1, 2021 by ShadesOfKnife

Single judge bench of Patna High Court held as follows,

First two paras

1. Heard. Present application is directed against the Trial Court’s order dated 16.6.2006 by which the petitioner’s prayer for exemption from personal appearance in terms of Section 205 Cr.P.C., has been rejected on the sole ground, that the prosecution is for an offence under Section 498A which is a warrant case, and, as such, the privilege under Section 205 Cr.P.C. cannot be extended.
2. To my mind, such an order is not sanctioned in law and shows the inability of the learned Magistrate to read the provision correctly. Section 205 Cr.P.C. is preconditioned on summons being issued at the first instance. Here, it is not disputed and is apparent from the impugned order itself, that summons were issued at the first instance. Summons for appearance predicates appearance through Lawyer or in person, it does not provide that a person has to appear in person. Therefore, it is simple that if pursuant to summons issued, a person to whom summons are issued appears through Lawyer, then compliance is complete and his appearance is valid. In such a case, no Court can then reject the appearance and direct that the persons summoned, must appear in person as by appearance through the lawyer, he has already submitted to the jurisdiction of the Court. He can now be taken into custody only, if, pursuant to his appearance and the bond executed for continuing to appear he defaults and not otherwise.

Casemine version:

Md. Naimuddin Vs State of Bihar and Ors on 08 Dec 2006 (CM)

Legal Quest version:

Md. Naimuddin Vs State of Bihar and Ors on 08 Dec 2006 (LQ)

Citations : [2006 SCC ONLINE PAT 977], [2007 PLJR 2 260]

Other sources:

Index here.

Nasruddin Mian Vs State of Bihar on 21 Jun 2021

Posted on July 4, 2021 by ShadesOfKnife

A division bench of Patna High Court held that this is not how a judgment is to be written, while acquitting a husband from a conviction given for the alleged offence of murdering his wife.

78. The judgment under consideration is an example of how not to write a judgment. It has repeatedly been emphasized by the Supreme Court that the Courts and Judges must make a dispassionate assessment of evidence and that the Courts and Judges should not be swayed by the horror of crime and the character of the person. The judgment should be made by a Judge uninfluenced by his own imagined norms of the functioning of the society.
79. The Trial Court ought to have avoided the sweeping and disparaging remarks made in para 42 of its judgment regarding the conduct of the appellants.
80. I fail to see as to how the Trial Court held in para 44 of its judgment that the charge was framed against the appellants under Section 498-A of the IPC after the informant filed an application for addition to the original charge. The order dated 08.05.2017 passed by the Trial Court, which has been extracted hereinabove, would clearly show that the original charge under Sections 498-A, 306 and 201/34 of the IPC was altered to Sections 304-B, 302 and 201/34 of the IPC. The trial court did not allow the prayer of the informant regarding addition of Sections 304-B and 302 of the IPC to the original charge already framed against them meaning thereby that due to alteration of the original charge vide order dated 08.05.2017, the charge under Sections 498-A and 306 became non-existent.
81. As a matter of fact, for all practical purposes, after alteration of the charge, the appellants were being tried only for the offences punishable under Sections 304-B, 302 and 201/34 of the IPC.
82. Surprisingly, in para 43 of the judgment, the Trial Court held that the case under Section 306 of the IPC is not made out. After alteration of charge, since there was no charge under Section 306 of the IPC, there was no occasion for the Trial Court to have recorded such finding in respect of Section 306 of the IPC.
83. Evidently, while passing the impugned judgment, the Trial Court had misconceived that the appellants were also being tried for the original charge framed under Sections 498-A and 306 of the IPC.
84. While saying so, I am mindful of the judgment of the Supreme Court in Shanti Vs. State of Haryana, since reported in (1991) 1 SCC 371, wherein it has been held that Sections 304-B and 498-A of the IPC are not mutually exclusive. They deal with two distinct offences. A person charged and acquitted under Section 304-B of the IPC can be convicted under Section 498-A of the IPC without charge being framed, if such a case is made out. But from the point of view of practice and procedure and to avoid technical defects, it is necessary in such cases to frame charges under both
the sections and if the case is established against the accused, they can be convicted under both the Sections but no separate sentence need be awarded under Section 498-A in view of the substantive sentence being awarded for the major offence under Section 304-B.

Nasruddin Mian Vs State of Bihar on 21 Jun 2021

Citations :

Other Sources :

https://indiankanoon.org/doc/193472418/

Deepak Mahto @ Deepak Kumar Vs State of Bihar on 12 Apr 2021

Posted on April 17, 2021 by ShadesOfKnife

Patna High Court held that ‘statements under Section 154 Cr.P.C. or under Section 161 Cr.P.C. or under Section 164 Cr.P.C. can be used for corroboration and contradictions only‘.

From Paras 8 and 9,

8. The aforesaid statement of the prosecutrix does not disclose as to what offence was committed against her.
Evidence given in a Court on oath coupled with opportunity of cross-examination to the accused has great sanctity and that is why the same is called substantive evidence. It is well settled by a catena of judicial pronouncements that statements under Section 154 Cr.P.C. or under Section 161 Cr.P.C. or under Section 164 Cr.P.C. can be used for corroboration and contradictions only.

9. In R. Shaji v. State of Kerala reported in (2013) 14 SCC 266, the Hon’ble Supreme Court said that a proposition to the effect that if statement of a witness is recorded under Section 164 Cr.P.C., his evidence in Court should be discarded, is not at all warranted. As the defence had no opportunity to cross-examine the witness whose statement was recorded under Section 164 Cr.P.C. or under Section 161 Cr.P.C., such statements cannot be treated as substantive evidence.

Deepak Mahto @ Deepak Kumar Vs State of Bihar on 12 Apr 2021

MS Ram Pravesh Rai Estate (P) Ltd Vs Sri Rajesh Kumar Singh @ Munna on 12 Jan 2016

Posted on October 5, 2020 by ShadesOfKnife

Single Bench of Patna High Court held as follows, regarding interrogatories and their usage.

From Para 13,

13. Now coming to floor, it is apparent that object and purpose of serving interrogatories is to enable a party to require information from his opponent for the purpose of maintaining his own case and for destroying the case of the adversary and as such, it not only shorten the trial proceeding, save time of the court, it also deliverance the party from expenses, consumption of time as well as burden to collect and produce evidences. Side by side, it should always be guarded in a way to prevent misuse. Furthermore, as is apparent, it should be confined to the facts which are relevant to the matters in question in the suit. However, under Order-XI Rule 6, 7 the grounds have been enumerated whereupon interrogatories could be refused.
Basically, it has been settled at rest by different judicial pronouncement as:-
(i) A party is not entitled to administer interrogatories for obtaining discovery of facts which constitute exclusively the evidence of his adversary‟s case or title.
(ii) A party is not entitled to interrogate as to any confidential communications between his opponent and his legal adviser.
(iii) A party is not entitled to execute interrogatories which would involve disclosures injurious to public interest

MS Ram Pravesh Rai Estate (P) Ltd. Vs Sri Rajesh Kumar Singh @ Munna on 12 Jan 2016

Other sources:

https://indiankanoon.org/doc/32984899/

Curious case of Justice Mr.Rakesh Kumar

Posted on August 30, 2019 by ShadesOfKnife

Justice Mr.Rakesh Kumar of Patna High Court has given an order to CBI to conduct inquiry on some Corruption incidents by members of Judiciary, that were reported in Dainik Jagran and Republic TV. (Orders courtesy by Bar and Bench website)

Justice-Rakesh-kumar-order

And the very next day a 11-judge bench was constituted and Justice Mr.Rakesh Kumar’s order was suspended and all judicial work was taken away from him. Here is the order.

Patna-HC-11-Judge-Order

Then, a 1-pager was passed assigning judicial work to him. Here is the notice.

03 Justice-Rakesh-Kumar-Patna-HC-notice 01-09-2019

And then an Order was passed by a 3-judge bench of High Court of Madhya Pradesh quashing the order of Justice Mr.Rakesh Kumar dt 28-08-2019

04 Justice-Rakesh-kumar-order-quashed

Reproduced in accordance with Section 52(q) of the Copyright Act 1957 (India) from judis.nic.in, lobis.nic.in, indiacode.nic.in and other Indian High Court and District Court Websites such as ecourts.gov.in

Vishnu Mohan Jha & Ors vs The State Of Bihar & Anr on 21 November, 2017

Posted on September 11, 2018 by ShadesOfKnife

This quash judgment from hon’ble high court of patna which held that there was no jurisdiction for Magistrate in Dharbhanga to prosecute the husband for 498A, whereas all the alleged offences occured in Hyderabad. Moreover there was a decree of divorce granted 2 years before instituting the 498A case!!

Vishnu Mohan Jha & Ors vs The State Of Bihar & Anr on 21 November, 2017

Shades of Knife

True Colors of a Vile Wife

Category: High Court of Patna Judgment or Order or Notification

Sandeep Kumar Tekriwal Vs State of Bihar and Anr on 09 Sep 2008

Tillottama Kumari Vs State of Bihar and Ors on 16 May 2019

The National Highway Projects in the State of Bihar Vs State of Bihar on 10 May 2022

Ajay Kumar Saboo Vs State of Bihar on 30 Jun 2017

Md. Naim @ Md. Naimuddin Vs. State of Bihar and Ors on 08 Dec 2006

Nasruddin Mian Vs State of Bihar on 21 Jun 2021

Deepak Mahto @ Deepak Kumar Vs State of Bihar on 12 Apr 2021

MS Ram Pravesh Rai Estate (P) Ltd Vs Sri Rajesh Kumar Singh @ Munna on 12 Jan 2016

Curious case of Justice Mr.Rakesh Kumar

Vishnu Mohan Jha & Ors vs The State Of Bihar & Anr on 21 November, 2017