Kailashi v. State of Punjab and Another

INoTHEoHIGHoCOURToOFoPUNJABoANDoHARYANAoATo CHANDIGARHo CRM-M-6839-2023oooo oDateoofoDecision:o09.02.2023o o o KAILASHIoo o o o o o o …Petitionero o Versuso STATEoOFoPUNJABoANDoANOTHERo o o …Respondentso o CORAM:oo HON'BLEoMR.oJUSTICEoHARSHoBUNGERo Presento:o Mr.oVivekoK.oThakur,oAdvocateo o o forotheopetitioner.o o o o o Mr.oSubhashGodara,oAddl.oA.G.,oPunjab.o o HARSHoBUNGER,oJ.ooo o o PetitionerohasofiledothisopetitionounderoSectiono438oofotheoCodeo ofoCriminaloProcedure,oseekingoanticipatoryobailoinocaseoFIRoNo.114odatedo

09.07.2018,oregisteredounderoSectionso323,o506oando315oofotheoIndianoPenalo Code,oatoPoliceoStationoCityoPhagwara,oDistrictoKapurthalao(AnnexureoP-1),o especiallyo ino theo evento ofo hero appearanceo beforeo theo trialo Court,o ino complianceoofosummoningoorderodatedo01.06.2022o(AnnexureoP-4),ovideo which,osheohasobeenosummonedounderoSectiono319oofotheoCodeoofoCriminalo Procedure.o o o Learnedo counselo foro theo petitionero haso submittedo thato theo petitionero iso ano oldo ladyo ofo aroundo 65o yearso ofo ageo ando waso declaredo innocento duringo investigation.o However,o sheo haso beeno subsequentlyo summonedo undero Sectiono 319o ofo theo Codeo ofo Criminalo Procedure,o video orderodatedo01.06.2022o(AnnexureoP-4)opassedobyotheoAdditionaloSessionso Judge,o Kapurthala.o Ito iso submittedo thato sinceo theo FIRo ino question,o waso registeredoonoaccountoofoaofamilyodispute,ohowever,osubsequentlyowithotheo interventionoofotheorespectablesoandootherofamilyomembersoofotheoparties,o theomatterohasobeenoamicablyoresolvedovideocompromise/affidavitoofotheo complainantodatedo21.09.2022o(AnnexuresoP-6oandoP-7,orespectively).oItoiso furtherosubmittedothatoinofurtheranceotootheoaforesaidocompromiseobetweeno theoparties,otheopetitioneroalongowithoothersohaveoalreadyofiledoaopetitiono bearingo CRM-M-51460-2022,o seekingo quashingo ofo FIRo No.114o datedo

09.07.2018,oincludingochallan/reportounderoSectiono173oCr.P.Coalongowitho summoningoorderodatedo01.06.2022oandoallootherosubsequentoproceedingso arisingotherefrom,owherein,onoticeoofomotionohasoalreadyobeenoissuedoando theo sameo iso pendingo foro 15.02.2023.o Ito iso nexto submittedo thato sinceo theo petitionerohadobeenosummonedounderoSectiono319oofotheoCodeoofoCriminalo Procedure,o accordingly,o theo petitionero filedo ano applicationo seekingo anticipatoryobailobeforeotheolearnedoSessionsoJudge,oKapurthala,ohowever,o theo sameo haso beeno wronglyo dismissedo video ordero datedo 30.01.2023o (AnnexureoP-10).oLearnedocounseloforotheopetitionerosubmitsothatoanothero co-accusedoofotheopetitionerohaveoalreadyobeenograntedointerimobailobyotheo coordinateoBenchoofothisoCourtovideoorderodatedo05.12.2022o(AnnexureoP-11)opassedoinoCRM-M-56172-2022,owhichoreadsoasoundero:-o o o "Learnedo counselo foro theo petitionerso haso submittedo thato theo petitionerso haveo beeno summonedo byo theo learnedo trialo Courto ono theo basiso ofo ano applicationo undero Sectiono 319o Cr.P.C.o Heo submittedo thato theo petitionerso areo readyoandowillingotoosurrenderobeforeotheolearnedotrialoCourto withinoaoperiodoofotwooweeksofromotodayoandohasoprayedoforo protectionoinotheomeanwhile.oHeofurtherosubmittedothatonowoao compromiseo haso beeno effectedo betweeno theo partieso video Annexureo P-8o ando ino viewo ofo theo compromise,o ao quashingo petitionobasedouponocompromiseohasoalsoobeenofiledobeforeo thisoCourtoinowhichonoticeoofomotionohasobeenoissued.o o o Mr.oAmitoRana,olearnedoSenioroDeputyoAdvocateo General,oPunjaboacceptsonoticeoonobehalfooforespondentoNo.1o andoMr.oVarinderoSingh,oAdvocateohasoappearedoonobehalfoofo respondentoNo.2oandohasofiledohisopoweroofoattorneyowhichoiso takenoonorecord.oHeopraysoforosomeotimeotoofileoreply/affidavit.o o o Inoviewoofotheoundertakingogivenobyotheolearnedo counseloforotheopetitionersoonobehalfoofotheopetitionersothato theyowillosurrenderobeforeotheolearnedotrialoCourtowithinoao periodoofotwooweeksofromotoday,oitoisodirectedothatotheyoshallo surrenderobeforeotheolearnedotrialoCourtowithinoaoperiodoofo twoo weekso fromo today.o Tillo theo timeo theyo appearo ando surrenderobeforeotheolearnedotrialoCourt,onoocoerciveostepso shallobeotakenoagainstotheopetitioners.oInotheoeventoofotheiro surrenderingo ando appearingo beforeo theo trialo Court,o theo petitionersoshallobeoadmittedotoointerimobail.o o o Adjournedotoo12.04.2023."o o o Accordingly,oprayeroforoanticipatoryobailohasobeenomadeobyotheo presentopetitionerobyowayoofofilingotheopresentopetition.o o o Pero contra,o learnedo Stateo counselo haso althougho opposedo theo prayeroforograntoofoanticipatoryobailotootheopetitioner,ohowever,oheodoesonoto disputeotheofactumoofopassingoofooorderodatedo05.12.2022opassedoinoCRM-M-56172-2022.o o o Iohaveoheardolearnedocounseloforotheopartiesoandoperusedotheo paperobookowithotheiroableoassistance.o o o Concededly,o theo petitionero waso foundo innocento duringo investigation,ohoweverosubsequently,sheohasobeenosummonedounderoSectiono 319oofotheoCodeoofoCriminaloProcedure.oAoperusaloofoAnnexuresoP-6oandoP-7o revealo thato theo partieso haveo alreadyo compromisedo theo mattero beingo ao familyodisputeoandoevenoaoquashingopetitionobearingoCRM-M-51460-2022,o hasobeenofiled,owherein,onoticeoofomotionohasobeenoissuedoandotheosameoiso pendingoforo15.02.2023.oAocoordinateoBenchohasoalreadyodirectedotheoco-accusedoinothisocaseotoosurrenderobeforeotheotrialoCourtoandofurtherodirectiono hasobeenoissuedothatoinocase,otheyosurrenderothenotheyobeoadmittedotoointerimo bail.o o o Here,oitowouldobeoappositeotooreferotootheojudgmentoofoHon'bleo theoApexoCourtoinoVikasvsoStateoofoRajasthano2013(4)oR.C.R.o(Criminal)o

948.oRelevantoparasoofojudgmentoibidoareoreproducedohere-in-belowo:-o o "12.o Theoonlyoquestionoforoconsiderationobeforeousoiso whetheroinotheocircumstancesoofotheocase,otheoattendanceoofo theoappellantocouldohaveobeenobestosecuredobyoissuingoao summonosimplicitorooroaobailableowarrantoinsteadoofoaonon-bailableowarrantoinoanoapplicationounderoSectiono319oofotheo CriminaloProcedureoCode.o o 13.o Ao perusalo ofo Sectiono 319o ofo theo Criminalo Procedureo Codeo wouldo clearlyo indicateo thato ono theo objectiveo satisfactiono ofo theo courto ao persono mayo beo `arrested'ooro`summoned'oasotheocircumstancesoofotheocaseo mayorequireoifoitoappearsofromotheoevidenceothatoanyosucho persononotobeingotheoaccusedohasocommittedoanooffenceoforo whichosuchopersonocouldobeotriedotogetherowithotheoalreadyo arraignedo accusedo persons.o Theo courto shouldo exerciseo judicialodiscretionoonoaoconsiderationoofotheototalityoofotheo factsoandocircumstancesoofoaogivenocaseoandoinoaomannero whereo propero procedureso areo followedo thato areo fundamentalotootheorightoofofairotrialoofotheoaccused.oTheo sectionodemandsomoreocircumspectionobyotheoTrialoCourto whileo exercisingo itso powerso sinceo ito conferso ano extraordinaryopoweroandoshouldobeousedobyotheocourtoveryo sparinglyotherebyoensuringothatoprinciplesooforuleoofolawo ando basico tenetso ofo criminalo lawo jurisprudenceo areo noto vitiated.o

14.o xxxo o o xxxo o o xxxo

15.o Ino ordero too examineo theo reasoningo ofo theo Trialo Court,otheocaseoisotoobeounderstoodoinoitsoownofactsoando circumstances.o Ino theo instanto case,o theo Trialo Courto afteroGURPREET KAUR appreciatingo theo evidenceo availableo hado reasonableo satisfactionofromotheoevidenceoalreadyocollectedoduringotheo trialo thato theo appellanto hado committedo ano offenceo alongo withotheootheroaccusedowhoohadoundergoneotheoTrialoando thereforeo issuedo ao non-bailableo warranto too seeko theo attendanceoofotheoappellant-hereinounderoanoapplicationoofo Sectiono 319o ofo theo Criminalo Procedureo Code.o Too appreciateotheopresentocase,oitoisopertinentotoodiscussotheo meaningo ofo `bailableo offences'o ando theo circumstanceso ino whicho ao non-bailableo warranto cano beo issued.o Ino theo legislativeo historyo foro theo purposeso ofo bail,o theo termo `bailable'oando`non-bailable'oareomostlyousedotooformallyo distinguishooneoofotheotwooclassesoofocases,oviz.o`bailable'o offencesoinowhichobailomayobeoclaimedoasoaorightoinoeveryo caseowhereasotheoquestionoofograntoofobailoinonon-bailableo offencesotoosuchoaopersonoisoleftobyotheolegislatureoinotheo court'sodiscretionotoobeoexercisedoonoaoconsiderationoofotheo totalityoofotheofactsoandocircumstancesoofoaogivenocase.oTheo discretionohas,oofocourse,otoobeoaojudicialooneoinformedobyo traditionomethodizedobyoanalogy,odisciplinedobyosystemoando sub-ordinatedotootheoprimordialonecessityoofoorderoinosocialo life.oAnotherosuchoinstanceoofojudicialodiscretionoisotheoissueo ofo non-bailableo warranto ino ao complainto caseo undero ano applicationo ofo Sectiono 319o ofo theo Criminalo Procedureo Code.oTheopowerounderoSectiono319oofotheoCr.P.Cobeingo discretionaryomustobeoexercisedojudiciouslyowithoextremeo careoandocaution.oTheocourtoshouldoproperlyobalanceobotho personalo libertyo ando societalo interesto beforeo issuingo warrants.oThereocannotobeoanyostraight-jacketoformulaoforo issuanceo ofo warrantso buto aso ao generalo rule,o unlesso ano accusedoisolikelyotootamperoorodestroyotheoevidenceooroiso likelyo too evadeo theo processo ofo law,o issuanceo ofo non-bailablewarrantsoshouldobeoavoided.oTheoconditionsoforotheo issuanceo ofo non-bailableo warranto areo re-iteratedo ino theo caseoofoInderoMohanoGoswamio2007(12)oSCCo1oandoinotheo caseoofoStateoofoU.P.ov.oPoosuoandoAnr;o1976(3)oSCCo1,oGURPREET KAUR whereinoitoisomentionedothatoNon-bailableowarrantoshouldo beo issuedo too bringo ao persono too courto wheno summonso oro bailableo warrantso wouldobeounlikelyotoohaveotheo desiredo result.oThisocouldobeowhenofirstlyoitoisoreasonableotoobelieveo thato theo persono willo noto voluntarilyo appearo ino court;o oro secondlyothatotheopoliceoauthoritiesoareounableotoofindotheo persono too serveo himo witho ao summono ando thirdlyo ifo ito iso consideredo thato theo persono couldo harmo someoneo ifo noto placedo intoo custodyo immediately.o Ino theo absenceo ofo theo aforesaido reasons,o theo issueo ofo non-bailableo warranto ao fortiorio too theo applicationo undero Sectiono 319o ofo theo Criminalo Procedureo Codeo wouldo extinguisho theo veryo purposeo ofo existenceo ofo proceduralo lawso whicho preserveo andoprotectotheorightoofoanoaccusedoinoaotrialoofoaocase."o o o Ao co-ordinateo Bencho ofo thiso Courto ino Baljindero Singho ando anothero vso Stateo ofo Punjabo 2015(3)o R.C.R.o (Criminal)o 950,o whileo consideringotheopleaoofoanticipatoryobailotooanoaccused,owhoowasosummonedo underoSectiono319oCr.P.C.,oheldoasoundero:-o o o "7.o Thereocan,othus,obeonoodoubtothatotheotrialo courtocommittedonooerroroinosummoningotheopetitionersoaso additionalo accusedo ino theo instanto caseo aso theiro nameso figuredoinotheoFIRoandospecificoroleohasobeenoattributedotoo them.o Theo question,o however,o remainso whethero theyo areo entitledotooconcessionoofopre-arrestobail.oForoconsideringo thiso question,o principleso laido downo ino Gurbaksho Singho Sibbiaoetc.ov.oTheoStateoofoPunjabo1980oAIRo(SC)o1632oneedo toobeorecalled.oItowasoheldothereinothatojurisdictionoundero Sectiono438oCr.P.Cohasotoobeoexercisedobyowiseoandocarefulo useo ofo discretion.o Ino caseo ano accusedo haso ao reasono too believeo thato heo wouldo beo arrestedo foro ao nono bailableo offence,oheowouldobeoentitledotooinvokeotheoprovisionsoofo Sectiono438oCr.P.C.oThoughonoohardoandofastoruleocanobeo laidodownoforoexerciseoofothisopower,oitowouldobeotakenoono factsoandocircumstancesoofoeachocase.oInotheocaseoinohand,o sinceo petitionerso haveo beeno summonedo too faceo trialo foro offenceo undero Sectiono 302o I.P.C.,o ono theiro appearanceo beforeotheocourt,otheyohaveoaoreasonableoapprehensionothato theyowouldobeotakenoinocustody.oThus,opleaoforoanticipatoryo bailo iso noto misconceived.o Articleo 21o ofo theo Constitutiono guaranteeso theo righto too lifeo ando libertyo too itso citizens.o Criminalo lawo deriveso itso sourceo ando substanceo fromo theo Constitution.o Allo othero lawso areo supplementaryo ando incidentalotootheoprinciplesolaidodownoinotheoConstitutiono (seeoVikasov.oStateoofoRajasthan'socaseo(supra)oparaso13,o 14).oThus,osuchoadditionaloaccusedowhoodoonotointendotoo defyo lawo ando areo readyo too faceo trial,o theiro pleao foro anticipatoryo bailo cano beo considered,o subjecto too theo principlesoalreadyolaidodownoinoGurbakshoSinghoSibbia'so caseo(supra).oThoughoSectiono438oCr.P.Codoesonotoconferoao rightoonosuchoaccusedotoobeograntedodiscretionaryoreliefoofo anticipatoryobail,otheiropleaowouldodeserveoconsiderationo withino theo availableo parameters.o Ifo appearanceo ofo additionalo accusedo cano beo securedo ando theo courto iso satisfiedothatotheyowouldocooperateoduringotheoproceedings,o theiro pleao foro anticipatoryo bailo cano beo accepted.o Ito alsoo needsotoobeoemphasizedothatoatotheostageoofoSectiono319o Cr.P.C.,o someo depositiono ofo prosecutiono witness(s)o iso beforeotheocourtoandoonoconsiderationoofosameoadditionalo accusedo areo summoned.o Howevero summoningo undero Sectiono 193o Cr.P.C.o iso onlyo ono theo basiso ofo materialo accompanyingo theo reporto undero Sectiono 173o Cr.P.C.o Ono perusaloofosame,oadditionaloaccusedoareoarraigned.oThus,o suchoaccusedoareoentitledotooprayoforoanticipatoryobailoono theo groundo thato theiro roleo waso examinedo byo theo investigatingoagencyobutotheyowereofoundoinnocent."o o o Inoviewoofotheoabove,oitoisonotedothatSectiono438oofotheoCodeoofo CriminaloProcedureodoesonotoconferoaorightoonoanoaccusedotoobeograntedo discretionaryoreliefoofoanticipatoryobail,ohowever,oitsopleaowouldodeserveo consideration,oifoappearanceoofoadditionaloaccusedocanobeosecuredoandotheo Courtoisosatisfiedothatotheyowouldocooperateoduringotheoproceedings.o o o Further,oatotheostageoofoproceedingsounderoSectiono319oofotheo CodeoofoCriminaloProcedure,osomeodepositionoofoprosecutionowitness(s)oiso beforeo theo Courto ando ono considerationo ofo same,o additionalo accusedo areo summonedo ando sucho accusedo areo entitledo too prayo foro theo concessiono ofo anticipatoryo bailo ono theo groundo thato theiro roleo waso examinedo byo theo investigatingoagencyobutotheyowereofoundoinnocent.o o o Aoperusaloofopaperobookoindicatesothatoinotheopresentocase,otheo petitionero waso foundo innocento duringo investigationo ando sheo haso beeno summonedoasoanoadditionaloaccusedovideoorderodatedo01.06.2022o(Annexureo P-4)opassedoonoanoapplicationounderoSectiono319oofotheoCodeoofoCriminalo ProcedureotoofaceotrialobeforeotheoCourt.oTheopetitioneroisonotorequiredoforo anyoinvestigationoorointerrogationopurposesoasosheohasobeenosummonedobyo theoCourtounderoSectiono319oCr.P.Coandosheoisoonlyotoofaceotrial.oTheotrialoofo theo caseo willo takeo longo timeo ando noo usefulo purposeo willo beo servedo byo sendingotheopetitionerobehindobars.o o o o o Consideringo theo totalityo ofo theo factso ando circumstanceso aso mentionedo above,o Io deemo ito propero too disposeo ofo thiso petitiono witho ao directionotootheopetitionerotoosurrenderobeforeotheotrialoCourtowithinoaoperiodo ofo twoo weekso fromo today.o Ito iso furthero directedo thato ino theo event,o theo petitionero surrenderso ando appearso beforeo theo trialo Court,o theno sheo beo admittedo too bailo too theo satisfactiono ofo theo trialo Court.o Tillo theo time,o theo petitioneroappearsoandosurrendersobeforeotheotrialoCourt,onoocoerciveostepso beotakenoagainstoher.oo o o Nothingo statedo aboveo shallo beo construedo aso ano expressiono ofo opinionoonotheomeritsoofocaseoandotheotrialowouldoproceedoindependentlyoofotheo

observations made in the present case, which are only for the purpose of adjudicating the present petition.

The petition is accordingly disposed of.

February 09, 2023

(HARSH BUNGER) gurpreet

JUDGE