Harbans v. State of Ut Chandigarh

INoTHEoHIGHoCOURToOFoPUNJABoANDoHARYANAoATo CHANDIGARHo oCRR-1019-2022o(O&M)oo DateoofoDecision:o06.01.2023o o HARBANSoo o o o o o o o o o …Petitionero Versuso STATEoOFoU.T.oCHANDIGARHo o o o o o o o o o …Respondento o CORAM:oo HON'BLEoMR.oJUSTICEoHARSHoBUNGERo Presento:o Mr.oPardeepoKumar,oAdvocateo o o forotheopetitioner.o o o o Mr.oCharanjitoSinghoBakshi,oAPP.,oU.T.,oChandigarh.o o HARSHoBUNGER,oJ.oo o Challengeoinotheopresentorevisionopetitionoisotootheojudgmentoofo convictionoandoorderoofosentenceodatedo10.07.2017opassedobyotheolearnedo stJudicialoMagistrateo1 oClass,oChandigarh,owhereby,otheopetitionerohasobeeno convictedounderoSectionso419,o420,o467,o468oando471oofotheoIndianoPenalo Codeo(foroshorto`IPC')oregisteredoatoPoliceoStation,oSectoro17,oChandigarh.o Challengeoisoalsootootheojudgmentodatedo14.03.2022opassedobyotheoAdditionalo Sessionso Judge,o Chandigarho video whicho theo appealo filedo byo theo presento petitionerowasodismissedoandotheosentenceoimposedouponohimowasoupheld.oo o o Brieflyostated,otheoprosecutionocaseoisothatoinotheoyearo2012,oino theoCourtoofolearnedoJudicialoMagistrateoFirstoClass,oChandigarh,opetitionero hereinowhileoappearingoasosuretyoforotheoaccusedoinotheocomplaintotitledoasoooooooooooooooo M/so Venkyo Limitedo versuso Vinodo Salariao undero Sectiono 138o ofo theo Negotiableo Instrumentso Acto impersonatedo aso Manisho Kumarooooooooooooooooo s/ooKrishanoKumaroandoplacedoonorecordotheoforgedoandofabricatedocopiesoofo registrationocertificateoofotheovehicleoIndicaoCarobearingoNo.PB12-H-0775o ando drivingo licenceo witho ano intentiono too commito cheatingo ando whileo appearingoasosuretyofurnishedotheobailobondsoinowhichoheousedotheoaboveosaido forgedodocumentsoasogenuineoandocommittedocheatingotootheocomplainanto andotheoregistrationoauthority,oU.T.,oChandigarh.o o o TheotrialoCourtoframedotheofollowingopointsoofodetermination:-o 1)kWhetheroinotheoyearo2012,oinotheocourtoofoSh.oParinderoSingh,o Ld.oJMIC,oChandigarh,oaccusedowhileoappearingoasosuretyo forotheoaccusedoinotheocomplaintotitledoasoM/soVenkyoLimitedo versusoVinodoSalariaou/so138oofotheoNegotiableoInstrumento ActoimpersonatedoasoManishoKumaros/ooKrishanoKumaroando therebyo committedo ano offenceo punishableo u/so 419o ofo theo IndianoPenaloCodeo?o 2)kWhetheroonotheoaboveosaidotimeoandoplace,oaccusedoforgedo theo Registrationo Certificateo ofo theo vehicleo ofo Indicao Caro No.PB12H0775oandodrivingolicenceoandotherebyocommittedo anooffenceopunishableou/so467oofotheoIndianoPenaloCodeo?o 3)kWhethero ono theo aboveo saido timeo ando place,o accusedo committedotheoforgeryoofotheoaboveosaidodocumentsowithoano intentiono too commito cheatingo ando therebyo committedo ano offenceopunishableou/so468oofotheoIndianoPenaloCodeo?o 4)kWhetheroonotheoaboveosaidotimeoandoplace,oaccusedowhileo appearingo aso suretyo furnishedo theo bailo bondso ino whicho accusedousedotheoaboveosaidoforgedodocumentsoasogenuineo andotherebyocommittedoanooffenceopunishableou/so471oofotheo IndianoPenalocodeo?o 5)kWhethero ono theo aboveo saido timeo ando place,o accusedo committedocheatingotootheocomplainantoandotheoregistrationo authority,o UT,o Chandigarh,o whileodoingoso,o committedoano offenceopunishableou/so420oofotheoIndianoPenaloCodeo?o 6)kConclusion.o o o o TheolearnedotrialoCourtoreturnedotheofollowingofindingso:-o oo "12.o Too proveo theo case,o prosecutiono haso examinedo complainanto Sh.o Parindero Singh,o Ld.o Chiefo JudicialoMagistrateocumoSecretary,oDLSAoasoPW10,owhoo reiteratedo theo entireo storyo puto fortho byo theo prosecutiono ando whoo categoricallyo statedo thato accusedo whileo appearingo aso suretyo foro theo accusedo ino theo complainto titledooasooM/soVenkyoLtd.oVersusooVinodoSalariaou/so138oofoo theo Negotiableo Instrumento Act,o impersonatedo asooooooooooooooooo ManishoKumaros/ooKrishanoKumkaror/ooH.No.541,oPhase-1,oMohali,oPunjaboandofurnishedobail/suretyobondsowhileo placingoonorecordoforgedoandofabricatedocertifiedocopyoofo RegistrationoCertificateoofovehicleoi.e.oIndicaoCarobearingo registrationo no.PB12H0775o ando foro identification,o heo placedo ono recordo photocopyo ofo hiso Drivingo Licence,o whicho wereo goto verifiedo fromo theo Districto Transporto Officer,o Rupnagaro ando sameo wereo foundo forgedo ando fabricated.oSimilarly,o bothotheo Investigatingo OfficersoSIo SartioRoyoandoSIoManjitoSinghohaveobeenoexaminedoaso PW7o ando PW2o respectively.o Investigatingo Officero SIo ManjitoSinghoPW2ohasospecificallyoprovedotheopossessiono memoo ofo originalo bail/suretyo bonds,o affidavit,o Drivingo Licenceo ando Registrationo Certificateo aso Ex.PW2/B,o disclosureo statemento ofo accusedo aso Exo PW2/Co ando verificationoreportoofotheoaboveosaidodocumentsofromotheo officeo ofo Districto Transporto Officer,o Rupnagaro aso Ex.PW2/DoandoscreeningoreportoofoDrivingoLicenceoasoExo PW1/Ao aso wello aso CFLSo reporto ono theo file.o Further,o Tarlochano Singh,o Steno,o DTOo Office,o Roparo haso beeno examinedoasoPW3,owhoohadoprovedoverificationoreportoofo DTOo Office,o Rupnagaro regardingo genuinenesso ofo theo registrationocertificateoofoaboveosaidovehicleoandodrivingo licenceoofotheoaccusedoasoExoPW2/D.oFurtheroPW6oR.S.o Rana,oAssistantoDirectoroandoScientist,oCFSLoShimlaowaso examined,owhooprovedoCFSLoReportoasoExoPW5/A,oando specificallyostatedothatotheodocumentsoofothisocaseowereo referredobyotheoSSP,oUT,oChandigarhovideoletterobearingo no.34904/UT/E-6odatedo17.07.2013oinoaosealedocoveroando consistedoofoquestionedodocumentsomarkoQ1otooQ10owhicho includesobail/suretyobondsoExoPW6/1,oaffidavitoEx.PW6/2,o photocopiesoofoDrivingolicenceoofoaccusedoasoExoPW6/3otoo PW6/7oandospecimenowritings/signaturesomarksoS1otooS13o purportedotoobeoofoaccusedowhichoincludesoExoPW6/8otoo ExoPW6/20.oAfterogoingothroughoandocarefuloexaminationo ofodocuments,oheoexpressedohisoopiniononumberoDOC/CX-2025/2013o datedo 22.08.2013o Exo PW6/21o alongo witho detailedoreasonsoforohisoopinion.oFurther,oasoperoCFLSo report,o theo signatureo ofo accusedo puto ono theo bailo bonds/suretyo bondso furnishedo beforeo theo aboveo saido learnedo courto whileo mentioningo theo nameo ofo Manisho Kumaros/oo KrishanoKumaroandospecimeno signatureso ofo accusedowereofoundomadeobyooneoandosameopersonoi.e.o presentoaccused.oSimilarly,oRavioDutt,oClerk,oDTOoOffice,o Rupnagaro hado beeno examinedo aso PW8,o whoo provedo certifiedocopyoofodrivingolicenceobearingono.936/RDL99-2koinotheonameoofoHarkaranoSinghos/ooPariharoSinghor/oo KishanpuraoDistrictoRupnagaroasoExoPW8/1.oPerusaloofo theostatementsoofotheseowitnesses,oitoisodulyoprovedoonotheo fileoasoaccusedowhileoimpersonatingoasoManishoKumaros/oo KrishanoKumaror/ooH.No.541,oPhase-I,oMohali,oPunjab,o insteadoofohisopresentoidentityoandonameoi.e.oHarbansoLalo s/oo Rangao Ramo r/oo Villageo Gurra,o Policeo Stationo Mullapur,oMohali,oPunjaboappearedobeforeotheold.oCourto ofo Sh.o Parindero Singh,o Judicialo Magistrateo Isto Class,o Chandigarho ino ao complainto u/so 138o ofo theo Negotiableo Instrumento Acto titledo aso M/so Venkyo Ltdo versuso Vinodo Salariaoinoorderotooestablishohisoabilityotoomeetoamountoofo bail/suretyo bondso ando heo placedo ono recordo copyo ofo registrationocertificateoofovehicleoi.e.oIndicaoCarobearingo registrationono.PB12H0775oandoforohisoidentification,oheo hadoplacedoonorecordodrivingolicenceowhichowereofoundo forgedoandofabricated.oTheseofactsoareoalsoosupportedobyo verificationoreportoofoDistrictoTransportoOffice,oRupnagaro Exo PW2/Do aso pero which,o theo actualo saido registrationo certificateo waso allottedo too theo motorcycleo marko Heroo Hondao bearingo chasiso no.04J09C00964o &o Engineo no.04J08M01133,o whicho waso ownedo byo oneo Harpreeto Singho s/oo Balviro Singho r/oo H.No.2891,o Nehruo Nagar,o Rupnagar,o Districto Rupnagar,o Punjab.o Furthero aso pero verificationorecordoofodrivingolicenceono.936/R/RDL-99-2Ko datedo 25.04.1999o madeo ato Districto Transport,o Rupnagar,oPunjaboandoprovedobyodealingoclerkonamelyo KuldeepoSingh,oaboveosaidodrivingolicenceowasoregisteredo ino theo nameo ofo Harkarano Singho s/oo Pritamo Singho foro motorcycleo &o LTVo ando dateo ofo issueo ofo theo sameo waso

01.06.1999o valido upo too 31.05.2002.o Ino viewo ofo theo discussionomadeoabove,oitoisocrystaloclearothatotheoaccusedo furnishedotheoforgedoandofabricatedocopyoofoRegistrationo Certificateo ofo vehicleo i.e.o Indicao Caro bearingo no.PB12H0775oandoforohisoidentification,oofohisodrivingo licence,o whileo impersonatingo himselfoasoManishoKumaro s/oo Krishano Kumaro r/oo 541,o Phase-I,o Mohalio ino theo complaintou/so138oofotheoNegotiableoInstrumentoActotitledo asoM/soVenkyoLimitedovsoVinodoSalariaopendingobeforeo theo theno ld.o Courto ofo Sh.o Parindero Singh,o Judicialo MagistateoIstoClass,oChandigarh."o o o Video judgmento datedo 10.07.2017,o theo learnedo Judicialo stMagistrateo1 oClass,oChandigarhoconvictedoandosentencedotheopetitioneroforo offencesounderoSectionso419,o420,o467,o468oando471oIPCoregisteredoatoPoliceo StationoSectoro17,oChandigarh.o o o Theo learnedo Additionalo Sessionso Judge,o Chandigarho video itso judgmento datedo 14.03.2022o dismissedo theo appealo filedo againsto judgmento datedo10.07.2017opassedobyotheoJudicialoMagistrateoIstoClass,oChandigarh,oo byotheopresentopetitioneroandotheosentenceoimposedouponohimowasoupheld.o o o Accordingly,o theo petitionero filedo theo presento revisiono petitiono beforeothisoCourt.o o o Ato theo veryo outset,o learnedo counselo foro theo petitioner,o ono instructions,o statedo thato heo doeso noto proposeo too challengeo theo impugnedo judgmentoandoorderoonoitsomerits.oHe,ohowever,oprayedoforomodificationoofo theoorderoofosentenceoforotheoperiodoalreadyoundergoneobyotheopetitioner.o o o Ino thiso regard,o ito haso beeno submittedo thato theo FIRo foro theo occurrenceowasolodgedoono02.05.2012oandotheopetitionerohasosufferedotheo agonyoofotrial/appeal/revisionoforoallotheseoyears.oItoisofurtherosubmittedothato theopetitioneroisoabouto42oyearsoofoageoandoisotheosoleobreadowinneroofohiso family.oItoisosubmittedothatotheosonoofotheopetitioneroisosufferingofromoseriouso healthoproblemoi.e.oholeoinoheart,owhooisoundergoingotreatmentoandocannoto performohisodailyochoresoandosuffersodisabilityotootheoextentoofo90operocent.ooIto iso furthero submittedo thato aso pero theo custodyo certificateo datedo 23.12.2022o (whicho iso takeno ono record),o theo petitionero haso alreadyo undergoneo totalo sentenceo(excludingoparole)oofo09omonthsoando22odays.oItoisostatedothatotheo petitioneroisonotoinvolvedoinoanyootherocase.o o o Onotheootherohand,olearnedocounseloforoU.T.oChandigarhohaso submittedothatotheojudgmentsoofobothotheoCourtsobelowoareowelloreasonedoando haveobeenopassedoafterotakingointooconsiderationotheoentireoevidenceoandotheo materialo ono record.o However,o learnedo counselo foro Uniono Territory,o Chandigarho haso noto disputedo theo facto witho respecto too theo custodyo ofo theo petitioner.o Whileo referringo too ano applicationo signedo byo Deputyo Superintendento ofo Police,o Central,o U.T.,o Chandigarho ando alsoo ao reportoofo CiviloSurgeon,oSASoNagar;oheosubmittedothatotheocertificateoregardingosonoofo theopetitioner,owhooisostatedotoobeosufferingo"Intellectualodisabilityoofo90%"o hasobeenoverifiedotoobeotrue.o o o Iohaveoheardolearnedocounseloforotheopartiesoandoperusedotheo entireomaterialoavailableoonorecord,oasowelloasojudgementoofotheotrialoCourto o o PerusaloofotheojudgmentsopassedobyotheolearnedoCourtsobelowo showsothatotheotrialoCourtohasorightlyoappreciatedotheoevidenceoonorecordo whileoholdingotheopetitioneroguiltyoforocommissionoofooffenceounderoSectionso 419,o420,o467,o468oando471oIPCoandotheoAppellateoCourtohasoalsoorightlyo dismissedotheoappealofiledobyopetitioner.oThereoisonooillegalityooroperversityoino theo findingso returnedo byo botho theo Courtso below,o whicho mayo warranto interferenceo ofo thiso Courto byo invokingo revisionalo jurisdiction.o Eveno otherwise,o theo learnedo counselo foro theo petitionero haso noto assailedo theo judgmentso ofo convictiono ando haso rathero restrictedo hiso argumentso quao theo quantumo ofo sentenceo only.o Therefore,o theo convictiono ofo theo petitionero iso upheld.o o o Video ordero datedo 10.07.2017o passedo byo theo learnedo Judicialo stMagistrateo 1 o Class,o Chandigarh,o theo petitionero haso beeno sentencedo aso under:-oo Sr.oNo.o OffenceounderoSectiono Punishmento 1o 419o ofo theo Indiano Penalo Tooundergoorigorousoimprisonmentoforo Codeo 2oyears.o 2o 420o ofo theo Indiano Penalo Tooundergoorigorousoimprisonmentoforo Codeo 2oyearsoandofineoofoRs.500/-.oInodefaulto ofopaymentoofofine,otheoconvictoshallo undergoo simpleo imprisonmento foro 2o months.o 3o 467o ofo theo Indiano Penalo Tooundergoorigorousoimprisonmentoforo Codeo 2oyearsoandofineoofoRs.500/-.oInodefaulto ofopaymentoofofine,otheoconvictoshallo undergoo simpleo imprisonmento foro 2o months.o 4o 468o ofo theo Indiano Penalo Tooundergoorigorousoimprisonmentoforo Codeo 2oyearsoandofineoofoRs.500/-.oInodefaulto ofopaymentoofofine,otheoconvictoshallo undergoo simpleo imprisonmento foro 2o months.o 5o 471o ofo theo Indiano Penalo Tooundergoorigorousoimprisonmentoforo Codeo 2oyears.o o o o Ito waso orderedo thato allo theo substantiveo sentenceso ofo o o Beforeo consideringo theo submissionso ofo theo counselo foro theo petitionero ono theo issueo ofo quantumo ofo sentence,o ito iso appositeo too refero too judgmentoofoHon'bleotheoApexoCourtoinoMohd.oGiasuddinoVs.oStateoofoAP,o AIRo 1977o SCo 1926,o explainingo rehabilitaryo &o reformativeo aspectso ino sentencing,owhereby,oitohasobeenoobservedoasoundero:-o "Crimeo iso ao pathologicalo aberration.o Theo criminalo cano ordinarilyobeoredeemedoandotheostateohasotoorehabilitateo ratherothanoavenge.oTheosub-cultureothatoleadsotooante-socialobehaviourohasotoobeocounteredonotobyoundueocrueltyo butobyore-culturization.oTherefore,otheofocusoofointerestoino penologyoinotheoindividualoandotheogoaloisosalvagingohimo foro theo society.o Theo inflictiono ofo harsho ando savageo punishmentoisothusoaorelicoofopastoandoregressiveotimes.o Theo humano todayo vieso sentencingo aso ao processo ofo reshapingoaopersonowhoohasodeterioratedointoocriminalityo andotheomodernocommunityohasoaoprimaryostakeoinotheo rehabilitationo ofo theo offendero aso ao meanso ofo ao socialo defence.oHenceoaotherapeutic,oratherothanoano'inoterrorem'o outlooko shouldo prevailo ino ouro criminalo courts,o sinceo brutalo incarcerationo ofo theo persono merelyo produceso lacerationo ofo hiso mind.o Ifo youo areo too punisho ao mano retributively,oyouomustoinjureohim.oIfoyouoareotooreformo him,oyouomustoimproveohimoand,omenoareonotoimprovedobyo injuries."o o o InoDeooNarainoMandaloVs.oStateoofoUPo2004(7)oSCCo257,otheo termo"ProperoSentence"owasoexplainedobyoobservingothatosentenceoshouldonoto beo eithero excessivelyo harsho oro ridiculouslyo low.o Whileo determiningo theo quantumo ofo sentence,o theo Courto shouldo bearo ino mindo theo principleo ofo proportionately.oSentenceoshouldobeobasedoonofactsoofoaogivenocase.oGravityo ofooffence,omanneroofocommissionoofocrime,oageoandosexoofoaccusedoshouldo beotakenointooaccount.oDiscretionoofoCourtoinoawardingosentenceocannotobeo exercisedoarbitrarilyoorowhimsically.o o o InoShyamoNarainovsoStateo(NCToofoDelhi),o2013(7)oSCCo77,oito wasopointedooutothatosentencingoforoanyooffenceohasoaosocialogoal.oSentenceoiso toobeoimposedowithoregardobeingohadotootheonatureoofotheooffenceoandotheo manneroinowhichotheooffenceohasobeenocommitted.oTheofundamentalopurposeo ofoimpositionoofosentenceoisobasedoonotheoprincipleothatotheoaccusedomusto realizeothatotheocrimeocommittedobyohimohasonotoonlyocreatedoaodentoinotheo lifeoofotheovictimobutoalsooaoconcavityoinotheosocialofabric.oTheopurposeoofojusto punishmento iso thato theo societyo mayo noto suffero againo byo sucho crime.o Theo principleoofoproportionalityobetweenotheocrimeocommittedoandotheopenaltyo imposedoareotoobeokeptoinomind.oTheoimpactoonotheosocietyoasoaowholeohasotoo beoseen.oo o o InoKokaiyabaioYadavovsoStateoofoChhattisgarho2017(13)oSCCo 449,o ito haso beeno observedo thato reformingo criminalso whoo understando theiro wrongodoing,oareoableotoocomprehendotheiroacts,ohaveogrownoandonurturedo intoocitizensowithoaodesireotooliveoaofruitfulolifeoinotheooutsideoworld,ohaveotheo capacityoofohumanisingotheoworld.o o o InoRavadaoSasikalaovs.oStateoofoA.P.oAIRo2017oSCo1166,otheo Hon'bleo Supremeo Courto haso reiteratedo that,o ino operatingo theo sentencingo system,o lawo shouldo adopto correctiveo machineryo oro deterrenceo basedo ono factualomatrix.oFactsoandogivenocircumstancesoinoeachocase,onatureoofocrime,o manneroinowhichoitowasoplannedoandocommitted,omotiveoforocommissionoofo crime,oconductoofoaccused,onatureoofoweaponsousedoandoallootheroattendingo circumstanceso areo relevanto factso whicho wouldo entero intoo areao ofo consideration.oFurther,oundueosympathyoinosentencingowouldodoomoreoharmo toojusticeodispensationsoandowouldoundermineotheopublicoconfidenceoinotheo efficacyoofolaw.oItoisotheodutyoofoeveryoCourtotooawardoproperosentenceohavingo regardotoonatureoofooffenceoandomanneroofoitsocommission.oHon'bleotheoApexo CourtofurtherosaidothatoCourtsomustonotoonlyokeepoinoviewotheorightoofovictimo ofo crimeo buto alsoo societyo ato large.o Whileo consideringo impositiono ofo appropriateopunishment,otheoimpactoofocrimeoonotheosocietyoasoaowholeoando ruleoofolawoneedsotoobeobalanced.o o o Aoperusaloofotheoaboveoreferredojudicialopronouncementsowouldo manifestothatotheocriminalojusticeojurisprudenceoadoptedoinotheocountryoisonoto retributiveobutoreformativeoandocorrective.o o o Consideringotheoabove-statedopositionoofolawoandoalsootheofactso andocircumstancesoofothisocase,osinceotheoFIRoinoquestionowasolodgedoono

02.05.2012;otheopetitionerohasosufferedotheoagonyoofotrial/appeal/revisionoforo moreothano10oyears;otheopetitioneroisoabouto42oyearsoofoageoandoisotheosoleo breadowinneroofohisofamilyoandoitoisonotodisputedobyotheolearnedocounseloforo UnionoTerritory,oChandigarhothatotheosonoofotheopetitioneroisosufferingofromo healthoproblemoandodisabilityoisotootheoextentoofo90opercent;ofurtheroasoperotheo custodyocertificateodatedo23.12.2022,otheopetitionerohasoalreadyoundergoneo totalosentenceo(excludingoparole)oofo09omonthsoando22odaysoandoheoisonoto involvedoinoanyootherocase,oaccordingly,othisoCourtofeelsothatotheoendsoofo justiceowouldobeomet,oifotheosentenceoawardedotootheopetitioneroisoreducedotoo theoperiodoalreadyoundergoneobyohim.oo o o Accordingly,otheopresentorevisionopetitionoisopartlyoallowed.oTheo convictionoofotheopetitioneroisoupheld.oHowever,otheooorderoofosentenceodatedo st10.07.2017opassedobyotheolearnedoJudicialoMagistrateo1 oClass,oChandigarh,o aso upheldo byo theo learnedo Additionalo Sessionso Judge,o Chandigarho video judgmento datedo 14.03.2022o iso modifiedo ando theo sentenceo ofo twoo yearso rigorousoimprisonmentoawardedotootheopetitioneroisoreducedotootheoperiodoofo sentenceoalreadyoundergoneobyohim.oTheopetitionerobeoreleasedoandohisobailo bondsoshallostandodischarged.o o o Thisopetitionoisodisposedoofoinoabovesaidoterms.o o o Pendingomiscellaneousoapplication/s,oifoany,oshalloalsoostandso disposedoof,oinoviewoofotheoabovesaidoorder.o o o thJanuaryo6 ,o2023oo o o o o (HARSHoBUNGER)o gurpreeto o o o o o o o JUDGEo Whetherospeaking/reasoned:o o Yes/Noo Whetheroreportable:o o o Yes/No