Chander Prakash v. State of Haryana

k 2023:oPHHC:o081617o 206o INoTHEoHIGHoCOURToOFoPUNJABoANDoHARYANAo AToCHANDIGARHo o CRRoNo.1326oofo2023o thDateoofodecision:o6 oJune,o2023o ChanderoPrakasho …oPetitionero Versuso StateoofoHaryanaoo …oRespondento o CORAM:ooHON'BLEoMRS.oJUSTICEoMANJARIoNEHRUoKAULo o Present:o Mr.oNavkiranoSingh,oAdvocateoforotheopetitioner.o o o Mr.oChetanoSharma,oDy.oAdvocateoGeneral,oHaryanao forotheorespondent/State.o MANJARIooNEHRUooKAUL,ooJ.o

1.k Theopetitioneroisoimpugningoorderodatedo04.05.2023opassedo byo learnedo Additionalo Sessionso Judge,o Sonipat,o video whicho hiso applicationounderoSectiono167(2)oCr.P.C.oforograntoofodefaultobailoino caseobearingoFIRoNo.80odatedo01.11.2022ounderoSectiono22(b)oofotheo Narcotico Drugso ando Psychotropico Substanceso Act,o 1985o (hereinaftero referredo too as,o 'theo NDPSo Act')o registeredo ato Policeo Stationo GRPo Sonipat,oDistrictoGRPoAmbalaoCantt.owasodismissed.o

2.k Learnedocounseloforotheopetitionerowhile,oimpugningoordero datedo 04.05.2023,ohaso vehementlyo contendedo thato theo petitionero waso arrestedoono01.11.2022oinotheoFIRoinoquestion.oThereafter,ochallanowaso presentedobyotheoinvestigatingoagency,obutowithoutotheoreportoofotheo Forensico Scienceo Laboratoryo (hereinaftero referredo too as,o 'FSL')o ono

13.04.2023.o Theo caseo waso theno adjournedo byo theo Courto belowo foro k k 2k

01.05.2023otooawaitotheoreceiptoofotheoFSLoreport.oSinceotheopetitionero waso arrestedo ono 01.11.2022;o theo statutoryo periodo foro completingo investigationounderotheoNDPSoAct,oi.e.o180odaysowasothus,otooexpireoono

01.05.2023.o However,o aso theo FSLo reporto hado noto beeno filedo byo theo investigatingoagencyoevenobyo01.05.2023,otheoinvestigationocouldonotobeo saidotoobeocomplete.oTherefore,oinotheocircumstances,oanoindefeasibleo rightostoodoaccruedotootheopetitionerounderoSectiono167(2)oCr.P.C.oforo beingograntedodefaultobail.oThus,oimmediatelyothereafter,otheopetitionero movedo ano applicationo beforeo theo trialo Courto undero Sectiono 167(2)o Cr.P.C.oono02.05.2023.oInosupport,olearnedocounselohasoplacedorelianceo upono'AjitoSingho@oJeetao&oanotherovs.oStateoofoPunjab'o(CRRo No.4659oofo2015od/do30.11.2018)otoourgeothatochallanowithoutotheoFSLo reportowouldobeoanoincompleteochallan,oentitlingotheoaccusedotoodefaulto bailounderoSectiono167(2)oofotheoNDPSoAct.oo

3.k Ito haso beeno furthero vehementlyo arguedo thato aso pero theo mandateoofoSectiono36-A(4)oofoNDPSoAct,oitowasoincumbentouponotheo Publico Prosecutoro too submito ao reporto beforeo theo Courto foro seekingo extensionoofotimeotoofileotheoFSLoreportoandoitowouldohaveobeenoonlyo theno thato theo extensiono couldo haveo beeno grantedo byo theo Courto concerned.oHowever,otheolearnedoCourtoarbitrarilyoextendedotheoperiodo ofoinvestigationoonotheogroundothatotheoinvestigatingoagencyohadoalreadyo presentedotheofinaloreportowithoaoclarificationothatotheoFSLoreportohado noto beeno received.o Learnedo counselo therefore,o haso assertedo thato theo rationaleobehindotheoimpugnedoorder,oonotheofaceoofoit,oisoerroneous,oaso k k 3k itoisonototheoinvestigatingoagencyobutoonlyotheoPublicoProsecutor,owhooaso perotheoprovisionsoofoSectiono36-A(4)oofotheoNDPSoActocouldohaveo soughto extensiono ofo timeo aftero presentingo theo report.o Hence,o theo impugnedo ordero waso noto sustainableo ino theo eyeso ofo law.o Ino support,o relianceohasoalsoobeenoplacedoono'UdayoMohanlaloAcharyaovs.oStateo ofoMaharashtra'o(2001)o5oSCCo453oando'HitendraoVishnuoThakuro vs.oStateoofoMaharashtra'o(1994)o4oSCCo602.ooo

4.k Learnedo Stateo counsel,o whileo opposingo theo prayero ando submissionsomadeobyotheocounseloopposite,osubmitsothatotheoperiodoofo investigationohadonotoelapsedoasotheoCourtobelowohadoalreadyoextendedo itoforoaoyearovideotheoimpugnedoorder.oHowever,olearnedoStateocounselo waso noto ableo too disputeo theo facto thato noo reporto aso mandatedo undero Sectiono36-AoofotheoNDPSoAct,oseekingoextensionoofotime,ohadoevero beenomadeobyotheoPublicoProsecutorotootheoCourtoconcerned.oo

5.k Iohaveoheardolearnedocounseloforotheopartiesoandoperusedotheo relevantomaterialoonorecord.o

6.k Beforeoproceedingofurther,oitowouldobeoappositeotooreiterateo thatoifoonotheoexpiryoofotheoprescribedoperiodoofo180odays,oinvestigationo isostilloincomplete,oanoindefeasibleorightowouldoaccrueoinofavouroofotheo accusedounderoSectiono167o(2)oofoCr.P.C.oo

7.k Stillofurther,oevenoifotheochallanohasobeenopresentedobyotheo investigatingoagencyowithinotheoprescribedoperiodoofo180odays,oinocaseso underotheoNDPSoAct,otheoFSLoreportomustobeoaopartoofotheochallanoasotheo k k 4k sameo wouldo beo oneo ofo theo factorso too determineo theo natureo ofo theo substance,oallegedlyorecovered.oo ThisoCourtoino'Saleemo @oMullaovs.oStateoofoHaryana'o CRM-MoNo.11271oofo2021od/do26.03.2021,ohasoheldoasounder:o o o "Ao co-jointo readingo ofo Sectiono 167(2)o Cr.P.C.,o aso welloasoSectiono36A(4)oofotheoNDPSoActorevealsothatoaogreato dealo ofo emphasiso haso beeno laido ono completiono ofo 'investigation'.oTheomootoquestionowhichothusoarisesoisoasotoo whatowouldobeoimpliedobyo'investigation'owhichoappearsoino botho theo aforementionedo Sectionso ando aso too wheno 'investigation'owouldobeodeemedotoohaveobeenocompletedoino caseso undero theo NDPSo Act.o Sectiono 2(h)o ofo theo Cr.P.C.,o definesoinvestigationoas:-oo o o "investigation"o includeso allo theo proceedingsounderothisoCodeoforotheocollectiono ofoevidenceoconductedobyoaopoliceoofficeroorobyo anyo persono (othero thano ao Magistrate)o whoo iso authorisedobyoaoMagistrateoinothisobehalf;'o Thus,owhatocanobeoculledofromotheoaboveodefinitionoofo 'investigation'oisothatoitowouldoincludeowithinoitsoambitoallo proceedingso conductedo byo theo investigatingo agencyo foro collectionoofoallosuchomaterialoandoevidenceowhichowouldo helpo ino ascertainingo whethero ano offenceo haso beeno committedooronot.oInootherowords,oinvestigationowouldobeo deemedotoohaveobeenocompletedoinocasesounderotheoNDPSo Actoonlyoafteroanoopinionohasobeenoformedoandogivenobyotheo chemicaloexamineroquaotheonatureoofotheoarticles/substanceo sentotooitobyotheoinvestigatingoagency.oTherefore,owithoutoao doubtoinocasesounderoNDPSoAct,oFSLoreportowouldobeoao decisiveo documento too linko theo accusedo witho theo allegedo k k 5k commissionoofocrimeoforoattractingotheomischiefoofooffenceso underotheoNDPSoAct.oItoisopreciselyoforothisoreasonothatoito becomesoimperativeoinocasesounderotheoNDPSoActothatotheo challanoisomandatorilyoaccompaniedobyoFSLoreport.oUnlesso ando untilo noo definiteo opiniono iso giveno byo theo chemicalo examineroquaotheonatureoofotheoarticlesoetc.,osent,oitowouldo leadotoonoootheroinferenceobutotheooneothatotheoinvestigationo iso stillo incompleteo aso 'smell'o ando 'sight'o ofo theo articles/substanceo seizedo byo theo investigatingo agencyo cannotobeotakenotoobeoaoconclusiveoproofoofotheonatureoofo theoarticles/substance.oMoreover,oinotheoabsenceoofotheoFSLo reportonotobeingopartoofotheochallan,otheoMagistrateowouldo beohandicappedotooproceedofurtheroandotakeocognizanceoofo theooffences.oFSLoreportoinocasesounderoNDPSoActoisoano intrinsicopartoofotheoinvestigationoandoitoisoforothisoreasono thatoinvestigationoofocasesounderotheoNDPSoActowouldohaveo toobeokeptoatoaopedestal,odifferentofromoinvestigationowhicho isocarriedooutoinocasesounderotheoIndianoPenaloCodeoando certainootherostatutes."o ooo Stillofurther,oHon'bleoDivisionoBenchoofothisoCourtoinoAjito Singho@oJeeta'socaseo(supra),ohasoheldothatotheochallanofiledowithouto theoFSLoreportowithoregardotootheonatureoofotheosubstanceoinoquestiono wouldobeoanoincompleteochallanoandoinosuchocircumstances,otheoaccusedo wouldobeoentitledotoobeoreleasedoonodefaultobail.oo

8.k Advertingotootheocaseoinohand,oitoisoaomatterooforecordothato challanohadobeenopresentedowithoutotheoFSLoreportoono13.04.2023oando theoperiodoofo180odaysohadoexpiredoono01.05.2023.oAdmittedly,oevenoono

01.05.2023,o theo FSLo reporto hado noto beeno filed.o Therefore,o ino theo k k 6k absenceoofoFSLoreport,othereoisonoomanneroofodoubtothatotheochallano presentedowouldobeodeemedotoobeoanoincompleteoone.oo

9.k Aofurtherochallengeohasobeenolaidobyotheopetitionerotootheo extensionoofotimeoforoaoperiodoofooneoyearobyotheoCourtobelowoforofilingo ofo theo FSLo report.o Foro facilityo ofo reference,o theo provisionso undero Sectiono36-A(4)oofotheoNDPSoActoareoreproducedohereinounder:-o o "36A.oOffencesotriableobyoSpecialoCourtso XXXXo XXXXo XXXXo o

(4)o Ino respecto ofo personso accusedo ofo ano offenceo punishableounderosectiono19oorosectiono24oorosectiono 27oAooroforooffencesoinvolvingocommercialoquantityo theoreferencesoinosub-sectiono(2)oofosectiono167oofotheo Codeo ofo Criminalo Procedure,o 1973o (2o ofo 1974),o thereofotoo"ninetyodays",owhereotheyooccur,oshallobeo construedoasoreferenceotoo"oneohundredoandoeightyo days":oo o Providedothat,oifoitoisonotopossibleotoocompleteotheo investigationowithinotheosaidoperiodoofooneohundredo andoeightyodays,otheoSpecialoCourtomayoextendotheo saido periodo upo too oneo yearo ono theo reporto ofo theo Publico Prosecutoro indicatingo theo progresso ofo theo investigationo ando theo specifico reasonso foro theo detentionoofotheoaccusedobeyondotheosaidoperiodoofo oneohundredoandoeightyodays."o o

10.k Ito cannoto beo overo emphasisedo thato theo constitutionalo guaranteeo ofo protectiono ofo lifeo ando libertyo againsto unauthorizedo ando arbitraryo detentiono musto beo interpretedo ino consonanceo witho theo provisionsoofoSectiono167(2)oCr.P.C.oTherefore,oitomustobeoborneoino k k 7k mindo thato timeo periodo foro investigationo cannoto beo mechanicallyo extendedounderoSectiono36-AoofotheoNDPSoAct.oTheolegislativeointentoiso amplyoclearoinosoofaroasotheooptionoforoseekingoextensionoofotimeohasonoto beeno lefto too theo investigatingo agency.o Theo relevanto provisionso categoricallyoprovideothatotheoCourtomayograntoextensionoofotimeobuto onlyoonoaoreportoofotheoPublicoProsecutor.oInothisoregard,oreferenceomayo beomadeotootheoobservationsoofotheoHon'bleoSupremeoCourtoinoHitendrao VishnuoThakur'ocaseo(supra)owhereinoitohasobeenoheld:oo o o "22.oWeomayoatothisostage,oalsooonoaoplainoreadingoofo clauseo(bb)oofosub-sectiono(4)oofoSectiono20,opointooutothato theoLegislatureohasoprovidedoforoseekingoextensionoofotimeo forocompletionoofoinvestigationoonoaoreportoofotheopublico prosecutor.oTheoLegislatureodidonotopurposelyoleaveoitotooano investigatingo officero too makeo ano applicationo foro seekingo extensionoofotimeofromotheocourt.oThisoprovisionoisoinotuneo witho theo legislativeo intento too haveo theo investigationso completedoexpeditiouslyoandonototooallowoanoaccusedotoobeo keptoinocontinuedodetentionoduringounnecessaryoprolongedo investigationoatotheowhimsoofotheopolice.oTheoLegislatureo expectso thato theo investigationo musto beo completedo witho utmostopromptitudeobutowhereoitobecomesonecessaryotooseeko someo moreo timeo foro completiono ofo theo investigation,o theo investigatingoagencyomustosubmitoitselfotootheoscrutinyoofotheo publicoprosecutoroinotheofirstoinstanceoandosatisfyohimoabouto theoprogressoofotheoinvestigationoandofurnishoreasonsoforo seekingofurtherocustodyoofoanoaccused.oAopublicoprosecutoro iso ano importanto officero ofo theo Stateo Governmento ando iso appointedo byo theo Stateo underotheo Codeoofo Criminalo Procedure.oHeoisonotoaopartoofotheoinvestigatingoagency.oHeo k k 8k iso ano independento statutoryo authority.o Theo publico prosecutoroisoexpectedotooindependentlyoapplyohisomindotoo theorequestoofotheoinvestigatingoagencyobeforeoSubmittingoao reporto too theo courto foro extensiono ofo timeo witho ao viewo too enableo theo investigatingo agencyo too completeo theo investigation.o Heo iso noto merelyo ao posto officeo oro ao forwardingo agency.o Ao publico prosecutoro mayo oromayo noto agreeowithotheoreasonsogivenobyotheoinvestigatingoofficeroforo seekingo extensiono ofo timeo ando mayo findo thato theo investigationohadonotoprogressedoinotheoproperomannerooro thatothereohasobeenounnecessary,odeliberateooroavoidableo delayoinocompletingotheoinvestigation.oInothatoevent,oheomayo notosubmitoanyoreportotootheocourtounderoclauseo(bb)otooseeko extensionoofotime.oThus,oforoseekingoextensionoofotimeoundero clauseo (bb),o theo publico prosecutoro aftero ano independento applicationoofohisomindotootheorequestoofotheoinvestigatingo agencyo iso requiredo too makeo ao reporto too theo Designatedo Courtoindicatingothereinotheoprogressoofotheoinvestigationo ando disclosingo justificationo foro keepingo theo accusedo ino furthero custodyo too enableo theo investigatingo agencyo too completeo theo investigation.o Theo publico prosecutoro mayo attachotheorequestoofotheoinvestigatingoofficeroalongowithohiso requesto oro applicationo ando report,o buto hiso report,o aso envisagedounderoclauseo(bb),omustodiscloseoonotheofaceoofoito thato heo haso appliedo hiso mindo ando waso satisfiedo witho theo progresso ofo theo investigationo ando consideredo granto ofo furtherotimeotoocompleteotheoinvestigationonecessary.oTheo useo ofo theo expressiono "ono theo reporto ofo theo publico prosecutoroindicatingotheoprogressoofotheoinvestigationoando theospecificoreasonsoforotheodetentionoofotheoaccusedobeyondo theosaidoperiod"oasooccurringoinoclauseo(bb)oinosub-sectiono k k 9k

(2)o ofoSectiono 167oaso amendedo byoSectiono 20(4)oareo importantoandoindicativeoofotheolegislativeointentonototookeepo anoaccusedoinocustodyounreasonablyoandotoograntoextensiono onlyoonotheoreportoofotheopublicoprosecutor.oTheoreportoofo theopublicoprosecutor,otherefore,oisonotomerelyoaoformalityo buto ao veryo vitalo report,o becauseo theo consequenceo ofo itso acceptanceoaffectsotheolibertyoofoanoaccusedoandoitomust,o therefore,o strictlyo complyo witho theo requirementso aso containedoinoclauseo(bb).oTheorequestoofoanoinvestigatingo officeroforoextensionoofotimeoisonoosubstituteoforotheoreportoofo theo publico prosecutor.o Whereo eithero noo reporto aso iso envisagedobyoclauseo(bb)oisofiledoorotheoreportofiledobyotheo publicoprosecutoroisonotoacceptedobyotheoDesignatedoCourt,o sinceotheograntoofoextensionoofotimeounderoclauseo(bb)oiso neitheroaoformalityonoroautomatic,otheonecessaryocorollaryo wouldobeothatoanoaccusedowouldobeoentitledotooseekobailoando theocourto'shall'oreleaseohioonobailoifoheofurnishesobailoaso requiredo byo theo Designatedo Court.o Ito iso noto merelyo theo questionoofoformoinowhichotheorequestoforoextensionoundero clauseo(bb)oisomadeobutooneoofosubstance.oTheocontentsoofo theoreportotoobeosubmittedobyotheopublicoprosecutor,oaftero properoapplicationoofohisomind,oareodesignedotooassistotheo DesignatedoCourtotooindependentlyodecideowhetherooronoto extensionoshouldobeograntedoinoaogivenocase.oKeepingoino viewotheoconsequencesoofotheograntoofoextensionoi.e.okeepingo anoaccusedoinofurtherocustody,otheoDesignatedoCourtomusto beo satisfiedo foro theo Justification,o fromo theo reporto ofo theo publicoprosecutor,otoograntoextensionoofotimeotoocompleteo theoinvestigation.oWhereotheoDesignatedoCourtodeclinesotoo grantosuchoanoextension,otheorightotoobeoreleasedoonobailoono accounto ofo theo 'default'o ofo theo prosecutiono becomeso k k 10k indefeasibleoandocannotobeodefeatedobyoreasonsootherothano thoseo contemplatedo byo sub-sectiono (4)o ofoSectiono 20oaso discussedo ino theo earliero parto ofo thiso judgment.o Weo areo unableotooagreeowithoMroMadhavaoReddyoorotheoAdditionalo Solicitoro Generalo Mro Tulsio thato eveno ifo theo publicoprosecutoro'presents'otheorequestoofotheoinvestigatingo officero too theo courto oro 'forwards'o theo requesto ofo theo investigatingoofficerotootheocourt,oitoshouldobeoconstruedotoo beotheoreportoofotheopublicoprosecutor.oThereoisonooscopeoforo suchoaoconstructionowhenoweoareodealingowithotheolibertyoofo aocitizen.oTheocourtsoareoexpectedotoozealouslyosafeguardo hisoliberty.oClauseo(bb)ohasotoobeoreadoandointerpretedoono itsoplainolanguageowithoutoadditionoorosubstitutionoofoanyo expressionoinoit.oWeohaveoalreadyodealtowithotheoimportanceo ofotheoreportoofotheopublicoprosecutoroandoemphasisedothato heoisoneitheroao'postooffice'oofotheoinvestigatingoagencyonoro itso'forwardingoagency'obutoisochargedowithoaostatutoryoduty.o Heomustoapplyohisomindotootheofactsoandocircumstancesoofo theocaseoandohisoreportomustodiscloseoonotheofaceoofoitothato heohadoappliedohisomindotootheotwinoconditionsocontainedoino clauseo(bb)oofosub-sectiono(4)oofoSectiono20.oSinceotheolawo requireso himo too submito theo reporto aso envisagedo byo theo section,o heo musto acto ino theo mannero aso providedo byo theo sectionoandoinonoootheromanner.oAoDesignatedoCourtowhicho overlooksoandoignoresotheorequirementsoofoaovalidoreporto fallsoinotheoperformanceoofooneoofoitsoessentialodutiesoando rendersoitsoorderounderoclauseo(bb)ovulnerable.oWhetherotheo publicoprosecutorolabelsohisoreportoasoaoreportooroasoano applicationo foro extension,o wouldo noto beo ofo mucho consequenceosoolongoasoitodemonstratesoonotheofaceoofoito thato heo haso appliedo hiso mindo ando iso satisfiedo witho theo k k 11k progresso ofo theo investigationo ando theo genuinenesso ofo theo reasonsoforograntoofoextensionotookeepoanoaccusedoinofurthero custodyoasoenvisagedobyoclauseo(bb)o(supra).oEvenotheomereo reproductiono ofo theo applicationo oro requesto ofo theo investigatingoofficerobyotheopublicoprosecutoroinohisoreport,o withoutodemonstrationoofotheoapplicationoofohisomindoando recordingohisoownosatisfaction,owouldonotorenderohisoreporto asotheooneoenvisagedobyoclauseo(bb)oandoitowouldonotobeoao properoreportotooseekoextensionoofotime.oInotheoabsenceoofo anoappropriateoreportotheoDesignatedoCourtowouldohaveonoo jurisdictionotoodenyotooanoaccusedohisoIndefeasibleorightotoo beo releasedo ono bailo ono accounto ofo theo defaulto ofo theo prosecutionotoofileotheochallanowithinotheoprescribedotimeoifo anoaccusedoseeksoandoisopreparedotoofurnishotheobailobondso asodirectedobyotheocourt.oMoreover,onooextensionocanobeo grantedo too keepo ano accusedo ino custodyo beyondo theo prescribedoperiodoexceptotooenableotheoinvestigationotoobeo completedo ando asoalreadyo statedo beforeo anyo extensiono iso grantedo undero clauseo (bb),o theo accusedo musto beo puto ono noticeoandopermittedotoohaveohisosayosooasotoobeoableotoo objectotootheograntoofoextension."o o

11.k Itoisoaomatterooforecordoandowhichofactohasonotobeenodisputedo byotheolearnedoStateocounselothatonooreportohadobeenosubmittedobyotheo PublicoProsecutoroforoextensionoofotime.oTheoCourtobelowohadograntedo theoextensionoofotimeoonotheogroundothatotheoreasonoforoextensionohado beenoexplainedobyotheoinvestigatingoagencyoinotheofinaloreportoitselfotoo theoeffectothatotheoFSLoreportohadonotobeenoreceived.oo k k 12k

12.k Thiso Courto haso noo hesitationo ino holdingo thato theo Courto belowo haso misinterpretedo theo provisionso ofo Sectiono 36-A(4)o ofo theo NDPSoAct.oRather,otheoprovisionsoofoSectiono36-A(4)oofotheoNDPSoActo insofaro aso theo requiremento ofo ao reporto beingo madeo byo theo Publico Prosecutoroforoextensionoofotimeoisoconcerned,oareomandatoryoinonature.oo

13.k Aso ao sequelo too theo above,o sinceo theo investigationo waso incompleteoonotheodateowhenotheopetitioneromovedoanoapplicationoundero Sectiono167(2)oCr.P.C.oforodefaultobail,otheoinstantopetitionodeservesotoo beoallowed.oo

14.k Theopetitioneroisoherebyoorderedotoobeoadmittedotoobailoino termso ofo Sectiono 167(2)o Cr.P.C.o too theo satisfactiono ofo trialo Court/Magistrateoconcerned.oHowever,oitoisomadeoclearothatoanythingo observedohereinaboveo shallo notobeo construedotoobeo ano expressionoofo opinionoonotheomeritsoofotheocase.ooo o o o o (MANJARIooNEHRUooKAUL)o JUDGEo Juneo6,o2023o rpsoooooo Whetherospeaking/reasonedoo o Yes/Noo Whetheroreportableo o o Yes/Noo k