Sukhdev Singh v. State of Punjab and Another

1o o INoTHEoHIGHoCOURToOFoPUNJABoANDoHARYANAo AToCHANDIGARHo o Reservedoon:o07.02.2023o DateoofoPronouncement:o20.02.2023 o SukhdevoSingho ......Petitionero o Versuso o o StateoofoPunjaboandoanothero ......Respondent

CORAM:oHON'BLEoMR.oJUSTICEoNAMIToKUMARo o Arguedoby:o-oMr.oA.S.oSekhon,oAdvocate,oforotheopetitioner.o o o Mr.oJashanpreetoSingh,oDAG,oPunjab.oo o o Mr.oRavishoBansal,oAdvocate,ofororespondentoNo.2.o o NAMIToKUMAR,oJ.o o o Thiso revisiono petitiono haso beeno filedo undero Sectiono 401o Cr.P.C.oagainstotheojudgmentodatedo12.07.2022opassedobyotheoCourtoofo learnedoAdditionaloSessionsoJudge-I,oFaridkot,oasowelloasotheojudgmento ofoconvictionoandoorderoofosentenceodatedo06.07.2017opassedobyotheo Courto ofo learnedo Judicialo Magistrateo Firsto Class,o Faridkot,o wherebyo petitionero haso beeno heldo guiltyo ando sentencedo too undergoo rigorouso imprisonmentoforooneoyearoandotoopayofineoofoRs.2,000/-ounderoSectiono 138oofotheoNegotiableoInstrumentsoActo(hereinafteroreferredotooaso'theo NIoAct')oandoinodefaultoofopaymentoofofineotoofurtheroundergoorigorouso imprisonmento foro oneo month.o o Outo ofo fineo amounto ofo Rs.2,000/-,o Rs.1500/-o haso beeno orderedo too beo giveno aso compensationo too theo complainantounderoSectiono357(3)oCr.P.C.o

2o o o o Briefofactsoofotheocaseoareothatopetitioner-SukhdevoSingho hadofriendlyorelationsowithotheofamilyooforespondentoNo.2-complainanto andoheoborrowedoaosumoofoRs.2olacoinocashofromorespondentoNo.2-Lalitao andoonodemandooforespondentoNo.2,opetitioneroinodischargeoofohisolegalo liabilityoissuedoaochequeobearingono.053302odatedo22-01-2016oforoaosumo ofoRs.2olacopayableoatoAxisoBankoLtd,oBranchoFaridkotofromohisobanko accountono.911010012645057.oThereafter,orespondentoNo.2opresentedo theosaidochequeoinoherobankoatoPunjaboNationaloBankoBranchoFaridkoto Canttoono29-02-2016,oforoencashment,obutotheobankoofopetitionerodidonoto honourotheochequeoandoreturnedotheooriginalochequeoalongowithoitsobanko memoodatedo29-02-2016owithoremarkso"Accountoclosed".oRespondento No.2-complainanto thuso servedo ao registeredo legalo noticeo througho hero counseloono2.3.2016oatohisocorrectoandolastoknownoaddress.oTheonoticeo wasodulyoservedouponotheopetitionerobutoheodidonotorepayotheoamount.o So,ocomplainantofiledocomplaintoagainstotheopetitioner.o o o Aftero considerationo ofo preliminaryo evidence,o petitionero wasosummonedotoofaceotrialounderoSectiono138oofotheoNIoAct.ooAftero hearingolearnedocounseloforotheopartiesoandoonoappraisaloofoevidence,o petitionerowasoconvictedoandosentencedobyotheoCourtoofolearnedoJudicialo MagistrateoFirstoClass,oFaridkot,oasoaboveounderoSectiono138oofotheoNIo Acto video judgmento ofo convictiono ando ordero ofo sentenceo datedo

06.07.2017.ooRelevantoextractofromotheojudgmentoofoconvictionoofotheo trialoCourtodatedo06.07.2017oreadsoasounder:o-o "16.o Fromo theo evidenceo whicho haso beeno ledo byo theo complainanto ito haso beeno dulyo establishedo ono recordo theo accusedoissuedotheochequeoEx.oC1oinoorderotoodischargeohiso

3o o legaloliabilityoandotheosameowhenopresentedoinotheobankobyo theo complainanto waso returnedo unpaido ono accounto ofo Accountoclosed.oTheochequeowasoreturnedounpaidodueotoo reasonsoofoaccountoclosedovideomemooEx.C2.oTheostatutoryo legalonoticeoExoC3owasoissuedobyotheocomplainantotootheo accusedohoweverotheoaccusedodidonotomakeotheopaymentoofo theo dueo amount.o Thereafter,o theo complainanto filedo theo complainto withino theo stipulatedo period.o Tillo dateo theo accusedohasonotomadeotheopaymentoofotheochequeoamount.o Therefore,o theo accusedo haso committedo theo offenceo punishableo undero Sectiono 138o ofo theo Negotiableo InstrumentsoActoandoasosuchotheopointoofodeterminationoiso answeredoinoaffirmativeoinofavouroofotheocomplainantoando againstotheoaccused.oo CONCLUSIONoo

17.oInosequelotooaboveofindingsothisocourtoisoconstrainedotoo holdothatotheocomplainantohasobeenoableotooestablishohiso caseobeyondotheoshadowsooforeasonableodoubtsoasosetoupoino theo complaint.o Theo accusedo iso heldo guiltyo foro havingo committedo offenceo punishableo undero Sectiono 138o ofo theo Negotiableo Instrumentso Acto ando accordinglyo iso herebyo convictedoforotheonoticeoofoaccusationoframedoagainstohim.o Letotheoconvictobeotakenointoocustodyoandoheobeoheardoono theoquestionoofosentence."o o o Aggrievedoagainstotheojudgmentoofoconvictionoandoorderoofo sentenceo ofo theo trialo Court,o petitionero preferredo appealo beforeo theo appellateo Court,o whicho haso alsoo beeno dismissedo video impugnedo judgmentodatedo12.07.2022obyotheoCourtoofolearnedoAdditionaloSessionso Judge-I,oFaridkotobyorecordingofollowingofindings:o-o "18.oFacedowithotheopaucityoofotheoevidenceoonobehalfoofo theoaccusedoandorelyingouponotheotestimonyoonobehalfoofo theo complainanto havingo beeno ledo too establisho theo guilto

4o o againstotheoaccused,oitoisoascertainableothatotheolearnedo trialo Courto haso rightlyo passedo theo verdicto againsto theo accused.o Theo storyo ofo theo complainanto iso worthyo ofo credenceoandowasorightlyoacceptedobyotheolearnedoTrialo Court.o Theo versiono aso seto upo byo theo complainanto iso remarkableoforoitsoclarityoandoconsistencyoandotestimonyo onohisobehalfohasostoodowellotheotestoofocross-examination.o Theotestimonyoonobehalfoofotheocomplainantoisofreeofromo infirmityoofoanyomaterialonature.oTheoversionohavingobeeno seto upo byo theo accusedo ono hiso behalfo ino theo proceedingso beforeotheolearnedotrialoCourtoisonotoonlyofrailoinonature,o butoalsoodoesonotoinspireoconfidence.oSo,otheocontentionso ono behalfo ofo theo accusedo areo manifestlyo fallaciouso ando untenableo ando pleao ono behalfo ofo theo accusedo iso unconvincingo ando withouto anyo substance.o Thus,o theo analyticalo appraisalo ofo entireo materialo ando evidenceo ono recordoitselfoleadsotowardsotheoinescapableoinferenceothato theoverdictopassedobyotheolearnedotrialoCourtoagainstotheo accusedoisobasedouponosoundofoundation.oAfteroweighingo theo entireo evidenceo ono recordo ino theo scaleo ofo judicialo scrutiny,oIofindothatotheoappealohavingobeenopreferredobyo theo appellant-accusedo iso withouto anyo substanceo ando theo sameo iso herebyo dismissed.o Theo recordo ofo learnedo trialo Courto beo returnedo alongo witho copyo ofo thiso judgment.o Appealofileobeoconsignedotootheorecordoroom."o o o Learnedocounseloforotheopetitionerocontendedothatobothotheo Courtso belowo haveo noto appreciatedo theo facto thato chequeo booko waso missingo ando theo petitionero hado goto registeredo complainto datedo

18.10.2014o ino theo policeo stationo ando aftero ao lapseo ofo twoo years,o respondentoNo.2omisusedotheosaidomissingoblankocheque.ooHeofurthero submittedothatotheopetitioneroisosufferingofromoglaucomaosinceolongoando RAVINDER SINGHisounderotreatmentoandoiso90%odisabledofromobothotheoeyes,otherefore,o

5o o theo sentenceo awardedo too theo petitionero mayo beo reducedo too alreadyo undergoneo aso heo haso alreadyo undergoneo sentenceo foro abouto seveno monthsooutoofototalosentenceoofooneoyear.o o o Learnedo Stateo counselo haso placedo ono recordo custodyo certificateowhichoisotakenoonorecord.o o o Learnedo counselo foro respondento No.2o contendo thato theo petitionerohasotakenotwoodifferentostands,oasowhileoexaminingohimselfoato theo timeo ofo noticeo ofo accusation,o petitionero haso takeno defenceo thato chequeo ino questiono waso noto issuedo byo himo too respondento No.2-complainantoratherotheosameowasogivenoinotheoformoofosecurity,owhicho hasobeenomisusedobyoheroandoatotheotimeooforecordingoofostatementoundero Sectiono313oCr.P.C.,oheohasotakenotheodefenceothatoheolostohisosignedo chequeobookoandochequeoinoquestionoisofromohisolostochequeobookoando haso beeno misusedo byo respondento No.2-complainant.o o Theyo furthero submittedo thato petitionero haso nevero disputedo hiso signatureso ono theo chequeoinoquestion,otherefore,otheoCourtsobelowohaveorightlyoconvictedo andosentencedotheopetitioner.o o o Iohaveoheardolearnedocounseloforotheopartiesoandoperusedo theorecord.o ThisoCourtowhileoexercisingoitsorevisionalopowersohasoveryo limitedojurisdiction,owhichocanoonlyobeoexercised,o(i)owhenotheoCourtso belowohaveoactedobeyondojurisdictionovestedoinothemooro(ii)ohaveonoto exercisedotheosameodiligentlyoando(iii)ohaveoexercisedoillegally.oo o o Learnedo counselo foro theo petitionero haso noto beeno ableo too showoanyosuchoinfirmitiesoinotheojudgmentsoofobothotheoCourtsobelow.o

6o o o o PerusaloofojudgmentsoofotheoCourtsobelowowouldoshowothato petitionero haso takeno twoo contradictoryo stands,o firstlyo thato chequeo ino questiono waso giveno too respondento No.2-complainanto ino theo formo ofo securityo ando secondly,o thato theo chequeo ino questiono waso misusedo byo respondento No.2-complainanto aftero sheo foundo hiso losto chequeo book.oo However,oheohasonotodeniedohisosignaturesoonotheochequeoinoquestion.oo Further,otheopetitionerocouldonotoproveoonorecordothatohisochequeobooko containingotheochequeoinoquestionowasolostoandotheosaidochequeohasobeeno misusedobyorespondentoNo.2.ooTherefore,otheopetitionerohasorightlyobeeno convictedoandosentencedobyotheoCourtsobelow.o o o However,oafterogoingotheomedicalorecordoofotheopetitionero (AnnexureoR-1)othatoheoisosufferingofromoglaucomaoandoisohavingo90%o disabilityoofobothotheoeyes;otheofactothatoheohasosufferedoagonyoofotrialoforo aolongoperiodoandohasoundergoneoactualosentenceoforoaoperiodoofoabouto seveno monthso outo ofo totalo sentenceo ofo oneo yearo aso theopetitionero iso ino custodyosinceo12.07.2022,otakingoaolenientoview,oitoisojustoandoexpediento tooreduceotheosentenceoofotheopetitionerotootheoperiodoalreadyoundergoneo byohimoaboutosevenomonths.oo o o Ino R.o Soundarajano v.o Seedo Inspector,o Coimbatoreo ando another"o reportedo aso 2006(4)o R.C.R.o (Criminal)o 645o theo Hon'bleo SupremeoCourtoheldoasoasounder:-oo "26.oWeohaveocarefullyoperusedotheoentireoevidenceoando documentsoonorecordoandoheardotheolearnedocounseloforo theopartiesoatolength.oOnoconsiderationoofotheototalityoofotheo factsoandocircumstancesoofothisocase,oparticularlyoinoviewo ofotheostatementomadeobyotheolearnedocounseloforotheoState,o inoouroconsideredoview,otheoendsoofojusticeowouldobeomet,oifoRAVINDER SINGH

7o o theo sentenceo ofo theo appellantso iso reducedo too theo periodo alreadyoundergoneobyothem.oTheoappellantsowereoreleasedo byothisoCourtoduringopendencyoofotheseoappealsoandotheyo areonowonotorequiredotoosurrender.oTheofineoasoimposedobyo theotrialoCourt,oifonotoalreadyopaid,owouldobeopaidowithino fouroweeksofromotheodateoofothisojudgment."oo o o Similarlyo ino theo caseo ofo Umraoo Singho v.o Stateo ofo Haryana',o 1981o AIRo (SC)o 1723o theo Apexo Courto haso observedo aso under:-oo "Afterohearingocounseloforotheoparties,oweoareosatisfiedothato thiso iso ao caseo fallingo undero theo provisoo ofo Sectiono 16o

(1)(a)(i)oandotherefore,oforoadequateoandospecialoreasons,o theosentenceolowerothanotheominimumoprescribedocouldobeo awarded.oTheoHighoCourtoitselfofeltoboundotooawardotheo minimumosentenceobutoonomeritsowasosatisfiedothatoifotheo legalo positiono warrantedo theo appellanto couldo beo giveno lesserosentence.oWeoareoinoagreementowithotheoviewoofotheo Higho Court.o Theo appellant/o petitionero iso agedo abouto 70o andosufferingofromoasthamaoillnessoandohasoaocleanopasto record.o Besides,o theo percentageo ofo deficiencyo thato waso noticedo ino theo milko soldo byo himo waso 0.4%o ino theo fato contents.oo

2.oHavingoregardotootheseofacts,otheoexpressionoofotheoviewo ofotheoHighoCourtowasojustified.oWeoaccordinglyoreduceotheo sentenceoofotheoappellantotootheoperiodoalreadyoundergone.o Theosentence,oofofineoisomaintainedoandoweoareoinformedo thatoheohasoalreadyopaidotheofine.oSinceoheoisoalreadyoono bail,oheoshouldobeoreleasedoforthwith.oo

3.Theoappealoisodisposedoofoaccordingly."oo o o InotheocaseoofoSahaboSinghovs.oStateoofoHaryana"o2019(3)o RCRo(Crl.)o727obyofollowingotheojudgmentoofotheoHon'bleoSupremeo Courto ino Stateo ofo Punjabo vs.o Saurabho Bakshi"o 2015o (2)o RCRo

8o o (Criminal)o 495,o thiso Courto whileo upholdingo theo convictiono ofo theo petitionero thereino haso reducedo theo sentenceo ofo theo petitionero byo observingoasounder:-oo "However,otheoprayeroofotheolearnedocounselofororeductiono ofotheosubstantiveosentenceoofotheopetitionerotoosixomonthso ino viewo ofo theo Hon'bleo Supremeo Court'so judgmento ino Saurabho Bakshi'so case,o meritso acceptance.o Ito mayo beo noticedo thato aso pero theo custodyo certificateo producedo ono record,otheopetitionerohasoalreadyoundergoneo7omonthsoando 9odaysooutoofotheototalosentenceoofotwooyearsoimposedoupono him.oo Theo Hon'bleo Supremeo Courto ino Saurabho Bakshi'so caseo (supra),owhileosettingoasideotheoorderoofotheoHighoCourt,o therebyoreducingotheosentenceoimposedouponotheoaccusedo i.e.ooneoyearotootheoperiodoalreadyoundergoneobyohimoi.e.o 24,o days,o awardedo theo sentenceo ofo sixo monthso too theo accused-respondentotherein.oItowasoheldoasounder:-oo "17.oInotheoinstantocaseotheofactumooforashoandonegligento drivingo haso beeno established.o Thiso courto haso beeno constantlyo noticingo theo increaseo ino numbero ofo roado accidentso ando haso alsoo noticedo howo theo vehicleo driverso haveobeenototallyorashoandonegligent.oItoseemsotoousodrivingo ino ao drunkeno state,o ino ao rasho ando negligento mannero oro drivingowithoyouthfuloadventurousoenthusiasmoasoifothereo areonootrafficorulesooronoodisciplineoofolawohasocomeotootheo centreostage.oTheoprotagonists,oasoweoperceive,ohaveolosto allo respecto foro law.o Ao mano witho theo meanso has,o ino possibility,ograduatedohimselfotooharbourotheoideaothatoheo canoescapeofromotheosubstantiveosentenceobyopaymentoofo compensation.o Neithero theo lawo noro theo courto thato implementsotheolawoshouldoeverogetoobliviousoofotheofacto thatoinosuchoaccidentsopreciousolivesoareolostoorotheovictimso RAVINDER SINGH whoosurviveoareocrippledoforolifeowhich,oinoaoway,oworseo

9o o thano death.o Sucho developingo ofo notionso iso ao dangerouso phenomenonoinoanoorderlyosociety.oYoungoageocannotobeoao pleaotoobeoacceptedoinoallocircumstances.oLifeotootheopooro orotheoimpecuniousoisoasowortholivingoforoasoitoisotootheoricho andotheoluxuriouslyotemperamental.oNeedlessotoosay,otheo principleoofosentencingorecognizesotheocorrectiveomeasureso buto thereo areo occasionso wheno theo deterrenceo iso ano imperativeonecessityodependingouponotheofactsoofotheocase.o Inoouroopinion,oitoisoaofitocaseowhereoweoareoconstrainedotoo sayo thato theo Higho Courto haso beeno swayedo awayo byo theo passionoofomercyoinoapplyingotheoprincipleothatopaymentoofo compensationoisoaofactorofororeductionoofosentenceotoo24o days.oItoisoabsolutelyoinotheorealmoofomisplacedosympathy.o Itois,oinoaowayomockeryoofojustice.oBecauseojusticeoiso"theo crowningoglory",o"theosovereignomistress"oando"queenoofo virtue"oasoCiceroohadosaid.oSuchoaocrimeoblightsonotoonlyo theolivesoofotheovictimsobutoofomanyoothersoaroundothem.oIto ultimatelyo shatterso theo faitho ofo theo publico ino judicialo system.oInoouroview,otheosentenceoofooneoyearoasoimposedo byo theo trialo Magistrateo whicho haso beeno affirmedo byo theo appellateocourtoshouldobeoreducedotoosixomonths."oo o o Advertingotootheofactsoofotheopresentocaseoandokeepingoino viewotheo mitigatingocircumstancesonotedo above,othiso Courtoiso ofotheo consideredo viewo ando haso noo hesitationo too concludeo thato theo endso ofo justiceo wouldo beo adequatelyo meto ifo theo sentenceo ofotheo petitionero iso orderedotoobeoreducedotootheoperiodoalreadyoundergoneobyohim.o o o Ino viewo ofo theo peculiaro factso ando circumstanceso ofo theo presentocaseonotedoabove,ocoupledowithotheoreasonsoaforementioned,otheo convictionoofotheopetitioneroinotheocriminalorevisionopetitionoisoupheld.o However,otheosentenceoisoorderedotoobeoreducedotootheoperiodoalreadyo RAVINDER SINGHundergoneobyotheopetitioner.oHowever,otheofineoshalloremainointactoaso

10o o orderedobyotheoCourtsobelow.ooTheosameowould,ohowever,obeosubjectotoo deposito ofo costso ofo Rs.10,000/-o byo theo petitionero witho theo Baro Clerkso Association,oPunjaboandoHaryanaoHighoCourt,oChandigarh,owithinoaoperiodo ofo oneo montho fromo today.o oIto iso madeo clearo thato ino caseo theo aforesaido amountoofoRs.10,000/-oisonotodepositedowithinotheostipulatedoperiod,otheno theopresentorevisionopetitionowouldobeodeemedotoohaveobeenodismissed.o o o Impugnedo judgmento ofo convictiono standso affirmedo witho aboveomodification.oTheosentenceoofofineohowever,oshallostandomaintainedo asoorderedobyotheoCourtsobelowoandoifonotosoodepositedotheosameoshallobeo paidowithinofouroweeksofromotheodateoofopassingoofothisoorder.o o o Disposedoof.oPendingoapplication(s),oifoany,ostandodisposedo ofoinoviewoofotheoaforesaidojudgment.o o (NAMIToKUMAR)o

20.02.2023o o o o o oooooooooooooooooooJUDGEo R.S.o o Whetherospeaking/reasonedoo :o Yes/Noo o WhetheroReportableoo o :o Yes/Noo o