Suresh Singanal vs State at the Instance of - Court Judgment

SooperKanoon Citationsooperkanoon.com/1831877
CourtKarnataka Dharwad High Court
Decided OnFeb-06-2024
Case NumberWP/100421/2021
JudgeN.S.Sanjay Gowda
AppellantSuresh Singanal
RespondentState at the Instance of
Excerpt:
-1- in the high court of karnataka, dharwad bench dated this the 6th day of february, 2024 before the hon'ble mr justice n.s.sanjay gowda writ petition no. 100421 of 2021 (gm-res) between:1. suresh singanal, age. 46 years, r/o. gangavati,2. maski siddanna s/o. mallikarjun, age. 47 years, r/o. gangavati,3. kallappa age. 67 years, r/o. gangavati, koppal, dist. koppal, karnataka state-583227. … petitioners (by smt. vidyavathi m. kotturshettar, advocate) and:1. state at of karnataka, digitally signed by manjanna manjanna e gangavati rural police, e date: 2024.02.08 dist. koppal-583227, +0530 r/by s.p.p., high court of karnataka dharwad.2. h.i. bagali s/ol imamsab bagali, revenue officer, taluk office, gangavati, dist. koppal-583227. … respondents (by sri. p.n. hatti, hcgp for r1; r2 served)this writ petition is filed under articles 226 and 227 of the constitution of india, praying to it is hereby prayed that the complaint filed by complainant i.e. respondent no.2 h.i.bagali on 21.01.2021 by registering fir no.0053/2021 before gangavati sub division rural police -2- station, against the petitioners for the offences punishable u/s.3 and 7 of essential commodities act and u/s.420 and 201 of i.p.c., be quashed by this hon’ble court, in the interest of justice and equity. this petition, coming on for preliminary hearing in ‘b’ group, this day, the court made the following:order1. this petition is filed challenging the registration of criminal proceedings for the offences punishable under sections 3 and 7 of essential commodities act and under sections 420 and 201 of i.p.c.2. the allegation in the complaint is that the petitioners were transporting rice, which was meant for distribution under the public distribution system.3. the co-ordinate bench of this court, incriminal petition no.101739/2021 and connected matters, disposed of on 16.2.2022, has held that unless the goods in question were examined by the forensic science laboratory and certified to be an essential commodity meant for public distribution system, the proceedings would be unsustainable. -3-4. in this case, admittedly, there is nocertification by the forensic science laboratory that the rice that was seized was meant for public distribution. in that view of the matter, in the light of the above judgment, the petition is allowed and the proceedings stands quashed. sd/- judge vb ct:bck list no.: 1 sl no.: 135
Judgment:

-1- IN THE HIGH COURT OF KARNATAKA, DHARWAD BENCH DATED THIS THE 6TH DAY OF FEBRUARY, 2024 BEFORE THE HON'BLE MR JUSTICE N.S.SANJAY GOWDA WRIT PETITION NO. 100421 OF 2021 (GM-RES) BETWEEN:

1. SURESH SINGANAL, AGE. 46 YEARS, R/O. GANGAVATI,

2. MASKI SIDDANNA S/O. MALLIKARJUN, AGE. 47 YEARS, R/O. GANGAVATI,

3. KALLAPPA AGE. 67 YEARS, R/O. GANGAVATI, KOPPAL, DIST. KOPPAL, KARNATAKA STATE-583227. … PETITIONERS (BY SMT. VIDYAVATHI M. KOTTURSHETTAR, ADVOCATE) AND:

1. STATE AT OF KARNATAKA, Digitally signed by MANJANNA MANJANNA E GANGAVATI RURAL POLICE, E Date: 2024.02.08 DIST. KOPPAL-583227, +0530 R/BY S.P.P., HIGH COURT OF KARNATAKA DHARWAD.

2. H.I. BAGALI S/OL IMAMSAB BAGALI, REVENUE OFFICER, TALUK OFFICE, GANGAVATI, DIST. KOPPAL-583227. … RESPONDENTS (BY SRI. P.N. HATTI, HCGP FOR R1; R2 SERVED)

THIS WRIT PETITION IS FILED UNDER ARTICLES 226 AND 227 OF THE CONSTITUTION OF INDIA, PRAYING TO IT IS HEREBY PRAYED THAT THE COMPLAINT FILED BY COMPLAINANT I.E. RESPONDENT NO.2 H.I.BAGALI ON 21.01.2021 BY REGISTERING FIR NO.0053/2021 BEFORE GANGAVATI SUB DIVISION RURAL POLICE -2- STATION, AGAINST THE PETITIONERS FOR THE OFFENCES PUNISHABLE U/S.3 AND 7 OF ESSENTIAL COMMODITIES ACT AND U/S.420 AND 201 OF I.P.C., BE QUASHED BY THIS HON’BLE COURT, IN THE INTEREST OF JUSTICE AND EQUITY. THIS PETITION, COMING ON FOR PRELIMINARY HEARING IN ‘B’ GROUP, THIS DAY, THE COURT MADE THE FOLLOWING:

ORDER

1. This petition is filed challenging the registration of criminal proceedings for the offences punishable under Sections 3 and 7 of Essential Commodities Act and under Sections 420 and 201 of I.P.C.

2. The allegation in the complaint is that the petitioners were transporting rice, which was meant for distribution under the Public Distribution System.

3. The Co-ordinate Bench of this Court, in

Criminal Petition No.101739/2021 and connected matters, disposed of on 16.2.2022, has held that unless the goods in question were examined by the Forensic Science Laboratory and certified to be an essential commodity meant for Public Distribution System, the proceedings would be unsustainable. -3-

4. In this case, admittedly, there is no

certification by the Forensic Science Laboratory that the rice that was seized was meant for Public Distribution. In that view of the matter, in the light of the above judgment, the petition is allowed and the proceedings stands quashed. Sd/- JUDGE VB CT:BCK List No.: 1 Sl No.: 135