Allowed

Sumaraj v. State of Kerala

Kerala HC8 Aug 2016Crl.MC/343/2016

Case brief

AI extract

What is this about?

The High Court quashed an order under Section 107 CrPC issued by the Sub Divisional Magistrate. The court held the order failed to record specific grounds under Section 111 CrPC regarding the likelihood of a breach of peace, constituting a total non-application of mind.

What did the court decide?

The petition is allowed and M.C.No.208 of 2015 of the Sub Divisional Magistrate Court, Thiruvananthapuram is quashed.

Sumaraj Vs State of Kerala — Civil Procedure and Limitation | Kerala HC (2016)

¶1

IN THE HIGH COURT OF KERALA AT ERNAKULAM

¶2

PRESENT:

¶3

THE HONOURABLE MR. JUSTICE RAJA VIJAYARAGHAVAN V

¶4

MONDAY, THE 8TH DAY OF AUGUST 2016/17TH SRAVANA, 1938

¶5

Crl.MC.No. 343 of 2016

¶6

MC 208/15 OF SUB DIVISIONAL COURT, THIRUVANANTHAPURAM

¶7

PETITIONER(S)/COUNTER PETITIONER:

¶8

SUMARAJ, AGED 28 YEARS,

¶9

S/O.SUKUMARAN, RESIDING AT SUMARAJ BHAVAN, VENJAVODE, CHELLAMANGALAM, THIRUVANANTHAPURAM.

¶10

BY ADVS.SRI.VEMBAYAM A.A.HAKKIM

¶11

SRI.NEMOM CHANDRA BABU

¶12

RESPONDENT(S)/COMPLAINANT/STATE:

¶13

1. STATE OF KERALA, REPRESENTED BY THE PUBLIC PROSECUTOR, HIGH COURT OF KERALA, ERNAKULAM-682 031.

¶14

2. THE SUB DIVISIONAL MAGISTRATE, THIRUVANANTHAPURAM.

¶15

3. THE STATION HOSUE OFFICER, SREEKARIYAM POLICE STATION, SREEKARIYAM, THIRUVANANTHAPURAM.

¶16

BY PUBLIC PROSECUTOR SRI.AMJAD ALI

¶17

THIS CRIMINAL MISC. CASE HAVING BEEN FINALLY HEARD ON 08-08-2016, THE COURT ON THE SAME DAY PASSED THE FOLLOWING:

¶18

¶19

Crl.MC.No. 343 of 2016

¶20

APPENDIX

¶21

PETITIONER(S)' ANNEXURES

¶22

ANNEXURE-1. TRUE COPY OF THE COMPLAINT FILED BEFORE THE JFCMCI, THIRUVANANTHAPURAM. ANNEXURE-II. THE CERTIFIED COPY OF THE COGNIZANCE ORDER DATED 25/7/2015 PASSED BY THE JFCMC-I, THIRUVANANTHAPURAM. ANNEXURE-III. TRUE COPY OF THE REMAND APPLICATION IN CRIME NO.550/2015. ANNEXURE-IV. ORIGINAL COPY OF THE NOTICE DATED 1/12/2015 IN CLR.MC NO.208/2015 U/S.107 CR.PC PROCEEDINGS.

¶23

RESPONDENT(S)' ANNEXURES

¶24

NIL. / TRUE COPY / P.S. TO JUDGE

¶25

¶26

RAJA VIJAYARAGHAVAN.V, J

¶27

Crl.M.C. No.343 of 2016

¶28

Dated this the 8^th day of August, 2016

¶29

O R D E R

¶30

1.The proceeding initiated by the Sub Divisional Magistrate, Thiruvananthapuram under Section 107 of the Code of Criminal Procedure against the petitioner herein is under challenge in this petition filed under Section 482 of the Code of Criminal Procedure (hereinafter referred to as 'the Code' for brevity).

¶31

2.As per the impugned order, the petitioner has been directed to appear before the said officer in person at 11.00 a.m. on 30.12.2015 and to show cause why he should not be required to enter into a bond of Rs.20,000/with two sureties for the like sum for keeping peace for a term of one year.

¶32

Crl.M.C.343/2016

¶33

¶34

3.Heard the learned counsel appearing for the petitioner as

¶35

well as the learned Public Prosecutor.

¶36

4.The learned counsel would assail the order on various grounds. It is submitted that the substance of accusation has not been stated in Annexure-IV order. Though it is stated in the order that the Station House Officer of the Sreekaryam Police Station has submitted the copy of FIR and other details of Crime No.550 of 2015 and 812 of 2015, no other details are mentioned in the order. The order is also silent as regards the relevant factors which influenced the mind of the Magistrate to form an opinion that the petitioner is likely to disturb peace and tranquility in a particular locality and in order to prevent the same, it is necessary to take preventive action against him. It is urged that the materials before the learned Magistrate was thoroughly inadequate to arrive at the requisite satisfaction. Finally it is contended that the preliminary order under Section 107 did not meet the requirement of Section 111 of the Code. Reliance was placed on the Full Bench decision of this Court in Moidu v. State of Kerala

¶37

Crl.M.C.343/2016 3

¶38

[1982 KHC 139 : 1982 KLT 578] and the decision of the learned Single Judges in Peethambaran v. State of

¶39

Kerala [1980 KHC 239 :1980 KLT 876 : ILR 1980 (2) Ker. 589], Santhosh M.V. and Others V State of Kerala [2014 (2) KLD 519] and Bejoy K.V. V State of Kerala [2015 (2) KLD 889].

¶40

5.The learned Public prosecutor, on the other hand, submitted that it was based on the report made by the Sub Inspector of Police to the effect that the petitioner is likely to indulge in further criminal acts causing breach of peace and public tranquility in the area that preventive action was initiated.

¶41

6.I have perused the materials on record as well.

¶42

7.Under Section 107 of Code, whenever a Magistrate is informed that any person is likely to commit a breach of the peace, he may require such person to show cause why he should not be ordered to execute a bond with or without sureties, for keeping the peace for a period not exceeding one year. This has to be done in the manner provided in Section 111. That Section requires a

¶43

Crl.M.C.343/2016 4

¶44

Magistrate to make an order in writing, setting forth the substance of the information received. The sine qua non for the institution of a proceeding under the Section is that the Magistrate shall be of the opinion that there is sufficient ground for proceeding. The Magistrate, has, under the law, to satisfy himself that a person is likely to commit a breach of the peace or disturb the public tranquility before taking action. For that purpose, the Magistrate before issuing notice under 111 must record the grounds, which, in his opinion as sufficient for proceeding further.

¶45

8.In Madhu Limaye and Another v. SDM, Monghyr [AIR

¶46

1971 SC 2486] the Apex Court, in para 36 of the judgment, had cautioned the Executive Magistrate exercising powers under Section 107 in the following manner:-

¶47

"We have seen the provisions of Sec. 107. That section says that action is to be taken in the manner here-in-after provided and this clearly indicates that it is not open to a Magistrate in such a case to depart from the procedure to any substantial

¶48

Crl.M.C.343/2016

¶49

¶50

extent. This is very salutary because the liberty of the person is involved and the law is rightly solicitous that this liberty should only be curtailed according to its own procedure and not according to the whim of the Magistrate concerned. It behoves us, therefore, to emphasize the safeguards built into the procedure because from there will arise the consideration of the reasonableness of the restrictions in the interest of public order or in the interest of general public."

¶51

It was further observed in Para 37 as under:-

¶52

"Since the person to be proceeded against, has to show cause, it is but natural that he must know the grounds for apprehending a breach of the peace or disturbance of the public tranquility at his hands. Although the section speaks of the ''substance' of the information, it does not mean the order should not be full. It may not repeat the information but it must give proper notice of what has moved the Magistrate to take the action. This order is the foundation of the jurisdiction and the word ''substance' means the essence of the most important parts of the information."

¶53

9.On perusing Annexure-IV order, it is evident that the Sub

¶54

Crl.M.C.343/2016 6

¶55

Divisional Magistrate has disregarded the statutory mandate and has invoked powers vested on him in a callous manner. The mere fact that the petitioner is involved in two crimes could not have been taken as the basis to issue a preventive order against the petitioner herein. (see Santhosh M.V. and others v. State of Kerala [2014 (3) KLT 837; Girish P and Others v. State of Kerala [2009 (4) KHC 929]). The reasons which led the Sub Divisional Magistrate to initiate proceeding is not disclosed in the order. In the absence of any evidence rendering a breach of peace probable, a Magistrate is not justified in calling upon parties, to show cause why he should not enter into recognisances, and on his failure , to make an order under the section. (see Moidu v. State of

¶56

Kerala [1982 KLT 578]. It is also not open to the Magistrate to draw up proceedings against persons under Section 107 based on vague hunches or general statements. Annexure-IV order does not state in what way or with reference to what matter the petitioner was likely to commit a breach or peace. There was no tangible

¶57

Crl.M.C.343/2016 7

¶58

evidence before the learned Magistrate that some definite Act is contemplated, which Act, if committed, is likely to cause breach of peace. Annexure-IV order does not fulfill the requirement under Section 111 and reveals total non application of mind.

¶59

10.The learned Magistrate ought to have borne in mind that the object of the Section is prevention and not punishment of crimes. It is not intended to punish persons for anything that they have done in the past, but to prevent them from doing in future something that might occasion a breach of the peace. The section is designed to enable the Magistrate to take measures with a view to prevent commission of offences involving breach of peace or disturbance of public tranquility. Wide powers have been conferred on the magistrates specified in this section and as the matter affects the liberty of the subject who has not been found guilty of an offence, it is essential that the power should be exercised strictly in accordance with law.

¶60