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Satyaprakash Sharma (Advocate & Legal Consultant)     13 April 2009

Transfer of Proceeding u/s.107 Cr. P.C.

Can application be made for transfer of proceedings u/s.107 Cr.P.C. from one Executive Magistrate (Asst. Commissioner of Police in Mumbai) to another?

If Yes. Before whom? (District Magistrate OR CMM OR Session Judge)

Please provide relevant authority/provision.

 

-Satyaprakash



Learning

 8 Replies

N.K.Assumi (Advocate)     13 April 2009

Dear Sharma, This is very interesting issue, though it appears to be small.I am of the view that question of transfer of the proceedings does not arise.As the Criminal Procedure code provides transfer of case by the Courts including the Supreme Court by either of the party interested.Here the party interested means the State or the accused, and the proceedings against a person under section 107 is not an accused person, as such transfer of proceedings under section 107 CrPc,does not arise.That is how I view the provisions.Let us see what our members will say in the matter.

N.K.Assumi (Advocate)     13 April 2009

Your question is like an ant hill at first glance, but in fact it is like a Himalaya Mountain:It is a task that involved total over hauling the whole of the CrPc? I am glad you have made the query.I am waiting impatiently for the responds from our learned members to join us.

Swami Sadashiva Brahmendra Sar (Nil)     13 April 2009

transfer of proceedings from one executive magistrate to other is like transfer of investigation from one police station to another or one I.O to other or one investigating agency to another.

therefore power to transfer would lie in executive superior who has supervisory control over the executive magistrates.


(Guest)

In A.N. Roy v. Suresh Sham Singh, Cr. Appeal No. 703-714 of 2006, Once the Commissioner of Police is appointed as an Executive Magistrate in Brihan Bombay, he can be appointed as an Additional District Magistrate, who shall have the powers of the District Magistrate for the purpose of the District Magistrate.

Also refer to lawcommissionofindia.nic.in/101-169/Report154Vol2.pdf

Then in that case the powers for such transfers would be with Sessions Judge. However, it is like an pandora's box, very interesting que Sir ypu have asked.

N.K.Assumi (Advocate)     14 April 2009

Thank you very much Dr.Tripathi and dr.Arun. Now can such person proceeded with can get bail if detained by the Magistrate? Can he be released under section 436 or 437 of the CrPc, though not an accused.As far as the power of Police Commissioner is concerned I agreed that  he can be conferred with th epower of  Magistrate under section 19 (5) of the code.        

                         Now, when we talk about transfer of the proceedings, do we mean transfer of the case or the accused?

Satyaprakash Sharma (Advocate & Legal Consultant)     15 April 2009

Sirs,

In this connection, I would like to further add as under:
Section 6 of the Code provides for following classes of Criminal Courts –
6. Classes of Criminal Courts.
Besides the High Courts and the courts constituted under any law, other than this Code, there shall be, in every State, the following classes of Criminal Courts, namely.
 
(i) Courts of Session;
(ii) Judicial Magistrate of the first class and, in any Metropolitan area, Metropolitan Magistrate;
(iii) Judicial Magistrate of the second class; and
(iv) Executive Magistrate.”
 
Section 23 of the Code says that all Executive Magistrates shall be subordinate to the District Magistrate. As per Bombay Police Act, 1951 Commissioner is the District Magistrate for the Greater Mumbai.
Section 23 reads as under:
23. Subordination of Executive Magistrates.
(1) All Executive Magistrates, other than the Additional District Magistrate, shall be subordinate to the District Magistrate, and every Executive Magistrate (other than the Sub-divisional Magistrate) exercising powers in a Sub -division shall also be subordinate to the Sub-divisional Magistrate, subject, however, to the general control of the District Magistrate.

(2) The District Magistrate may, from time to time, make rules or give special orders, consistent with this Code, as to the distribution of business among the Executive Magistrates subordinate to him and as to the allocation of business to an additional District Magistrate.”
 
Ss. 407 and 408 deal with Powers of High Court to transfer cases and appeals:
407. Power of High Court to transfer cases and appeals.
(1) Whenever it is made to appear to the High Court-
(a) That a fair and impartial inquiry or trial cannot be had in any Criminal Court subordinate thereto, or

(b) That some question of law of unusual difficulty is likely to arise; or

(c) That an order under this section is required by any provision of this Code, or will tend be the general convenience of the parties or witnesses, or is expedient for the ends of, justice,

it may order-
(i) That any offence be inquired into or tried by any court not qualified under sections 177 to 185 (both inclusive), but in other respects competent to inquire into or try such offence;

(ii) That any particular case, or appeal, or class of cases or appeals, be transferred from a Criminal Court subordinate to its authority to any other such Criminal Court of equal or superior jurisdiction;

(iii) That any particular case be committed for trial of to a Court of Session; or

(iv) That any particular case or appeal be transferred to and tried before itself.
(2) The High Court may act either on the report of the lower court, or on the application of a party interested, or on its own initiative:

Provided that no application shall lie to the High Court for transferring a case from one Criminal Court to another Criminal Court in the same sessions division, unless an application for such transfer has been made to the Sessions Judge and rejected by him.
[…]
 
408. Power of Sessions Judge to transfer cases and appeals.
(1) Whenever it is made to appear to a Sessions Judge that an order under this sub-section is expedient for the ends of justice, he may order that any particular case be transferred from one Criminal Court to another Criminal Court in his session's division.

(2) The Sessions Judge may act either on the report of the lower court, or on the application of a party interested or on his own initiative.

(3) The provisions of sub-sections (3), 4), (5), (6), (7) and (9) of section 407 shall apply in relation to an application to the Sessions Judge for an order under sub-section (1) as they apply in relation to an application to the High Court for an order under subsection (1) of section 407, except that sub-section (7) of that section shall so apply as if for the words "one thousand" rupees occurring therein, the words "two hundred and fifty rupees" were substituted.”
 
Considering the language of above 2 Sections, the transfer application ought to go before the Sessions Court first. But, can a judicial forum transfer a matter pending before the executive forum (although function of an Executive Magistrate u/s. 107 is judicial one). Doubt also arises from the fact that an Executive Magistrate is direct subordinate to District Magistrate and not to any Judge or Judicial Forum.
 
Another provision which deals with transfer of proceeding is Section 411 of the code, which reads as under:
411. Making over or withdrawal of cases by Executive Magistrates.
Any District Magistrate or Sub-divisional Magistrate may-
(a) Make over, for disposal, any proceeding that has been started before him, to any Magistrate subordinate to him;

(b) Withdraw any case from, or recall any case which he has made over to, any Magistrate subordinate to him, and dispose of such proceeding himself or refer it for disposal to any other Magistrate.”
 
But, I doubt that, a case (i.e. Section 107 proceeding) is initiated by the Executive Magistrate (say Assistant Commissioner of Police) having local jurisdiction upon report from the local police station, can be said to have made over to him by the District Magistrate or Sub-divisional Magistrate (say Commissioner of Police).

Swami Sadashiva Brahmendra Sar (Nil)     16 April 2009

I think practical aspects should be given preference over academic issues.

an application for transfer can not be allowed without giving opportuinity of hearing to opposite party. in present days, the process in disposal of TA by court will not take less than a year. by then the proceedings u/s 107 itself will laps. what will remain to transfer?

ys_peace   01 July 2017

Hello Sir,

I want to do local transfer (from one court number to other, locally in same premises) of criminal case (498A), for following reason (case is in Latur district, maharashtra):

1. current court runs only for 3 days (mon,tue,wed) as it is a joint court with juvenile court

2. Accused has problem in attending court on mon,tue and wed due to his job restriction. (he may loose his job due to frequent leaves on opening days of week. But he is very convenient to  attend court on Thurs,Friday or Sat.

3. Court is almost 500 km from away from place of residing of accused. Case is not on board yet.

Kindly please tell me under which section should the application should be made to Principal justice Judge.

What kind of application is required? (will it be miscallaneous application?)

Please share if someone have format or more information regarding this.

Thanks in advance.


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