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Ravikant Soni (LAWYER IN JAIPUR)     04 April 2011

can magistrate issue process agaist person not in chargesht

Police filed chargesheet against A and B. Names of C and D not in FIR. Magistrate has took cognizance against A and B under section 420, 379, 447, 467, 468, 471 and 120b. And file is at the stage of framing charge. But in the meanwhile complainent filed an application u/s 190 Cr.P.C. to add C and D as accused and to issue process against them.

Can magistrate do so despite he has took cognizance earlier?

Plz refer apex court rullings. A unfavoured rulling is AIR 2001 SC 2747

I want urgent favor.



Learning

 1 Replies

Tajobsindia (Senior Partner )     05 April 2011

@ Author

There is no such bar as raised by you
Hon’ble SC in the case of Swil Ltd Vs. State of Delhi and Another :(2001) 6 SCC 670  held as 


In our view, from the facts stated above it is clear that at the stage of taking cognizance of the offence, provisions of Section 190 Cr.P.C. would be applicable. Section 190 inter alia provides that 'the Magistrate may take cognizance of any offence upon a police report of such facts which constitute an offence.' As per this provision, Magistrate takes cognizance of an offence and not the offender. After taking cognizance of the offence, the Magistrate under Section 204 Cr.P.C. is empowered to issue process to the accused. At the stage of issuing process, it is for the Magistrate to decide whether process should be issued against particular person/persons named in the charge sheet and also not named therein. For that purpose, he is required to consider the FIR and the statements recorded by the police officer and other documents tendered along with charge sheet. Further, upon receipt of police report under Section 173 (2) Cr.P.C. the Magistrate is entitled to take cognizance of an offence under Section 190(1)(b) even if the police report is to the effect that no case is made out against the accused by ignoring the conclusion arrived at by the investigating officer and independently applying his mind to the facts emerging from the investigation by taking into account the statement of the witnesses examined by the police. At this stage, there is no question of application of Section 319 Cr.P.C. Similar contention was negatived by this Court in Raghubans Dubey vs. State of Bihar [(1967) 2 SCR 423] by holding thus: "In our opinion, once cognizance has been taken by the Magistrate, he takes cognizance of an offence and not the offenders; once he takes cognizance of an offence it is his duty to find out who the offenders really are and once he comes to the conclusion that apart from the persons sent up by the police some other persons are involved, it is his duty to proceed against those persons. The summoning of the additional accused is part of the proceeding initiated by his taking cognizance of an offence."

 

Hope above clears your doubts?


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