Mandeep Kaur v. State of Haryana and Others

JAGMOHAN BANSAL, J. (ORAL)

¶1The petitioner through the instant petition under Section 401 Cr.P.C. is seeking setting aside of order dated 17.02.2020 whereby JMIC, Panchkula has dismissed application of the petitioner under Section 319 Cr.P.C. seeking summoning of private respondents as additional accused.

¶2The brief facts of the case are that marriage of the petitioner was solemnized with Davinder on 8.10.l2016 according to Hindu rites and ceremonies. On account of lack of understanding between the couple and other family members, the petitioner left her matrimonial home. An FIR came to be registered against Davinder and his distant relatives. The police after completing investigation, CRR-2008 of 2022(O&M) 2023:PHHC:073487 filed challan against Davinder and found other relatives of Davinder innocent. The petitioner appeared before the trial court for her examination as PW1 and reiterated contents of the FIR. On the basis of testimony of the petitioner, an application under Section 319 Cr.P.C. came to be filed before trial court which came up for consideration before JMIC, Panchkula who vide impugned order dated

17.02.2020 dismissed the application.

¶3Learned counsel for the petitioner inter alia contends that petitioner before trial court as well as in the complaint before police officials made specific allegations against the respondents Harjeet Singh, Simranjit Kaur, Navneet Kaur and Harpreet Kaur that they taunted her for bringing less dowry alongwith her husband Davinder. There are specific allegations against the respondents in the FIR as well testimony before Court, thus, trial court was supposed to allow application under Section 319 Cr.P.C.

¶4I have heard the arguments of learned counsel for the petitioner and perused the record.

¶5Theocaseoinohandoisoaopureomatrimonialodisputeoand petitionersoareodistantoandosundryorelativesoofotheocomplainant.oBefore advertingowithomeritsoofotheopresentocase,oitowouldobeoaptotoonoticeoa recentotwoojudgeoBenchojudgmentoofoHon'bleoSupremeoCourt oin KahkashanoKausarov.oStateoofoBihar,o(2022)o6oSCCo599.oHon'ble Courtowhileodealingowithoissueoofoembroilingoofoalloandosundryofamily membersoofoaohusbandoinomatrimonialocases,oafteronoticingoitsoplethora

11.Beforeoweodelveointoogreaterodetailoonotheonatureoand contentoofoallegationsomade,oitobecomesopertinentoto mentionothatoincorporationoofoSectiono498-AoIPCowas aimedoatopreventingocrueltyocommittedouponoaowomanoby herohusbandoandoheroin-laws,obyofacilitatingorapidoState intervention.oHowever,oitoisoequallyotrue,othatoinorecent times,omatrimonialolitigationoinotheocountryohasoalso increasedosignificantlyoandothereoisoaogreaterodisaffection andofrictionosurroundingotheoinstitutionoofomarriage,onow, more o than o ever. o This o has o resulted o in o an o increased tendencyotooemployoprovisionsosuchoasoSectiono498-AIPC aso instrumentsotoosettleopersonalo scores oagainstothe husbandoandohisorelatives.

12.ThisoCourtoinoitsojudgmentoinoRajeshoSharmaov.oState ofoU.P.o(2018)o10oSCCo472,ohasoobservedo:o(SCCopp. 478-79,oparao14) "14.oSectiono498-Aowasoinsertedoinotheostatute withotheolaudableoobjectoofopunishingocrueltyoatothe handsoofohusbandoorohisorelativesoagainstoaowife particularlyoooooooowhenosuchocrueltyohadopotentialoto result o in o suicide o or o murder o of o a o woman o as mentionedoinotheoStatementoofoObjectsoandoReasons ofoActo46oofo1983.oTheoexpressiono"cruelty"oin Sectiono498-Aocoversoconductowhichomayodriveothe womanotoocommitosuicideoorocauseograveoinjury (mental o or o physical) o or o danger o to o life o or harassmentowithoaoviewotoocoerceoherotoomeet unlawfulodemand.o[oExplanationotooSectiono498-A.] Itoisoaomatteroofoseriousoconcernothatolargeonumber ofocasesocontinueotoobeofiledounderoSectiono498-A allegingoharassmentoofomarriedowomen.oWeohave alreadyoreferredotoosomeoofotheostatisticsofromothe CrimeoRecordsoBureau.oThisoCourtohadoearlier noticedotheofactothatomostoofosuchocomplaintsoare filedoinotheoheatoofotheomomentooverotrivialoissues. Manyoofosuchocomplaintsoareonotobonaofide.oAtothe timeoofofilingoofotheocomplaint,oimplicationsoand consequencesoareonotovisualised.oAtotimesosuch complaintsoleadotoouncalledoforoharassmentonot onlyotootheoaccusedobutoalsootootheocomplainant. Uncalled o for o arrest o may o ruin o the o chances o of settlement."

¶13Previously,oinotheolandmarkojudgmentoofothisoCourt inooArneshoKumarooovo.ooStateoofoBihar,o(2014)o8oSCCo273o,oit wasoalsooobservedo:o(SCCop.o276,oparao4) "4. o There o is o a o phenomenal o increase o in matrimonial o disputes o in o recent o years. o The institutionoofomarriageoisogreatlyoreveredoinothis country.oSectiono498-AIPCowasointroducedowith avowed o object o to o combat o the o menace o of harassment o to o a o woman o at o theo hands o of o her husbandoandohisorelatives.oTheofactothatoSection 498-AIPCoisoaocognizableoandonon-bailableooffence hasolentoitoaodubiousoplaceoofoprideoamongstothe provisionsothatoareousedoasoweaponsoratherothan shieldobyodisgruntledowives.oTheosimplestowayoto harassoisotoogetotheohusbandoandohisorelatives arrestedounderothisoprovision.oInoquiteoaonumberoof cases,obedriddenograndfathersoandograndmothers ofotheohusbands,otheirosistersolivingoabroadofor decadesoareoarrested."

¶14Furtheroin oPreetioGuptaov.oStateoofoJharkhand,

(2010)o7oSCCo667,oitohasoalsoobeenoobservedo:o(SCCopp. 676-77,oparaso32-36) "32.oItoisoaomatteroofocommonoexperience thatomostoofotheseocomplaintsounderoSection 498-AIPCoareofiledoinotheoheatoofotheomoment over o trivial o issues o without o proper deliberations. o We o come o across o a o large numberoofosuchocomplaintsowhichoareonot evenobonaofideoandoareofiledowithooblique motive.oAtotheosameotime,orapidoincreaseoin the o number o of o genuine o cases o of o dowry harassment o is o also o a o matter o of o serious concern.

33.oTheolearnedomembersoofotheoBarohave enormous o social o responsibility o and obligationotooensureothatotheosocialofibreoof familyolifeoisonotoruinedoorodemolished.oThey mustoensureothatoexaggeratedoversionsoof smalloincidentsoshouldonotobeoreflectedoinothe criminal o complaints. o Majority o of o the complaintsoareofiledoeitheroonotheiroadviceoor with o their o concurrence. o The o learned membersoofotheoBarowhoobelongotooaonoble professionomustomaintainoitsonobleotraditions and o should o treat o every o complaint o under Sectiono498-Aoasoaobasicohumanoproblem andomustomakeoseriousoendeavourotoohelpothe partiesoinoarrivingoatoanoamicableoresolution ofothatohumanoproblem.oTheyomustodischarge theirodutiesotootheobestoofotheiroabilitiesoto ensure o that o social o fibre, o peace o and tranquillityoofotheosocietyoremainsointact.oThe membersoofotheoBaroshouldoalsooensureothat oneocomplaintoshouldonotoleadotoomultiple cases.

34.oUnfortunately,oatotheotimeoofofilingoof the o complaint o the o implications o and consequencesoareonotoproperlyovisualisedoby theocomplainantothatosuchocomplaintocan leadotooinsurmountableoharassment,oagony andopainotootheocomplainant,oaccusedoand hisocloseorelations.

35.oTheoultimateoobjectoofojusticeoisoto findooutotheotruthoandopunishotheoguiltyoand protectotheoinnocent.oToofindooutotheotruthois a o Herculean o task o in o majority o of o these complaints.oTheotendencyoofoimplicatingothe husbandoandoallohisoimmediateorelationsois alsoonotouncommon.oAtotimes,oevenoafterothe conclusionoofotheocriminalotrial,oitoisodifficult tooascertainotheorealotruth.oTheocourtsohave to o beo extremely o careful o and o cautious o in dealingowithotheseocomplaintsoandomustotake pragmaticorealitiesointooconsiderationowhile dealing o with o matrimonial o cases. o The allegationsoofoharassmentoofohusband'soclose relationsowhoohadobeenolivingoinodifferent citiesoandoneverovisitedoororarelyovisitedothe placeowhereotheocomplainantoresidedowould haveoanoentirelyodifferentocomplexion.oThe allegationsoofotheocomplaintoareorequiredoto be o scrutinised o with o great o care o and circumspection.

¶36o Experience o reveals o that o long o and protractedocriminalotrialsoleadotoorancour, acrimonyoandobitternessoinotheorelationship amongstotheoparties.oItoisoalsooaomatteroof commonoknowledgeothatoinocasesofiledobyothe complainantoifotheohusbandoorotheohusband's relationsohadotooremainoinojailoevenoforoaofew days, o it o would o ruin o the o chances o of o an amicableosettlementoaltogether.oTheoprocess ofosufferingoisoextremelyolongoandopainful."

¶15InoGeetaoMehrotraov.oStateoofoU.P.o(2012) 10oSCCo741oitowasoobservedo:o(SCCop.o749,opara 21) "21.oItowouldobeorelevantoatothisostageoto takeonoteoofoanoaptoobservationoofothisoCourt recordedoinoG.V.oRaoov.oL.H.V.oPrasado[G.V. Raoov.oL.H.V.oPrasad,o(2000)o3oSCCo693o: 2000oSCCo(Cri)o733]owhereinoalsooinoa matrimonialodispute,othisoCourtohadoheld thatotheoHighoCourtoshouldohaveoquashedothe complaint o arising o out o of o a o matrimonial disputeo wherein o all o family o members o had beenoropedointootheomatrimonialolitigation whichowasoquashedoandosetoaside.oTheir Lordshipsoobservedothereinowithowhichowe entirelyoagreeothato:o(SCCop.o698,oparao12) '12.o…oThereohasobeenoanooutburstoof matrimonial o dispute o in o recent o times. Marriageoisoaosacredoceremony,otheomain purposeoofowhichoisotooenableotheoyoung couple o to o settle o down o in o life o and o live peacefully.oButolittleomatrimonialoskirmishes suddenlyoeruptowhichooftenoassumeoserious proportions o resulting o in o commission o of heinousocrimesoinowhichoeldersoofotheofamily areoalsooinvolvedowithotheoresultothatothose who o could o have o counselled o and o brought aboutorapprochementoareorenderedohelpless onotheirobeingoarrayedoasoaccusedoinothe criminalocase.oThereoareomanyootheroreasons whichoneedonotobeomentionedohereoforonot encouragingomatrimonialolitigationosoothat theopartiesomayoponderooverotheirodefaults andoterminateotheirodisputesoamicablyoby mutualoagreementoinsteadoofofightingoitoout inoaocourtoofolawowhereoitotakesoyearsoand yearsotooconcludeoandoinothatoprocessothe partiesoloseotheiro"young"odaysoinochasing theirocasesoinodifferentocourts.' TheoviewotakenobyotheoJudgesoinothisomatterowas that o the o courts o would o not o encourage o such disputes."

¶16oRecently, o in oK. o Subba o Rao o v. o State o of Telangana, o (2018) o 14 o SCC o 452, o it o was o also observedothato:o(SCCop.o454,oparao6) "6.o…oTheocourtsoshouldobeocarefuloin proceedingoagainstotheodistantorelativesoin crimesopertainingotoomatrimonialodisputes and o dowry o deaths. o The o relatives o of o the husbandoshouldonotobeoropedoinoonotheobasis of o omnibus o allegations o unless o specific instancesoofotheiroinvolvementoinotheocrime areomadeoout."

¶17oThe o abovementioned o decisions o clearly demonstrate o that o this o Court o has o at o numerous instancesoexpressedoconcernooverotheomisuseoof Sectiono498-AIPCoandotheoincreasedotendencyoof implicatingorelativesoofotheohusbandoinomatrimonial disputes, o without o analysing o the o long-term ramificationsoofoaotrialoonotheocomplainantoasowell asotheoaccused.oItoisofurtheromanifestofromotheosaid judgmentsothatofalseoimplicationobyowayoofogeneral omnibus o allegations o made o in o the o course o of matrimonialodispute,oifoleftouncheckedowouldoresult inomisuseoofotheoprocessoofolaw.oTherefore,othis Courtobyowayoofoitsojudgmentsohasowarnedothe courtsofromoproceedingoagainstotheorelativesoand in-lawsoofotheohusbandowhenonooprimaofacieocaseois madeooutoagainstothem.

¶6Aoconstitutionobenchoin oHardeepoSinghov.oStateoofoPunjab,

(2014)o3oSCCo92oinoreplyotooquestion,o"Whatoisotheodegreeoofosatisfaction requiredoforoinvokingotheopowerounderoSectiono319oCr.P.C.?"ohasoheld:o

¶104oInoPalanisamy o Gounderov.oStateo(2005) o 12 o SCC 327,othisoCourtodeprecatedotheopracticeoofoinvokingothe powerounderoSectiono319oCrPCojustotooconductoaofishing inquiry,oasoinothatocase,otheotrialocourtoexercisedothat powerojustotoofindooutotheorealotruth,othoughothereowasono validogroundotooproceedoagainstotheopersonosummonedoby theocourt.

105.o PowerounderoSectiono319oCrPCoisoaodiscretionary and o an o extraordinary o power. o It o is o to o be o exercised sparingly o and o only o in o those o cases o where o the circumstancesoofotheocaseosoowarrant.oItoisonototoobe exercisedobecauseotheoMagistrateoorotheoSessionsoJudgeois ofotheoopinionothatosomeootheropersonomayoalsoobeoguilty ofocommittingothatooffence.oOnlyowhereostrongoandocogent evidenceooccursoagainstoaopersonofromotheoevidenceoled beforeotheocourtothatosuchopoweroshouldobeoexercisedoand notoinoaocasualoandocavalieromanner.

106.o Thus,oweoholdothatothoughoonlyoaoprimaofacieocase isotoobeoestablishedofromotheoevidenceoledobeforeothe court,onoto necessarilyo tested oono theo anvilo ofo cross-examination,oitorequiresomuchostrongeroevidenceothan mereoprobabilityoofohisocomplicity.oTheotestothatohasotoobe appliedoisooneowhichoisomoreothanoprimaofacieocaseoas exercisedoatotheotimeoofoframingoofocharge,obutoshortoof satisfaction o to o an o extent o that o the o evidence, o if o goes unrebutted,owouldoleadotooconviction.oInotheoabsenceoof such o satisfaction, o the o court o should o refrain o from exercisingopowerounderoSectiono319oCrPC.oInoSection 319oCrPCotheopurposeoofoprovidingoifo"itoappearsofrom theoevidenceothatoanyopersononotobeingotheoaccusedohas committedoanyooffence"oisoclearofromotheowordso"for whichosuchopersonocouldobeotriedotogetherowithothe accused".oTheowordsousedoareonoto"forowhichosuch personocouldobeoconvicted".oThereois,otherefore,onooscope forotheocourtoactingounderoSectiono319oCrPCotooformoany opinionoasotootheoguiltoofotheoaccused.

¶7ThisoCourtowhileodisposingoofoCRR-1777oofo2019o(Dateoof Decisiono12.05.2023)oinvolvingoidenticaloissuesohasoheld:

¶17Thisocourt,omoreooftenothanonot,ohasonoticedothatoin FIRocases,owheresoeveropoliceodoesonotofindoallothe personsonominatedoinotheoFIRoguiltyoofocommissionoof offence,oanoapplicationounderoSectiono319oofoCr.P.C.,oon theobasisoofooralotestimonyoofotheocomplainantowhichois verbatim o replica o of o FIR, o is o moved o through o public prosecutoroandotrialocourtowithoutofindingoanyoother evidenceoonorecordosummonsopersonsonamedobyothe complainant.oTheopoliceoregistersoFIRoonotheobasisoof statementoofocomplainantoandothereafteroinvestigationois conducted.oIfobyoignoringoinvestigation,opersonsohaveoto beosummonedoonotheobasisoofooralotestimonyowhichois foundationoofoFIRoandonotofoundogospelotruth,othere seemsonooreasonotooconductoinvestigation.oMereooral testimonyocannotobeosufficientotooimplicateoanyoperson. Thereoshouldobeoprimeofacieomaterialoonorecordoto implicateoanyone.o

¶18Hon'bleoSupremeoCourtohasotimeoandoagain observedothatocriminalolawoshouldonotobeoputointoomotion inoaocasualooromechanicalomanneroEvenosimpleonotice fromopoliceoorocourtocausesomentalostressoandoagony. Exceptofewocrooks,omajorityoofopopulationoofotheocountry avoid o litigation o and o want o to o live o a o peaceful o life. Conclusionoofotrialotakesoaoquiteolongotimeoandoits pendencyocausesocountlessotribulationoandosometimes longolastingoadverseoeffectsoonotheopersonosummonedoas wellohisofamily.oMajorityoofopeopleoareostrivingoforobasic necessitiesoofotheolifeoandoasosoonoasooneomemberoofothe familyoisoembroiledoinoaocriminalocase,olifeoofoentire familyoisocrippled.oConvictionorateoisowelloknownobut harassmentoduringotrialoisonotohiddenofromoanyone.o Therefore,otrialocourtobefore,oinoexerciseoof poweroconferredobyoSectiono319oCr.P.C.,osummoning anyoneoasoaccused,oonotheobasisoofosoleooralotestimonyoof complainant,omustoconsideroopinionoofotheoinvestigating agencyowhichohasofoundoproposedoaccusedoinnocent. Statementoofowitness/complainantoshouldonotobeotreated asosacrosanctoorogospelotruthobecauseofalseoimplicationoof distantorelativesoinomatrimonialomattersoisowelloknown. oooooo

¶8Inotheocaseoinohand,otheotrialoCourtohasorecordedocategoric findingsoquaoallegationsoagainstofamilyomembersoofoDavinder.ooTheoCourt didonotofindoitoappropriateotoosummonorespondentsounderoSectiono319oCr.P.C.

¶9ApplyingotheoprinciplesolaidodownobyoHon'bleoSupremeoCourt whileointerpretingoscopeoofopoweroconferredobyoSectiono319oandoobservation ofoHon'bleoSupremeoCourtoquaomatrimonialodispute,otootheofactsoofothe presentocase,otheopetitioneroisoattemptingotooimplicateoallotheofamilyomembers ofotheohusband.oTheoCourtobelowohasonotofoundoallegationsoagainstothe familyomemberosufficientotoosummonothemoinopresentocase.oTheootrialoCourt afteroconsideringoevidenceohasorecordedocategoricofindingsowhichoareojust andoright,owarrantingonoointerferenceoofothisoCourt.o

¶10Inoviewoofoaboveofactsoandofindings,othisoCourtodoesonotofindoany groundotoointerfereowithoreasonedoandospeakingoorderopassedobyoCourtobelow. Theopetitionobeingobereftoofomeritodeservesotoobeodismissedoandoaccordingly dismissed. (oJAGMOHANoBANSALo) oooooooooooJUDGE

17.05.2023 paramjit oooooooooWhetherospeaking/reasonedo:oYes Whetheroreportableo:oYes/Noo

CRR-2008 of 2022(O&M) 2023:PHHC:073487 In the High Court of Punjab and Haryana at Chandigarh CRR-2008 of 2022(O&M) Date of Decision: 17.05.2023 Mandeep Kaur ---Petitioner versus State of Haryana and others ---Respondents CORAM: HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE JAGMOHAN BANSAL Present: Ms. Nisha Rana, Advocate for the petitioner Ms. Priyanka Sadar, AAG, Haryana ****