Soma Devi v. State of Punjab & Anr

CRM-M-11335-2016o o o o o o o o o-1-o INoTHEoHIGHoCOURToOFoPUNJABoANDoHARYANAo AToCHANDIGARHo o o o o o o o o CRM-M-11335-2016o o o o o o o o Reservedoon:o21.04.2023o o o o o o o o o DateoofoDecision:28.04.2023o o SomaoDevioo o o o o o o o ,Petitionero Versuso StateoofoPunjaboandoAnothero o o o ooooo,Respondentso o CORAM:oooHON'BLEoMR.oJUSTICEoJAGMOHANoBANSALo Present:-oo Mr.oMandeepoS.oSachdev,oAdvocateoforotheopetitioneroo Mr.oAmishoSharma,oAAG,oPunjabo o o Mr.oSachinoKalia,oAdvocateoforoo o o Mr.oR.S.oBajaj,oAdvocateofororespondentoNo.2o ***o JAGMOHANoBANSAL,ooJ.oo

1.k o Theo petitionero througho instanto petitiono undero Sectiono 482o Codeo ofo Criminalo Procedure,o 1973o (foro shorto 'Cr.P.C.')o iso seekingo quashingoofoorderodatedo04.01.2016o(AnnexureoP-1)wherebyoAdditionalo SessionsoJudge,oJalandharohasodismissedoapplicationounderoSectiono311o Cr.P.C.oofotheoprosecutionoseekingosummoningoofoRajoKumarosonoofoJito Ram,oAshokoKumarosonoofoRattanoLaloandoJagmohanosonoofoBhajanoLalo asoprosecutionowitnessoinoFIRoNo.119odatedo11.06.2014ounderoSectiono 306oofoIndianoPenaloCode,o1860o(foroshorto'IPC')oregisteredoatoPoliceo StationoAdampur,oJalandhar.o

2.k o Theobriefofactsoemergingofromotheorecordoandonecessaryoforo theoadjudicationoofopresentocontroversyoareothatoonotheostatementoofoSomao DeviowifeoofolateoShrioBhajanoLal,oanoFIRoNo.119odatedo11.06.2014ocameo toobeoregistered.oTheocomplainant-SomaoDevioinoherocomplaintoallegedo CRM-M-11335-2016o o o o o o o o o-2-o thatoherodaughterowaso30oyearsooldoandooneoyearoback,osheogotomarriedotoo GopaloRamosonoofoJaganoNathoandooutoofothisowedlock,otwoochildrenowereo born.o Dueo too bado habitso ofo hero son-in-law,o thereo waso disputeo ino theo family.oHerodaughteroinformedoheroaboutotheodisputeobutosheoadvisedohero toosettleoinomatrimonialohome.oHeroson-in-lawousedotoogiveobeatingsotoo herodaughter.oHerodaughterogotofedoupofromotheobehaviouroofoherohusbando ando committedo suicideo ono 10.06.2014o aftero consumingo poisonouso substance.oHerodaughterowasocrematedoono11.06.2014owithoutoinformingo them.oo

3.k o Theo policeo conductedo investigationo ando aftero completingo investigation,oinotermsoofoSectiono173oCr.P.C.,ofiledoitsoreport.oTheotrialo commencedobeforeoAdditionaloSessionsoCourtoandoduringotheocourseoofo trial,oSomaoDevi-complainantowasoexaminedoasowelloasocross-examined.o Theo complainanto througho Additionalo Publico Prosecutoro movedo ano applicationo undero Sectiono 311o Cr.P.C.o seekingo summoningo ofo Rajo Kumar,o Jeeto Ramo ando Jagmohano aso prosecutiono witnesses.o Theo applicationo ofo theo complainanto cameo upo foro considerationo beforeo AdditionaloSessionsoJudge,oJalandharowhoovideoimpugnedoorderodatedo

04.01.2016odismissedotheosameoonotheogroundothatopersonsonamedoinotheo applicationo wereo neithero disclosedo byo complainanto ino hero statemento beforeopoliceonorowhileorecordingoherotestimonyobeforeoCourtonorotheyo wereopresentoatotheotimeoofoinvestigation,othus,otheyoatothisostageotoofilloupo theolacunaocannotobeoexaminedoasoprosecutionowitnesses.o CRM-M-11335-2016o o o o o o o o o-3-o

4.k o Learnedocounseloforotheopetitionerointeroaliaocontendsothato recordingoofostatementsoofowitnessesounderoSectiono161oCr.P.C.obyopoliceo isonotorequired.oFillingoofolacunaocannotobeogroundotoorejectoapplicationo movedounderoSectiono311oCr.P.C.oTheomarriageoofotheodeceasedowithotheo accusedowasoaoloveomarriageoandoaccusedodidonotopermitofamilyomemberso ofotheodeceasedotoomeetoher.oOneoproposedowitnessoisoneighbouroofotheo deceased,oanotheroisocousinoofotheodeceasedoandothirdoisobrotheroofotheo deceased.o oo Theo learnedo counselo foro theo petitionero ino supporto ofo hiso contentionsoreliedouponojudgmentoofoSingleoBenchoofothisoCourtoinoSarojo versusoStateoofoHaryanao2006(4)oR.C.R.o(Criminal)o1017,oandoAndhrao PradeshoHighoCourtoinoM/s.oChemooSteeloLtd.oandoOthersoversusoStateo ofoA.PoandoOtherso2005(1)oCCRo483,oandoRajasthanoHighoCourtoinoOmo PrakashoversusoStateoofoRajasthano2004(1)oR.C.R.(Criminal)o690.o

5.k o Pero contra,o learnedo counselo foro theo respondento contendedo thatocomplainant/petitioneroisotryingotoocreateofalseoevidenceoinotheoformo ofo statementso ofo proposedo witnesses.o Admittedly,o marriageo ofo theo deceasedowasoaoloveomarriageoandosheowaso30oyearsooldoatotheotimeoofo loveomarriage.oTheofamilyomembersoofotheodeceasedowereoagainstohero loveomarriage,othus,opostomarriageotheyoneverocameotoomeetotheodeceased.o Theyodidonotoevenoinviteoheroinotheirofunctionsowhichotheyoorganizedoposto marriageo ofo theo deceased.o Theo complainanto waso noto eveno awareo ofo mobileophoneonumberoofotheodeceased.oSheowasonotoawareoaboutodateoofo CRM-M-11335-2016o o o o o o o o o-4-o marriageo aso wello aso whereaboutso ofo childreno ofo theo deceased.o Theo deceasedohadodiedoinoHospitaloandonotoatoresidence,othus,othereowasonoo concealmento ofo facto ando ono theo complainto ofo respondento proceedingso underoSectiono174oCr.P.C.owereoconducted.oConcededly,ofamilyoofotheo deceasedo nevero cameo too meeto theo deceased,o thus,o theiro evidenceo iso irrelevantoandocomplainantowantsotoocreateoevidenceojustotooimplicateotheo petitioner.o

6.k oo Iohaveoheardotheoargumentsoofobothosidesoandowithotheoableo assistanceoofolearnedocounselsoforotheopartiesoperusedotheorecord.o

7.k oo Theo petitionero iso assailingo impugnedo ordero ono followingo counts:o

i)k ToosummonoaopersonounderoSectiono311oofotheoCode,oito isonotonecessaryotoorecordohisostatementounderoSectiono 161oofotheoCode;o

ii)k AnoapplicationounderoSectiono311oCr.P.C.ocannotobeo dismissedoonotheogroundothatoitowouldoamountotoofillingo ofolacunaoinotheocaseoofoprosecution;o

iii)k Anoapplicationocannotobeodismissedoonotheogroundothato itohasobeenofiledoatoaobelatedostageoando

iv)k Ino theo presento case,o theo proposedo witnesseso areo necessaryoforotheoadjudicationoofotheotrial.o CRM-M-11335-2016o o o o o o o o o-5-o

8.k oo AoCo-ordinateoBenchoofothisoCourtoinoSarojoVersusoStateoOfo Haryanao(Supra),oAndhraoPradeshoHighoCourtoinoM/soChemoosteeloLtd.o (supra)oandoRajasthanoHighoCourtoinoOmoPrakasho(supra)ohaveoheldothato recordingoofostatementounderoSectiono161oofotheoCodeoisonotonecessaryotoo summonoaowitnessounderoSectiono311oofotheoCode.oo oo Inoviewoofoaboveocitedojudgment,ocontentionoofotheopetitionero thato ito waso noto necessaryo too recordo statemento undero Sectiono 161o too summonoanyoneoasowitnessodeservesotoobeocountenanced.o

9.k ooo Ao twoo judgeo bencho ofo Hon'bleo Supremeo Courto speakingo througho Justiceo D.Y.o Chandrachudo ino Varshao Gargo versuso Stateo ofo MadhyaoPradeshoandoOtherso2022oSCCoOnlineoSCo986,ohasoansweredo theoquestionsoofostageoofofilingoapplicationoandofillingoofolacuna.oWitho respectotoostageoofofilingoapplication,oHon'bleoCourtohasoheld:o

32.ooo Thiso powero cano beo exercisedo ato anyo stageo ofo anyo inquiry,otrialoorootheroproceedingounderotheoCrPC.oTheolattero partoofoSectiono311ostatesothatotheoCourto"shall"osummono andoexamineoororecalloandore-examineoanyosuchopersono"ifo hisoevidenceoappearsotootheoCourtotoobeoessentialotootheojusto decisionoofotheocase".oSectiono311ocontainsoaopowerouponotheo Courtoinobroadoterms.oTheostatutoryoprovisionomustobeoreado purposively,otooachieveotheointentoofotheostatuteotooaidoinotheo discoveryoofotruth.o

33.ooo Theofirstopartoofotheostatutoryoprovisionowhichousesotheo expressiono"may"opostulatesothatotheopowerocanobeoexercisedo atoanyostageoofoanoinquiry,otrialoorootheroproceeding.oTheo latteropartoofotheoprovisionomandatesotheorecalloofoaowitnesso CRM-M-11335-2016o o o o o o o o o-6-o byotheoCourtoasoitousesotheoexpressiono"shallosummonoando examineo oro recallo ando reexamineo anyo sucho persono ifo hiso evidenceoappearsotooitotoobeoessentialotootheojustodecisionoofo theocase".oEssentialityoofotheoevidenceoofotheopersonowhooisotoo beoexaminedocoupledowithotheoneedoforotheojustodecisionoofo theo caseo constituteo theo touchstoneo whicho musto guideo theo decisionoofotheoCourt.oTheofirstopartoofotheostatutoryoprovisiono isodiscretionaryowhileotheolatteropartoisoobligatory.o

34.ooo AotwoojudgeoBenchoofothisoCourtoinoMohanlaloShamjio Sonio(supra)o whileo dealingo withoparimateriaoprovisionso ofo Sectiono 540o ofo theo Criminalo Codeo ofo Procedureo 1898o observed:o "16.oTheosecondopartoofoSectiono540oasopointedoouto albeito imposeso upono theo courto ano obligationo ofo summoningoororecallingoandore-examiningoanyowitnesso andotheoonlyoconditionoprescribedoisothatotheoevidenceo soughto too beo obtainedo musto beo essentialo too theo justo decisiono ofo theo case.o Wheno anyo partyo too theo proceedingso pointso outo theo desirabilityo ofo someo evidenceobeingotaken,othenotheocourtohasotooexerciseoitso powero undero thiso provision—eithero discretionaryo oro mandatory—dependingoonotheofactsoandocircumstanceso ofoeachocase,ohavingoinoviewothatotheomostoparamounto principleounderlyingothisoprovisionoisotoodiscoveroorotoo obtainoproperoproofooforelevantofactsoinoorderotoomeeto theorequirementsoofojustice."o

35.oo oJusticeo So Ratnavelo Pandian,o speakingo foro theo twoo judgeoBench,onotedothatotheopoweroisocouchedoinotheowidesto possibleotermsoandocallsoforonoolimitation,oeitherowithoregardo tootheostageoatowhichoitocanobeoexercisedoorotheomanneroofoitso exercise.oItoisoonlyocircumscribedobyotheoprincipleothatotheo CRM-M-11335-2016o o o o o o o o o-7-o "evidenceo too beo obtainedo shouldo appearo too theo courto essentialotooaojustodecisionoofotheocaseobyogettingoatotheotrutho byoallolawfulomeans."oInothatocontextotheoCourtoobserved:o "18o…Therefore,oitoshouldobeoborneoinomindothatotheo aido ofo theo sectiono shouldo beo invokedo onlyo witho theo objecto ofo discoveringo relevanto factso oro obtainingo properoproofoofosuchofactsoforoaojustodecisionoofotheo caseo ando ito musto beo usedo judiciallyo ando noto capriciouslyo oro arbitrarilyo becauseo anyo impropero oro capriciouso exerciseo ofo theo powero mayo leado too undesirableoresults.oFurtheroitoisoincumbentothatodueo careoshouldobeotakenobyotheocourtowhileoexercisingotheo powerounderothisosectionoandoitoshouldonotobeousedoforo fillingoupotheolacunaoleftobyotheoprosecutionoorobyotheo defenceoorotootheodisadvantageoofotheoaccusedoorotoo causeoseriousoprejudiceotootheodefenceoofotheoaccusedo orotoogiveoanounfairoadvantageotootheorivalosideoando furtherotheoadditionaloevidenceoshouldonotobeoreceivedo asoaodisguiseoforoaoretrialoorotoochangeotheonatureoofo theocaseoagainstoeitheroofotheoparties."o oo 36.oo Summingoupotheopositionoasoitoobtainedofromovariouso decisionsoofothisoCourt,onamelyoRameshwaroDayalov.oStateoofo U.P.,oStateo ofo W.B.ov.oTulsidaso Mundhra,oJamatrajo Kewaljio Govaniov.oStateo ofo Maharashtra,oMasaltiov.oStateo ofo U.P.,oRajeswaro Prosado Misraov.oStateo ofo W.B.oandoR.B.o Mithaniov.oStateoofoMaharashtraotheoCourtoheld:o "27.oTheoprincipleoofolawothatoemergesofromotheoviewso expressedobyothisoCourtoinotheoaboveodecisionsoisothato theocriminalocourtohasoampleopowerotoosummonoanyo personoasoaowitnessoororecalloandore-examineoanyosucho CRM-M-11335-2016o o o o o o o o o-8-o personoevenoifotheoevidenceoonobothosidesoisoclosedoando theojurisdictionoofotheocourtomustoobviouslyobeodictatedo byoexigencyoofotheosituation,oandofairoplayoandogoodo senseoappearotoobeotheoonlyosafeoguidesoandothatoonlyo theorequirementsoofojusticeocommandotheoexaminationo ofoanyopersonowhichowouldodependoonotheofactsoando circumstancesoofoeachocase."o oo 37.oo Theo powero ofo theo courto iso noto constrainedo byo theo closureoofo evidence.o Therefore,o ito isoamplyo clearo fromo theo aboveodiscussionothatotheobroadopowersounderoSectiono311o areotoobeogovernedobyotheorequirementoofojustice.oTheopowero mustobeoexercisedowhereverotheocourtofindsothatoanyoevidenceo isoessentialoforotheojustodecisionoofotheocase.oTheostatutoryo provisionogoesotooemphasiseothatotheocourtoisonotoaohaplesso bystanderoinotheoderailmentoofojustice.oQuiteotootheocontrary,o theocourtohasoaovitaloroleotoodischargeoinoensuringothatotheo causeo ofo discoveringo trutho aso ano aido ino theo realizationo ofo justiceoisomanifest.o (EmphasisoSupplied)o

9.1o oo Witho respecto too objectiono ofo accused-respondento thato ito amountsotoofillingolacunaoinotheocaseoofoprosecution,oHon'bleoSupremeo Courtohasoheld:o

43.oo Havingodealtowithotheosatisfactionoofotheorequirementso ofoSectiono311,oweodealowithotheoobjectionoofotheorespondentso thatotheoapplicationoshouldonotobeoallowedoasoitowilloleadotoo fillingo ino theo lacunaeo ofo theo prosecution'so case.o However,o evenotheosaidoreasonocannotobeoanoabsoluteobarotooallowingo anoapplicationounderoSectiono311.o CRM-M-11335-2016o o o o o o o o o-9-o

44.ooo Ino theo decisiono inoZahirao Habibullaho Sheikho

(5)ov.oStateo ofo Gujarato 26,o whicho waso moreo recentlyo reiteratedo inoGodrejo Pacifico Tech.o Ltd.ov.oComputero Jointo IndiaoLtd.o27,otheoCourtospecificallyodealtowithothisoobjectiono ando observedo thato theo resultanto fillingo ofo loopholeso ono accounto ofo allowingo ano applicationo undero Sectiono 311o iso merelyoaosubsidiaryofactoroandotheoCourt'sodeterminationoofo theo applicationo shouldo onlyo beo basedo ono theo testo ofo theo essentialityoofotheoevidence.oItonotedothat:o "28.oTheocourtoisonotoempoweredounderotheoprovisionso ofotheoCodeotoocompeloeitherotheoprosecutionoorotheo defenceotooexamineoanyoparticularowitnessoorowitnesseso onotheiroside.oThisomustobeoleftotootheoparties.oButoino weighingotheoevidence,otheocourtocanotakeonoteoofotheo facto thato theo besto availableo evidenceo haso noto beeno given,oandocanodrawoanoadverseoinference.oTheocourto willo ofteno haveo toodependoono interceptedo allegationso madeobyotheoparties,ooroonoinconclusiveoinferenceofromo factsoelicitedoinotheoevidence.oInosuchocases,otheocourto haso too acto undero theo secondo parto ofo theo section.oSometimeso theo examinationo ofo witnesseso aso directedobyotheocourtomayoresultoinowhatoisothoughtotoo beo"fillingoofoloopholes".oThatoisopurelyoaosubsidiaryo factoroandocannotobeotakenointooaccount.oWhetherotheo newoevidenceoisoessentialooronotomustoofocourseodependo onotheofactsoofoeachocase,oandohasotoobeodeterminedobyo theoPresidingoJudge.o (EmphasisoSupplied)o

9.2o oo InoviewoofoenunciationoofolawobyoHon'bleoSupremeoCourt,oito isoevidentothatoanoapplicationounderoSectiono311ocannotobeorejectedoonotheo CRM-M-11335-2016o o o o o o o o o-10-o groundoofostageoofotheotrialooroitoamountsotoofillingoofolacunaoinotheocaseoofo prosecution.o Thus,ocontentionoofo theo petitionero thato applicationo ofo theo petitionerocouldonotobeodismissedoonotheogroundoofostageoofotrialooroito amountsotoofillingoofolacunaocarryosubstance.oo

10.k o Theo Hon'bleo Supremeo Courto ino Varshao Gargo (supra)o haso emphasizedoonotheofactothatoessentialityoofotheoevidenceoofotheoperson,o whooisotoobeoexaminedocoupledowithotheoneedoforotheojustodecisionoofotheo case,o constituteo theo touchstoneo whicho musto guideo theo decisiono ofo theo Court.oTheopoweroconferredounderoSectiono311oCr.P.Coisoveryowideoandoito shouldo beo governedo byo requiremento ofo justice.o Theo powero musto beo exercisedowhereverotheoCourtofindsothatoanyoevidenceoisoessentialoforotheo justo decisiono ofo theo case.o Courto iso noto ao haplesso bystandero ino theo derailmentoofojustice.o oo oo Inotheocaseoinohand,otheoproposedowitnessesoareotheobrother,o cousinoandoneighbouroofotheodeceased.oIndubitably,otheomarriageoofotheo deceasedowithoherohusbandowasoaoloveoaffair.oTheofamilyomembersoofotheo deceasedo dido noto participateo ino theo marriage.o Theyo dido noto visito hero matrimonialohomeoevenoatotheotimeoofoherodeath.oTheocomplainantowaso noto carryingo mobileo ando sheo iso noto awareo ofo mobileo numbero ofo theo deceased.o Theo complainanto ando hero familyo memberso dido noto inviteo deceasedoonoanyooccasion.oTheocomplainantowasonotoevenoawareoofodateo ofomarriage.oSheohadodisclosedothatomarriageotookoplaceooneoyearobacko whereasosheohadodisclosedothatodeceasedowasoblessedowithotwoochildren.o CRM-M-11335-2016o o o o o o o o o-11-o Theseo factso collectivelyo indicateo thato thereo waso noo relationo betweeno deceasedo ando hero parentso becauseo deceasedo hado performedo ao loveo marriageoandosheowasoblessedowithotwoochildrenowhooareoinotheocustodyo ofotheirofather.o oo oo Thereoisoanotheroaspectoofotheomatter.oTheoFIRowasoregisteredo ono11.06.2014oandopoliceoafterocompletingoinvestigationofiledoitsoreporto underoSectiono173oCr.P.C.o Oneo ofo theo proposedo witnesseso iso theo realo brotheroofotheodeceased.oItoisoaptotoonoticeothatothereoisonothingoonorecordo indicatingothatobrotheroofodeceasedowasopresentoatotheotimeooforegistrationo ofoFIRoorothereafter,oduringotheocourseoofoinvestigation.oHadothereobeeno anyo conversationo betweeno deceasedo ando hero brother,o ito iso highlyo improbableo thato heo wouldo noto goo too policeo stationo ato theo timeo ofo registrationoofoFIRoandoduringotheocourseoofoinvestigationotooassistotheo investigatingoofficerotooconcludeotheoinvestigation.oAdmittedly,oheohado neverovisitedomatrimonialohomeoofotheodeceasedoduringoherolifetime.o oo oo TheoapplicationounderoSectiono311oCr.P.C.,obeforeotheoTrialo Court,o waso preferredo througho Publico Prosecutor.o Theo petitionero haso arrayedoStateoasooneoofotheorespondents.oTheoStateohasofiledoitsoreplyo whereinoStateohasocategoricallyostatedothatoimpugnedoorderopassedobyotheo TrialoCourtoisoaoreasonedoorderoandothereoisonooinfirmity.oTheoStateohaso vehementlyosupportedotheoimpugnedoorder.o

11.k oo Inoviewoofoaboveofactsoandocircumstances,othisoCourtodoesonoto findo anyo factualo oro legalo infirmityo ino theo impugnedo ordero warrantingo CRM-M-11335-2016o o o o o o o o o-12-o interference.oThereoseemsonooreasonotooset-asideoimpugnedoorderowhicho iso ao well-reasonedo ando speaking.o Theo Trialo Courto haso judiciouslyo exercisedo itso powerso conferredo byo Sectiono 311o Cr.P.C.o Theo presento petitionobeingobereftoofomeritsodeservesotoobeodismissedoandoaccordinglyo dismissed.o o (JAGMOHANoBANSAL)o o o o o o o o o o ooooooJUDGEoo o28.04.2023o MohitoKumaro o Whetherospeaking/reasonedo Yes/Noo Whetheroreportableo Yes/Noo o