Satish Kumar v. Permanent Lok Adalat and Ors

o o 2023:PHHC:081929o o o o ooooooINoTHEoHIGHoCOURToOFoPUNJABoANDoHARYANAo AToCHANDIGARHoo 202o o o o o o o o oooooo o o o o o o o o oooooooooooCWP-23585-2016oo o o o o o o ooooooooooooooDateoofodecision:o29.05.2023o o SATISHoKUMARooo oooo o o o o ooooooooooo......Petitioneroo o o o o o o VERSUSo o PERMANENToLOKoADALAToANDoORSoo o o oooooo.......Respondentsoo o CORAMo:oHON'BLEoMR.oJUSTICEoVINODoS.oBHARDWAJo o o o o o o *****o o Presento:-oo Mr.oHemant,oAdvocateoforoo o o Mr.oPuneetoJain,oAdvocateoo o o forotheopetitioner.o o o o RespondentoNo.2oex-parte.oo o o o Mr.oBhushanoBhatia,oAdvocateoo o o fororespondentoNo.3.oo o oo o o o o o *****oo VINODoS.oBHARDWAJ,oJ.o(Oral)oo o o o o o Theopresentopetitionohasobeenofiledoforoseekingoquashing/settingo asideo ofo theo awardo datedo 01.08.2016o (Annexureo P-4)o passedo byo theo Permanento Loko Adalato (Publico Utilityo Services),o Sirsao video whicho theo petitionero haso beeno directedo too payo ao compensationo ofo Rs.o 20,000/-o aso compensationotootheorespondentoNo.2.oo

2.o o Brieflyosummarizedotheofactsoofotheopresentocaseoareothatotheo respondent-applicantowhooisoaoresidentoofoWardoNo.o11,oNoharoTehsiloNohar,o Distt.oHanumangarh,oRajasthanohadoopenedoaoflexioR.D.oAccountoobearingo No.o 817376000000266o ino Sarvo Haryanao Gramino Bank,o Brancho OfficeoVISHAL SHARMA o CWP-23585-2016oo o -2-o o Ellenabad.oHeoclaimedothatoheohadogoneotootheoBankoandowantedotoodepositoao sumoofoRs.o40,000/-oinotheoaforesaidoAccountoinotheomonthoofoJuly,o2014,o however,otheopetitioneroManagerorefusedotooacceptotheoaboveosaidoamountoono theogroundothatotheoaccountohadobeenoorderedotoobeofreezedodueotoopendencyo ofo someo departmentalo enquiryo againsto Mukesho Gargo (brothero ofo theo respondent-applicanto Basanto Garg)o whoo hado beeno earliero workingo aso AssistantoManageroinotheosaidoBank.oTheoclaimoofotheorespondent-applicanto wasothatoMukeshoGarg,oAssistantoManagerohadonooconnectowithotheoaforesaido accounto ando thereforeo theo pendencyo ofo theo departmentalo enquiryo againsto MukeshoKumaroGargohadonoobearingoonooperationoofotheoaforesaidoaccounto byohim.ooHowever,otheoaforesaidorequestowasonotoaccededotoobyotheopetitionero whileo beingo postedo aso Managero ofo theo saido Banko ando theo respondent-applicanto waso noto permittedo too operateo theo Account.o Resultantly,o theo applicationowasomovedobyotheorespondentoNo.2-applicantorequestingoclosureo ofotheoaccountoandofororeleaseoofotheoamountolyingodepositedothereinowhicho wasostatedotoobeomoreothanoRs.o4olacs.oTheopetitioneromadeotheofollowingo endorsementoonotheoaboveosaidoapplication:-o o o "youro accountso mentionedo aboveo stando freezedo ino connectiono witho Sh.o Mukesho Kumaro Garg,o fraudo caseo ando areo undero investigation.o Theo sameo cano beo closedo onlyo aftero theo investigationo iso overo ando instructionso areo receivedo fromo heado office/RO."o o

3.o o Allegingo thato theo amounto ino questiono hado beeno wronglyo withheld,otheorespondent-applicantofiledoCiviloSuitoNo.o122-Coofo2015oino CiviloCourtoatoEllenabadoono01.09.2015oseekingomandatoryoinjunction.ooTheo saido civilo suito waso fixedo foro 08.12.2015,o however,o theo amounto ofo Rs.o o CWP-23585-2016oo o -3-o o 4,18,301/-owasoreleasedoafteroimposingoaopenaltyoofoRs.o8243/-oonoaccountoofo prematureoreleaseoofotheoR.D.oflexioenclosedotheosaidoaccountoonoo20.11.2015.o Theorespondent-applicantoalsooclaimedocompensationoofoRs.o2olacsoforosucho undueoandounnecessaryoharassment,ohowever,otheosameowasodeclined.o

4.o o oAno applicationo waso thereaftero preferredo byo theo respondent-applicantobeforeotheoPermanentoLokoAdalato(PublicoUtilityoServices),oSirsao foroseekingocompensation.oTheopetitioneroasowelloasotheorespondent-Banko wereo summonedo ando proceedingso foro conciliationo ofo theo disputeo ando itso amicableo resolutiono wereo initiatedo byo theo Permanento Loko Adalato (Publico Utilityo Services),o Sirsa.o However,o theo sameo failedo too yieldo anyo result.o Consequently,otheoadjudicationowasoinitiatedobyotheorespondents.o

5.o o oIno theo writteno statemento filedo ono behalfo ofo theo respondentso (petitioneroherein),oitowasoaverredothatotheoapplicationowasonotomaintainableo andotheopetitionerohadonoolocusostandi.oOnomerits,oitowasocontendedothatotheo petitiono iso liableo too beo rejectedo sinceo theo petitionero hado filedo ao civilo suito beforeotheoCiviloJudge,oEllenabadoforotheosameocauseoofoactionowhichowaso dismissedoono12.12.2015,opriorotooapproachingotheoPermanentoLokoAdalato (Publico Utilityo Services),o Sirsa.o Ito waso furthero averredo thato theo trueo ando correctogenesisoofotheooccurrenceohasonotobeenorevealedobyotheorespondent-applicant.o Mukesho Garg,o theo brothero ofo theo respondent-applicanto waso workingoasoAssistantoManagerowithotheorespondent-Bank.oDuringohisotenure,o heo committedo fraudo witho theo Banko ando misappropriatedo ano amounto ofooooooooooo Rs.o4,55,855.98oinoAccountoNo.oo81680100014533o(water-shed).oResultantly,o aocriminalocaseobearingoFIRoNo.o330odatedo06.08.2015owasoregisteredoagainsto MukeshoGargoforocommissionoofooffenceounderoSectionso409/420oIPC.oAo Departmentaloproceedingso waso alsoo initiatedoagainsto MukeshoGargo andoito o CWP-23585-2016oo o -4-o o transpiredo thato theo Mukesho Gargo hado openedo ano accounto witho forgedo particularsoandotheomoneyofromoaodormantoaccountowasothereafterotransferredo tootheosaidoaccountoandosubsequentlyorootedotoootheroaccountsoofohisofamilyo membersothatowereobeingoheldoinotheosaidoBranch.oDuringotheopendencyoofo theo departmentalo enquiry,o Mukesho Gargo (brothero ofo theo respondent-applicant)oexecutedoaowritingoadmittingothatoonohisotransferofromoRaniaotoo Keharwala,oheohadomadeonumerousotransfersofromotheoaforesaidoaccountotoo theoaccountsoofohisoownofamilyomembers/personsoofotrustoandothenoclosedotheo saidoaccount.ooDetailsowereofurnishedobyohimoaboutotheoroutingoofotheosaido moneyothroughodifferentoaccountsoincludingotheoaccountoofotheorespondent-applicantoherein.oConsequently,oallosuchoaccounts,otoowhichotheomoneyohado beenodivertedowereoorderedotoobeofreezedobyotheoBankoduringotheopendencyo ofotheodepartmentaloenquiry.ooTheopetitioneromovedotheoaforesaidoapplicationo seekingoclosureoofotheoaccountoono25.07.2015,ohowever,otheosaidoapplicationo couldo notobeoprocessedoono accounto ofotheo pendingo departmentalo enquiry.o However,oafterotheoinstitutionoofotheoCiviloSuitobyotheopetitioner,oMukesho Gargo depositedo theo aboveo saido entireo amounto thato hado beeno misappropriate/divertedobyohimofromotheoBank.oTheopetitionerowasothereaftero permittedo too withdrawo hiso amounto fromo theo accounto witho theo respondento Bank.oo

6.o o Aftero considerationo ofo theo respectiveo submissions,o theo Permanento Loko Adalato (Publico Utilityo Services),o Sirsao allowedo theo applicationo ando directedo theo respondentso (petitionero herein)o too payo ao compensationo ofo Rs.o 20,000/-o too theo respondent-applicant.o Aggrievedo thereof,otheopresentowritopetitionohadobeenofiled.ooo

7.o o Eveno though,o respondento No.2-applicanto hado beeno served,o o CWP-23585-2016oo o -5-o o however,oheochoseonototooappearoinotheopresentocaseoandowasoaccordinglyo orderedotoobeoproceededoagainstoex-parteovideoorderodatedo17.07.2018.oo

8.o o oAo separateo writteno statemento hado beeno filedo byo respondento No.3-oBankowhichosupportedotheocaseoofotheopetitioner.oo

9.o o Counselo foro theo petitionero haso vehementlyo arguedo thato theo proceedingso initiatedo beforeo theo Permanento Loko Adalato (Pubico Utilityo Services),o Sirsao wereo noto maintainable.o o Theo petitionero whileo beingo employedoasoaoManageroofotheorespondent-Bankohadoactedoinocomplianceo withotheoorderopassedobyotheoAuthoritiesoofotheoBankofreezingotheoaccountoino questiono aso departmentalo enquiryo againsto theo brothero ofo theo respondent-applicantoforohavingomisappropriatedotheoamountsofromoaodormantoaccounto wasopending.oTheobrotheroofotheopetitionerohavingoadmittedotheodiversionoofo suchofundsoandoitsomisappropriationobyoroutingotheosameothroughodifferento accountsoincludingothatoofopetitioner,otheyohadonoooptionobutotoonotopermitotheo respondentoNo.2-applicantofromooperatingotheosaidoaccountoandowithdrawotheo amount.o

10.o o HeofurtherosubmitsothatotheosaidorespondentopreferredoaoCivilo SuitoforomandatoryoinjunctionobeforeotheoCiviloCourtoandohadoalsooclaimedo interestoforotheodelayoinoreleaseoofotheoaforesaidoamount.oTheosaidoCiviloSuito wasothereafterodismissed.o

11.o o oItoisocontendedothatoSectiono22o(C)o(1)oofotheoLegaloServiceso AuthoritiesoAct,o1987oclearlyospecifiesothatoforotheopurposesoofoapproachingo theo Permanento Loko Adalato (Pubico Utilityo Services),o Sirsa,o theo partyo too ao disputeomustonotohaveoapproachedoanyootheroCourtoasohasobeenodefinedoundero Sectiono 2o (aaa)o ofo theo Legalo Serviceso authoritieso Act,o 1987.o Sinceo theo petitionerohadoapproachedotheoCiviloCourtoforotheosaidoreliefs,ofilingoofotheo o CWP-23585-2016oo o -6-o o presentopetitionoisothusoclearlyoanoattemptoofoforumoshoppingoandoanoabuseoofo theoprocessoofolaw.ooHeosubmitsothatoPermanentoLokoAdalato(PubicoUtilityo Services),o Sirsao failedo too takeo intoo considerationo theo importo ofo theo proceedingsothatohadobeenoinstitutedobyotheorespondent-applicantobeforeotheo Civilo Courtobeforeo approachingotheo Permanento Loko Adalato(Pubico Utilityo Services),o Sirsao ando theo prohibitiono imposedo undero theo Legalo Serviceso Authoritieso Act,o 1987o againsto theo Permanento Loko Adalato (Pubico Utilityo Services),ofromotakingocognizanceooofosuchodisputesobeforeoit.ooo

12.o o Theoavermentsocontainedoinotheopresentopetitionohaveoremainedo uncontroverted.oItoisofurtheropointedooutothatoinsofaroasotheoprincipaloamounto alongwithointerestoisoconcerned,othatoalreadyostoodoreleasedoinofavouroofotheo respondentoandothatotheoissueoremainsoonlyowithorespectotootheocompensationo thatohasobeenosooawarded.oo

13.o o Io haveo heardo learnedo counselo appearingo ono behalfo ofo theo respectiveopartiesoandohaveogoneothroughotheodocumentsoappendedoalongwitho theopresentopetition.oo

14.o o Ito wouldo essentialotoo refero too certainoprovisionsoofo theo Legalo ServicesoAuthoritiesoAct,o1987obeforeoappreciatingomeritsoofotheoargumentso advancedobyotheopetitioner.oSectiono2o(aaa)oandoSectiono22-CoofotheoLegalo ServicesoAuthoritiesoAct,o1987oareoasounder:o o 2.o Definitions.—Ino thiso Act,o unlesso theo contexto otherwiseorequires,—o o (aaa)o"court"omeansoaocivil,ocriminaloororevenueocourto ando includeso anyo tribunalo oro anyo othero authorityo constitutedo underoanyolawoforotheotimeobeingoinoforce,otooexerciseojudicialooro quasi-judicialofunctions;]o o o 22C.oCognizanceoofocasesobyoPermanentoLokoAdalat.— o CWP-23585-2016oo o -7-o o o (1)o Anyo partyo too ao disputeo may,o beforeo theo disputeo iso broughto beforeo anyo court,o makeo ano applicationo too theo PermanentoLokoAdalatoforotheosettlementoofodispute:oo o ProvidedothatotheoPermanentoLokoAdalatoshallonotohaveo jurisdictionoinorespectoofoanyomatterorelatingotooanooffenceonoto compoundableounderoanyolaw:oo o Providedo furthero thato theo Permanento Loko Adalato shallo alsoonotohaveojurisdictionoinotheomatterowhereotheovalueoofotheo propertyoinodisputeoexceedsotenolakhorupees:oo o Providedo alsoo thato theo Centralo Government,o mayo byo notification,oincreaseotheolimitooftenolakhorupeesospecifiedoinotheo secondoprovisooinoconsultationowithotheoCentraloAuthority.oo o (2)oAfteroanoapplicationoisomadeounderosub-sectiono(1)otoo theoPermanentoLokoAdalat,onoopartyotoothatoapplicationoshallo invokeojurisdictionoofoanyocourtoinotheosameodispute.o o (3)oWhereoanoapplicationoisomadeotooaoPermanentoLoko Adalatounderosub-section(1),oit—o o o(a)o shallo directo eacho partyo too theo applicationo too fileo beforeo ito ao writteno statement,o statingo thereino theo factso ando natureoofodisputeounderotheoapplication,opointsooroissuesoinosucho disputeoandogroundsoreliedoinosupportoof,ooroinooppositionoto,o suchopointsooroissues,oasotheocaseomayobe,oandosuchopartyomayo supplemento sucho statemento witho anyo documento ando othero evidenceowhichosuchopartyodeemsoappropriateoinoproofoofosucho factso ando groundso ando shallo sendo ao copyo ofo sucho statemento togetherowithoaocopyoofosuchodocumentoandootheroevidence,oifo any,otooeachoofotheopartiesotootheoapplication;o o o(b)o mayo requireo anyo partyo too theo applicationo too fileo additionalostatementobeforeoitoatoanyostageoofotheoconciliationo proceedings;oo o o(c)o shallo communicateo anyo documento oro statemento receivedobyoitofromoanyopartyotootheoapplicationotootheoothero party,otooenableosuchootheropartyotoopresentoreplyothereto.oo o (4)o Wheno statement,o additionalo statemento ando reply,o ifo o CWP-23585-2016oo o -8-o o any,ohaveobeenofiledounderosub-section(3),otootheosatisfactionoofo theo Permanento Loko Adalat,o ito shallo conducto conciliationo proceedingso betweeno theo partieso too theo applicationo ino sucho mannero aso ito thinkso appropriateo takingo intoo accounto theo circumstancesoofotheodispute.oo o (5)oTheoPermanentoLokoAdalatoshall,oduringoconductoofo conciliationoproceedingsounderosub-section(4),oassistotheopartieso inotheiroattemptotooreachoanoamicableosettlementoofotheodisputeo inoanoindependentoandoimpartialomanner.oo o (6)o Ito shallo beo theo dutyo ofo theo everyo partyo too theo applicationotoocooperateoinogoodofaithowithotheoPermanentoLoko Adalatoinoconciliationoofotheodisputeorelatingotootheoapplicationo andotoocomplyowithotheodirectionoofotheoPermanentoLokoAdalato tooproduceoevidenceoandootherorelatedodocumentsobeforeoit.o o o(7)o Wheno ao Permanento Loko Adalat,o ino theo aforesaido conciliationoproceedings,oisoofoopinionothatothereoexistoelementso ofosettlementoinosuchoproceedingsowhichomayobeoacceptableotoo theoparties,oitomayoformulateotheotermsoofoaopossibleosettlemento ofo theo disputeo ando giveo too theo partieso concernedo foro theiro observationsoandoinocaseotheopartiesoreachoatoanoagreementoono theo settlemento ofo theo dispute,o theyo shallo signo theo settlemento agreementoandotheoPermanentoLokoAdalatoshallopassoanoawardo inotermsothereofoandofurnishoaocopyoofotheosameotooeachoofotheo partiesoconcerned.oo o (8)oWhereotheopartiesofailotooreachoatoanoagreementoundero sub-sectiono(7),otheoPermanentoLokoAdalatoshall,oifotheodisputeo doesonotorelateotooanyooffence,odecideotheodispute.o o o o o o

15.o Aoperusaloofotheoaforesaidodefinitionsoclearlyoshowsothatoforofilingo anoapplicationotootheoPermanentoLokoAdalato(PubicoUtilityoServices),oSirsao anyopartyotooaodisputeomay,obeforeotheodisputeoisobroughtobeforeoanyoCourt,o makeoanoapplicationotootheoPermanentoLokoAdalato(PubicoUtilityoServices)o forotheosettlementothereof.oHence,otheoremedyoofoapproachingotheoPermanento o CWP-23585-2016oo o -9-o o LokoAdalato(PubicoUtilityoServices)omayoalthoughobeoanoadditionaloremedy,o however,oitoisonotoaofallobackoremedy.oTheojurisdictionoofotheoPermanentoLoko Adalato(PubicoUtilityoServices)ohasotoobeoinvokedoasoaofirstoinstance.oWhereo anyopartyotooaodisputeohasoalreadyoraisedotheodisputeobeforeoanyoCourtoaso definedo undero Sectiono 2o (AAA),o theo jurisdictiono ofo theo Permanento Loko Adalato(PublicoUtilityoServices)ocannotobeoinvoked.oEvidently,otheoPermanento LokoAdalatofailedotootakeonoteoofotheoaforesaidofundamentaloaspectowhichohado beeno dulyo reflectedo ino theo pleadingso beforeo theo Permanento Loko Adalat.oo Primao facie,o theo Permanento Loko Adalato (Pubico Utilityo Services)o hado noo jurisdictiono too adjudicateo theo application.o Theo respondent-applicanto haso chosenonototooobjectoinotheopresentoproceedingsoorotoocontestotheosame.oTheo sameo thuso leaveso littleo optiono witho thiso Courto buto too accepto theo factso aso undisputed.oo

16.o o Withoutogoingoanyofurtherointootheocontroversyoandoconsideringo thatotheopleadingso&oargumentsohaveoremainouncontrovertedooroundisputed,o theopresentopetitionoisoallowed.oo

17.o o Theo impugnedo awardo datedo 01.08.2016o ino caseo No.o 2320o ofo 2015opassedobyotheoPermanentoLokoAdalato(PubicoUtilityoServices),oSirsao directingo theo petitionero too payo ao compensationo ofo Rs.o 20,000/-o too theo respondent-applicantoforotheoharassmentometedooutotoohimoisosetoaside.oo o o oo o o o o o (VINODoS.oBHARDWAJ)oo MAYo29,o2023o o o o o o oooooJUDGEo VishaloSharmao o o o Whetherospeaking/reasonedo :o Yes/Noo o o o WhetheroReportableo o :o Yes/Noo