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REPORTABLE
IN THE SUPREME COURT OF INDIA
CRIMINAL APPELLATE JURISDICTION
CRIMINAL APPEAL NO. 1247 OF 2014
[Arising out of Spei!" Le!#e Petition $Cr"%& No%'()* of )+11,
Bal Manohar Jalan Appellant!"
#er!$!
%$n&l Pa!'an an( another
Re!pon(ent!"
J ) * + M E N T
C. NA+APPAN, J.
1% Le!#e gr!nte-%
)% T.is !ppe!" is preferre- !g!inst t.e i/pugne- or-er
-!te- 1(%0%)+11 p!sse- 12 t.e Hig. Court of Ju-i!ture !t
P!tn! in Cri/in!" Appe!" No% (3+ of )++4 5.ere12 t.e Hig.
Court !""o5e- t.e Cri/in!" Re#ision fi"e- 12 t.e respon-ent
No%1 .erein%

3% T.e f!ts neess!r2 for t.e -ispos!" of t.e present
!ppe!" !re st!te- !s fo""o5s6 T.e f!t.er of t.e respon-ent
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No%1 .erein fi"e- ! o/p"!int on )0%'%)++3 !g!inst fi#e
!use- persons !""eging t.erein t.!t t.e2 .!- o//itte-
/ur-er of son of t.e o/p"!in!nt 12 n!/e Ani" P!s5!n 12
!-/inistering poison% A !se 5!s registere- in First
Infor/!tion Report No%4* of )++3 on t.e fi"e of C.o57
Po"ie St!tion8 P!tn! Cit28 on )(%'%)++3 !g!inst ' !use-
persons for t.e !""ege- offenes un-er Setion 3)(93+)930
IPC% During in#estig!tion8 t.e o/p"!in!nt fi"e- ! protest:
u/:o/p"!int petition on ;%*%)++3 5.i. 5!s 7ept on
reor-% T.e in#estig!tion offier su1/itte- t.e fin!" report
in t.e !se on 31%'%)++( !g!inst !use- No%1 Sunit! De#i
!"one un-er Setion 3)(93+) IPC for t.e /ur-er of Ani"
P!s5!n% T.e A--"% C.ief Ju-ii!" M!gistr!te8 P!tn! Cit28
peruse- t.e .!rge:s.eet !n- t.e !se -i!r2 !s 5e"" !s t.e
protest:u/:o/p"!int petition -!te- ;%*%)++3 !n- too7
ogni<!ne for t.e offenes un-er Setion 3)(93+) IPC
!g!inst !use- No%1 Sunit! De#i !n- -is.!rge- !use-
Nos% ) to ' in t.e First Infor/!tion Report fro/ t.e !se
!n- re=ete- t.e protest:u/:o/p"!int petition fi"e- 12
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t.e o/p"!in!nt 12 .is or-er -!te- 0%3%)++4% Aggrie#e-
12 t.e re=etion of t.e protest:u/:o/p"!int petition Suni"
P!s5!n8 t.e son of o/p"!in!nt "!te H!rin!n-!n P!s5!n
fi"e- re#ision petition in Cri/in!" Re#ision No%(3+ of )++4
on t.e fi"e of t.e Hig. Court of Ju-i!ture !t P!tn! un-er
Setion 34; !n- 0+1 of t.e Co-e of Cri/in!" Proe-ure%
T.e Hig. Court !fter .e!ring t.e re#ision petitioner !n- t.e
respon-ent St!te set !si-e t.e or-er -!te- 0%3%)++4
p!sse- 12 A--"% C.ief Ju-ii!" M!gistr!te8 P!tn! Cit2 !n-
re/!n-e- t.e /!tter to t.e ourt 1e"o5 for proee-ing in
!or-!ne 5it. "!5 tre!ting t.e protest:u/:o/p"!int
petition !s ! o/p"!int% Ause- No%0 /entione- in t.e
First Infor/!tion Report >!" M!no.!r J!"!n .!s .!""enge-
t.e s!i- or-er of t.e Hig. Court in t.is !ppe!"%
0% T.is Court issue- notie in t.e /!tter on 1%(%)+11
1esi-es gr!nting st!2 of t.e i/pugne- or-er% Respon-ent
No%1 .erein n!/e"28 t.e re#ision petitioner 1efore t.e Hig.
Court8 t.oug. ser#e- -i- not .oose to !ppe!r eit.er in
person or t.roug. ounse" 1efore t.is Court !n- t.!t
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neessit!te- us to !ppoint Mr% S%>% Up!-.2!28 Senior
A-#o!te !s A/ius Curi!e for respon-ent No%1 to !ssist
t.e Court8 12 or-er -!te- ;%0%)+10 !n- 1ot. si-es 5ere
.e!r- on )%'%)+10%
'% T.e /!in ontention of t.e "e!rne- ounse" for t.e
!ppe""!nt is t.!t t.oug. Setion 0+1$)& of t.e Cri/in!"
Proe-ure Co-e stipu"!te- t.!t no or-er in e?erise of t.e
po5er to re#ision s.!"" 1e /!-e 12 t.e Hig. Court to t.e
pre=u-ie of t.e !use- un"ess .e .!- !n opportunit2 of
1eing .e!r- eit.er person!""2 or 12 p"e!-er in .is o5n
-efene8 t.e Hig. Court in ri/in!" re#ision -i- not issue
notie to t.e !ppe""!nt .erein 5.o is !use- No%0 in t.e
First Infor/!tion Report !n- 5it.out pro#i-ing !n
opportunit2 to .i/ .!s e?erise- =uris-ition un-er Setion
0+1 12 -ireting to proee- in !or-!ne 5it. "!5
tre!ting t.e protest petition !s t.e o/p"!int8 to t.e
pre=u-ie of t.e !ppe""!nt .erein !n- .ene t.e i/pugne-
or-er of t.e Hig. Court is "i!1"e to 1e set !si-e% In support
of .is su1/ission .e re"ie- on t.e -eision of t.is Court in
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Manhar&-ha& M$l.&-ha& /a0a(&a an( another #s%
%ha&le!h-ha& Mohan-ha& Patel an( other! [$)+1)& 1+
SCC '1;,% @e !"so .e!r- t.e "e!rne- !/ius uri!e on t.e
su1/issions /!-e 12 t.e "e!rne- ounse" for t.e
!ppe""!nt%
*% A-/itte-"2 t.e !ppe""!nt .erein is /entione- !s
!use- No%0 in First Infor/!tion Report No%4* of )++3
-!te- )(%'%)++3% T.e f!t.er of respon-ent No%1 .erein8
5.i"e !"i#e fi"e- ! protest:u/:o/p"!int petition -!te-
;%*%)++3 in t.e s!i- !se !n- on t.e fi"ing of t.e fin!"
report8 ogni<!ne 5!s t!7en 12 t.e A--"% C.ief Ju-ii!"
M!gistr!te !g!inst !use- No%1 Sunit! De#i !"one for t.e
!""ege- offenes un-er Setion 3)( !n- 3+) IPC !n- t.e
ot.er four !use- /entione- in t.e First Infor/!tion
Report 5ere -is.!rge- fro/ t.e !se !n- t.e protest:
u/:o/p"!int petition 5!s !"so re=ete- 12 or-er -!te-
0%3%)++4% Sine 12 t.en8 t.e o/p"!in!nt 5!s not !"i#e8
.is !not.er son n!/e"2 Suni" P!s5!n preferre- t.e
Cri/in!" Re#ision un-er Setion 34; !n- 0+1 of t.e
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Cri/in!" Proe-ure Co-e !n- t.e Hig. Court 5it.out
issuing notie to t.e onerne- !use- p!sse- t.e
i/pugne- or-er !n- on t.e groun- of non:o/p"i!ne of
t.e pro#ision un-er Setion 0+1 "!use $)& of t.e Cri/in!"
Proe-ure Co-e resu"ting in pre=u-ie8 t.e !ppe""!nt .!s
preferre- t.is !ppe!"%
;% T.e rig.t of .e!ring gi#en to !use- un-er Setion
0+1 "!use $)& of Cri/in!" Proe-ure Co-e 5!s e"!1or!te"2
-e!"t 5it. 12 t.is Court in Manhar&-ha& M$l.&-ha&
/a0a(&a !se $supr!& !n- it is "!i- -o5n !s fo""o5s6
A0*% T.e "eg!" position is f!ir"2 5e"":sett"e- t.!t in
t.e proee-ings u9s% )+) of t.e o-e t.e
!use-9suspet is not entit"e- to 1e .e!r- on t.e
Buestion 5.et.er t.e proess s.ou"- 1e issue-
!g!inst .i/ or not% As ! /!tter of "!58 upto t.e
st!ge of issu!ne of proess8 t.e !use- !nnot
"!i/ !n2 rig.t of .e!ring% S% )+) onte/p"!tes
postpone/ent of issue of proess 5.ere t.e
M!gistr!te is of !n opinion t.!t furt.er inBuir2 into
t.e o/p"!int eit.er 12 .i/se"f is reBuire- !n- .e
proee-s 5it. t.e furt.er inBuir2 or -irets !n
in#estig!tion to 1e /!-e 12 ! Po"ie Offier or 12
su. ot.er person !s .e t.in7s fit for t.e purpose of
-ei-ing 5.et.er or not t.ere is suffiient groun-
for proee-ing% If t.e M!gistr!te fin-s t.!t t.ere is
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no suffiient groun- for proee-ing 5it. t.e
o/p"!int !n- -is/isses t.e o/p"!int u9s% )+3 of
t.e Co-e8 t.e Buestion is 5.et.er ! person !use-
of ri/e in t.e o/p"!int !n "!i/ rig.t of .e!ring
in ! re#ision !pp"i!tion preferre- 12 t.e
o/p"!in!nt !g!inst t.e or-er of t.e -is/iss!" of
t.e o/p"!int% P!r"i!/ent 1eing !"i#e to t.e "eg!"
position t.!t t.e !use-9suspets !re not entit"e-
to 1e .e!r- !t !n2 st!ge of t.e proee-ings unti"
issu!ne of proess un-er Setion )+08 2et in
Setion 0+1$)& of t.e Co-e pro#i-e- t.!t no or-er in
e?erise of t.e po5er of t.e re#ision s.!"" 1e /!-e
12 t.e Sessions Ju-ge or t.e Hig. Court8 !s t.e !se
/!2 1e8 to t.e pre=u-ie of t.e !use- or t.e ot.er
person un"ess .e .!- !n opportunit2 of 1eing .e!r-
eit.er person!""2 or 12 p"e!-er in .is o5n -efene%
0;% ???? ???? ????
0(% In ! !se 5.ere t.e o/p"!int .!s 1een
-is/isse- 12 t.e M!gistr!te u9s% )+3 of t.e
Co-e eit.er !t t.e st!ge of S% )++ itse"f or on
o/p"etion of inBuir2 12 t.e M!gistr!te u9s% )+) or
on reeipt of t.e report fro/ t.e po"ie or fro/ !n2
person to 5.o/ t.e -iretion 5!s issue- 12 t.e
M!gistr!te to in#estig!te into t.e !""eg!tions in t.e
o/p"!int8 t.e effet of su. -is/iss!" is
ter/in!tion of o/p"!int proee-ings% On ! p"!in
re!-ing of su1:s% $)& of Setion 0+18 it !nnot 1e
s!i- t.!t t.e person !g!inst 5.o/ t.e !""eg!tions
of .!#ing o//itte- t.e offene .!#e 1een /!-e
in t.e o/p"!int !n- t.e o/p"!int .!s 1een
-is/isse- 12 t.e M!gistr!te un-er Setion )+38 .!s
no rig.t to 1e .e!r- 1e!use no proess .!s 1een
issue-% T.e -is/iss!" of o/p"!int 12 t.e M!gistr!te
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u9s% )+3 !"t.oug. it is !t pre"i/in!r2 st!ge
ne#ert.e"ess resu"ts in ter/in!tion of proee-ings
in ! o/p"!int !g!inst t.e persons 5.o !re !""ege-
to .!#e o//itte- t.e ri/e% One ! .!""enge is
"!i- to su. or-er !t t.e inst!ne of t.e
o/p"!in!nt in ! re#ision petition 1efore t.e Hig.
Court or t.e Sessions Ju-ge8 12 #irtue of S% 0+1$)&
of t.e Co-e t.e suspets get t.e rig.t of .e!ring
1efore t.e re#ision!" ourt !"t.oug. su. or-er 5!s
p!sse- 5it.out t.eir p!rtiip!tion% T.e rig.t gi#en
to C!use-C or Ct.e ot.er personC un-er S% 0+1$)&
of 1eing .e!r- 1efore t.e re#ision!" ourt to -efen-
!n or-er 5.i. oper!tes in .is f!#our s.ou"- not 1e
onfuse- 5it. t.e proee-ings 1efore ! M!gistr!te
un-er Setions )++8 )+)8 )+3 !n- )+0% In t.e
re#ision petition 1efore t.e Hig. Court or t.e
Sessions Ju-ge !t t.e inst!ne of t.e o/p"!in!nt
.!""enging t.e or-er of -is/iss!" of o/p"!int8 one
of t.e t.ings t.!t ou"- .!ppen is re#ers!" of t.e
or-er of t.e M!gistr!te !n- re#i#!" of t.e o/p"!int%
It is in t.is #ie5 of t.e /!tter t.!t t.e !use- or
ot.er person !nnot 1e -epri#e- of .e!ring on t.e
f!e of t.e e?press pro#ision ont!ine- in S% 0+1$)&
of t.e Co-e% T.e st!ge is not i/port!nt 5.et.er it
is pre:proess st!ge or post proess st!ge%D
(% In t.e present !se .!""enge is "!i- to or-er -!te-
0%3%)++4 !t t.e inst!ne of t.e o/p"!in!nt in t.e re#ision
petition 1efore t.e Hig. Court !n- 12 #irtue of Setion 0+1$)&
of t.e Co-e8 t.e !use- /entione- in t.e First Infor/!tion
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Report get t.e rig.t of .e!ring 1efore t.e re#ision!" ourt
!"t.oug. t.e i/pugne- or-er t.erein 5!s p!sse- 5it.out t.eir
p!rtiip!tion% T.e !ppe""!nt 5.o is !n !use- person !nnot
1e -epri#e- of .e!ring on t.e f!e of t.e e?press pro#ision
ont!ine- in Setion 0+1$)& of t.e Co-e !n- on t.is groun-8 t.e
i/pugne- or-er of t.e Hig. Court is "i!1"e to 1e set !si-e !n-
t.e /!tter .!s to 1e re/itte-%
4% T.oug. ot.er groun-s su. !s .!rge:s.eet .!#ing
1een fi"e- !n- t.e ogni<!ne .!s 1een t!7en !g!inst !use-
No%18 t.e protest petition !nnot 1e tre!te- !s ! o/p"!int
5!rr!nting !n in-epen-ent inBuir28 .!#e 1een r!ise- in t.is
!ppe!"8 5e -o not -ee/ it neess!r2 to onsi-er t.e s!/e
sine 5e !re re/itting t.e /!tter for fres. onsi-er!tion !n- it
is open to t.e !ppe""!nt to r!ise t.e/ 1efore t.e Hig. Court%
1+% In t.e resu"t t.e i/pugne- or-er of t.e Hig. Court
-!te- 1(%0%)+11 is set !si-e !n- t.e /!tter is re/itte- !n- t.e
Hig. Court s.!"" issue notie to !"" t.e onerne- !use- !n-
t.ere!fter .e!r !n- -ispose of t.e ri/in!" re#ision petition in
!or-!ne 5it. "!5% T.is !ppe!" is !""o5e- !or-ing"2%
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...J.
T.%. Tha0$r"
J.
C. Na1appan"
Ne' *elh&2
J$ne 30, 2014