Shaikh Mujib S/O Shaikh Bhikan And ... vs The State Of Maharashtra And Anr
2017 Latest Caselaw 1518 Bom

                                    1                                 Cri.A-506-17


          IN THE HIGH COURT OF JUDICATURE AT BOMBAY
                     BENCH AT AURANGABAD

             CRIMINAL APPLICATION NO. 506 OF 2017

 1.       Shaikh Mujib s/o Shaikh Bhikan
          Age : 29 yrs, Occ: Business,

 2.       Shaikh Azim s/o Shaikh Bhikan,
          Age: 31 years, Occ: Business,
          Both applicants residents of Plot No. 23,
          Husain Coloney, Garkheda, Aurangabad
          Tql & Dist: Aurangabad.

 3.       Shaikh Musa s/o Shaikh Ibrahim,
          Age: 28 years, Occ. Business,

 4.       Shahazad s/o Abdulla Khan,
          Age: 30 years, Occ: business,
          Both applicants residents of Naregaon
          Rajendranagar, Aurangabad,
          Tal& dist. Aurangabad.                ...APPLICANTS

          versus

 1.       The State of Maharashtra,
          Through Police Inspector,
          MIDc CIDCO Police Station,
          Aurangabad,
          Tal. & Dist: Aurangabad.

 2.       Parvez s/o Nazer Hussain Jaffery,
          Age: 47 years, occ: Business,
          R/o : Ali Manzil Shahbazar,
          Champa Chowk, Aurangabad,
          Tal. And Dist. Aurangabad.                         ...RESPONDENTS

                                 .....
 Mr. N.E. Deshmukh, Advocate for Applicants
 Mr. P.G. Borade, APP for Respondent No. 1 - State
 Mr. A.S. Bajaj, Advocate for Respondent No. 2
                                       ...

                                        CORAM :   S.S. SHINDE AND
                                                  K.K. SONAWANE, JJ.

DELIVERED ON : 21st MARCH, 2017 PRONOUNCED ON 7th APRIL, 2017.

2 Cri.A-506-17

JUDGMENT :-( PER : K.K. Sonawane, J.)

1. Rule. Rule made returnable forthwith. Heard finally by consent

of parties.

2. The applicants taking recourse of remedy under section 482 of

the Criminal Procedure Code (for short "Cr.P.C.) preferred the

present application to quash and set aside first information report

bearing crime No. 426 of 2016 registered against applicants at

MIDC, CIDCO Police Station, Aurangabad for the offence punishable

under section 384 read with section 34 of the Indian Penal Code (for

short "IPC"). According to the applicants, the impugned FIR is

absolutely false, frivolous and filed with intention to harass the

applicants. The allegations did not constitute any offence nor make

out any case against the applicants.

3. It has been alleged that first informant Parvaz Nazer Hussain

Jaffery i.e. Respondent No. 2-herein has purchased house property

constructed on the plot No. 23 of Survey No. 16/3 located in

Hussain Colony, Aurangabad from one Mr. Hakimkhan Rum Khan

and Yunuskhan Mohamad Khan. After purchase, the house property

was let out to one Shaikh Bhikan Shaikh Ibrahim on rent for eleven

months agreement. However, the tenant Shaikh Bhikan left the

house and his sons, applicants Shaikh Ajim and Shaikh Mujib

started residing in the house. They did not bother to pay rent of the

house occupied by them. Therefore, the first informant was insisting

3 Cri.A-506-17

applicants - Shaikh Ajim and his brother Shaikh Mujib to vacate the

premises occupied by them. But, respondent No. 2 first informant

did not receive response from them. In contrast, applicant Shaikh

Ajim S/o Shaikh Bhikan filed civil suit bearing RCS No. 34 of 2015

in the Court of Civil Judge, Junior Division, Aurangabad against first

informant Parvez Nazer Hussain Jaffery for relief of injunction etc.

The applicants also demanded Rs. Two Lakhs from first informant

for vacating the premises. According to first informant, on the date

of incident i.e. on 02-11-2016 in the noon hours about 2.00 p.m.

the alleged accused i.e. applicants herein came to godown of the

first informant and gave threats of dire consequences to him. They

hurled abuses and stated that if he wants to get premises/house

vacated and the possession of the same, he would have to pay Rs.

10,00,000/-(Rupees Ten Lakhs) to them otherwise they will not

vacate the premises. Accordingly, the first informant ventilated the

grievance that applicants made demand of ransom of

Rs. 10,00,000/- from him and gave threats to life for vacating the

premises. Therefore, he rushed to MIDC CIDCO Police Station and

filed the report.

4. Pursuant to FIR of respondent No. 2- Parvaz Nazer Hussain

Jaffery, police of MIDC CIDCO Police Station registered the offence

bearing crime No. 426 of 2016 under section 384 read with section

34 of the IPC and set the penal law in motion. The impugned FIR is

under the judicial scrutiny in this application by exercising inherent

4 Cri.A-506-17

powers under section 482 of the Cr.P.C. at the behest of applicants

herein.

5. The learned counsel Mr. Deshmukh appearing for the

applicants assailed that the impugned FIR is false, frivolous and filed

with malafide intention to harass the applicants. The allegations

contained in the FIR does not make out offence under section 384 of

the IPC. There was no delivery of any property or valuable security

to the accused/applicants from first informant who was put in fear

to attract ingredients of section 384 of the IPC. According to learned

counsel, the provisions of section 383 of the IPC contemplates

dishonest inducement and obtaining delivery of property in

consequence of such inducement. In the instant case, no any

offence is made out against the applicants as alleged in the

impugned FIR. The allegations nurtured on behalf of first informant

are not sufficient to draw the inference of delivery of property or

valuable security in favour of applicants under the fear. The learned

counsel fervidly contended that the present FIR is nothing but an

abuse of process of law and filed with malafide intention to harass

the applicants. The learned counsel in support of his submissions

placed reliance on the expositions in the case of State of

Harayana Vs. Bhajanlal1, Dhananjay alias Dhananjay Kumar

Singh Vs. State of Bihar and another2 and Isaac Isanga

1 AIR 1992 SC 604

2 (2007)14 Supreme Court Cases 768

5 Cri.A-506-17

Musumba and others Vs. State of Maharashtra and others 3

and Sudarshan Kumar Luthra and others Vs. Madanlal

Harichand Thapar and another4.

6. Per contra, the learned APP appearing for the State and

learned counsel appearing for respondent No. 2 vociferously

opposed the contention propounded on behalf of applicants.

Respondent No. 2 has also filed his affidavit in reply on record. It

has been submitted that the allegations contained in the FIR filed on

behalf of respondent No. 2 if considered in its entirety and are taken

at its face value would constitute cognizable offence punishable

under section 384 of IPC. The respondents denied that impugned

FIR is false, frivolous and filed with intention to harass the

applicants. The respondents prayed to dismiss the application.

7. We have considered the submissions canvassed on behalf of

both sides. We have also delved into the documents filed on record.

After appreciating the attending circumstances and factual scenario

as referred to in the impugned FIR, we find that the arguments

advanced on behalf of learned counsel for the applicants Mr.

Deshmukh appears much more attractive and sustainable one. The

allegations contained in the impugned FIR does not disclose the

essential ingredients of section 384 of the IPC. The provisions of

section 384 contemplates punishment for extortion. However, the

offence of extortion is defined in Section 383 of the IPC, which

3 (2014)15 Supreme Court Cases, 357.

 4 1993(3) Mh.l.J.854



                                     6                                 Cri.A-506-17


 reads as under:

"383 Extortion- whoever intentionally puts any person in fear of any injury to that person, or to any other, and thereby dishonestly induces the person, so put in fear to deliver to any person any property or valuable security, or anything signed or sealed which may be covered into a valuable security, commits"

Extortion."

8. Perusal of aforesaid definition of extortion as envisaged

under section 383 of the IPC adumbrates that following ingredients

are required to be established to constitute an offence under section

384 of the IPC and same are also reproduced by the Hon'ble

Supreme Court in paragraph No. 6 of the Judgment in the case of

Dhananjay supra, which read thus:

(i) The accused must put any person in fear of injury to that person or any other person.

(ii) The putting of a person in such fear must be intentional.

(iii) The accused must thereby induce the person so put in fear to deliver to any person any property, valuable security or anything signed.

                  (iv)     Such   inducement     must       be      done
                  dishonestly.





                                 7                                  Cri.A-506-17

9. In the matter in hand, it reveals that applicants on the day of

incident visited to the Godown of first informant - Parvaz Nazer

Hussain Jaffery i.e. respondent No. 2 herein and they placed

demand of Rs. 10,00,000/-(Rupees Ten Lakhs) to get premises

vacated occupied by them. The applicants have also given threats

of dire consequences if money is not paid to them. They have also

exhorted that they will not deliver the possession of the premises in

favour of respondent No. 2 - first informant without money. These

circumstances reflect from the recitals of the FIR, categorically

demonstrate that there was no delivery of the property or valuable

security in favour of applicants - accused on the part of first

informant after putting him under fear.

10. We reiterate that, in order to constitute an offence of

extortion, it is essential to establish that accused must put the

victim in fear of injury to him or any other person and thereby

induces him dishonestly to deliver any property or valuable security.

As referred supra the impugned FIR does not disclose all these

ingredients to constitute the cognizable offence under section 384 of

the IPC.

11. The Hon'ble Supreme Court in the case of Isaac Isanga

Musumba and others Vs. State of Maharashtra and others

referred supra held that unless property is delivered to the accused

persons pursuant to the threat, no offence of extortion is made out

8 Cri.A-506-17

and the FIR for the offence of extortion under section 384 could not

have been registered by the Police. In the case of Dhananjay alias

Dhananjay Kumar Singh Vs. State of Bihar and another

referred supra, the Hon'ble Apex Court after appreciating the

requirement of section 384 of the IPC observed in paragraphs No.

10 to 13 as under:

"10. No allegations was made that the money was paid by the informant having been put in fear of injury or putting him such fear by the appellant was intentional.

11. The first informant, admittedly, has also not delivered any property or valuable security to the appellant.

12. A distinction between theft and extortion is well known. Whereas offence of extortion is carried out by overpowering the will of the owner; in commission of an offence of theft the offender's intention is always to take without that persons' consent.

13. We, therefore, are of the opinion that having regard to the facts and circumstances of the case, no case under section 384 of the Penal Code was made out in the first information report."

12. In view of aforesaid legal guidelines delineated by the

Hon'ble Supreme Court, in our opinion, from the allegations

9 Cri.A-506-17

nurtured in the impugned FIR there was no offence under section

384 of IPC committed as alleged on behalf of respondent No. 2.

There was no any property or valuable security was shown delivered

in favour of applicants- accused by the first informant pursuant to

any act of accused putting him in fear of injury to himself or any

other person. Therefore, we are of the opinion that the impugned

FIR does not make out any prima facie case against the applicants

for penal proceedings under section 384 of the IPC. Moreover, it has

contended that there are other civil and criminal proceedings going

on in between the applicants and respondent No. 2 on account of

contentious house property. In such circumstances, we do not find

any impediment to appreciate the contentions put forth on behalf of

applicants that impugned FIR is the fallout of malice and rancour as

well as ulterior motive to wreak vengeance on the part of first

informant against applicants. Therefore, considering the categories

of cases by way of illustration laid down in paragraph No. 108 of

Bhajanlal's Case referred supra, we have no hesitation to exercise

the powers under section 482 of the Cr.P.C. in favour of applicants

to prevent abuse of process of law.

13. In such peculiar circumstances, we are of the opinion that

the impugned FIR do not disclose the essential ingredients of

offence under section 384 of the IPC. The allegations are not

sufficient to make out prima facie cognizable offence against

applicants. Hence, there is no impediment to quash and set aside

10 Cri.A-506-17

the impugned FIR filed against the applicants under section 384

read with section 34 of the IPC. In the result, we proceed to allow

the application of the applicants for quashing the FIR. Accordingly,

criminal application is allowed in terms of prayer clause "A". The

impugned FIR bearing Crime No. 426 of 2016 dated 08-11-2016

registered at MIDC CIDCO Police Station under section 384 read

with section 34 of the IPC is hereby quashed and set aside. The

rule is made absolute in above terms. No order as to costs.

                  Sd/-                             Sd/-

         [ K. K. SONAWANE, J. ]           [ S.S. SHINDE, J.]




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