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Dharmesh Sureshbhai Kotecha vs State Of Gujarat
2025 Latest Caselaw 3180 Guj

Citation : 2025 Latest Caselaw 3180 Guj
Judgement Date : 19 February, 2025

Gujarat High Court

Dharmesh Sureshbhai Kotecha vs State Of Gujarat on 19 February, 2025

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                           R/SCR.A/1230/2015                                    JUDGMENT DATED: 19/02/2025

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                                    IN THE HIGH COURT OF GUJARAT AT AHMEDABAD

                           R/SPECIAL CRIMINAL APPLICATION (QUASHING) NO. 1230 of 2015

                                                        With
                                   R/SPECIAL CRIMINAL APPLICATION NO. 1002 of 2015

                      FOR APPROVAL AND SIGNATURE:


                      HONOURABLE MR. JUSTICE J. C. DOSHI

                      ==========================================================

                                   Approved for Reporting                      Yes           No

                      ==========================================================
                                          DHARMESH SURESHBHAI KOTECHA & ANR.
                                                        Versus
                                               STATE OF GUJARAT & ANR.
                      ==========================================================
                      Appearance:
                      MR PRAVIN GONDALIYA(1974) for the Petitioners in SCRA 1230/2015
                      MR PREMAL RACHH for the Petitioner in SCRA 1002/2015
                      MR PRATIK Y JASANI(5325) for the Respondent(s) No. 2
                      MR SOHAM JOSHI, ADDL. PUBLIC PROSECUTOR for the Respondent(s)
                      No. 1
                      ==========================================================

                         CORAM:HONOURABLE MR. JUSTICE J. C. DOSHI

                                                           Date : 19/02/2025

                                                           ORAL JUDGMENT

1. Rule. Learned advocate Mr. Pratik Jasani waives service of rule for respondent No.2 and learned APP waives service of notice of rule for the respondent State.

1.1 Since both the petitions arise from self-same FIR, with the consent of learned advocates for the respective parties, the petitions are decided analogously.

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2. By way of this application under Section 482 of the Code of Criminal Procedure, 1973 (hereinafter referred to as "the Code"), the petitioners have prayed for quashing and setting aside FIR being C.R.No.I - 4 of 2015 registered with Rajkot City DCB Police Station, for the offences punishable under Sections 387, 504, 506(2), 114 of the IPC as well as all other consequential proceedings arising out of the aforesaid FIR qua the petitioner herein.

3. Brief facts of the case as observed from the pleadings are as under:-

3.1 It is submitted that a complaint came to be filed by respondent No.2 on 13.2.2015 inter alia alleging that before four years he and his partners launched a residential plot scheme in the survey of 'Abhagi Pipaliya' named as "Zenting Safari" wherein the petitioners purchased the plots at the rate of Rs.1,170/- and as per the understanding whenever the amount is paid the documents were to be executed and about 8,000 to 10,000 sq. yards documents were executed. Thereafter also 24 lakhs of rupees were remained with the complainant and after getting further 28 lakhs of rupees from the accused, he has to execute the documents. It is further alleged that, however, both the accused were asking for the money from the complainant and used to come to the office of complainant but the complainant said that pay remaining amount of Rs.28 lakhs and he will execute the sale deed. However both of the petitioners were pressurizing the complainant to make the payment of Rs.24 lakhs and were threatening with dire consequences. It is further

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alleged that on 12.2.2015 the complainant received a phone call on his mobile at 11.30 night and in that phone call one Kamlesh Ramani issued threat to the complainant that to make payment of amount to the petitioners and if payment is not made, then he will be beaten. The said person abused on telephone. The complainant, therefore, on 13.2.2015 in the morning was going to make representation to the Police Commissioner Office and at that time, the accused No.3 namely Kamlesh Ramani met him and abused the complainant and threatened to pay the amount;

otherwise his persons will break his legs. Due to the fear the complainant went back to his home. Thereafter, the complainant gave his complaint to DCB police station which came to be registered as CR No.I-4 of 2015 before DCB Police Station, Rajkot for the offences punishable under Sections 387, 506 (2), 504 and 114 of Indian Penal Code.

CONTENTION OF LEARNED ADVOCATE MR. PRAVIN GONDALIYA

4. Learned advocate Mr. Gondaliya for the petitioners in Special Criminal Application No.1230 of 2015 taking this Court to the FIR on record, would submit that it is the FIR filed due to business rivalry. He would further submit that civil litigation has been given colour of criminal offence. He would further submit that according to the FIR, original accused Nos.1 and 2 have given Rs.24 lakh to the complainant for purchase of certain parcels of lands from the project namely "Zenting Safari"at in the survey of 'Abhagi Pipaliya'. He would further submit that four sale deeds were executed and thereafter, according to the complainant, the petitioners were pressurizing the complainant

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to make the payment of Rs.24 lakhs and were threatening with dire consequences. He would further submit that looking to the facts of the FIR, essential ingredients of offences u/s 387 of the IPC, which is meant for extortion for putting fear or grievous hurt or death is not made out. He would further submit that even essential ingredients of offence u/s 504, 506(2) of the IPC are also not made out. He would further submit that what could be noticed that the issue involved between the parties are in the nature of settlement of accounts and nothing more, however, the first informant has filed the impugned FIR, which is nothing but pressuring tactics and as such, is abuse of process of law and therefore, in that circumstances, he prays to allow Special Criminal Application No.1230 of 2015 by quashing and setting aside impugned FIR.

CONTENTION OF LEARNED ADVOCATE MR. PREMAL RACHH

5. As far as role of the petitioner of Special Criminal Application No.1002 of 2015 is concerned, learned advocate Mr. Rachh would submit that the role of the petitioner is limited to criminal intimidation. He would further submit that at the relevant time, the petitioner was under the police protection as he was facing threat in some other offences and therefore, it is highly unbelievable that a person under the police protection would pass threat for dire consequences to the first informant. He has pressed into service the judgment of Coordinate Bench of this Court in case of Ronak Kedia Vs. State of Gujarat rendered in Criminal Misc. Application No.4145 of 2012 and judgment of the Hon'ble Apex Court in case of Abhishek Saxena Vs. State of Uttar Pradesh reported in 2023(16) SCR 1126. Upon such

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submission, he prays allow Special Criminal Application No.1002 of 2015 by quashing and setting aside impugned FIR.

CONTENTION OF LEARNED ADVOCATE MR. PRATIK JASANI

6. Per contra, learned advocate Mr. Pratik Jasani for the complainant referring to the judgment of the Hon'ble Apex Court in case of Neeharika Infrastructure Pvt. Ltd. Vs. State of Maharashtra reported in 2021(19) SCC 401 would submit that it is not a case where Court should exercise extraordinary inherent power to quash and set aside the FIR at the threshold. He would further submit that power of quashing should be exercised sparingly with circumspection, as it has been observed in Neeharika Infrastructure (supra), in the rarest of rare cases. He would further submit that the Court while exercising jurisdiction to quash the FIR, cannot embark upon an enquiry as to the reliability or genuineness or otherwise of allegations made in the FIR and cannot hold mini trial to scuttle the criminal proceedings at the initial or nascent stage. He would further submit that quashing of a complaint/FIR should be an exception rather than an ordinary rule. He would further submit that it is incorrect to say that the petitioners have paid the amount towards purchase of the land in question. It is only Rs.28 lakh as stated to be paid and the petitioners were pressurizing the complainant to make the payment of Rs.24 lakhs by catching the collar of the comm and passed threat of dire consequence and therefore, essential ingredients of the offences alleged in the FIR are made out.

7. As far as role of the petitioner of Special Criminal

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Application No.1002 of 2015 is concerned, learned advocate Mr. Jasani would submit that multiple FIRs are filed against the discredit of petitioner and therefore, the argument, which is preempting of the trial that the accused has not made out any offence, should not be accepted. Upon such submission, he prays to dismiss both the petitions.

CONTENTION OF LEARNED APP MR. SOHAM JOSHI

8. Learned APP adopting the arguments of learned advocate Mr. Jasani, would further add that in the investigation of the offence, the call details of the petitioner Kamlesh Ramani has been obtained, which indicates that he has called the first informant multiple times, which prima facie demonstrates that he has passed the threat for dire consequences. Upon such submission, he prays to dismiss both the petitions.

9. I have heard learned advocates appearing for the respective parties and perused the FIR and other documents annexed with the petitions.

ANALYSIS

10. To understand the exact allegations levelled against the petitioners, let refer contents of the FIR, which reads as under:-

"About four years before, I and my partners had undertaken a project in name of Jenting Safary at Pipaliya. Out of the land under the stated project, Dharmeshbhai Kotecha and Chetanbhai Bhatt, residents of Rajkot, had purchased the land measuring

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14,906 square yards at the rate of Rs. 1170/- from me and it was agreed between us that I would execute relevant sale-deeds as and when they remit money towards consideration. Accordingly, I had executed sale-deeds for the lands measuring about eight to nine thousand square yard in favor of these two persons. Further, I had already received Rupees twenty four lakhs from them and the remaining amount was Rupees twenty eight lakhs, on receipt of which I was bound to execute respective sale-deeds.

However, a number of times, Dharmesh Kotecha and Chetan Bhatt had come to my office situated at Jasal Complex, Opposite Sterling Hospital where they said, "you better returned our Rupees twenty four lakhs, else it will not be good for you." On such instances, I used to tell them that, "you pay me Rupees twenty eight lakhs so that I can get the sale deeds executed in your favor."

Despite that, the duo used to pressurize me to pay them Rupees twenty four lakhs and they used to threaten me for life. On 12/02/2015, when I was at my house, I received a call from mobile number 9725510139 on my mobile no. 9824043826 and the person on the other end said, "I am Kamlesh Ramani. Are you going to return money to my friends Chetan Bhatt and Dharmesh Kotecha or not. If you do not do so, I will break your legs. If you do not return money, you will lose your life." Thereafter, he began to speak abusive words. As my wife was with me at the house, I disconnected the phone and then, today on 13/02/2015, when I was going to the Office of Commissioner of Police in the morning for making a representation in this regard, this Kamlesh Ramani met me at Jilla Panchayat Chowk and spoke abusive words to me. He said, "you better give money, else I will send my men who will break your legas." As I got frightened, I returned home and thereafter, now, I have come to D.C.B. Police Station to dictate a complaint."

11. To test that whether essential ingredients of the offences alleged against the petitioners are coming from the FIR, let refer

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the definition of extortion as defined in section 383 of the IPC, which reads as under:-

"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 converted into a valuable security, commits "extortion".

12. When the offence of section 387 of the IPC is alleged against the accused in the FIR, prima facie, it is to be proved that the accused have intentionally put the first informant in fear of death or of grievous hurt and thereby, dishonestly inducing the person so put in fear to deliver to any person any property or valuable security. In case of Abhishek Saxena (supra), the Hon'ble Apex Court referring to section 384 of the IPC found that following ingredients are necessary to satisfy the offence u/s 384 of the IPC.

"10. As relates the alleged commission of offence under Section 384, IPC there can be no doubt that to attract the said offence the following twin ingredients are to be satisfied:

(i) Intentionally putting a person in fear of injury to himself or another;

(ii) Dishonestly inducing the person so put to deliver to any person any property or valuable security.

In the absence of such ingredients/accusations in the chargesheet to constitute the said offence it cannot be said a prima facie case of commission of offence under Section 384 is made out therein."

13. In the present case, from plain reading of the FIR, what

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could be noticeable that essential ingredients of extortion are missing. The only allegation levelled in the FIR is that the first informant has been told to return back Rs.24 lakh. It was also alleged that threat was passed to get back Rs.24 lakh already paid. Apt to note extortion and seeking return of money paid are different aspect. Extortion is made out if a person is intentionally put in fear of injury or death to deliver any property or valuable security. In case on hand, even as per case of the first informant, by passing threat, accused asked for returning of money from the complainant. By no stretch of imagination, it cannot be said to be extortion.

14. Another offence allegations of which are levelled are offences u/s 504 and 506(2) of the IPC. Firstly, let refer section 503 of the IPC defining criminal intimidation.

"503. Criminal intimidation.--Whoever threatens another with any injury to his person, reputation or property, or to the person or reputation of any one in whom that person is interested, with intent to cause alarm to that person, or to cause that person to do any act which he is not legally bound to do, or to omit to do any act which that person is legally entitled to do, as the means of avoiding the execution of such threat, commits criminal intimidation. Explanation.--A threat to injure the reputation of any deceased person in whom the person threatened is interested, is within this section.

14.1 Sections 504 and 506(2) of the IPC are referred to as under:-

"504. Whoever intentionally insults, and thereby gives

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provocation to any person, intending or knowing it to be likely that such provocation will cause him to break the public peace, or to commit any other offence, shall be punished with imprisonment of either description for a term which may extend to two years, or with fine, or with both.

506(2). Punishment for criminal intimidation.--Whoever commits the offence of criminal intimidation shall be punished with imprisonment of either description for a term which may extend to two years, or with fine, or with both;

If threat be to cause death or grievous hurt, etc.-- and if the threat be to cause death or grievous hurt, or to cause the destruction of any property by fire, or to cause an offence punishable with death or 1 [imprisonment for life], or with imprisonment for a term which may extend to seven years, or to impute unchastity to a woman, shall be punished with imprisonment of either description for a term which may extend to seven years, or with fine, or with both."

15. When could be and in what circumstances, abusive language takes form and safe of intentional insult is discussed by the Hon'ble Apex Court in case of Mohammad Wajid And Another Versus State Of Uttar Pradesh And Others, 2023 (0) AIR(SC) 3784 in para 28 and 29, which reads as under:-

"28. Section 504 of the IPC contemplates intentionally insulting a person and thereby provoking such person insulted to breach the peace or intentionally insulting a person knowing it to be likely that the person insulted may be provoked so as to cause a breach of the public peace or to commit any other offence. Mere abuse may not come within the purview of the section. But, the words of abuse in a particular case might amount to an intentional insult provoking the person insulted to commit a breach of the public peace or to commit any other offence. If abusive language is used intentionally

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and is of such a nature as would in the ordinary course of events lead the person insulted to break the peace or to commit an offence under the law, the case is not taken away from the purview of the Section merely because the insulted person did not actually break the peace or commit any offence having exercised selfcontrol or having been subjected to abject terror by the offender. In judging whether particular abusive language is attracted by Section 504, IPC, the court has to find out what, in the ordinary circumstances, would be the effect of the abusive language used and not what the complainant actually did as a result of his peculiar idiosyncrasy or cool temperament or sense of discipline. It is the ordinary general nature of the abusive language that is the test for considering whether the abusive language is an intentional insult likely to provoke the person insulted to commit a breach of the peace and not the particular conduct or temperament of the complainant.

29. Mere abuse, discourtesy, rudeness or insolence, may not amount to an intentional insult within the meaning of Section 504, IPC if it does not have the necessary element of being likely to incite the person insulted to commit a breach of the peace of an offence and the other element of the accused intending to provoke the person insulted to commit a breach of the peace or knowing that the person insulted is likely to commit a breach of the peace. Each case of abusive language shall have to be decided in the light of the facts and circumstances of that case and there cannot be a general proposition that no one commits an offence under Section 504, IPC if he merely uses abusive language against the complainant. In King Emperor v. Chunnibhai Dayabhai, (1902) 4 Bom LR 78 , a Division Bench of the Bombay High Court pointed out that:-

"To constitute an offence under Section 504, I.P.C. it is sufficient if the insult is of a kind calculated to cause the other party to lose his temper and say or do something violent. Public peace can be broken by angry words as well as deeds. "

(Emphasis supplied)"

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16. Yet in another judgment, in case of B.V.Ram Kumar Versus State Of Telangana, 2025 JX(SC) 199, the Hon'ble Apex Court discussed the offence related to section 504 of the IPC, which reads as under:-

"23. Section 504, IPC consists of two parts. Firstly, the actus reus- being the intentional insult which gives rise to the provocation. Secondly, the mens rea, i.e., the intention or knowledge on the part of the accused that such intentional provocation is likely to cause the person insulted to break public peace or commit any other offence. The animus nocendi in Section 504, IPC is that the accused should intentionally insult the other person with the intention or knowledge that the provocation caused by such insult is likely to result in the commission of breach of public peace or any other offence by the person who has been so insulted. The offence is said to be complete once the accused person makes intentional insult with the aforesaid mens rea. Hence, intention or knowledge on the part of accused person that his actions of making intentional insult have the potential to provoke the person insulted is sine qua non for the commission of the offence under Section 504, IPC."

17. The Coordinate Bench of this Court in case of Ronak Kedia (supra) relating to section 506, reads as under:-

"A bare perusal of Section 506 IPC makes it clear that a part of it relates to eriminal intimidation. Before an offence of criminal intimidation is made out, it must be established that an accused had an intention to cause alarm to the complainant. Mere threats given by the accused not with an intention to cause alarm to the complainant, but with a view to deterring him from interfering with the work of construction of the wall,

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which was undertaken by the accused-applicant, would not constitute an offence of criminal intimidation. In the entire FIR, there is no whisper of any allegation that the threats which were administered actually caused any alarm to the first informant and he felt actually threatened."

18. It is trite to note that bare reading of the FIR neither indicates any essential ingredients of extortion as defined in section 383 of the IPC nor it establishes intentional insulting a person and thereby, provoking such person insulted to breach the peace or intentionally insulting a person knowing it to be likely that the person insulted may be provoked so as to cause a breach of the public peace or to commit any other offence or it establishes criminal intimidation that accused had an intention to cause alarm to the complainant, rather entire FIR turns to be criminal proceedings for a civil dispute of non-paying of the remaining amount.

19. In the case of Vesa Holdings Pvt. Ltd. and another vs. State of Kerala and others - (2015) 8 SCC 293], Hon'ble Apex Court made the following observation:-

"13. It is true that a given set of facts may make out a civil wrong as also a criminal offence and only because a civil remedy may be available to the complainant that itself cannot be ground to quash a criminal proceeding. The real test is whether the allegations in the complaint disclose the criminal offence of cheating or not. In the present case, there is nothing to show that at the very inception there was any inception on behalf of an accused person to cheat which is a condition precedent for an offence u/s 420 IPC. In our view, the complaint does not disclose any criminal offence at all.

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Criminal proceedings should not be encouraged when it is found to be mala fide or otherwise an abuse of the process of the courts. Superior courts while exercising this power should also strive to serve the ends of justice. In our opinion, in view of these facts allowing the police investigation to continue would amount to an abuse of the process of the court and the High Court committed an error in refusing to exercise the power under Section 482 Cr.P.C to quash the proceedings."

20. In the case of Indian Oil Corporation vs. NEPC India Ltd. and others - (2006) 6 SCC 736, a two-judge Bench of Hon'ble Apex Court reviewed the precedents on the exercise of jurisdiction under Section 482 of the Code of Criminal Procedure 1973 and formulated guiding principles in the following terms:

"12. ... (i) A complaint can be quashed where the allegations made in the complaint, even if they are taken at their face value and accepted in their entirety, do not prima facie constitute any offence or make out the case alleged against the accused. For this purpose, the complaint has to be examined as a whole, but without examining the merits of the allegations. Neither a detailed inquiry nor a meticulous analysis of the material nor an assessment of the reliability or genuineness of the allegations in the complaint, is warranted while examining prayer for quashing of a complaint.

(ii) A complaint may also be quashed where it is a clear abuse of the process of the court, as when the criminal proceeding is found to have been initiated with mala fides/malice for wreaking vengeance or to cause harm, or where the allegations are absurd and inherently improbable.

(iii) The power to quash shall not, however, be used to stifle or scuttle a legitimate prosecution. The power should be used sparingly and with abundant

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caution.

(iv) The complaint is not required to verbatim reproduce the legal ingredients of the offence alleged. If the necessary factual foundation is laid in the complaint, merely on the ground that a few ingredients have not been stated in detail, the proceedings should not be quashed. Quashing of the complaint is warranted only where the complaint is so bereft of even the basic facts which are absolutely necessary for making out the offence.

(v) .."

21. The permissibility of quashing of criminal proceeding has been discussed by the Hon'ble Apex Court in case of Anand Kumar Mohatta Versus State (Govt.Of Nct Of Delhi) Department Of Home, 2019 (11) SCC 706, held as under:-

"14. First, we would like to deal with the submission of the learned Senior Counsel for the Respondent No.2 that once the charge sheet is filed, petition for quashing of FIR is untenable. We do not see any merit in this submission, keeping in mind the position of this Court in Joseph Salvaraj A. v. State of Gujarat, 2011 7 SCC

59. In the case of Joseph Salvaraj A. (supra), this Court while deciding the question whether the High Court could entertain the 482 petition for quashing of FIR, when the charge sheet was filed by the police during the pendency of the 482 petition, observed: -

"16. Thus, from the general conspectus of the various sections under which the appellant is being charged and is to be prosecuted would show that the same are not made out even prima facie from the complainant's FIR. Even if the charge- sheet had been filed, the learned Single Judge could have still examined whether the offences

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alleged to have been committed by the appellant were prima facie made out from the complainant's FIR, charge sheet, documents, etc. or not."

15. Even otherwise it must be remembered that the provision invoked by the accused before the High Court is Section 482 Cr. P.C and that this Court is hearing an appeal from an order under Section 482 of Cr.P.C. Section 482 of Cr.P.C reads as follows: -

"482. Saving of inherent power of the High Court.- Nothing in this Code shall be deemed to limit or affect the inherent powers of the High Court to make such orders as may be necessary to give effect to any order under this Code, or to prevent abuse of the process of any Court or otherwise to secure the ends of justice."

16. There is nothing in the words of this Section which restricts the exercise of the power of the Court to prevent the abuse of process of court or miscarriage of justice only to the stage of the FIR. It is settled principle of law that the High court can exercise jurisdiction under Section 482 of Cr.P.C even when the discharge application is pending with the trial court, G. Sagar Suri and Anr. V. State of U.P and Others, (2000) 2 SCC 636 (Para 7). Umesh Kumar V. State of Andhra Pradesh and Anr. (2013) 10 SCC 591 (Para 20). Indeed, it would be a travesty to hold that proceedings initiated against a person can be interfered with at the stage of FIR but not if it has advanced, and the allegations have materialized into a charge sheet. On the contrary it could be said that the abuse of process caused by FIR stands aggravated if the FIR has taken the form of a charge sheet after investigation. The power is undoubtedly conferred to prevent abuse of process of power of any court."

22. In the case of State of Haryana Vs. Bhajanlal & ors., AIR 1992 SC 604, the Hon'ble Apex Court summed up the proposition of law, which reads as under:-

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"(1) Where the allegations made in the First Information Report or the complaint, even if they are taken at their face value and accepted in their entirety do not prima facie constitute any offence or make out a case against the accused.

(2) Where the allegations ins the F.I.R. and other materials, if any, accompanying the F.I.R. do not disclose a cognizable offence, justifying an investigation by police officers under S.156(1) of the Code except under an order of a Magistrate within the purview of S.155(2) of the code.

(3) Where, the uncontroverted allegations made in the F.I.R. or complaint and the evidence collected in support of the same donot disclose the commission of any offence and make out the case against the accused.

(4) Where, the allegations in the F.I.R. do not constitute a cognizable offence but constitute only a non-

cognizable offence, no investigation is permitted by a police officer without an order of a Magistrate as contemplated under S.155(2) of the Code.

(5) Whether, the allegations made in the F.I.R. or complaint are sO absurd and inherently improbable on the basis of which no prudent person can ever reach a just conclusion that there is sufficient ground for proceeding against the accused.

(6) Where, there is an express legal bare engrafted in any of the provisions of the Code or the concerned Act (under which a criminal proceeding is instituted) toi the institution and/or where there is a specific provision in the Code or the concerned Act, providing efficacious redress for the grievance of the aggrieved party.

(7) Where a criminal proceeding is manifestly attended with malafide and/or where the proceeding is maliciously instituted with an ulterior motive for wreaking vengeance on the accused and with a view to spite him due to private and personal grudge."

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22.1 The findings of the Hon'ble Apex Court in para 1,3,5 and 7 are attracted in the present case. In view of above, present petition deserves consideration.

23. Considering the discussions made herein above, the judgment relied upon by the learned advocate Mr. Pratik Jasani in case of Neeharika Infrastructure Pvt. Ltd. (supra) would not render any assistance to the first informant.

CONCLUSION:-

24. Resultantly, this petitions are allowed. The impugned FIR being C.R.No.I - 4 of 2015 registered with Rajkot City DCB Police Station against the present petitioners is hereby quashed and set aside. Consequently, all other proceedings arising out of the aforesaid FIR against the present petitioners are also quashed and set aside. Accordingly, Rule is made absolute. Direct service is permitted.

(J. C. DOSHI,J) SHEKHAR P. BARVE

 
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