Citation : 2022 Latest Caselaw 4869 Kant
Judgement Date : 16 March, 2022
1
IN THE HIGH COURT OF KARNATAKA
DHARWAD BENCH
DATED THIS THE 16TH DAY OF MARCH, 2022
BEFORE
THE HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE P.N.DESAI
CRL.RP.NO.100042 OF 2022
BETWEEN
1. SUNIL DASARI
S/O. DASARI SYAMSAN
AGE. 46 YEARS, OCC. PRIVATE JOB
R/O. H.NO. 133,
NEW KANYA NAGAR
GADAG ROAD, HUBBALLI
TQ. HUBBALLI,
DIST. DHARWAD-580 020
2. PETER DASARI
S/O. DASARI SYAMSAN
AGE. 43 YEARS, OCC. PRIVATE JOB
R/O. H.NO. 133,
NEW KANYA NAGAR
GADAG ROAD, HUBBALLI
TQ. HUBBALLI,
DIST. DHARWAD-580 020
3. SUNNY DASARI
S/O. DASARI SYAMSAN
AGE. 38 YEARS, OCC. PRIVATE JOB
R/O. H.NO. 133,
NEW KANYA NAGAR
GADAG ROAD, HUBBALLI
TQ. HUBBALLI,
DIST. DHARWAD-580 020
4. CHARLIE DASARI
S/O. DASARI SYAMSAN
AGE. 41 YEARS, OCC. PRIVATE JOB
R/O. H.NO. 133,
NEW KANYA NAGAR
GADAG ROAD, HUBBALLI
2
TQ. HUBBALLI,
DIST. DHARWAD-580 020
...PETITIONERS
(BY SRI.B.G.INDI, ADVOCATE)
AND
THE STATE OF KARNATAKA
THROUGH PSI, KESHWAPUR POLICE
STATION, HUBBALLI
REPRESENTED BY
STATE PUBLIC PROSECUTOR
HIGH COURT OF KARNATAKA
AT. DHARWAD BENCH
AT. DHARWAD-011
...RESPONDENT
(BY SMT.GIRIJA HIREMATH, HCGP)
THIS CRIMINAL REVISION PETITION IS FILED U/S 397 AND
401 OF CR.P.C., SEEKING TO CALL FOR RECORDS AND SET-ASIDE
THE ORDER DATED 18.12.2021 PASSED BY THE COURT OF THE V
ADDITIONAL DISTRICT AND SESSIONS JUDGE, DHARWAD,
SITTING AT HUBBALLI ON APPLICATION U/S 227 OF CR.P.C., FOR
DISCHARGE THE PETITIONERS/ACCUSED NO.2 TO 5 HEREIN IN SC
NO.187/2019 FOR OFFENCES PUNISHABLE U/S 143, 147, 148,
201, 324, 307, 326, 341, 504, 506 R/W SECTION 149 OF IPC AND
FURTHER ALLOW DISCHARGE APPLICATION BY DISCHARGING THE
PETITIONERS HEREIN FOR LEVELED CHARGES.
THIS PETITION COMING ON FOR ADMISSION THIS DAY,
THE COURT MADE THE FOLLOWING:
3
ORDER
This revision petition is filed under Section 397 of and
401 of Criminal Procedure Code (hereinafter for short
'Cr.P.C.') by accused Nos.2, 3, 4 and 5 with a prayer to set
aside the order dated 18.12.2021 passed by the V Addl.
District and Sessions Judge, Dharwad, Sitting at Hubballi,
wherein application filed by these petitioners under Section
227 of Cr.P.C. for discharge is came to be rejected.
2. It is contended by the petitioners that on the basis of
the complaint lodged by first informant, a case in Crime
No.41/2016 for the offence punishable under Sections 143,
147, 148, 341, 504, 324, 307 r/w Section 149 of IPC came
to be registered against these petitioners and others. It is
stated in the complainant that on 12.03.2016 at about
1.10 p.m., when he was going on his Hero Honda Splinder
vehicle bearing No.KA-25/U-5766, then he came near
Chetana colony Malabar Store, at that time, all the eight
accused who were standing there stopped his bike and
abused him in a filthy language. Out of them Accused No.1
is Dasari prasag, accused no.2 is Dasari Sunil, accused
No.3 is Dasari Peter, accused No.4 Dasari Sunny, accused
no.5 Dasari Charli, accused No.6 is Ambadapudi James ,
accused no.7 is Ambadapudi Marshal and accused No.8
Ambadapudi Mojas assaulted him with a stone on his head,
legs and hands. The accused by name Dasari Peter,
Ambadapudi Marshal and Dasari Sunny stabbed him on his
back with a knife and when he tried to escape, the accused
Ambadapudi Mojas they all assaulted on his left fore arm
with knife. Accused Dasari Charly assaulted the victim with
a wooden stick all over his body. All of them assaulted him.
Victim sustained injury on his head, back, hands and legs.
The accused threatened to take away his life. Thereafter,
injured was admitted to hospital and a case came to be
registered on the same day at about 6.30 p.m. It is stated
that now investigation is completed and charge sheet is
filed.
3. Heard Shri B.G.Indi, the learned counsel appearing
for the petitioner. The learned HCGP Smt.Girija Hiremath,
is directed to take notice for the respondent State and is
heard in the matter.
4. The learned counsel for the petitioner argued that
these petitioners who are accused nos.2, 3, 4 and 5 have
filed application before learned Sessions Judge for their
discharge. The said application came to be rejected without
properly analysing the statements of the witnesses. Only,
due to prior enmity, a false complaint has been lodged by
arraying these petitioners as accused. Complainant
himself is accused in other cases. The eye witnesses
cannot be believed. The statement of panch witnesses are
all created. Therefore, though this is a fit case for
discharge, trial Court has rejected the application filed for
discharge. Hence, prays to allow the application.
5. On the other hand, learned HCGP argued that there
are statements of the witnesses available in the charge
sheet, wherein the complainant himself stated about
assault on him by accused. There are, panch witnesses,
eye witnesses to the incident. The weapons have been
used for commission of offences are also seized. The
medical report shows injuries are grievous in nature.
Therefore, when there are eye witnesses to the incident
and panch witnesses for recovery and the complainant has
also stated overt act of each accused as evident from the
charge sheet, then there is sufficient material placed by
prosecution to frame charge and convict accused. The
learned Sessions judge after considering all these points
has rightly dismissed the application. Whether the
evidence of eye witnesses is believable or not is to be
considered only at the time of trial and not at this stage.
Hence, prays to dismiss the petition.
6. From the above, material points that arise for my
consideration is:-
"whether the order passed by the learned Sessions
Judge under Section 227 of Cr.P.C. is legally correct or
needs any interference by this Court?"
7. Section 227 Cr.P.C. reads as Under:
"227. Discharge- If, upon consideration of the record of the case and the documents submitted therewith, and after hearing the submissions of the accused and the prosecution in this behalf, the Judge considers that there is not sufficient ground for proceeding against the
accused, he shall discharge the accused and record his reasons for so doing."
8. In view of the above provision, the material before
the Court will have to be considered. The learned Sessions
Judge in his order has stated that the material placed by
the prosecution is sufficient, the Court can proceed to
frame the charge. The materials are complainant who is
injured then CWs 8 to 10 are eye witnesses, Panch
witnesses are CWs.6 and 7. The weapons alleged to have
been used for commission of offences by all the accused
are seized. Learned Sessions Judge found that, whether
the witnesses are believable or not is too early to come to
conclusion, but that has to be gone into only at the time of
trial and final judgment. At this stage, there are no
materials to show that witnesses cited in charge sheet
cannot be believed at all. Learned Sessions Judge has
stated that validity and genuineness of evidence is to be
considered only after conducting detail trial and only at the
time of writing final judgment. Therefore, he has rejected
the said petition. So, from the reasons stated by the
learned Sessions Judge, it is evident that learned Sessions
Judge has given valid reasons for dismissing the
application.
9. It is settled principle of law that the judge shall
discharge the accused, 1) After considering the record of
the case and documents submitted and 2) Hearing the
submission of the accused and the prosecution, if
considered that there are no sufficient grounds to proceed
against the accused, i.e. either there is no legal evidence
or that the facts do not make out any offence at all. There
is no scope for examination of any witnesses at this stage.
The trial Court shall record the detail reassons if accused
going to discharge accused. But for framing of charge, no
such detailed discussion or reasons are necessary. If the
material available discloses that ingredients of the offences
are attracted, then the judge shall proceed to frame the
charges. The judge has to consider only whether there is
prima facie case against accused has been made out. The
judge should not make a rowing enquiry into a pros and
cons of matter and waving the evidence as if he was
conducting the trial. A test to determine prima facie case
would naturally depends upon the facts of each case.
10. At the stage of framing of charge, the truth, veracity
and effect of evidence which the prosecutor proposes to
produce are not to be meticulously judge. The standard of
test, proof of judgment which is to be applied finally,
before finding the accused guilty or otherwise is not
exactly to be applied at the stage of section 227 of Cr.P.C.
or section 228 of Cr.P.C. The Court at the stage of framing
of charge is required to evaluate the material and
documents on record with a view to finding, if the facts
emerging therefrom taken at their face value disclose the
existence of all the ingredients constituting the alleged
offence, charge can be framed. The Court is not expected
to go deep into the probative value of the material on
record. What needs to be considered is whether there is
ground for presuming that the offence is committed and a
ground for convicting the accused has been made out.
11. On perusing the material placed before the learned
Sessions Judge, the learned Sessions Judge found that
there is a statement of complainant and injured assigning
role of each accused in assault and the weapon used by
them and the part of the body on which the assault was
made. The panchanama also indicates the property used
for commission of the offence is also seized and there are
pancha witnesses. The charge sheet indicates that there
are eye witnesses to the incident who are cited as CWs.8,
9 and 10 and their name also finds place in the first
information given by the complainant. There are also other
witnesses who have witnessed the incident from their
shops. There is also medical report of doctor. Therefore, in
view of the material placed before the Court, the learned
Sessions Judge has rightly framed the charge.
12. This incident said to have been occurred on
12.3.2016 and the charge sheet is filed. The Sessions Case
No.187/2019 came to be registered. The accused nos.1 to
8 filed the application on 25.8.2021. Therefore, viewed
from any angle, if the revision petition filed by these
petitioners is considered, then it is evident that the order
passed by the learned Sessions Judge cannot be said as
either illegal or not correct. On the other hand, it is based
on sound principles regarding framing of charge based on
materials as referred above. The learned Sessions Judge
has given proper reasons and considered the material
before the Court and proceeded to frame charge. I find no
infirmity in the said order. Hence the revision petition
being devoid of merit is liable to be dismissed. Accordingly
I pass the following:
ORDER
The revision petition filed under section 397 and 401
of Cr.P.C. is hereby dismissed.
Sd/-
JUDGE
Hmb-Upto para 9 Mrk-para 10 to end.
Publish Your Article
Campus Ambassador
Media Partner
Campus Buzz
LatestLaws.com presents: Lexidem Offline Internship Program, 2026
LatestLaws.com presents 'Lexidem Online Internship, 2026', Apply Now!