Kerala High Court
K.M.Aravindakshan vs State Of Kerala on 8 November, 2024
Author: P.V.Kunhikrishnan
Bench: P.V.Kunhikrishnan
CRL.MC NO. 4340 OF 2018 1
2024:KER:84481
IN THE HIGH COURT OF KERALA AT ERNAKULAM
PRESENT
THE HONOURABLE MR. JUSTICE P.V.KUNHIKRISHNAN
FRIDAY, THE 8TH DAY OF NOVEMBER 2024 / 17TH KARTHIKA, 1946
CRL.MC NO. 4340 OF 2018
AGAINST THE ORDER/JUDGMENT DATED IN CC NO.1213 OF 2017
OF JUDICIAL MAGISTRATE OF FIRST CLASS -II, KANNUR
PETITIONER/S:
1 K.M.ARAVINDAKSHAN
EXECUTIVE OFFICER (FORMER),AGED 54 YEARS,
CHIRACKAL KOVILAKAM DEVASWAM,NEAR KADALAYI
SREEKRISHNA TEMPLE,P.O.CHIRACKAL, KANNUR - 670
001.
2 C.K.RAVINDRA VARMA RAJA
AGED 81 YEARS, KIZHAKKE KOVILAKAM,NEAR FOLKLORE
ACADEMY,P.O.CHIRACKAL, KANNUR - 670 011,
3 C.K.SURESH VARMA
AGED 45 YEARS, KALARIVATHUKKAL STREE BHAGAVATHI
KSHETHRA NAVEEKARANA SAMITHI MEMBER,PUTHIYA
KOVILKAM, NEAR CHAMUNDI KOTTAM,P.O.CHIRACKAL,
KANNUR - 670 011.
BY ADV SRI.MAHESH V RAMAKRISHNAN
RESPONDENT/S:
1 STATE OF KERALA
REPRESENTED BY PUBLIC PROSECUTOR,HIGH COURT OF
KERALA,ERNAKULAM - 682 031.
2 V.K.LALITHADEVI
W/O.T.EASHANAN, MADHUSREE,KALARIVATHUKKAL,
CRL.MC NO. 4340 OF 2018 2
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P.O.VALAPATTANAM,KANNUR - 670 010.
BY ADV SRI.P.K.RAVISANKAR
OTHER PRESENT:
SRI.SANGEETHARAJ.N.R, PP
THIS CRIMINAL MISC. CASE HAVING COME UP FOR ADMISSION
ON 08.11.2024, THE COURT ON THE SAME DAY PASSED THE
FOLLOWING:
CRL.MC NO. 4340 OF 2018 3
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P.V.KUNHIKRISHNAN, J
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Crl.M.C. No.4340 of 2018
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Dated this the 8th day of November, 2024
ORDER
This Criminal Miscellaneous case is filed to quash
the proceedings in CC No. 1213/2017 on the file of the
Judicial First Class Magistrate Court-II, Kannur. The
petitioners are the accused in the above case. The above
case is filed alleging offence punishable under Secs.4(x) of
the Protection of Civil Rights Act, 1955 (for short 'the Act,
1955'). It is a private complaint filed by the 2nd respondent.
2. The case of the complainant is that she is a
member of a community namely 'Pidarar' which was
enjoying customary right to place 'kanikka' in the
'moolabhandaram' and to receive 'Prasaadam' from Shanthi
of the temple from the 'Sopanam' of Sree Kalarivathukal
Bhagavathi Temple. It is submitted that such rights were
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st
made available to all the devotees, but the 1 accused as per
his order dated 28.11.2011 by relying on the instructions of
Sri.Kattumadam Ilayedath Illath Easanan Namboodirippad,
limited enjoyment of the above said customary rights to
Valiya Thampuram of Chirackal Kovilakam and later as per
modified order dated 06.12.2011, the rights have been
extended to all the members of the Chirackal Kovilakam
Family and thereby the customary rights of the community
of the defacto complainant and the rights of the other
backward communities, which rights existed since their
temple entry has been denied through 'untouchability' and
thereby committed the offence under Sec.4(x) of the Act,
1955. Annexure-A1 is the complaint. Annexure-A2 is the
order taking cognizance based on the complaint. According
to the petitioners, even if the entire allegations are
accepted, no offence is made out.
3. Heard the learned counsel for the
petitioners and the learned counsel appearing for the 2 nd
respondent.
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4. The offence alleged is under Sec.4(x) of the
Act, 1955. Sec. 4(x) of the Act, 1955 is extracted hereunder :
"4. Punishment for enforcing social disabilities-.
Whoever on the ground of untouchability enforces
against any person any disability with regard to
(i) xxx xxx
(ii) xxx xxx
(iii) xxx xxx
(iv) xxx xxx
(v) xxx xxx
(vi) xxx xxx
(vii) xxx xxx
(viii) xxx xxx
(x) the observance of any social or religious custom,
usage or ceremony or [taking part in, or taking out, any
religious, social or cultural procession] or
(xi) xxx xxx
shall be punishable with imprisonment for a term of not less
than one month and not more than six months and also with
fine which shall be not less than one hundred rupees and
not more than five hundred rupees. "
5. To attract the offence under Sec.4(x) of the
Act, 1955, the main ingredient is untouchability. The
accused on the ground of untouchability enforces against
any person any disability with regard to the observance of
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any social or religious custom, usage or ceremony or taking
part in or taking out any religious, social or cultural
procession is punishable as per Act, 1955. According to the
petitioners, the decision of the Executive Officer of
Chirackal Kovilakam Devaswom will attract the above
offence. Annexure-A4 is the order passed by the 1 st
petitioner and Annexure-A5 is the modified order. It will be
better to extract Annexure-A4.
"ശശ്രീ കളരരി വവാതുക്കൽ ഭഗവതരി കക്ഷേത്രതരിൽ വവച്ചു നടന്ന സസ്വർണ്ണ പ്രശശ
ചരിന്ത വരിധരി പ്രകവാരശ ചരിറക്കൽ കകവാവരിലകശ തമ്പുരവാനന് മവാത്രകമ
കസവാപവാനപടരിയരിൽ നരിന്നന് പ്രസവാദശ വകവാടുകക്കണ്ടതുള. പരിടവാര
വരിഭവാഗക്കവാരുവട ചരില ആചവാരങ്ങകളവാടന് അനുബനരിചന് പ്രസവാദശ
കസവാപവാനതരിൽ നരിന്നു മവാറരി മവാത്രകമ വകവാടുക്കുവവാൻ പവാടുള. മറ
വരിഭവാഗക്കവാർക്കുശ ഇതന് ബവാധകമവാണന്. നരിറമവാല അടക്കമുള്ള വഴരിപവാടുകൾക്കന്
കസവാപവാനതരിൽ നരിന്നന് മവാറരി മവാത്രകമ പ്രസവാദശ വകവാടുക്കുവവാൻ പവാടുള എന്നന്
കക്ഷേത്രശ തനരി നരിർകദ്ദേശരിചരിട്ടുണ്ടന്. കമൽ തനരിയുവട നരിർകദ്ദേശശ ഉതരവന്
തശ്രീയതരി മുതൽ കർശനമവായുശ പവാലരികക്കണ്ടതവാണന്."
6. Annexure-A4 was passed on 28.11.2011 and
thereafter, it was modified as per Annexure-A5 dated
06.12.2011. It will be better to extract Annexure-A5 also.
"സൂചന 4 പ്രകവാരശ കളരരി വവാതുക്കൽ ഭഗവതരി കക്ഷേത്രശ കസവാപവാന പടരിയരിൽ
നരിന്നുശ ചരിറക്കൽ കകവാവരിലകശ തമ്പുരവാനന് മവാത്രകമ നൽകുവവാൻ പവാടുള എന്നന്
ഉതരവവായരിരുന്നു. സൂചന 2, 3 പ്രകവാരശ കകവാവരിലകവത എലവാ
അശഗങ്ങൾക്കുശ സമ്പ്രദവായകമവായുശ കശ്രീഴുനടപ്പനുസരരിച്ചുശ പവാരമ്പരര്യമവായുശ മുൻ
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പതരിവനുസരരിചശ പ്രകതര്യക ആനുകൂലര്യങ്ങളശ ബഹുമതരികളശ തുടർന്നുശ
നൽകണവമന്നുശ നരിർകദ്ദേശരിചരിട്ടുണ്ടന്. ആയതരിനവാൽ കളരരി വവാതുക്കൽ ഭഗവതരി
കക്ഷേത്ര കസവാപവാന പടരിയരിൽ നരിന്നുശ "ചരിറക്കൽ തമ്പുരവാനന് മവാത്രകമ പ്രസവാദശ
നൽകുവവാൻ പവാടുള " എന്ന സൂചന 4 ഉതരവന് തരിരുതരി "ചരിറക്കൽ
കകവാവരിലകവത എലവാ അശഗങ്ങൾക്കുശ പ്രസവാദശ നൽകകണ്ടതവാണന് " എന്നന്
ഉതരവവാകുന്നു സൂചന 4 ഉതരവരിവല ബവാക്കരി ഭവാഗങ്ങൾ മുൻപ്രകവാരശ
നരിലനരിൽക്കുന്നതവാണന്.
7. From the above, it is clear that such an
order was passed based on a 'swarnaprasnam' and also as
per the direction of the 'Thanthri' of the temple. As far as
the temples are concerned, the last word is from the
'Thanthri'. A perusal of Annexures-A4 and A5 would not
show that it is issued based on any 'untouchability' as
mentioned in Sec.4 of the Act, 1955. A 'swarnaprasnam' was
conducted and based on the finding in the 'swarnaprasnam',
the Tanthri issued certain directions and accordingly,
Annexures-A4 and A5 are issued. If the 2 nd respondent is
aggrieved by the same, the remedy of the 2 nd respondent is
to approach competent civil court and establish their
customary right. It is stated by the 2 nd respondent that it is
their customary right to get the 'prasaadam' from the
'sopanam'. Several instances are mentioned in Annexure-A1
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regarding the customary rights. These rights are to be
established by the 2nd respondent before a competent civil
court. I leave open those questions. But, the question of
untouchability is not at all there. Moreover, the 'Shanthi' of
the temple itself is a person from the community of the 2 nd
respondent. The 'Shanthi' is giving 'Prasaadam'. Therefore,
there is no question of untouchability in this case.
8. Therefore, I am of the considered opinion
that the continuation of the Annexure-A1 complaint against
the petitioners are not necessary. But, I make it clear that if
the 2nd respondent has got any customary rights, they are
free to approach the competent civil court to establish the
same.
Therefore, this Criminal Miscellaneous case is
allowed. All further proceedings against the petitioners in
CC No. 1213/2017 on the file of the Judicial First Class
Magistrate Court-II, Kannur are quashed.
Sd/-
P.V.KUNHIKRISHNAN
JUDGE
SKS
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PETITIONER ANNEXURES
ANNEXURE A1 CERTIFIED COPY OF THE PRIVATE COMPLAINT
(OF THE YEAR 2013) DATED NIL.
ANNEXURE A2 CERTIFIED COPY OF THE ORDER DATED
15/09/2017 IN C.M.P.NO.6365 OF 2013 OF
THE COURT OF THE JUDICIAL FIRST CLASS
MAGISTRATE-II, KANNUR.
ANNEXURE A3 TRUE COPY OF THE JUDGMENT DATED
18/12/1981 OF THE SUBORDINATE JUDGE OF
TELLICHERRY (PAGES 1 TO 10 ONLY).
ANNEXURE A3 TRUE COPY OF THE ORDER DATED 28/11/2011
ISSUED BY THE FIRST PETITIONER HEREIN.
ANNEXURE A4 TRUE COPY OF THE MODIFIED ORDER DATED
06/12/2011 ISSUED BY THE FIRST
PETITIONER HEREIN.
