Citation : 2022 Latest Caselaw 3999 Tel
Judgement Date : 1 August, 2022
THE HONOURABLE SRI JUSTICE A.SANTHOSH REDDY
CRL.P.No.11913 OF 2014
ORDER:
This criminal petition is filed under Section 482 Cr.P.C
to quash the proceedings against the petitioner/A-3 in C.C.No.395
of 2014, on the file of the Judicial Magistrate of First Class,
Choutuppal, Yadadri Bhuvanagiri District.
2. Heard learned counsel for the petitioner, learned counsel for
the second respondent/complainant and learned Assistant Public
Prosecutor appearing for the first respondent/State. Perused the
record.
3. The second respondent filed a complaint before police
stating that he purchased a total extent of Acs.2-06 Gts., in
Sy.Nos.311 & 313 of Lingojigudem Village, Choutuppal Mandal,
Nalgonda District vide registered document No.4943 of 2011,
executed by Canara Bank Assets Recovery Management Branch,
Hyderabad, as Sri V.V.Narasimha Rao, who had purchased the said
lands from Smt.Korivi Gopamma, represented by her GPA holder
Palle Ram Reddy (A-1), had taken loan from Canara Bank and as
the said Narasimha Rao failed to repay the loan, the Bank sold the
land.
4. It is further stated that when the second respondent
approached the Tahasildar, Choutuppal Mandal, for mutation of his
name in the revenue records, he came to know that the petitioner's
name was recorded for an extent of Acs.9-37 Gts., in the said
survey numbers as purchaser from A-2 by way of registered sale
deeds dated 27.01.2005 and that the said A-2 purchased the said
lands in Sy.Nos.311 & 313 by way of registered sale deeds from
Smt. Korivi Gopamma, represented by her GPA holder A-1.
5. It is further stated in the complaint that originally Korivi
Gopamma was the pattedar of the lands admeasuring Acs.5-06
Gts., in Sy.Nos.311 & 313 and she executed a registered GPA in
favour of A-1. Based on the said GPA, A-1 executed a registered
sale deed dated 10.09.1993 in respect of land an extent of Acs.2-06
Gts., in favour of V.V.Narasimha Rao. Thus, the second
respondent's possession of the said land through his predecessor-
in-title is since 1993. The said GPA holder had again after
executed registered sale deeds in favour of A-2 in respect of
Acs.5-06 Gts., by suppressing the earlier registered sale deeds
executed in favour of V.V.Narasimha Rao for an extent of
Acs.2-06 Gts. It is stated that based on the said fraudulent sale
deeds, A-2 got mutated his name and got pattadar passbook and
title deed. Later, A-2 executed sale deed in favour of the
petitioner/A-3 again with different boundaries and the name of the
petitioner was mutated in the revenue records.
6. It is further stated that A-1, who is the GPA holder of Korivi
Gopamma, in collusion with A-2 has willfully and deliberately
executed the sale deeds in favour of A-2 with fraudulent intention
by creating false documents for their wrongful gains. Though
A-1 was not having any land available with him, he in collusion
with A-2 has fraudulently executed the registered sale deed in
favour of A-2. The said lands sold by A-1 to A-2 also include the
lands purchased by the second respondent. Thus, A-1 to A-3 have
committed of the offences of cheating and forgery.
7. Based on the above complaint, police, Choutuppal registered
a case against petitioner/A-3 and two others (A1 & A-2) for the
offences punishable under Sections 417, 420 IPC and after
completion of investigation filed charge sheet before the Judicial
Magistrate of First Class, Ramannapet, who has taken cognizance
of the same in C.C.No.395 of 2014 for the above stated offences.
Aggrieved by the same, the present criminal petition is filed.
8. Learned counsel for the petitioner contends that petitioner is
a bona fide purchaser, having purchased an extent of Acs.9-37 Gts.,
in Sy.Nos.311 & 313 for a valuable consideration from A-2.
The allegations in the complaint prima facie do not constitute any
of the offences alleged. He, therefore, prays to quash the
proceedings against the petitioner/A-3. In support of his
contentions, he relied on the judgments of the Apex Court in ANIL
MAHAN v. BHOR INDUSTRIES LTD. AND ANOTHER1 and
MOHAMMED IBRAHIM AND OTHERS v. STATE OF
BIHAR AND ANOTHER2
(2006) 1 SCC (Cri) 746
(2009) 8 SCC 751
9. Learned counsel for the second respondent contends that
there prima facie allegations in the complaint attracting the
offences of cheating and forgery and the trial court may be
permitted to proceed with the case. He, therefore, prays to dismiss
the petition.
10. A perusal of the complaint/FIR, charge sheet and the
statement of witnesses show that the petitioner purchased an extent
of Acs.9-37 Gts., in Sy.Nos.311 & 313 for a valuable sale
consideration vide registered document Nos.217 & 218 of 2005
dated 27.01.2005. Out of the said extent of Acs.9-37 Gts., it is
alleged that the said land includes the land purchased by the second
respondent in an extent of Acs.2-06 Gts. It is alleged that A-1,
who is the GPA holder of Korivi Gopamma, in collusion with A-2
has willfully and deliberately executed the sale deed in favour of
A-2 with fraudulent intention for their wrongful gains though A-1
was not having any land available with him. A-2 and A-3 colluded
with each other and with fraudulent intention has created false
registered sale deeds for their wrongful gains.
11. The main thrust of the allegations are leveled against A-1
and A-2 for having willfully and deliberately executed sale deed in
favour of A-2. Though A-1 was not having land available with
him, in collusion with A-2, has fraudulently executed registered
sale deed in favour of A-3 and thereby committed the offences of
cheating and forgery.
12. To constitute an offence under Section 420 IPC, there should
not only be cheating, but as a consequences of such cheating, the
accused should have dishonestly induced the person deceived -
(i) to deliver any property to any person, or (ii) to make, alter or
destroy wholly or in part a valuable security (or anything signed or
sealed and which is capable of being converted into a valuable
security).
13. Coming to the facts of the present case, the registered sale
deeds dated 27.01.2005 were executed by A-2 in favour of the
petitioner/A-3. The second respondent is neither a vendor nor was
any false representation or inducement was made to him by the
petitioner/A-3 to part with the sale consideration. On the one hand,
the second respondent is not a purchaser of the land from the
original owner Smt.Korivi Gopamma, represented by GPA holder
(A-1) and on the other, the petitioner/A-3, who is a purchaser of the
land from A-2, is made as a co-accused for no fault of him.
14. Undisputedly, if a person sells a property knowing that it
does not belongs to him, and thereby defrauds the person who
purchased the property, the person defrauded, that is the purchaser,
may complain that the vendor committed the fraudulent act of
cheating. But the second respondent who is not having any
relationship with petitioner/A-3 under the alleged sale deeds cannot
make the allegation that he has cheated the second respondent.
15. For the foregoing reasons, I am of the view that the entire
allegations in the complaint and charge sheet prima facie do not
make out any of the offences alleged and it appears that the matter
being essentially and purely civil in nature is being given cloak of
criminal offence, obviously to apply pressure on the accused.
Even if the allegations contained in FIR/complaint and charge
sheet are taken at their face value and accepted in their entirety,
they do not prima facie constitute any of the ingredients of the
offences alleged. Under those circumstances, the continuance of
criminal proceedings against the petitioner/A-3 would certainly
amount to abuse of process of law. It is, therefore, considered a fit
case to invoke the inherent powers of this Court under Section 482
Cr.P.C and quash further proceedings against the petitioners.
16. The criminal petition is, accordingly, allowed. The
proceedings against the petitioner/A-3 in C.C.No.395 of 2014, on
the file of the Judicial Magistrate of First Class, Choutuppal,
Yadadri Bhuvanagiri District, are hereby quashed.
17. Pending miscellaneous petitions, if any, stand closed.
_______________________ A.SANTHOSH REDDY, J 01.08.2022 Lrkm
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