Citation : 2026 Latest Caselaw 182 Tel
Judgement Date : 31 March, 2026
IN THE HIGH COURT FOR THE STATE OF TELANGANA
AT HYDERABAD
THE HONOURABLE SRI JUSTICE J.SREENIVAS RAO
CRIMINAL PETITION No.4611 of 2026
Date: 31.03.2026
Between:
K.Kishore Kumar Solanki
...Petitioner
AND
The State of Telangana,
Rep. by its Public Prosecutor,
High Court for the State of Telangana,
at Hyderabad and another
...Respondents
ORDER
This Criminal Petition is filed by the petitioner/accused,
seeking to quash the proceedings in C.C.No.1607 of 2025 on the
file of the learned II Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate at
Nampally, Hyderabad.
2. Heard Mr.Parikshith Kutur, learned counsel for the
petitioner and Mr.Jithender Rao Veeramalla, learned Additional
Public Prosecutor appearing for respondent No.1.
3. With the consent of both the learned counsel, the criminal
petition is disposed of at the admission stage on the ground that
even according to the learned counsel for the petitioner, the matter
before the learned Trial Court has not ripened for the trial yet. In
view of the same, notice in respect of respondent No.2 is dispensed
with.
4. Learned counsel for the petitioner submits that the learned
Magistrate, without recording satisfaction and without assigning
any reasons, has taken cognizance against the petitioner and
issued summons mechanically and passed cryptic docket order
on 22.02.2025. Therefore, the docket order passed by the learned
Magistrate is liable to be quashed.
5. Learned Assistant Public Prosecutor has not opposed the
submissions made by the learned counsel for the petitioner.
6. Having considered the rival submissions made by the
respective parties and after perusal of the material available on
record, it reveals that the learned Magistrate has taken
cognizance, without recording satisfaction and without assigning
any reasons against the accused and not against the offences,
through the docket order dated 22.02.2025.
7. It is very much relevant to mention that in Sunil Bharati
Mittal v. Central Bureau of Investigation 1 the Hon'ble Supreme
Court held that the order of issuing process to accused to face
criminal trial is a serious issue. Such summoning cannot be done
on mere asking and the Court has to record reasons for
summoning a person. In GHCL Employees Stock Option Trust
v. India Infoline Limited2, the Hon'ble Apex Court found fault
with the order of the Magistrate in issuing summons when the
Magistrate has not recorded his satisfaction about the prima facie
case against the accused. In Chief Enforcemnet Officer v.
Videocon International Limited3, the Hon'ble Supreme Court
while discussing the expression 'cognizance' held that in
criminal law 'cognizance' means becoming aware of and the
word used with respect to Court or a Judge initiating proceedings
in respect of an offence. Taking cognizance would involve
application of mind by the Magistrate to the suspected
commission of an offence. The Hon'ble Supreme Court in Sunil
Bharati Mittal's case (Supra), further held as follows:
(2015) 4 SCC 609
(2013) 4 SCC 505
(2008) 2 SCC 492
"Sine Qua Non for taking cognizance of the offence is the application of mind by the Magistrate and his satisfaction that the allegations, if proved, would constitute an offence. It is, therefore, imperative that on a complaint or on a police report, the Magistrate is bound to consider the question as to whether the same discloses commission of an offence and is required to form such an opinion in this respect. When he does so and decides to issue process, he shall be said to have taken cognizance. At the stage of taking cognizance, the only consideration before the Court remains to consider judiciously whether the material on which the prosecution proposes to prosecute the accused brings out a prima facie case or not."
8. In Fakhruddin Ahmad v. State of Uttaranchal and
another 4, it is held as follows:
"Nevertheless, it is well settled that before a Magistrate can be said to have taken cognizance of an offence, it is imperative that he must have taken notice of the accusations and applied his mind to the allegations made in the complaint or in the police report or the information received from a source other than a police report, as the case may be, and the material filed therewith. It needs little emphasis that it is only when the Magistrate applies his mind and is satisfied that the allegations, if proved, would constitute an offence and decides to initiate proceedings against the alleged offender, that it can be positively stated that he has taken cognizance of the offence. Cognizance is in regard to the offence and not the offender."
9. In view of the observations and directions of the Hon'ble
Supreme Court in the judgments referred to supra, the act of
issuing process of summoning the accused to face criminal trial
is a serious issue and such orders directing summons to a person
to face criminal trial cannot be on the basis of cryptic orders and
it should be an order reflecting application of mind by the
Presiding Officer while taking cognizance and issuing process.
(2008) 17 SCC 157
10. For the foregoing reasons and in view of the principles laid
down by the Hon'ble Apex Court in the judgments cited supra,
and without going into the other grounds, this Court is of the
considered view that docket order dated 22.02.2025 passed by
the learned II Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate at
Nampally, Hyderabad in C.C.No.1607 of 2025 is liable to be
quashed and accordingly quashed. However, this order will not
preclude the learned Magistrate from taking cognizance and
passing orders afresh in accordance with law, by giving reasons.
11. Accordingly, the criminal petition is disposed of.
Pending miscellaneous applications, if any, shall stand
closed.
____________________________ JUSTICE J. SREENIVAS RAO 31.03.2026 Note: Issue C.C. in one week b/o.
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