JUDGEMENT
Dipak Saha Ray, J. -
(1.) THE present case arises out of an application Under Section 401 read with Section 482 of the Code of Criminal Procedure, 1973 for setting aside the orders dated 10.8.2011 and 4.11.11 passed by the Learned Metropolitan Magistrate, 3rd Court Calcutta, in C. Case No. 4027 of 2009 Under Section 138 read with Section 141 of the Negotiable Instruments Act, 1881. The relevant facts of the present case are, in a nutshell, as follows:
The Opposite Party No. 2 as petitioner filed an application Under Section 138 read with Section 141 of the Negotiable Instruments Act, 1881 which was registered as C. Case No. 4027 of 2009. In the said application it is alleged that the accused persons issued cheque for Rs. 18 lakh in respect of part refund of consideration money of the agreement which was not fulfilled by the accused persons; but the said cheque was dishonored. Accordingly, after observing all formalities under the provisions of the Negotiable Instruments Act, 1881, the petitioner filed the said application which was registered as C. Case No. 4027 of 2009. It is also the case of the present petitioner that before initiation of the said case by Opposite Party No. 2, the petitioner herein filed a petition of complaint Under Section 156(3) of the Criminal Procedure Code for sending the same to the concerned Police Station for investigation after treating the same as F.I.R. But the Learned Additional Chief Judicial Magistrate treated the said petition of complaint as complaint and examined the witnesses Under Section 200 of the Code of Criminal Procedure. Being not satisfied with the solemn affirmation of the witnesses, the Learned Magistrate directed the Officer -in -Charge of the concerned Police Station to investigate the matter and to submit report as per the provision of Section 202 of the Code of Criminal Procedure. Subsequently, after receiving the report of the concerned Police Station, the learned Magistrate issued process Under Section 384/34 of the Indian Penal Code. In the said case it has been alleged that the Accused Persons/Opposite Party Nos. 2 to 5 after trespassing into the office of the petitioners herein forced the petitioners under coercion and threat to issue post dated cheques. Subsequently, those cheques were dishonoured and in respect of one of the said cheques, C. Case No. 4027 of 2009 has been initiated. It is the further case of the petitioners that until and unless the said complaint case Under Section 384/34 of the Indian Penal Code is disposed of the instant case is required to be stayed and/or dropped.
(2.) THE Learned Counsel for the Opposite Party has submitted that on the self -same ground one application was filed Under Section 401 read with Section 482 of the Code of Criminal Procedure for stay of the proceedings of some cases Under Section 138 of the Negotiable Instruments Act, 1881 including C. Case No. 4027 of 2009 and the said Revisional Application was rejected by the Hon'ble Justice Kalidas Mukherjee. The said Judgment was not challenged. Accordingly, the petitioners are debarred from re -agitating the matter on the self -same ground before the Hon'ble High Court at Calcutta. Now, on perusal of the Judgment (at Page No. 64 of the application) passed on 11.4.11 in CRR No. 592/1030/1070/1072/1073/1071 of 2011 it appears that the subject matter and the relief prayed for in both the cases i.e., in CRR Nos. 592/1030/1070/1072/1073/1071 of 2011 and the instant case are same. What is most surprising is that the argument advanced in both the cases is more or less same and identical.
(3.) CONSIDERING the above facts and circumstances, it appears that the present petitioners have no right to pray for the relief as prayed for in this case by re -agitating the matter before this Court as the same has already been decided of by this Court in CRR Nos. 592/1030/1070/1072/1073/1071 of 2011 and the said finding has not yet been challenged.;
Click here to view full judgement.
Copyright © Regent Computronics Pvt.Ltd.