- (1.) These two revision petitions bearing CRR No.1030 of 2014 (hereinafter referred to as, 'the first petition') and CRR No.2521 of 2014 (hereinafter referred to as, 'the second petition') both preferred under Section 401 Cr.P.C. though by the same accused wherein he has challenged two orders passed in two separate applications both under Section 319 Cr.P.C. for summoning certain persons detailed separately in these two applications as accused though are directed against two different orders dated 10.01.2014 and 12.02.2014 respectively whereby the trial Court of learned Special Judge, CBI, Patiala dismissed both these applications of Accused/Applicants and hence on account of consanguinity of facts and common law points involved, are thus, being taken up together as it will not only facilitate brevity but would be in the interest of justice as well.
(2.) It was during the course of usual administrative duties, Superintendent of Police, Jhajjar (Haryana) came across startling fact that certain persons numbering around 67 residing in the State of Haryana with shady background had managed to procure arms licenses from District Ferozepur (Punjab) and as a consequence of which verifications were undertaken from concerned offices at Ferozepur leading to registration of FIR No.206 dated 18.06.2001 at Police Station City Bahadurgarh (Haryana) under relevant provisions and a subsequent FIR bearing No.53 dated 25.07.2001 was registered at Police Station Ferozepur Cantt. pertaining to this revelation. From this all, it transpired that in a period of two-and-a-half years between years 1998 to 2001 more than 27000 arms licenses were got issued for various categories of fire-arms within the District of Ferozepur and all of them were under the signatures of the present petitioner Ram Gopal Sahota, PCS who at the relevant time was posted as ADC, Ferozepur and had exercised delegated powers of the District Magistrate. Faced with tardy investigations apparently on account of undesirable political interferences and clout wielded by various culprits when the investigations had hit the roadblock, a Criminal Misc. No.29290-M of 2001 was preferred by two ex-legislators namely Mohinder Kumar Rinwa, Ex MLA Fazilka and Hans Raj Jossan, Ex MLA Jalalabad (Ferozepur) and this Court vide orders dated 05.02.2002 handed over the investigations to Central Bureau of Investigation whereby the present two cases were got registered afresh on 08.04.2002 by the CBI leading to investigations and submission of two separate challans against different sets of accused including the petitioners.
(3.) It was during the course of trial after certain prosecution witnesses were examined in each of the two sessions cases, separate applications under Section 319 Cr.P.C. as detailed above were moved by the accused side and which through the impugned orders detailed above stood dismissed and that is how the accused applicants are before this Court in these two separate revision petitions. Heard Mr. Mansur Ali, Advocate for the accused/petitioners; Mr. Sukhdeep S. Sandhu, Advocate Standing Counsel for CBI as well as the counsel representing various private respondents and perused the records of the case.;