MEHTA, J. -
(1.) THE present revision petition has been preferred on
behalf of the petitioners challenging the order dated 16.6.2011 passed by the
Additional Sessions Judge, Sujangarh, District Churu in Sessions Case No.
15/2008 (State vs. Aslam and Ors.), whereby charges have been framed against the petitioners for the offences under Sections 148, 365, 367, 323/149, 324/149,
325/149, 326/149 and 307/149, I.P.C.
(2.) LEARNED counsel for the petitioners, while arguing the revision petition against the impugned order, has proposed not to press the revision petition so
far as petitioner No.4, Aslam is concerned and thus, he limited his arguments
challenging the impugned order of the trial Judge to the extent petitioners Om
Prakash, Vijay Kumar and Manoj Kumar are concerned. Learned counsel
submits that in this case the "Parcha-Bayan" of one Seeta Ram was recorded
at the Shekhawati Hospital on 19.5.208, as per which when the injured was
going towards the house of Vijay Singh on 18.5.2008 at about 3.00 p.m., a car
over-took his car and stopped it. From that car, Manish, Aslam and five to
seven other persons surrounded the car of the complainant, pulled him out
from the car and forcibly put him in the car of the accused persons. Then he
was taken to Naya Bazar Chowk, where Manish Harijan assaulted him with a
knife on the right hand and thereafter he was beaten indiscriminately by
lathis, sariyas etc. and thereby numerous injuries were inflicted and caused on
him. The first informant shouted and then became unconscious. On the basis
of the said "Parcha-Bayan", an FIR No. 75/2008 was registered at Police
Station, Sujangarh and the investigation ensued. During the course of
investigation, the statement of injured Seeta Ram was recorded under Section
161 Gr.P.C. and in this statement as well, the names of only two assailants, viz., Manish Harijan and Aslam were disclosed and no other accused was
named by the injured. The statements of various other persons, viz. Rajendra,
Sarvesh, Roopa Ram and Leeladhar were recorded, who named only Manish
Harijan and Aslam as the assailants. Witnesses Manoj Godara and Panna Lal
Prajapat were also examined, who, though had taken the injured to the
hospital but do not claim to have seen any assailant.
It is disclosed from the record that the principal accused are Aslam and Manish Harijan and at the instance of these accused persons, certain
recoveries were also effected. The petitioners Om Prakash, Vijay Kumar and
Manoj were arrested on 25.8.2008, 01.11.2008 and 10.12.2008 respectively. A
lathi is said to have been recovered at the instance of petitioner Vijay Kumar.
The charge-sheet filed against the petitioners does not reveal as to what was
the incriminating material against the petitioners. Be that as it may, after filing
of the charge-sheet, the matter was committed to the Court of the Additional
Sessions Judge, Sujangarh, who, by the impugned order dated 16.6.2011, has
framed the charges against the petitioners. Being aggrieved whereof, the
petitioners have preferred the present revision petition.(3.) ASSAILING the impugned order of the trial Judge, learned counsel for the petitioners submits hat the learned trial Judge himself has observed at
page No.2 of the impugned order that none of the witnesses of the
prosecution has named the petitioners as the assailants and that no test
identification parade has been conducted for establishing the identity of the
petitioners as the assailants. The observation made by he learned trial Judge
at page No.2 of the impugned order reads as under :
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Despite that the learned trial Judge has framed the charges against the
petitioners simply because he investigating officer chose to file a charge-sheet
against the petitioners. Learned counsel for the petitioners submits that the
learned trial Judge is not the mouth piece of the prosecution and that
consideration of a sessions case at the state of framing of charges is not a
mechanical exercise. He submits that the trial Judge has committed grave
error and illegality in framing charges against the petitioners for the aforesaid
offences despite making the aforesaid observation that there was no evidence
as per the charge-sheet to connect the petitioners with the crime. He further
submits that the impugned order, whereby the charges have been framed
against the petitioners, entails a grave consequence because the same
virtually amounts to directing the innocent persons to face the trial for the
offences involving life imprisonment, thus, he submits that the impugned
order virtually amounts to an invasion of the fundamental right, i.e. right to life,
guaranteed under Article 21 of the Constitution of India.;