BHOOP SINGH Vs. STATE
LAWS(RAJ)-1973-4-5
HIGH COURT OF RAJASTHAN
Decided on April 17,1973

BHOOP SINGH Appellant
VERSUS
STATE Respondents

JUDGEMENT

- (1.) IN chamber This is a reference submitted by Mr. T. R. Sharma, Sessions Judge, Bharatpur, recommending that the order of the Sub-divisional Magistrate, Bharatpur, passed on October 27, 1971, whereby he commenced proceedings under sec. 107/117, Cr. P. C, against party No. 2 Bhoop Singh and others, residents of Dayawali, police station, Nadbai, be quashed and set aside.
(2.) IT appears that on the aforesaid date Circle Inspector (Halka Girdawar) had submitted a report that Bhoop Singh and others had wrongfully brought under the plough, pasture and 'ghair Mumkin' passage land (Khasra No. 782), situate in village Dayawali and that they were likely to commit breach of the peace or disturb the public tranquillity. On receipt of the above report the Sub-divisional Magistrate ordered the registration of the case u/ss. 107/117 Cr. P. C. , and directed that warrants of arrest should be issued against Bhoop Singh and others for compelling their attendance before the Court. Aggrieved by that order, Bhoop Singh preferred a revision-petition in the court of the Sessions Judge, Bharatpur. Learned Sessions Judge made the following observation : - "it (Sec. 107, Cr. P. C.) can hardly be invoked in order to oust a trespasser from Government land as has been done by the learned Sub-Divisional Magistrate in the present case. In my opinion, the order cannot be sustained and it is a fit case for being reported to the Hon'ble High Court under sec. 438 of the Cr. P. C. " He has accordingly submitted this reference to quash the impugned order. There is ample material in the judgment of the learned Sessions Judge, Bharatpur, to show that proceedings under sec. 107, Cr. P. C, are not quite appropriate in the circumstances of the present case. There is no doubt that there was a keen dispute about Khasra No. 782, situate in village Gayawali. This is evident from the explanation furnished by the Sub-Divisional Magistrate. From his report it appears that Boop Singh and others trespassed into Khasra No. 782 of village Dayawali. Accor-ding to him the land in dispute had already been alloted to 13 persons of scheduled castes and scheduled tribes of the same village. As a result of the trespass the allottees and the trespassers had a fight and that it resulted in a criminal case pending in the court of the Munsiff-Magistrate, Bharatpur. In a case like this the proper procedure would have been to institute proceedings under sec. 145. Cr. P. C. and to decide the dispute as to possession once for all so far as the criminal court is concerned. The learned Magistrate, however, has not adopted that course. Another course, which was open to the Magistrate was to initiate proceeding under sec. 107, Cr. P. C. against both the parties to the dispute and to bind down the party which was proved to be not in possession of the land. Learned Magistrate has, on the other hand, chosen to proceed only against Bhoop Singh and others. Besides, in the present proceeding under sec. 107, Cr. P. C, the learned Magistrate while passing an order for the issue of process against party No. 2 failed to specify in what way and with reference to what matter they were likely to commit a breach of the peace or in what way they were likely to do a wrongful act which might occasion a breach of the peace. It is not difficult to say that a vague proceeding like this cannot be supported. In the light of the above discussion and having regard to the circumstances of the case, I set aside the order, dated October 27, 1971, of the Sub-divisional Magistrate, Bharatpur, directing proceedings under sec. 107/117, Cr. P. C, to be drawn up against Bhoop Singh and others and quash the proceedings. I may, however, observe that if the Magistrate is satisfied at any time that there is an apprehension of breach of the peace arising out of the dispute between the two parties Bhoop Singh and others on the one side and the persons of the scheduled castes and scheduled tribes on the other, with regard to the land in question, the proper course for him would be to institute proceedings under sec. 145. Cr. P. C. or to proceed under sec. 107, Cr. P. C. , against both the parties, binding down the party who is proved to be not in possession of the land. .;


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