S.K.Sivakumar v. The Secretary To Government
IN THE HIGH COURT OF JUDICATURE AT MADRAS
DATED: 22.02.2019
CORAM:
THE HONOURABLE MR.JUSTICE G.K.ILANTHIRAIYAN W.P.No.18526 of 2016 and W.M.P. No.16210 of 2016 S.K.Sivakumar ...
Petitioner Vs.
1. The Secretary to Government, Rep. by the State of Tamil Nadu, Home Department, Secretariat, Chennai - 9.
2. The Superintendent of Police, Superintendent of Police Office, Cuddalore - 607 001.
3. Selvam ... Respondents Prayer :
Writ petition filed under Article 226 of the Constitution of India to direct the respondents 1 & 2 to register an FIR against the 3rd respondent for illegal detention, torture and causing grievous injuries to the petitioner under different provisions of the IPC and the Protection of Human Rights Act, 1993, direct investigation of the same by a Police Officer of good reputation and unimpeachable integrity and not less than rank of DSP of the CBCID, award compensation of Rs.20 lakhs. For Petitioner : Mr.B. Abdul Samath For Respondents: Mr.M.Mohamed Riyaz Additional Public Prosecutor for RR1 and 2 Mr.Rajakumar Sahoo for R3
O R D E R
This writ petition has been filed to direct the respondents 1 & 2 to register an FIR against the 3rd respondent for illegal detention, torture and causing grievous injuries to the
petitioner under different provisions of the IPC and the Protection of Human Rights Act, 1993 and further direct to investigate the same by a Police Officer of good reputation and unimpeachable integrity and not less than rank of DSP of the CBCID, award compensation of Rs.20 lakhs.
2.Heard Mr.B.Abdul Samath, learned counsel for the petitioner, Mr.M.Mohammed Riyaz, learned Additional Public Prosecutor for the respondents 1 and 2 and Mr.Rajakumar Sahoo, learned counsel appearing for the 3rd respondent. 3.In view of the Judgment of the Hon'ble Division Bench of this Court in Crl.O.P.(MD)No.13681 of 2018 and batch of cases, dated 20.09.2018, the petition of this nature is not maintainable before this Court. The relevant portion of the said order is extracted herewith:- "35.Accordingly, we answer the references in the following manner, while giving certain directions:
(i) Section 482 Cr.P.C. cannot be invoked in all circumstances.
(ii) It is not an alternative remedy to Section 156(3) Cr.P.C. but a repository of inherent power.
(iii) The normal course of remedy on a failure or refusal to record the information is Section 156
(3) of the Code of Criminal Procedure after due compliance of Section 154(3) Cr.P.C.
(iv) A petition can be filed invoking the inherent jurisdiction of this Court only after the completion of 15 days from the date of receipt of the information by the Station House Officer. The Registry shall not receive any petition before the expiry of 15 days aforesaid.
(v) No petition shall be entertained without exhausting the remedy under Section 154(3) Cr.P.C. (vi) An informant can send substance of the information to the Superintendent of Police on knowing the decision of the Station House Officer in not registering the case and proceeding with the preliminary enquiry.
After conducting the preliminary enquiry, the Station House Officer's decision in either registering the compliant or closing it will have to be intimated to the informant immediately and in any case not later than 7 days. Once such a decision is made, the informant cannot invoke Section 482 Cr.P.C.as the remedy lies elsewhere.
(vii) The directions issued by the Director General of Police in the circulars referred are to
be strictly complied with by all the Station House Officers.
(viii) The affidavit to be filed shall contain particulars regarding the date of complaint, receipt and the date of sending substances of the information to the superintendent of Police under Section 154(3) Cr.P.C. and its receipt. The Registry shall not number any petition without due compliance.
(ix) This Court is not bound to direct the police to register the complaint in all cases not withstanding the breach of time table furnished in Lalitha Kumari's case.
(x) The judicial Magistrates, while dealing the petitions under Sections 156(3) Cr.P.C. are directed to keep in mind the narratives in Lalitha Kumari's case with specific reference to the cases, which might require a preliminary enquiry before issuing a direction to investigate and after careful perusal of the complaint. The other directions issued by the learned Single Judge in Sugesan Transport's case are upheld.
(xi) Eschewing Section 156(3) Cr.P.C. is only on exceptional and rarest of rare cases. Monstrosity of the offence, extreme official apathy and indifference, need to answer the judicial conscience, and existence of hostile environment are few of the factors to be borne in mind to bring a case under the rarest of rare one."
However, liberty is granted to the petitioner to work out his remedy in accordance with the guidelines given by the Hon'ble Division Bench in the decision referred supra.
4. With the above direction, this Writ Petition is disposed of. No Costs. Consequently, connected miscellaneous petition is closed.
Sd/- Assistant Registrar(CS V) //True Copy// Sub Assistant Registrar vsi2/ssr
To
1. The Secretary to Government, Home Department, Secretariat, Chennai - 9.
2. The Superintendent of Police, Superintendent of Police Office, Cuddalore - 607 001.
3. The Public Prosecutor, High Court, Madras.
+1cc to Mr.B. Abdul Samath, Advocate, S.R.No.17422 W.P.No.18526 of 2016 SJV(CO) CS/04/04/2019