High Court of Punjab and HaryanaCRM-M/11381/2016disposed of

Tulsi Ram Mishra v. State Of Punjab & ANR

2023-09-15Mr. Justice Anupinder Singh Grewal38 pages

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The intention of the Parliament is evident from a combined reading of the first proviso to Section 19, which uses the expression 'endeavour' with the subsequent provisions. The third proviso mandates that the extended period can be granted only for one month after reasons are recorded in writing. There is no further

54/05 extension. The fourth proviso, which empowers the Central Government to prescribe necessary guidelines for ensuring the mandate, may also be noted in this regard. It can thus be concluded that the Parliament intended that the process of grant of sanction must be completed within four months, which includes the extended period of one month.

31. If it is mandatory for the sanctioning authority to decide in a time-bound manner, the consequence of noncompliance with the mandatory period must be examined. This is a critical question having no easy answer. In Subramanian Swamy, this Court suggested that Parliament may consider providing deemed sanction if a decision is not taken within the prescribed period. The Appellant herein contends the very opposite that the criminal proceedings must be quashed if the decision is not taken within the prescribed period.

32. In the first place, non-compliance with a mandatory period cannot and should not automatically lead to the quashing of criminal proceedings because the prosecution of a public servant for corruption has an element of public interest having a direct bearing on the rule of law. This is also a non-sequitur. It must also be kept in mind that the complainant or victim has no other remedy available for judicial redressal if the criminal proceedings stand automatically quashed. At the same time, a decision to grant deemed sanction may cause prejudice to the rights of the accused as there would also be non-application of mind in such cases.I 4G 5 /3 ( " " "& - ;,4-@ -4.#/-$ ;& $1 -+ '

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# - -$4-66-!&21-1 #3=- $-1-B- '6 - = /24/5/24)5 /24+5 - 8 4)5 4+5 /2 - & & ' ' /24/5 - # "7. We have heard the learned counsel for the parties at considerable length. This appeal must, in our opinion, succeed on the short ground that in the absence of a valid previous sanction required under Section 19 of the Prevention of Corruption Act, the trial court was not competent to take cognizance of the offence alleged against the appellant.

54/35

10. A plain reading of Section 19(1)(supra) leaves no manner of doubt that the same is couched in mandatory terms and forbids courts from taking cognizance of any offence punishable under Sections 7, 10, 11, 13 and 15 against public servants except with the previous sanction of the competent authority enumerated in clauses (a), (b) and (c) to sub-section (1) of Section 19. The provision contained in subsection (1) would operate in absolute terms but for the presence of sub-section (3) to Section 19 to which we shall presently turn. But before we do so, we wish to emphasise that the language employed in sub-section (1) of Section 19 admits of no equivocation and operates as a complete and absolute bar to any court taking cognizance of any offence punishable under Sections 7, 10, 11, 13 and 15 of the Act against a public servant except with the previous sanction of the competent authority.

11. A similar bar to taking of cognizance was contained in Section 6 of the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1947 which was as under:

"6.Previous sanction necessary for prosecution.-

(1) No court shall take cognizance of an offence punishable under Section 161 or Section 165 of the Penal Code, 1860 or under sub-section (2) of Section 5 of this Act, alleged to have been committed by a public servant except with the previous sanction- (a) in the case of a person who is employed in connection with the affairs of the Union and is not removable from his office save by or with the sanction of the Central Government ... of the Central Government;

54/,5 (b) in the case of a person who is employed in connection with the affairs of a State and is not removable from his office save by or with the sanction of the State Government ... of the State Government;

(2) where for any reason whatsoever any doubt arises whether the previous sanction as required under sub-section (1) should be given by the Central or State Government or any other authority, such sanction shall be given by that Government or authority which would have been competent to remove the public servant from his office at the time when the offence was alleged to have been committed."

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