KALLU NAT ALIAS MAYANK KUMAR NAGAR v. STATE OF U.P. AND ANR

Citation: [2025] 8 S.C.R. 611, 2025 INSC 930

Court: Supreme Court of India

Bench: J.B. Pardiwala and R. Mahadevan, JJ.

Judgment text

SUPREME COURT OF INDIA Kallu Nat Alias Mayank Kumar Nagar v. State of U. P. and Anr. [2025] 8 S. C. R. 611 : 2025 INSC 930 Kallu Nat Alias Mayank Kumar Nagar v. State of U. P. and Anr. (Special Leave Petition (Criminal) No. 10010 of 2025) 05 August 2025 [J. B. Pardiwala* and R. Mahadevan, JJ. ] Issue for Consideration Whether the Court of Session, without itself recording evidence, can summon a person to stand trial in exercise of its powers u/s. 193, Code of Criminal Procedure, 1973 as an accused (along with others committed to it by a Magistrate) on the basis of materials in the form of statements and other documents as contained in the final report of the investigating officer u/s. 173, CrPC independently of the provisions of s. 319 of the said Code. Headnotes† Code of Criminal Procedure, 1973 - Chapter XIV - s.

193 - Cognizance of offences by Courts of Session - "cognizance"; "taking cognizance" - Whether the Court of Session, without itself recording evidence, can summon a person to stand trial in exercise of its powers u/s. 193 as an accused (along with others committed to it by a Magistrate) on the basis of materials in the form of statements and other documents as contained in the final report of the investigating officer u/s. 173 independently of the provisions of s. 319: Held: The Court of Session has power u/s. 193 to summon a person as accused to stand trial, even if he has not been chargesheeted by the police and whose complicity in the crime appears in the evidence available on record - Both u/ss. 209 and 193, CrPC respectively, commitment is of, the "case" and not of the "accused" as distinguished from s. 193(3) and s.

207A respectively of the old Code where commitment was of the "accused" and not the "case" - For committing a case there must be an offence and involvement of a person who committed the same - Even though the case is committed yet cognizance taken is of the offence and not the offender - Once the case in respect of the offence qua the * Author 612 accused, who are before the Court, is committed and cognizance is taken, the embargo u/s. 193 regarding taking cognizance only by committal goes - Summoning additional persons will then be regarded as incidental to the cognizance already taken on committal and as, a part, of, the normal process that follows - A fresh committal of such person is not necessary - Further, s.

319(4)(b) enacts a deeming provision in that behalf dispensing with the formal committal order by providing that the person added will be deemed to have been an accused even when cognizance was taken first - Proceedings could be instituted and cognizance taken also against persons not known at that time - Once the Court takes cognizance of the offence (not of the offender), it becomes the Court's duty to find out the real offenders and if it comes to the conclusion that besides the persons put up for trial by the police some others are also involved in the commission of the crime, it is the Court's duty to summon them to stand trial along with those already named, since summoning them would only be part of the process of taking cognizance - Constitution Bench judgment in Dharam Pal case, explained. [Paras 90, 103] Code of Criminal Procedure, 1973 - s. 193 - Cognizance of offences by Courts of Session - Rape and murder of Respondent No.

2-complainant's wife - Crime Branch gave clean chit to the petitioner herein and the charge-sheet was filed only against the co-accused - Case came to be committed u/s. 209, CrPC being exclusively triable by the Court of Session - Respondent No. 2 filed application u/s.

193 seeking to summon the petitioner as an accused - Application allowed by trial court - Order affirmed by High Court - Correctness: Held: No error in the impugned order - Upon the committal by the Magistrate, the Court of Sessions is empowered to take cognizance of the whole of the incident constituting the offence - The Court of Sessions is thus invested with the complete jurisdiction to summon any individual accused of the crime - The Court of Session takes cognizance of the case or the offence as a whole and, therefore, is entitled to summon anyone who, on the material before it, appears to be guilty of such offence to stand trial before it - The whole of the incident constituting the offence is to be taken cognizance of by the Court of Session on commitment and not that every individual offender must be so committed or that in case it is not so done then the Court of Session would be powerless to proceed against Kallu Nat Alias Mayank Kumar Nagar v. State of U. P. and Anr.

persons regarding whom it may be fully convinced at the very threshold of the trial that they are prima facie guilty of the crime as well - Plea of the petitioner that he could have been summoned as an accused only during the course of trial under the provisions of s. 319 is incorrect. [Paras 80, 82, 84, 101, 104] Code of Criminal Procedure, 1973 - Chapter XIV, XVI, XVIII - s. 190; ss. 207-209, 225-228 - Committal of Case by a Magistrate to the Court of Sessions - Role of the Court of Session after the case is committed to it by the Magistrate u/s. 209 - Offences triable exclusively by the Court of Sessions - Whether cognizance is taken by the Magistrate or Court of Sessions: Held: s. 190 empowers the Magistrate with the discretion to decide whether cognizance of an offence should be taken or not, by application of his mind, there is no provision of the same similitude as s.

190, which empowers the Court of Session to do so, in respect of cases committed to it by the Magistrate - The only limited power that the Court of Session has over the order of committal passed by the Magistrate, is to ascertain and re-decide if the offence is one exclusively triable by it or not - Unlike a Magistrate, who is empowered in terms of s. 190 of the Code, to drop proceedings where after application of his mind, he comes to the finding that there is no offence for taking cognizance to initiate proceedings in respect of, the Court of Session is not empowered to drop the proceedings in the case committed to it, it is only empowered to either proceed to frame charges against the accused or to discharge the accused or if such offence is not exclusively triable by it, transfer the case back to the Magistrate, again for the purpose of commencement of trial by such Magistrate - This also, when seen in light of the expression "any offence" used in s.

190 of the Code, clearly indicates that it is the Magistrate who is not only empowered but also indeed does take cognizance of an offence even if the same is triable exclusively by the Court of Session. [Para 71] Words and Phrases - "Cognizance"; "Taking cognizance"; "discharge"; "any offence"; "the accused appears or is brought before the Magistrate"; "during, and until the conclusion of, the trial" - Purport and meaning - Code of Criminal Procedure, 1973 - Chapter XIV, XV, XVI, XVIII - ss. 190, 209 - Discussed. [Paras 19-24, 54, 56, 65, 66, 71] 614 Code of Criminal Procedure, 1973 - s. 193 - Cognizance of offences by Courts of Session - Object and purpose, stated - Code of Criminal Procedure, 1898 - s. 193 - s. 193 old Code vis-à-vis s. 193, Code of 1973. [Paras 72-74, 77-80, 82, 84] Code of Criminal Procedure, 1973 - s. 190 - Cognizance of offences by Magistrates - Three distinct points of origin of the criminal machinery - Position of law, stated.

[Paras 25-27, 29-31, 33, 35-37, 40-43] Code of Criminal Procedure, 1973 - s. 202 - Postponement of issue of process - Inquiry under - Scope: Held: The scope of inquiry u/s. 202 is limited to the ascertainment of the truth or falsehood of the allegation made in the complaint (i) on the materials placed by the complainant before the court; and (ii) for limited purpose of finding out whether a prima facie case for issue of process has been made out. [Para 41] Case Law Cited Dharam Pal & Ors. v. State of Haryana & Anr. [2013] 13 SCR 1052 : (2014) 3 SCC 306 - explained. Balveer Singh & Anr. v. State of Rajasthan [2016] 2 SCR 504 : (2016) 6 SCC 680; Chief Enforcement Officer v. Videocon International Ltd. [2008] 2 SCR 36 : (2008) 2 SCC 492; R. R. Chari v. State of U. P. [1951] 1 SCR 312 : AIR 1951 SC 207; Sarah Mathew v. Institute of Cardio Vascular Diseases [2013] 12 SCR 674 : (2014) 2 SCC 62; Darshan Singh Ram Kishan v. State of Maharashtra [1972] 1 SCR 571 : (1971) 2 SCC 654; Mohd.

Yousuf v. Afaq Jahan [2006] 1 SCR 1 : (2006) 1 SCC 627; S. R. Sukumar v. S. Sunaad Raghuram [2015] 9 SCR 1105 : (2015) 9 SCC 609; Mona Panwar v. High Court of Judicature of Allahabad [2011] 2 SCR 413 : (2011) 3 SCC 496; Maksud Saiyed v. State of Gujarat [2007] 9 SCR 1113 : (2008) 5 SCC 668; Tula Ram v. Kishore Singh [1978] 1 SCR 615 : (1977) 4 SCC 459; Kewal Krishan v. Suraj Bhan, 1981 SCC (Cri) 438; Rameshbhai Pandurao Hedau v. State of Gujarat [2010] 3 SCR 522 : (2010) 4 SCC 185; Ramdev Food Products Pvt. Ltd. v. State of Gujarat [2015] 5 SCR 283 : (2015) 6 SCC 439; Raghubans Dubey v. State of Bihar, 1967 Cri LJ 1081 (SC); Pradeep S. Wodeyar v. State of Karnataka [2021] 11 SCR 985 : (2021) 19 SCC 62; Nahar Singh v. State of U. P. [2022] 2 SCR 795 : (2022) 5 SCC 295; Joginder Singh v. State Kallu Nat Alias Mayank Kumar Nagar v. State of U. P. and Anr. of Punjab reported,1979 Cri LJ 333 (Para 6); Kishun Singh v. State of Bihar [1993] 1 SCR 31 : (1993) 2 SCC 16; W. B. v. Mohd.

Khalid [1994] Supp. 6 SCR 1 : (1995) 1 SCC 684; Ranjit Singh v. State of Punjab [1998] Supp. 2 SCR 8 : (1998) 7 SCC 149; Hareram Satpathy v. Tikaram Agarwala [1979] 1 SCR 349 : (1978) 4 SCC 58 : AIR 1978 SC 1568 : (1978) Cri LJ 1687; A. R. Antulay v. Ramdas Sriniwas Nayak [1984] 2 SCR 914 : (1984) 2 SCC 500 - referred to. List of Acts Code of Criminal Procedure, 1973; Penal Code, 1860. Books and Periodicals Cited Black's Law Dictionary - referred to.

List of Keywords Section 193, Code of Criminal Procedure, 1973; Section 319, Code of Criminal Procedure, 1973; Section 190, Code of Criminal Procedure, 1973; Cognizance; Taking cognizance; Commitment of the case; Cognizance of offences by Courts of Session; Cognizance of offences by Magistrates; Power to proceed against other persons appearing to be guilty of offence; Chapter XIV, XV, XVI, XVIII, Code of Criminal Procedure, 1973; Inquiry; Offences triable exclusively by the Court of Sessions; Summon a person as accused; Committal of case by a Magistrate to the Court of Sessions; Name dropped from charge-sheet; Extra judicial confession; Transfer of investigation; Summoning additional persons; Summoning the additional accused; Court's duty to find out the real offenders; Complaint; Trial; Conscious application of mind; Ascertainment of the truth or falsehood of the allegation; Court of Sessions; Suddenly went missing; Extra-marital affair; Last seen theory; Murder; Application under section 193 CrPC; Pre-trial stage; Stage of inquiry; Discharge of accused.

Case Arising From EXTRAORDINARY CRIMINAL APPELLATE JURISDICTION: Special Leave Petition (Criminal) No. 10010 of 2025 From the Judgment and Order dated 03. 04. 2025 of the High Court of Judicature at Allahabad in CRR No. 6732 of 2024 616 Appearances for Parties Advs. for the Petitioner: Vikas Upadhyay, Ms. Ankita Kashyap, Shiva Narang, Ranveer Singh. Judgment / Order of the Supreme Court Judgment J. B. Pardiwala, J. For the convenience of exposition, this judgment is divided in the following parts: - INDEX* A. FACTUAL MATRIX .......................................................................... 3 B. IMPUGNED ORDER ........................................................................ 10 C. SUBMISSIONS ON BEHALF OF THE PETITIONER ................... 12 D. ISSUE FOR DETERMINATION ............................................................ 15 E. ANALYSIS ........................................................................................ 15 i.

What is the import and purport of 'Cognizance' under the scheme of the Code of Criminal Procedure, 1973? .......... 15 a. Meaning of the expression 'Cognizance' and 'Taking Cognizance' under Chapter XIV of the Code ................... 15 b. Cognizance of offences by Magistrates and the Three Distinct Points of Origin of the Criminal Machinery under the Code. ............................................................................ 20 I. On the basis of a Complaint ....................................... 21 ii. Who takes Cognizance of Offence exclusively triable by Court of Sessions under the Code? ..................................... 36 a. Role of the Magistrate where the Offence is exclusively triable by a Court of Session .............................................. 37 I. Chapter XVI - Section(s) 207, 208 and 209 of the Code and Committal of Case by a Magistrate to the Court of Sessions ..................................................................... * Ed.

Note: Pagination as per the original Judgment. Kallu Nat Alias Mayank Kumar Nagar v. State of U. P. and Anr. b. Role of the Court of Session after the case is committed to it by the Magistrate under Section 209 of the Code ........ 48 c. Object and Purpose underlying Section 193 of the Code ... 60 d. How the decision of this Court in Dharam Pal should be understood ........................................................................ 69 F. CONCLUSION .................................................................................. 83 1. This petition arises from the order passed by the High Court of judicature at Allahabad dated 03. 04. 2025 in Criminal Revision No. 6732 of 2024 (for short, the "Impugned Order") by which the High Court rejected the revision application filed by the petitioner-herein and thereby affirmed the order passed by the Additional District and Sessions Judge-Fast Track Court (Crime against women) Kanpur Dehat below disposal proposal paper no.

92 of 2019 arising from the First Information Report bearing case crime no. 402 of 2018 lodged with the police station Shivali, District Kanpur Dehat for the offence punishable under Section(s) 302 and 376 of the Indian Penal Code, 1860 (for short, the "IPC"). A. FACTUAL MATRIX 2. The respondent No. 2 herein (original first informant) is the husband of the victim (deceased). The victim all of a sudden went missing on 21. 11. 2018. On 24. 11. 2018 the dead body of the victim was recovered somewhere from the bushes lying on the outskirts of the village. In such circumstances the first informant i. e. the husband lodged a First Information Report at the concerned police station. In the FIR the first informant named one Ajay as the suspect. The first informant alleged that Ajay had an extra-marital affair with his wife (victim) and was last seen with the victim and accordingly he alleged that Ajay might have been involved in the murder of his wife.

In the course of the investigation, the name of the petitioner-herein surfaced. Some of the witnesses in their police statements recorded under Section 161 of the CrPC stated that the petitioner herein had made an extra judicial confession about his involvement in the 618 alleged crime. Later the investigation came to be transferred to the Crime Branch. The transfer of investigation took place sometime in 2019. The Crime Branch gave a clean chit to the petitioner-herein. On 21. 02. 2019 chargesheet came to be filed only against Ajay. The name of the present petitioner was dropped from the chargesheet. 3. On 11. 03. 2019 the case came to be committed under Section 209 of the Code of Criminal Procedure, 1973 (for short, the "CrPC") being exclusively triable by the Court of Session. Ajay Kumar (accused) against whom chargesheet was filed was brought before the trial court on 02. 04. 2019 for the purpose of framing of charge. However, on the same day i. e. 02. 04. 2019 the respondent No.

2 (husband of the victim) filed an application under Section 193 of the CrPC seeking to summon the petitioner-herein as an accused. It took almost five years for the trial court to decide the application preferred by the respondent No. 2 under Section 193 of the CrPC seeking to summon the petitioner-herein as an accused. 4. The trial court in exercise of powers under Section 193 of the CrPC ordered that the petitioner-herein shall be summoned as an accused in connection with the crime referred to above and be put to trial along with Ajay. 5. The order passed by the trial court reads thus: - "Heard and properly examined the file. It is clear from the perusal of the file that in the present case, complainant Vijaylal has registered an FIR on 24. 11. 2018 at Police Station- Shivli, Kanpur Dehat, regarding the murder of his wife/deceased Shivwati between 21. 11. 2018 and 24. 11. 2018. The First Information Report was registered against accused Ajay Kumar under Section-302 IPC.

On behalf of the complainant, Proforma Paper No. 5B has been presented and it has been stated that till the time of filing the report, the applicant/ complainant was not aware of the name of the proposed opponent. But during the investigation, the name of the accused has come to light and sufficient evidence is also available in the case diary, on the basis of which a request has been made to summon the opponent Mayank Kumar Nagar alias Kallu Nat. Kallu Nat Alias Mayank Kumar Nagar v. State of U. P. and Anr. The statement in the case diary number-2 states that his wife Shivwati had illicit relations with the cousin" of this witness. On '21,11. 2018 at around 7 pm his wife went out on the pretext of defecation and has not returned home since then. On 21. 11. 2018 at around 8 pm Pushpa Devi, Deepu and Vinod of the village told that they saw his wife Shivwati going towards the forest with his cousin Ajay Kumar. On 24. 11.

2018, at around 5 pm, when they reached the wasteland while searching, they found the dead body of his wife lying in the bushes. A noose of sal was tied around her neck. His wife was killed by his cousin Ajay Kumar by putting a noose of sal around her neck due to Illicit relations. In the statement of Renu, who is the sister-in-law of the victim/deceased Shivwati, it is mentioned in the case diary number-l0 that her sister-in-law's conduct was not good, she had a love affair with her aunt's son Ajay and Kallu Nat, who had come with Ajay, also had a relationship with her sister-in-law Shivwati. On 21. 11. 2018, Kallu Nat had dropped her sister-in-law home on a motorcycle in the evening. The next day on 22. 11. 2018, he came home early in the morning on the pretext of buying a buffalo. Whereas Kallu Nat is fully aware that there is no buffalo for sale in this house. His sister-in law stayed with him the whole day on 21/11/2018 from here to the hospital and from the hospital to here.

The justification of coming on the morning of 22/11/2018 is doubtful. In the case diary slip number - 10 itself, the statement of witness Framed Kumar is recorded that his father Sundar was ill, who was admitted in Kiran Hospital, his sister-in- law Mrs. Shivwati came to see his father in Kiran Hospital Kanpur city on 21. 11. 2018, who was brought by a person on a motorcycle, when she asked, he said that he was her brother-in-law from the village. At that time, this witness's brother-in-law and brother-in-law's son in-law were in the hospital, who knew that person. Neeraj's statement is mentioned in case diary paper number 10 that his brother-in-law Pramod's father Sundar 620 was admitted in Kiran Hospital Kanpur Nagar. His younger sister Shivwati came on a motorcycle with Kallu Nat of Baghpur on 21/11/2018, whom he already knew, Kallu Nat used to visit his sister Shivwati's house earlier also, that's why he knew her.

On the same day at around 4:00 pm, Kallu Nat took his sister from the hospital to Ludhaura. Deepak's statement is mentioned in case diary paper number 10 that Shivwati was his wife's aunt, who was his paternal aunt-in-law. On 21/11/2018, he went to Kiran Hospital Kalyanpur to see the father of his paternal atmt Framod, resident of Kapuipur. Where her aimt-in-law Mrs. Shivwati came to the hospital sitting on Kallu Nat's motorcycle and in the evening Kallu went back to Varshas along the river. This witness has stated in his statements that he recognized Kallu Nat, resident of Bagpur, at Shivwati's house in Luchaura. The investigating officer has recorded in paper number 11 that CDR of mobile number 7678819303 of deceased Smt.

Shivwati has been received, on examination of which it was found that on 21/11/2018 a very long conversation took place from the above mentioned mobile number of the deceased to mobile number 6386602633 at different times from 15-19-18 to 22-55-47 and on 22/11/2018 in the night from 00-30-15 to 03-31-26 seven times at different times, details of which are recorded in the CD and it is also mentioned on examination of the CDR received from 1/11/2018 to 22/11/2018 that from mobile number 7678819303 of deceased Shivwati to mobile number 17 calls were made to 6386602633 from 21/11/2018 to 22/11/2018 in which the deceased had a long conversation and it was done at inopportune time. On checking the software, the mobile number 6386602633 holder is shown as Shri Mayank Kumar Nagar son of Jeetpal Nagar resident of 194 Bagpur, Maitha Kanpur Dehat.

In case diary paper number- 11, Surjan Singh's statement is recorded that a few days ago at around 4:00 pm, I was sitting on the high platform in front of Bagpur Inter College near Ramptakash Aatishbaaz of Ludhaura village. Kallu Kallu Nat Alias Mayank Kumar Nagar v. State of U. P. and Anr. Nat of Bagpur came. He told Ramprakash that uncle I want to talk to you and came on the platform and told in front of this witness that on 21/11/2018, he had taken Shivwati on his motorcycle to Kiran Hospital Kalyanpur to see her relative and give him food. He told that Ajay and he had illicit relations with Shivwati and also told that both of them were friends. He told that he had made a plan to elope on the same day. As per the plan, Ajay had taken Shivwati from her home to Raipur in the evening and when Kallu Nat did not reach Raipur as promised, they would talk to each other throughout the night.

In the morning when Kallu Nat reached Raipur, Shivwati would get upset and want to go back home and she would insist on elope. And when she did not agree after being explained, he would come to Ludhaura village on the night of 22/28-11-18 to get money and clothes to elope. He also told that he had raped Shivwati one by one in the cover near Ludhaura in the barren land and both of them would kill Shivwati by putting a noose around her neck with a shawl and he was also apologizing. In the case diary's paper number 12A, the doctor who conducted the post mortem of the deceased, Mr. Puneet Kumar Pandey, has stated that it has been confirmed that the deceased was raped and strangled to death and it is also mentioned that the entire investigation revealed that the deceased Shivwati was in a love relationship with Ajay Kumar and Kallu Nat alias Mayank Kumar Nagar.

Due to the love affair, the accused Ajay Kumar took Shivwati to Raipur on the instructions of Kallu Nat with the intention of elopement on the evening of 21/11/2018 and Kallu Nat failed in his plan and tried to convince her the next day and made a plan with Ajay to remove the deceased from the way on her insistence and under this plan, Shivwati was lured and taken to the barren land in village Ludhaura and both of them raped her one by one in the barren land and as per the plan, both of them together killed the deceased by strangulating her by putting a noose around her neck with a sal. On the basis of the above, the name of Mayank Kumar Nagar alias Kallu Nat came to light and Section 376 IPC was added.

622 It is mentioned in the case diary paper number-13 that I, the in-charge inspector, along with my accompanying staff, vehicle' and driver left from police station to village Bagpur and raided the possible locations of the accused Mayank Kumar Nagar alias Kallu Nat who has come into light recently, but he was not found. He is absconding as usual. According to the case diary paper number-17, Deep Kumar appeared before the Additional Director General of Police, Kanpur Zone- Kanpur on 13. 01. 2019 and gave a written application and stated that his younger brother Kallu has no involvement in the murder of Shivwati and the Investigating officer is demanding one lakh rupees through his broker. On the basis of which application, the investigation of the case has been transferred from Chandrashekhar Dubey, Incharge Inspector, Shivli, Kanpur Dehat to Inspector Shri Naveen Kumar, Crime Branch, Kanpur Dehat.

It is clear from all the above evidence/discussion that according to complainant Vijaylal, his wife went to the toilet on 21. 11. 2018 at around 7 pm. whose dead body was found lying in the bushes on 24. 11. 2018 at around 5 pm, with a noose of sal around her neck. According to the complainant, Ajay Kumar killed the deceased. It is worth mentioning that the complainant is not an eyewitness to the incident. According to the other witness of the case, Renu, the deceased also had illicit relations with Kallu Nat, who had gone to Kanpur to see her relative on 21. 11. 2018 with Kallu Nat and on 22. 11. 2018 also Kallu Nat came home. According to another witness Pramod Kumar, the deceased had come to Kiran Hospital to see her relatives on 21. 11. 2018 sitting on a person's motorcycle. On being asked, the deceased had said that the person was her brother-in-law from the village, whom the witness' brother- in-law and son-in-law knew.

According to witness Neeraj, his younger sister/deceased Shivwati had come to the hospital on 21. 11. 2018 sitting on Kallu Nat's motorcycle and on the same day at around 4 pm. Kallu Nat had taken his sister from the hospital to Ludhaura. According to witness Deepak, on 21. 11. 2018, the deceased had come to Kiran Hospital to see her relatives sitting on a motorcycle with Kallu Nat Alias Mayank Kumar Nagar v. State of U. P. and Anr. Kallu Nat and had returned with Kallu Nat. According to witness Surjan, Kallu Nat had told Ramprakash in front of this witness that Kallu Nat and Ajay Kumar had illicit relations with the deceased Shivwati and had raped Shivwati In turns in the bushes near Ludhaura in the barren land and had killed her by putting a noose around her neck with a shawl. The doctor who conducted the post-mortem of the deceased. Dr. Puneet Kumar Pandey, has stated in the summary that the deceased was raped and strangulated to death.

The case diary of the case shows that the deceased had a long conversation 17 times from her mobile to another number from 21. 11. 2018 to 22. 11. 2018, which other number 6386602633 belongs to Mayank Kumar Nagar son of Jeetpal and the deceased had called the above number several times in the past as well. The case diary also shows that during investigation, it was found that the deceased Shivwati had illicit relations with Ajay Kumar and Kallu Nat alias Mayank Kumar and with the intention of eliminating the deceased, Ajay Kumar and Kallu Nat alias Mayank Kumar, as per the plan, took the deceased Shivwati to the barren village Ludhaura and raped her one by one and killed her by putting a noose around her neck. On the basis of the application of Deep Kumar, brother of the opponent Kallu Nat alias Mayank Kumar Nagar, the investigation was given to another investigator and a chargesheet has been sent to the court against only accused Ajay Kumar under Section 302, 376 IPC.

All the above evidence, facts, circumstances and investigation show that the opponent Kallu Nat alias Mayank Kumar Nagar had illegal relations with the deceased/victim Shivwati. Who is also a friend of the accused Ajay Kumar in the said opponent case. With the aim of removing the deceased from their path, accused Ajay Kumar and opponent Kallu Nat alias Mayank Kumar- Nagar, as per-the-plan, called-the victim deceased-Shivwati to the-wasteland in Ludhaura village and forcibly raped the 624 victim Shivwati one by one (gang rape) and by tightening the noose of shawl around the neck of the victim Shivwati, killed the victim deceased Shivwati. Therefore, on the basis of the above facts and circumstances and evidence available on the file, it is justified to summon the opposite accused Kallu Nat alias Mayank Kumar Nagar for trial under Section 376, 302 IPC. Order The application presented by complainant case / applicant Vijay Lai under paper number - SB under Section 193 CrPC dated 26. 04.

2019 is allowed. Accused Kallu Nat alias Mayank Kumar Nagar son of Jeetpal Nagar, resident of 194 Baghpur (Maitha), Police Station- Shivli- District - Kanpur Dehat is taken cognizance under Section 376, 302 IPG. Accordingly, summons should be issued to accused Kallu Nat alias Mayank Kumar Nagar. The case be presented on 07/06/2024 for further action / charge on accused Kallu Nat alias Mayank Kumar Nagar. " 6. Thus, it appears from the aforesaid that the application filed by the complainant under Section 193 of the CrPC to summon the petitionerherein as an accused came to be allowed. Having regard to the materials on record the trial court reached the conclusion that there was prima facie material indicating involvement of the petitionerherein in the alleged crime and he should be asked to face the trial along with the co-accused against whom chargesheet was filed by the Investigating Agency for the offence of rape and murder. B. IMPUGNED ORDER 7.

The order referred to above came to be challenged before the High Court by way of criminal revision application. The High Court rejected the criminal revision application holding as under: - "5. At the very outset, the learned A. G. A. for State-opposite party-1 has raised a preliminary objection regarding maintainability of present Criminal revision. Learned A-G. A. submits that since applicant has already approached this Court by means of aforementioned application under Section 482 Cr. P. C. , therefore, present criminal revision Kallu Nat Alias Mayank Kumar Nagar v. State of U. P. and Anr. for the same relief is not maintainable. According to the learned A. G. A. , no liberty was granted by this Court to the applicant to file a criminal revision nor the aforementioned application was dismissed on the ground of alternative remedy. He therefore submits that in view of law laid down by Apex Court in the case of Sarguja Transport Service Vs. State Transport Appellate tribunal, M. P.

Gwalior and others (1987) 1 SCC 5, the present criminal revision shall not be maintainable. Learned A. G. A. has then referred to the judgement of Supreme Court in Prabhu Chawla Vs. State of Rajasthan and another, (2016) 16 SCC 30 wherein the Apex Court has held that an application under Section 482 Cr. P. C. is not liable to be dismissed on the ground of alternative remedy, of filing a revision. 6. On the edifice of aforesaid submissions, the learned A. G. A. submits that the true import of the order dated 07. 08. 2024 is that the revisionist has been granted liberty to approach the competent court and not to file criminal revision before this Court. As such, present criminal revision is not maintainable and therefore liable to be dismissed. 7. Learned A. G. A. has then submitted that the Court of Sessions in exercise of jurisdiction under Section 193 Cr. P. C. has summoned the present applicant/revisionist.

Referring to the five Judges Bench Judgement of Supreme Court in Dharmpal and others Vs. State of Haryana and another, (2014) 3 SCC 306, the learned A. G. A. submits that the order impugned in present criminal revision cannot be said to be illegal for want of jurisdiction. As such, the order impugned cannot be challenged on the ground of jurisdictional error. On the cumulative strength of above submission, the learned A. G. A. submits that present criminal revision is not maintainable and therefore liable to be dismissed. 8. When confronted with above, the learned counsel for revisionist could not overcome the same. 9. Having heard the learned counsel for revisionist, the learned AG. A. for State-opposite party-1 and upon perusal of record that court finds that the preliminary 626 objection raised by the learned A. G.

A in opposition to this criminal revision is clearly borne out from the record and furthermore, the same could not be dislodged by the learned counsel for revisionist with reference to the record at this stage. As such, no good ground now exits to entertain the present criminal revision. 10. In view of above, this criminal revision fails and is liable to be dismissed. 11. It is accordingly dismissed. " 8. Thus, the High Court rejected the revision application filed by the petitioner herein and thereby affirmed the order passed by the trial court summoning the petitioner as an accused to face the trial along with the accused named in the charge sheet. The High Court rejected the revision application relying on the Constitution Bench decision of this Court in Dharam Pal & Ors. vs. State of Haryana & Anr. reported in (2014) 3 SCC 306. 9. In such circumstances referred to above the petitioner is here before this Court with the present petition. C.

SUBMISSIONS ON BEHALF OF THE PETITIONER 10. Mr. Vikas Upadhyay, the learned counsel appearing for the petitioner vehemently submitted that the trial court as well as the High Court committed a serious error in summoning the petitioner as an accused to face the trial along with the charge sheeted accused, namely, Ajay Kumar. He would submit that the petitioner could have been summoned as an accused to face the trial only after the trial court would have started recording oral evidence of the witnesses. In other words, according to the learned counsel it is only if the involvement of the petitioner would have surfaced from the oral evidence of any of the witnesses, then the trial court would have been justified to summon the petitioner to face the trial in exercise of the powers under Section 319 of the CrPC. 11.

The learned counsel vehemently submitted that there was no scope for the trial court to summon the petitioner in exercise of the powers under Section 193 of the CrPC as the Magistrate while committing the case to the Court of Session had already taken cognizance of the offence and in such circumstances the trial court by invoking Kallu Nat Alias Mayank Kumar Nagar v. State of U. P. and Anr. Section 193 of the CrPC could not have taken cognizance for the second time. He would submit that the power under Section 193 CrPC is a stage specific power and in the exact words of the learned counsel; once that stage has crossed it gets exhausted unlike the power under Section 319 of the CrPC which could be exercised multiple times during a particular period when the trial is on and is not bound by any specific stage of trial. 12. Relying on the decision of this Court in Balveer Singh & Anr. vs.

State of Rajasthan reported in (2016) 6 SCC 680 he would submit that there is nothing like second cognizance. According to him if a Magistrate has taken cognizance in a case before committing the case, then despite there being power under Section 193 of the CrPC the Sessions court cannot again take cognizance. The learned counsel relying on the Constitution Bench decision in the case of Dharam Pal (supra)would submit that cognizance of offence can be taken only once i. e. either by the Magistrate or by the Sessions court. According to the learned counsel there is nothing like 'part-cognizance'. 13. In other words, the argument of the learned counsel appearing for the petitioner is that the Constitution Bench decision of this Court in Dharam Pal (supra) says in so many words that cognizance of a sessions triable offence cannot be taken by a Magistrate but the same has to be taken by a Sessions Judge after committal.

According to the learned counsel, cognizance of a police report/chargesheet filed by the police is always taken by the Magistrate irrespective of whether the offences alleged therein are triable by a Court of Sessions or not. He would submit that the ratio of Dharam Pal (supra) should be understood as conveying that Section 193 does not permit the Sessions Judge to take cognizance of the same offences of which cognizance stood taken by the Magistrate under section 190 of the Code which the Magistrate takes in order to reach the stage of committal under Section 209 of the Code. And if once cognizance is taken by the Magistrate, the same cannot be done by the Sessions Judge. According to the learned counsel Dharam Pal (supra) says that cognizance of sessions trial offences can only be taken by the Sessions Judge. 14. In such circumstances referred to above, the learned counsel prayed that there being merit in his petition, the same may be considered accordingly. 628 D.

ISSUE FOR DETERMINATION 15. The seminal issue that falls for our consideration is whether the Court of Session, without itself recording evidence, can summon a person to stand trial in exercise of its powers under Section 193 of the Code of Criminal Procedure (for short, the CrPC) as an accused (along with others committed to it by a Magistrate) on the basis of materials in the form of statements and other documents as contained in the final report of the investigating officer under Section 173 of the Code of Criminal Procedure, 1973 independently of the provisions of Section 319 of the said Code? E. ANALYSIS i. What is the import and purport of 'Cognizance' under the scheme of the Code of Criminal Procedure, 1973? a. Meaning of the expression 'Cognizance' and 'Taking Cognizance' under Chapter XIV of the Code. 16. Mr. Vikas Upadhyay, the learned counsel appearing for the petitioner herein has vehemently canvassed that cognizance of an offence, in law, can be taken only once.

He submitted that in cases involving offences triable exclusively by the Court of Sessions, cognizance of such offence may be taken either by a Magistrate prior to the committal of the case, or, in the absence of such cognizance at the instance of the Magistrate, by the Court of Session alone, to which the case is committed. However, he would submit that, once cognizance of the offence has been taken by either the Magistrate or the Court of Sessions, as the case may be, a second cognizance by the other is impermissible in law. He urged that there cannot be a second cognizance nor can there be any part cognizance or bifurcation of such cognizance by a Magistrate and a Court of Sessions. In support of his contention, reliance was placed on the decisions of Dharam Pal (supra) and Balveer Singh (supra). 17. In Dharam Pal (supra) this Court held that "cognizance of an offence can only be taken once.

In the event, the Magistrate takes cognizance of the offence and then commits the case to the Court of Sessions, the question of taking fresh cognizance of the offence, and thereafter, proceed to issue summons, is not in accordance with law. If cognizance is to be taken of the offence, it could be taken either by Kallu Nat Alias Mayank Kumar Nagar v. State of U. P. and Anr. the Magistrate or by the Court of Session. " and that there can be no "question of part cognizance being taken by the Magistrate and part cognizance being taken by the learned Session Judge. " Similarly, in Balveer Singh (supra) it was reiterated that "cognizance of an offence can only be taken once. In the event, a Magistrate takes cognizance of the offence and then commits the case to the Court of Session, the question of taking fresh cognizance of the offence and, thereafter, proceeding to issue summons, is not in accordance with law.

If cognizance is to be taken of the offence, it could be taken either by the Magistrate or by the Court of Session". 18. Before we advert to the submission canvassed by the petitioner herein, and try to understand what has been conveyed in so many words by this Court in the aforesaid decisions of Dharam Pal (supra) and Balveer Singh (supra), it would be apposite to first understand what is meant by 'cognizance' under the Code and the legal import and significance of the term "taking cognizance". 19. The term "cognizance" has nowhere been defined under the Code, but the word itself is of indefinite import. The word itself is derived from the Latin word 'cognoscere', and the French Word "conoisance" which means "to know", "to become acquainted with", or "to recognize". The Black's Law Dictionary defines the term "cognizance" as "Judicial notice, knowledge or acknowledgement" or "the judicial hearing of a cause". 20.

In criminal law, the term "cognizance" has no esoteric or mystic significance, and the same is reflected by the omission of any formulaic definition of the term under the Code. However, over time, the term "cognizance" has come to acquire a special and distinct connotation, through a catena of decisions and authoritative exegesis rendered by this Court. The expression "cognizance" means to 'become aware of' or 'to take notice of judicially'. The special connotation that has been ascribed to the term denotes or indicates the stage at which a judicial authority such as a Court of Sessions or a Magistrate is said to have taken judicial notice of the commission of an offence, with a view to initiate proceedings against the person or persons alleged to have committed such offence. [See: Chief Enforcement Officer v. Videocon International Ltd. , (2008) 2 SCC 492]. 21. Cognizance is, at its heart, always an act of the court.

It entails not merely the receipt of information or the mechanical act of 630 acknowledgement of a particular offence by a judicial authority, but a conscious application of mind by it, to the information disclosed or received, as the case may be, and the subjective element of its satisfaction that i) an offence has indeed occurred and ii) the circumstances necessitate setting into motion criminal proceedings in respect of the said offence, or at the very least take steps for ascertaining if there is any basis for initiating such proceedings. Cognizance is attended by the assumption of jurisdiction for proceeding further. 22. Having understood the legal import of the term "cognizance", we may now profitably turn towards understanding how cognizance may be taken.

Chapter XIV of the Code deals with "Conditions requisite for initiation of proceedings", and Section(s) 190 to 199 contained thereunder, delineates the methods and the limitations subject to which cognizance of offence may be taken by the various criminal court empowered thereunder. 23. Remarkably, none of the provisions in the aforesaid Chapter prescribe how 'cognizance' is to be taken, and rather only describe the conditions and limitations for the initiation of proceedings under the Code. This is because, taking cognizance, as already stated, is an act of court, and the prosecuting agency or complainant have no control over the same. It is predicated upon application of judicial mind and is not dictated by the complaint or police report, which cannot be construed by any formulaic approach. 'Taking cognizance' does not involve any formal action of any kind. It occurs as soon as a judicial authority applies its mind to the suspected commission of an offence. [See: R. R. Chari v.

State of U. P. , AIR 1951 SC 207; Sarah Mathew v. Institute of Cardio Vascular Diseases, (2014) 2 SCC 62] 24. The process of "taking cognizance" is one of variable and inderminate import; it neither carries a uniform or fixed procedural contour nor has it been used in the same sense throughout the scheme of the Code. This is because "taking of cognizance" signifies the setting into motion, the criminal justice machinery, which may be done, under the Code, in different ways, which is why it derives its understanding from the various procedures by which proceedings are initiated under the Code, and as such its import differs, depending upon the context of the procedure in which it has been used. Hence, there exists no rigid taxonomy or formulaic framework for "taking cognizance", Kallu Nat Alias Mayank Kumar Nagar v. State of U. P. and Anr.

and the act of "taking cognizance" has to be understood from the procedure itself, more particularly, at which stage, it could be said that there has been an application of judicial mind for the purpose of initiating proceedings under the Code or in simple words, cognizance has been taken. [See: Darshan Singh Ram Kishan v. State of Maharashtra, (1971) 2 SCC 654] b. Cognizance of offences by Magistrates and the Three Distinct Points of Origin of the Criminal Machinery under the Code. 25. Section 190 of the Code empowers a Magistrate to take cognizance of any offence in three distinct manners. As per the said provision, a Magistrate may take cognizance upon (a) receiving a complaint of facts which constitute such offence; (b) a police report of such facts; or (c) information received from any person other than a police officer, or upon his own knowledge, that such offence has been committed. The said provision reads as under: - "190. Cognizance of offences by Magistrates.

- (1) Subject to the provisions of this Chapter, any Magistrate of the first class, and any Magistrate of the second class specially empowered in this behalf under sub-section (2), may take cognizance of any offence -- (a) upon receiving a complaint of facts which constitute such offence; (b) upon a police report of such facts; (c) upon information received from any person other than a police officer, or upon his own knowledge, that such offence has been committed. (2) The Chief Judicial Magistrate may empower any Magistrate of the second class to take cognizance under sub-section (1) of such offences as are within his competence to inquire into or try. " 26. A bare perusal of the aforesaid, indicates that there are three distinct ways in which the criminal machinery may be set into motion i. e. , cognizance of an offence may be taken by the Magistrate.

It may take place on the basis of a complaint moved before a Magistrate by 632 any complainant complaining of any offence, or by the police itself on the basis of a police report in terms of Section(s) 2(r) and 173(2) of the Code, or on the basis of the Magistrate's own knowledge about any offence. I. On the basis of a Complaint. 27. As per Section 190 sub-section (1)(a) the first manner in which a Magistrate may take cognizance of an offence is on the basis of a complaint received by him. Section 2(d) of the Code defines "complaint" to mean any allegation, whether made orally or in writing, by any persons against some other person or persons, whether known or unknown, who is alleged to have committed an offence, that has been made to a Magistrate, with a view that he initiates any action under the Code. Section 2(d) of the Code reads as under: - "2. Definitions.

- (d) "complaint" means any allegation made orally or in writing to a Magistrate, with a view to his taking action under this Code, that some person, whether known or unknown, has committed an offence, but does not include a police report. " 28. This Court in Mohd. Yousuf v. Afaq Jahan, reported in (2006) 1 SCC 627, explained thus: - "15. A faint plea was made by learned counsel for Respondent 1 that the petition filed by the appellant was not a complaint in the strict sense of the term. The plea is clearly untenable. The nomenclature of a petition is inconsequential. [... ] 16. There is no particular format of a complaint. A petition addressed to the Magistrate containing an allegation that an offence has been committed, and ending with a prayer that the culprits be suitably dealt with, as in the instant case, is a complaint. " (Emphasis supplied) 29.

For the purpose of enabling the Magistrate to take cognizance of an offence on the basis of a complaint as defined above, in terms of Section 190 sub-section 1(a), such complaint must contain facts Kallu Nat Alias Mayank Kumar Nagar v. State of U. P. and Anr. constituting the offence. Once such a complaint is received by a Magistrate, he will apply his mind to the complaint and the facts disclosed therein, and ordinarily proceed further under Chapter XV of the Code, which relates to "Complaints to Magistrates". Section 200 thereof provides for examination of the complainant and the witnesses on oath. Section 201 provides for the procedure which a Magistrate who is not competent to take cognizance has to follow. Section 202 provides for postponement of issue of process. 30.

Although, at this stage, the Magistrate is not obliged to proceed further in terms of Section(s) 200 to 203 in Chapter XV of the Code, and he may instead, order the police to investigate or inquire into the offence alleged in the complaint in terms of Section 156 sub- section (3) of the Code. 31. Section 200 of the Code empowers the Magistrate taking cognizance of an offence on a complaint to examine upon oath the complainant and the witnesses present, if any. The section further requires the such examination to be reduced to writing with the signatures of the complainant, witnesses and the Magistrate. The object of examination under Section 200 is to ascertain whether there is a prima facie case against the accused in the complaint, and to prevent the issue of process on a complaint which is false or vexatious. In S. R. Sukumar v. S. Sunaad Raghuram, reported in (2015) 9 SCC 609, this Court summarized the object of Section 200 of the Code: - "8.

Section 200 CrPC provides for the procedure for the Magistrate taking cognizance of an offence on complaint. The Magistrate is not bound to take cognizance of an offence merely because a complaint has been filed before him when in fact the complaint does not disclose a cause of action. The language in Section 200 CrPC "A Magistrate taking cognizance of an offence on complaint shall examine upon oath the complainant and the witnesses present, if any... " clearly suggests that for taking cognizance of an offence on complaint, the court shall examine the complainant upon oath. The object of examination of the complainant is to find out whether the complaint is justifiable or is vexatious. Merely because the complainant was examined that does not mean that the Magistrate has taken cognizance of 634 the offence.

Taking cognizance of an offence means the Magistrate must have judicially applied the mind to the contents of the complaint and indicates that the Magistrate takes judicial notice of an offence. xxx 11. Section 200 CrPC contemplates a Magistrate taking cognizance of an offence on complaint to examine the complaint and examine upon oath the complainant and the witnesses present, if any. Then normally three courses are available to the Magistrate. The Magistrate can either issue summons to the accused or order an inquiry under Section 202 CrPC or dismiss the complaint under Section 203 CrPC. Upon consideration of the statement of the complainant and the material adduced at that stage if the Magistrate is satisfied that there are sufficient grounds to proceed, he can proceed to issue process under Section 204 CrPC. Section 202 CrPC contemplates "postponement of issue of process".

It provides that the Magistrate on receipt of a complaint of an offence, of which he is authorised to take cognizance may, if he thinks fit, postpone the issue of process for compelling the attendance of the person complained against, and either inquire into the case himself, or have an inquiry made by any Magistrate subordinate to him, or an investigation made by a police officer, or by some other person for the purpose of deciding whether or not there is sufficient ground for proceeding. If the Magistrate finds no sufficient ground for proceeding, he can dismiss the complaint by recording briefly the reasons for doing so as contemplated under Section 203 CrPC. A Magistrate takes cognizance of an offence when he decides to proceed against the person accused of having committed that offence and not at the time when the Magistrate is just informed either by the complainant by filing the complaint or by the police report about the commission of an offence. 12.

"Cognizance" therefore has a reference to the application of judicial mind by the Magistrate in connection with the commission of an offence and not merely to a Magistrate learning that some offence had been committed. Kallu Nat Alias Mayank Kumar Nagar v. State of U. P. and Anr. Only upon examination of the complainant, the Magistrate will proceed to apply the judicial mind whether to take cognizance of the offence or not. Under Section 200 CrPC, when the complainant is examined, the Magistrate cannot be said to have ipso facto taken the cognizance, when the Magistrate was merely gathering the material on the basis of which he will decide whether a prima facie case is made out for taking cognizance of the offence or not. "Cognizance of offence" means taking notice of the accusations and applying the judicial mind to the contents of the complaint and the material filed therewith. It is neither practicable nor desirable to define as to what is meant by taking cognizance.

Whether the Magistrate has taken cognizance of the offence or not will depend upon the facts and circumstances of the particular case. " (Emphasis supplied) 32. In Mona Panwar v. High Court of Judicature of Allahabad, reported in (2011) 3 SCC 496, this Court noted that two options would be open to a Magistrate, when presented with a complaint: one, to pass an order as per Section 156(3) of the Code, or two, to direct examination as per Section 200. Prior to taking cognizance under Section 190, the Magistrate may order police investigation under Section 156(3). That is to say, the requirements of Section 200 do not put a bar on the powers of the Magistrate under Section 156(3) of the Code. We have produced the relevant paragraphs of Mona Panwar (supra) below: "18. When the complaint was presented before the appellant, the appellant had mainly two options available to her.

One was to pass an order as contemplated by Section 156(3) of the Code and the second one was to direct examination of the complainant upon oath and the witnesses present, if any, as mentioned in Section 200 and proceed further with the matter as provided by Section 202 of the Code. An order made under sub-section (3) of Section 156 of the Code is in the nature of a peremptory reminder or intimation to the police to exercise its plenary power of investigation under Section 156(1). Such an investigation embraces the entire continuous process which 636 begins with the collection of evidence under Section 156 and ends with the final report either under Section 169 or submission of charge-sheet under Section 173 of the Code. A Magistrate can under Section 190 of the Code before taking cognizance ask for investigation by the police under Section 156(3) of the Code. The Magistrate can also issue warrant for production, before taking cognizance.

If after cognizance has been taken and the Magistrate wants any investigation, it will be under Section 202 of the Code. xxx 23. Normally, an order under Section 200 of the Code for examination of the complainant and his witnesses would not be passed because it consumes the valuable time of the Magistrate being vested in inquiring into the matter which primarily is the duty of the police to investigate. However, the practice which has developed over the years is that examination of the complainant and his witnesses under Section 200 of the Code would be directed by the Magistrate only when a case is found to be a serious one and not as a matter of routine course. If on a reading of a complaint the Magistrate finds that the allegations therein disclose a cognizable offence and forwarding of the complaint to the police for investigation under Section 156(3) of the Code will not be conducive to justice, he will be justified in adopting the course suggested in Section 200 of the Code.

" 33. It is also true that where the Magistrate exercises his jurisdiction under Section 200, he is required to apply his mind. Exercise of such jurisdiction cannot be in a routine manner. A careful scrutiny of evidence placed on record must be made in order to arrive at the conclusion if any offence is prima facie committed by the accused. Such strict requirements to exercise the jurisdiction under Section 200 are founded as cornerstones of criminal jurisprudence that a criminal proceedings must not be initiated lightly and there must be sufficient grounds to believe that an offence has taken place before the initiation of such proceedings. In Maksud Saiyed v. State of Gujarat, reported in (2008) 5 SCC 668, this Court explained the following in context of the jurisdiction under Sections 156(3) and Section 200 of the Code: Kallu Nat Alias Mayank Kumar Nagar v. State of U. P. and Anr. "13.

Where a jurisdiction is exercised on a complaint petition filed in terms of Section 156(3) or Section 200 of the Code of Criminal Procedure, the Magistrate is required to apply his mind. The Penal Code does not contain any provision for attaching vicarious liability on the part of the Managing Director or the Directors of the Company when the accused is the Company. The learned Magistrate failed to pose unto himself the correct question viz. as to whether the complaint petition, even if given face value and taken to be correct in its entirety, would lead to the conclusion that the respondents herein were personally liable for any offence. The Bank is a body corporate. Vicarious liability of the Managing Director and Director would arise provided any provision exists in that behalf in the statute. Statutes indisputably must contain provision fixing such vicarious liabilities.

Even for the said purpose, it is obligatory on the part of the complainant to make requisite allegations which would attract the provisions constituting vicarious liability. 15. This Court in Pepsi Foods Ltd. v. Special Judicial Magistrate [(1998) 5 SCC 749 : 1998 SCC (Cri) 1400] held as under: (SCC p. 760, para 28) "28. Summoning of an accused in a criminal case is a serious matter. Criminal law cannot be set into motion as a matter of course. It is not that the complainant has to bring only two witnesses to support his allegations in the complaint to have the criminal law set into motion. The order of the Magistrate summoning the accused must reflect that he has applied his mind to the facts of the case and the law applicable thereto. He has to examine the nature of allegations made in the complaint and the evidence both oral and documentary in support thereof and would that be sufficient for the complainant to succeed in bringing charge home to the accused.

It is not that the Magistrate is a silent spectator at the time of recording of preliminary evidence before 638 summoning of the accused. The Magistrate has to carefully scrutinise the evidence brought on record and may even himself put questions to the complainant and his witnesses to elicit answers to find out the truthfulness of the allegations or otherwise and then examine if any offence is prima facie committed by all or any of the accused. " The learned Magistrate, in our opinion, shall have kept the said principle in mind. " 34. In R. R. Chari (supra), this Court had held that "when a Magistrate applies his mind for the purpose of proceeding under Section 200 and subsequent sections of Chapter XV of the Code of Criminal Procedure, he must be held to have taken cognizance of the offence. " On the other hand, in Tula Ram v. Kishore Singh reported in (1977) 4 SCC 459, it was held that when the Magistrate applies his mind not for the purpose of proceeding as abovementioned in R. R.

Chari (supra), but for taking action of some other kind, for instance ordering investigation or issuing a search warrant he cannot be said to have taken cognizance of the offence. 35. For the purpose of taking cognizance of an offence on the basis of a complaint received under Section 190 sub-section (1)(a), a Magistrate is required to examine upon oath, the complainant and any witnesses, and reduce in writing the substance of their examination. This inquiry which is conducted by the Magistrate pursuant to Section 200 of the Code, cannot always mean, that cognizance of the offence alleged in the complaint has been taken by it, as the Magistrate is still empowered to take recourse to the other provision of Section(s) 201 to 203, whereby he may simply bring the inquiry before it to an end, without an intention of proceeding further in terms of the Code. 36.

In the same breath, Section 202 of the Code empowers a Magistrate, who has received a complaint of an offence, to postpone the issue of process against the accused in terms of Section 204, and either (i) inquire into the case himself or direct an investigation by the police or any other person, in the case, for the purpose of deciding whether or not there is sufficient ground for proceeding. The said provision reads as under: - Kallu Nat Alias Mayank Kumar Nagar v. State of U. P. and Anr. 202. Postponement of issue of process.

-- (1) Any Magistrate, on receipt of a complaint of an offence of which he is authorised to take cognizance or which has been made over to him under section 192, may, if he thinks fit, and shall, in a case where the accused is residing at a place beyond the area in which he exercises his jurisdiction, postpone the issue of process against the accused, and either inquire into the case himself or direct an investigation to be made by a police officer or by such other person as he thinks fit, for the purpose of deciding whether or not there is sufficient ground for proceeding: Provided that no such direction for investigation shall be made,-- (a) where it appears to the Magistrate that the offence complained of is triable exclusively by the Court of Session; or (b) where the complaint has not been made by a Court, unless the complainant and the witnesses present (if any) have been examined on oath under section 200.

(2) In an inquiry under sub-section (1), the Magistrate may, if he thinks fit, take evidence of witnesses on oath: Provided that if it appears to the Magistrate that the offence complained of is triable exclusively by the Court of Session, he shall call upon the complainant to produce all his witnesses and examine them on oath. (3) If an investigation under sub-section (1) is made by a person not being a police officer, he shall have for that investigation all the powers conferred by this Code on an officer in charge of a police station except the power to arrest without warrant. 37. The provision empowers the Magistrate to find reasons to doubt the truthfulness of the complaint and defer issuing process against the accused. In such a case, the Magistrate may either direct an investigation by the police, or conduct an inquiry to determine whether there is sufficient basis to proceed with the complaint.

It is pertinent to underscore that the investigation envisaged in Section 202 is 640 different from the investigation contemplated in Section 156(3), as it is only for assisting the Magistrate to decide whether or not there is sufficient ground for him to proceed further. This Court in Kewal Krishan v. Suraj Bhan, reported in 1981 SCC (Cri) 438, lucidly explained that; "10. In the instant case, there was prima facie evidence against Suraj Bhan accused which required to be weighed and appreciated by the Court of Session. At the stage of Sections 203 and 204 of the Criminal Procedure Code in a case exclusively triable by the Court of Session, all that the Magistrate has to do is to see whether on a cursory perusal of the complaint and the evidence recorded during the preliminary inquiry under Sections 200 and 202 of the Criminal Procedure Code, there is prima facie evidence in support of the charge levelled against the accused.

All that he has to see is whether or not there is "sufficient ground for proceeding" against the accused. At this stage, the Magistrate is not to weigh the evidence meticulously as if he were the trial court. The standard to be adopted by the Magistrate in scrutinising the evidence is not the same as the one which is to be kept in view at the stage of framing charges. This Court has held in Ramesh Singh case [(1977) 4 SCC 39 : 1977 SCC (Cri) 533 : AIR 1977 SC 2018] that even at the stage of framing charges the truth, veracity and effect of the evidence which the complainant produces or proposes to adduce at the trial, is not to be meticulously judged. The standard of proof and judgment, which is to be applied finally before finding the accused guilty or otherwise, is not exactly to be applied at the stage of framing charges.

A fortiori, at the stage of Sections 202/204, if there is prima facie evidence in support of the allegations in the complaint relating to a case exclusively triable by the Court of Session, that will be a sufficient ground for issuing process to the accused and committing them for trial to the Court of Session. " 38. This Court in Rameshbhai Pandurao Hedau v. State of Gujarat, reported in (2010) 4 SCC 185, held that a direction for investigation under Section 156(3) is to ascertain whether the Magistrate shall take cognizance. Whereas, an investigation under Section 202 is for Kallu Nat Alias Mayank Kumar Nagar v. State of U. P. and Anr. ascertaining whether there are sufficient grounds for the Magistrate to proceed further. The relevant observations read thus; "22.

It is now well settled that in ordering an investigation under Section 156(3) of the Code, the Magistrate is not empowered to take cognizance of the offence and such cognizance is taken only on the basis of the complaint of the facts received by him which includes a police report of such facts or information received from any person, other than a police officer, under Section 190 of the Code. Section 200 which falls in Chapter XV, indicates the manner in which the cognizance has to be taken and that the Magistrate may also inquire into the case himself or direct an investigation to be made by a police officer before issuing process. 23. Reference was also made to the decision of this Court in Mohd. Yousuf v. Afaq Jahan [(2006) 1 SCC 627 : (2006) 1 SCC (Cri) 460] where it has been held that when a Magistrate orders investigation under Chapter XII of the Code, he does so before he takes cognizance of the offence.

Once he takes cognizance of the offence, he has to follow the procedure envisaged in Chapter XV of the Code. The inquiry contemplated under Section 202(1) or investigation by a police officer or by any other person is only to help the Magistrate to decide whether or not there is sufficient ground for him to proceed further on account of the fact that cognizance had already been taken by him of the offence disclosed in the complaint but issuance of process had been postponed. xxx 25. The power to direct an investigation to the police authorities is available to the Magistrate both under Section 156(3) CrPC and under Section 202 CrPC. The only difference is the stage at which the said powers may be invoked. As indicated hereinbefore, the power under Section 156(3) CrPC to direct an investigation by the police authorities is at the pre-cognizance stage while the power to direct a similar investigation under Section 202 is at the post-cognizance stage. " 642 39.

In Ramdev Food Products Pvt. Ltd. v. State of Gujarat, reported in (2015) 6 SCC 439, three-Judge Bench of this Court underscored the difference in meaning of the term "investigation" under Section 156(3) as compared to Section 202 of the Code. The relevant observations read thus: "21. On the other hand, power under Section 202 is of different nature. Report sought under the said provision has limited purpose of deciding "whether or not there is sufficient ground for proceeding". If this be the object, the procedure under Section 157 or Section 173 is not intended to be followed. Section 157 requires sending of report by the police that the police officer suspected commission of offence from information received by the police and thereafter the police is required to proceed to the spot, investigate the facts and take measures for discovery and arrest. Thereafter, the police has to record statements and report on which the Magistrate may proceed under Section 190.

This procedure is applicable when the police receives information of a cognizable offence, registers a case and forms the requisite opinion and not every case registered by the police. xxx 22. 1. The direction under Section 156(3) is to be issued, only after application of mind by the Magistrate. When the Magistrate does not take cognizance and does not find it necessary to postpone the issuance of process and finds a case made out to proceed forthwith, direction under the said provision is issued. In other words, where on account of credibility of information available, or weighing the interest of justice it is considered appropriate to straightaway direct investigation, such a direction is issued. xxx 37. In Nagawwa v. Veeranna Shivalingappa Konjalgi [(1976) 3 SCC 736 : 1976 SCC (Cri) 507], referring to earlier judgments on the scope of Section 202, it was observed : (SCC p. 740, para 3) Kallu Nat Alias Mayank Kumar Nagar v. State of U. P. and Anr. 3. "In Chandra Deo Singh v.

Prokash Chandra Bose [AIR 1963 SC 1430 : (1963) 2 Cri LJ 397 : (1964) 1 SCR 639] this Court had after fully considering the matter observed as follows : (AIR p. 1433, para 8) '8. ... The courts have also pointed out in these cases that what the Magistrate has to see is whether there is evidence in support of the allegations of the complainant and not whether the evidence is sufficient to warrant a conviction. The learned Judges in some of these cases have been at pains to observe that an enquiry under Section 202 is not to be likened to a trial which can only take place after process is issued, and that there can be only one trial.

No doubt, as stated in sub-section (1) of Section 202 itself, the object of the enquiry is to ascertain the truth or falsehood of the complaint, but the Magistrate making the enquiry has to do this only with reference to the intrinsic quality of the statements made before him at the enquiry which would naturally mean the complaint itself, the statement on oath made by the complainant and the statements made before him by persons examined at the instance of the complainant. ' Indicating the scope, ambit of Section 202 of the Code of Criminal Procedure this Court in Vadilal Panchal v. Dattatraya Dulaji Ghadigaonkar [AIR 1960 SC 1113 : 1960 Cri LJ 1499] observed as follows : (AIR p. 1116, para 9) '9. ...

Section 202 says that the Magistrate may, if he thinks fit, for reasons to be recorded in writing, postpone the issue of process 644 for compelling the attendance of the person complained against and direct an inquiry for the purpose of ascertaining the truth or falsehood of the complaint; in other words, the scope of an inquiry under the section is limited to finding out the truth or falsehood of the complaint in order to determine the question of the issue of process. The inquiry is for the purpose of ascertaining the truth or falsehood of the complaint; that is, for ascertaining whether there is evidence in support of the complaint so as to justify the issue of process and commencement of proceedings against the person concerned.

The section does not say that a regular trial for adjudging the guilt or otherwise of the person complained against should take place at that stage; for the person complained against can be legally called upon to answer the accusation made against him only when a process has issued and he is put on trial. '" Same view has been taken in Mohinder Singh v. Gulwant Singh [(1992) 2 SCC 213 : 1992 SCC (Cri) 361], Manharibhai Muljibhai Kakadia v. Shaileshbhai Mohanbhai Patel [(2012) 10 SCC 517 : (2013) 1 SCC (Cri) 218], Raghu Raj Singh Rousha v. Shivam Sundaram Promoters (P) Ltd. [(2009) 2 SCC 363 : (2009) 1 SCC (Cri) 801] and Chandra Deo Singh v. Prokash Chandra Bose [AIR 1963 SC 1430 : (1963) 2 Cri LJ 397 : (1964) 1 SCR 639] . " 40.

Undoubtedly, the inquiry under Section 202 of the Code is to ascertain the fact whether the complaint has any valid foundation calling for issuance of process to the person complained against under Section 204, or whether the complaint should be dismissed by resorting to Section 203. As a natural corollary, at the stage of issuing process the Magistrate is only concerned with the allegations in the complaint and the statements of the complainant and the witnesses. The Magistrate is required only to be prima facie satisfied that sufficient grounds exist to proceed against the accused. 41. Therefore, the scope of inquiry under Section 202 is limited to the ascertainment of the truth or falsehood of the allegation made in the Kallu Nat Alias Mayank Kumar Nagar v. State of U. P. and Anr. complaint - (i) on the materials placed by the complainant before the court; and (ii) for limited purpose of finding out whether a prima facie case for issue of process has been made out.

There is no gainsaying that discretion vested in the Magistrate has to be judicially exercised. 42. The proviso to sub-section (2) stipulates that if it appears to the Magistrate that the offence complained of is triable by the Court of Sessions, he must call upon the complainant to produce all his witnesses and examine them on oath. The intent behind the provision lies in the fact that in a police case, investigation reveals the nature of the crime and its truthfulness as opposed to a case born out of a complaint. Hence, to protect the prospective accused from harassment from false complaints, the duty of the Magistrate to examine the complainant and his witnesses becomes onerous. We must remind that it is imperative on the part of the Magistrate to examine the complainant and his witnesses in a complaint case triable exclusively by Court of Sessions. 43.

Although, in practice, there may at times be an overlap or convergence in the procedures envisaged under these three routes, such as where on the basis of a complaint, police investigation is ordered under Section 156 sub-section (3), or where upon receiving a police report under Section 173 sub-section (2), a protest petition filed in lieu thereof is treated as a complaint in terms of Section 200 of the Code, yet the procedural trajectory in which a Magistrate is expected to adopt for the purpose of proceeding in respect of an offence, still retains a certain degree of distinctiveness, based on how the criminal machinery came into motion. ii. Who takes Cognizance of Offence exclusively triable by Court of Sessions under the Code? 44.

To answer the question, whether the summoning of the petitioner herein by the Court of Session amounts to 'second cognizance', we have to try and understand the decision of this Court in Dharam Pal (supra), more particularly, its observations that when it comes to offences exclusively triable by the Court of Session, "if cognizance is to be taken of the offence, it could be taken either by the Magistrate or by the Court of Session". In other words, the question that falls for our consideration is that, for offences triable exclusively by the Court of Session, whether cognizance is taken by the Magistrate or 646 by the Court of Session, or either of them as the case may be? To answer the aforesaid, we may, put aside Section 193 of the Code for the time being and first try to understand what role is expected to be played by the Magistrate as-well as the Court of Session under the Code for offences exclusively triable by the Court of Session. a.

Role of the Magistrate where the Offence is exclusively triable by a Court of Session. 45. In the foregoing paragraphs of this judgment, we have already delineated the manner in which a Magistrate, ordinarily takes cognizance of an offence. To sum it up, where a complaint is received disclosing facts which constitute an offence, cognizance is taken after the Magistrate has applied his mind to the complaint and has proceeded under Section 200 and the subsequent provisions of Chapter XV, whereupon such complaint is neither returned in terms of Section 201 nor dismissed under Section 203, and instead there is issuance of process by the Magistrate in terms of Section 204 and other provisions of Chapter XVI, at which stage it is understood without a shred of doubt, that cognizance of such offence has been taken and proceedings under the Code stand initiated. On the other hand, where a police report is received, proceedings are said to be initiated i. e.

, cognizance is affirmatively said to be taken after the Magistrate has applied its mind to the contents of the police report, and thereafter he has either issued process to the accused under Section 204 of the Code, on the basis of such report, or where the accused is present before it, either on his own or on being produced by the police, the Magistrate has complied with the requirement envisaged under Section 207 of the Code. In short, while a Magistrate who proceeds under Chapter XV of the Code, may or not be said to have taken cognizance, however, whenever, a Magistrate has proceeded under the provisions of Chapter XVI which deals with "Commencement of Proceedings", cognizance of offence, without an iota of doubt is understood to have been taken. I. Chapter XVI - Section(s) 207, 208 and 209 of the Code and Committal of Case by a Magistrate to the Court of Sessions. 46.

We may now turn to see, how the Magistrate is required under the Code to proceed where the offence is exclusively triable by the Court of Sessions. Where a case is instituted before a Magistrate, Kallu Nat Alias Mayank Kumar Nagar v. State of U. P. and Anr. in terms of Section 190 of the Code, i. e. , either upon a complaint, or a police report, or on the basis of the Magistrate's own knowledge, and it appears to the Magistrate, that the case pertains to an offence triable exclusively by the Court of Session, then the Magistrate has to commit the said case to the Court of Session. Section 209 of the Code reads as under: - "209. Commitment of case to Court of Session when offence is triable exclusively by it.

-- When in a case instituted on a police report or otherwise, the accused appears or is brought before the Magistrate and it appears to the Magistrate that the offence is triable exclusively by the Court of Session, he shall-- (a) commit, after complying with the provisions of section 207 or section 208, as the case may be, the case to the Court of Session, and subject to the provisions of this Code relating to bail, remand the accused to custody until such commitment has been made; (b) subject to the provisions of this Code relating to bail, remand the accused to custody during, and until the conclusion of, the trial; (c) send to that Court the record of the case and the documents and articles, if any, which are to be produced in evidence; (d) notify the Public Prosecutor of the commitment of the case to the Court of Session. " 47.

A plain and careful reading of the aforesaid provision reveals that, where a case is instituted on a police report or otherwise, that is to say, on the basis of a complaint received or on the basis of information by a Magistrate's own knowledge, and such case involves an offence which is triable exclusively by the Court of Sessions, the Magistrate is placed under a statutory obligation to commit such case to the Court of Sessions in the manner laid down in clauses (a) to (d) of the said provision. Section 209 of the Code, enjoins a duty upon the Magistrate to comply with four procedural requirements enumerated in clauses (a) to (d), thereto, i. e. , the commitment of the case by the Magistrate to the Court of Session, has to take place, strictly in 648 accordance with the four procedural steps provided in the provision, being as under: - (i) As per clause (a), the Magistrate is required to commit such case to the Court of Session, and further remand the accused to custody, sub