6997 2023 9 1504 44877 Judgement 04-Jul-2023
6997 2023 9 1504 44877 Judgement 04-Jul-2023
6997 2023 9 1504 44877 Judgement 04-Jul-2023
REPORTABLE
VS.
JUDGMENT
DIPANKAR DATTA, J.
Leave granted.
2. A disquieting trend emerging over the years which has gained pace
multiple cases in the past several months that upon First Information
Reports being lodged inter alia under section 420 of the Indian Penal
remind the high courts and the sessions courts not to be unduly swayed
bail under section 438 of the Cr. PC. and incorporating a condition in that
3. The bare facts relevant for a decision on this appeal, gathered from
the impugned judgment of the Delhi High Court, are these. The appellant
develop the same, he had entered into three agreements with one
the 3rd floor and the upper floor, apart from Rs.55,00,000/- (Rupees fifty-
five lakh) to be paid to him by the builder, whereas the builder would have
rights to deal with the 1st and the 2nd floors together with other rights as
building (without roof rights) but other rights as described therein for a
allegedly paid to the builder Rs. 11,00,000/- (Rupees eleven lakh) [Rs.
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1,00,000/- (Rupees one lakh) as token money and Rs. 10,00,000/- (Rupees
builder has instituted another civil suit inter alia against the appellant for
lodging a complaint with the Station House Officer, Police Station Gulabi
Bagh, Delhi. The said complaint was registered as FIR No.322 of 2021
under sections 420/406/34 of the IPC. Therein, the appellant, the builder
felt cheated and urged the police to investigate the crime committed inter
court [MACT-02 (CENTRAL)] seeking an order under section 438 of the Cr.
PC. Initially, on 30th November, 2011, the Presiding Officer granted interim
protection from arrest to the appellant, subject to his cooperating with the
that no agreement was executed by and between the appellant and the
dated 18th January, 2022, the application was dismissed by the Presiding
withdrawn.
appellant approached the High Court seeking an order under section 438
of the Cr. PC. Similar approach was made by the builder. The High Court
conditions imposed by the High Court for grant of bail reads as follows:
the High Court under section 482 of the Cr. PC seeking extension of time
time by 3 (three) days, failing which it was directed that anticipatory bail
paragraph 9.0. of the impugned judgment and order] imposed by the High
Court and is now before us seeking revocation of the same while urging
onerous and is not called for having regard to the satisfaction recorded by
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the High Court in paragraph 8.0. that the appellant has joined
investigation and that both the appellant and the builder are ready to
complainants with the result that he is still unable to enjoy his own
on behalf of the appellant that having regard to the decision of this Court
twenty-two lakh) in the form of FDR in the Trial Court is bad in law and
13. The appeal has been opposed by counsel for the State. According to
him, the impugned condition was imposed because the appellant through
twenty-two lakh) without prejudice to his rights and contentions. Now that
the High Court had proceeded to make its order based on such
undertaking and also that the appellant had applied for extension of time
which was granted, it is not an appropriate case where this Court should
14. Having heard the parties and on perusal of the materials on record,
1 (2009) 4 SCC 45
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rights and contentions and that he had also applied for extension of time
to make such deposit which was also granted; but having failed to arrange
15. In course of hearing before the High Court, a status report had been
only up to the 1st floor and obviously, therefore, the 2 nd and the 3rd floors
were still not in existence. From such status report, it is therefore clear
that neither was the floor which the complainants intended to purchase is
complete nor the floors in respect whereof the appellant could exercise his
16. A striking feature of the case is that although the appellant through
twenty-two lakh) with the trial court, the FIR version is that the appellant
(Rupees seventeen lakh) was also noticed by the Presiding Officer while
appellant had submitted before the High Court that he was ready to
instructions of the builder. We are not concerned at this stage with alleged
the field governing the discretion of the courts to grant anticipatory bail.
19. We start with Gurbaksh Singh Sibbia and others vs. State of
follows:
20. This Court in Mahesh Candra vs. State of U.P.3 was dealing with
a case where the relevant high court had directed payment of Rs.2,000/-
follows:
21. This Court in Munish Bhasin (supra), referred to by counsel for the
22. Sumit Mehta vs. State (NCT of Delhi) 4 arises out of a decision of
the High Court granting anticipatory bail but inter alia on the condition
“6. The only point for consideration in this appeal is whether the
condition of depositing an amount of Rs 1,00,00,000 in fixed deposit
for anticipatory bail is sustainable in law and whether such condition
is outside the purview of Section 438 of the Code?”
After hearing the parties, this Court made the following pertinent
observations:
“11. While exercising power under Section 438 of the Code, the
court is duty-bound to strike a balance between the individual’s
right to personal freedom and the right of investigation of the police.
For the same, while granting relief under Section 438(1), appropriate
conditions can be imposed under Section 438(2) so as to ensure an
uninterrupted investigation. The object of putting such conditions
4 (2013) 15 SCC 570
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15. The words ‘any condition’ used in the provision should not be
regarded as conferring absolute power on a court of law to impose
any condition that it chooses to impose. Any condition has to be
interpreted as a reasonable condition acceptable in the facts
permissible in the circumstance and effective in the pragmatic
sense and should not defeat the order of grant of bail. We are of the
view that the present facts and circumstances of the case do not
warrant such extreme condition to be imposed.”
23. We may next take note of two decisions of this Court of recent
origin.
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24. In Dilip Singh vs. State of Madhya Pradesh5, this Court sounded
25. Yet again in Bimla Tiwari vs. State of Bihar 6, this is what the
Court said:
“9. We have indicated on more than one occasion that the process
of criminal law, particularly in matters of grant of bail, is not akin to
money recovery proceedings but what has been noticed in the
present case carries the peculiarities of its own.
10. We would reiterate that the process of criminal law cannot be
utilised for arm-twisting and money recovery, particularly while
opposing the prayer for bail. The question as to whether pre-arrest
bail, or for that matter regular bail, in a given case is to be granted
or not is required to be examined and the discretion is required to
be exercised by the Court with reference to the material on record
and the parameters governing bail considerations. Putting it in
other words, in a given case, the concession of pre-arrest bail or
regular bail could be declined even if the accused has made
payment of the money involved or offers to make any payment;
5 (2021) 2 SCC 779
6 (2023) SCC OnLine SC 51
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26. Law regarding exercise of discretion while granting a prayer for bail
under section 438 of the Cr. PC having been authoritatively laid down by
builder or even in the absence of any such connivance) has cheated the
filed under section 173(2) of the Cr. PC, not to speak of the alleged
offence being proved before the competent trial court in accordance with
the settled procedures and the applicable laws. Sub-section (2) of section
438 of the Cr. PC does empower the high court or the court of sessions to
it may think fit in the light of the facts of the particular case and such
above makes the position of law clear that the conditions to be imposed
of bail, all such conditions that would facilitate the appearance of the
depositing money alleged to have been cheated. That is really not the
purpose and intent of the provisions for grant of bail. We may, however,
not be understood to have laid down the law that in no case should
After all, no court should be averse to putting public money back in the
offence of cheating.
27. Turning to the facts here, what we find is that the version in the FIR,
comprehend how the High Court arrived at the latter figure as payable by
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the appellant and why the appellant’s counsel as well agreed with such
Also, prima facie, there remains some doubt as regards the conduct of the
any agreement inter se. Be that as it may, the High Court ought to have
realized that having regard to the nature of dispute between the parties,
be pressed into service for settling a civil dispute. Even if the appellant
last ditch effort to avert losing his liberty, such undertaking could not have
weighed in the mind of the High Court to decide the question of grant of
anticipatory bail. The tests for grant of anticipatory bail are well
appellant before the High Court had its own effect, although it was far
28. It also does not appear from the materials on record that the
complainants have instituted any civil suit for recovery of money allegedly
paid by them to the appellant. If at all the offence alleged against the
jurisdiction under section 438 of the Cr. PC did not bear in mind.
29. Under the circumstances, we hold that the High Court fell in grave
30. We are not unmindful of the fact that the High Court was led by the
High Court in line with the approach adopted by this Court in Mahesh
arrest bail and a decision on its own merits in the light of the observations
It is ordered accordingly.
31. Till such time further orders are passed by the High Court, the
to assist the Court on the ground that any order passed on the appeal
prejudice.
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audience before this Court or even the High Court having regard to the
……………………………………J
(S. RAVINDRA BHAT)
……………………………………J
(DIPANKAR DATTA)
NEW DELHI;
JULY 04, 2023.
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