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SC: Shouting and threatening Public servant does not amount to assault punishable U/S 353 of IPC

IN THE SUPREME COURT OF INDIA
CRIMINAL APPELLATE JURISDICTION

CRIMINAL APPEAL  No. ___________ OF 2024
[@ SPECIAL LEAVE PETITION (CRL.) NO. 5905/2022 ]

K. DHANANJAY

Vs

CABINET SECRETARY ORS.

Dated: OCTOBER 21, 2024.

Leave granted.

The appellant was an employee of Indian Institute of   Astrophysics   (Autonomous   Institute   under   the Department of Science and Technology, Govt. of India) in Bangalore. Challenging his dismissal from service, he had filed a petition before the Central Administrative Tribunal at Bangalore Bench.

Meanwhile, the appellant wanted to peruse certain documents,   for   which   permission   was   given   to   him. While he was inspecting the documents in the office of Respondent No. 5 ­ Ms. A. Thomeena, Deputy Registrar, Central   Administrative   Tribunal   at   Visveswarayya Kendriya Bhawan, Bangalore, it was alleged that the appellant assaulted the officers and therefore, a case was lodged against him under Sections 353/506 of the Indian   Penal   Code.     His   petition   for   quashing   the proceedings has been dismissed and he is before this Court.

Vide   order   dated   27.08.2024,   this   Court   issued notice to the respondents, including Respondent No. 5 – Ms. A. Thomeena, but no one has entered appearance on behalf of the respondents despite due service.

We have now perused the copy of the complaint which   was   given   by   Respondent   No.   5   –   Ms.   A. Thomeena, Deputy Registrar to the Inspector of Police, Ulsoor Police Station, Bangalore.   The same reads as under :­

“Sir, Today at 3.05 PM, we had one incident in our office.   One Shri Dhananjay who had been a party to the proceedings before us had   filed   a   complaint   before   the   Chief Information   Commission   seeking   certain documents.     The   CIC   vide   order   No. CIC/CAD/MT/A/2018/611756/SD   dated 01.07.2019   and   asked   us   to   give   some documents.   We had kept every document ready and asked him to come and get it and   inspect   the   document   which   he wanted.

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But   apparently   he   wanted   some   other documents also which we felt had nothing to do with the order of the CIC.  Therefore, being an official document, we had refused. Thereupon   he   started   shouting   and threatening us.  At that time Smt. Rajashri, CPIO, Smt. Rekhashree, who is my PS, and Smt. Geetha who is an MTS were in the room.  He threatening and shouted at them and   disrupted   the   work   of   the   office.

Hearing   the   shouts   and   cries,   people around   gathered   and   I   had   immediately informed the police.

Kindly take necessary action.”

It is on the basis of the above complaint that an FIR has been lodged against the appellant.   However, the only allegation against the appellant in the said complaint is that he was shouting and threatening the staff. This itself will not amount to any assault.

Assault is defined under Section 353 of the Indian Penal Code as under :­

“353 Assault  ­   Whoever   makes   any gesture,   or   any   preparation   intending   or knowing it to be likely that such gesture or preparation will cause any person present to   apprehend   that   he   who   makes   that gesture   or   preparation   is   about   to   use criminal   force   to   that   person,   is   said   to commit an assault.”

We   have   reproduced   the   entire   complaint hereinabove.  On perusing the same, we find that none of the ingredients, as mentioned in Section 353 IPC, is reflected in the complaint letter. In other words, no offence under Section 353 IPC is made out in this case.

The High Court, to our mind, has committed a mistake in not interfering in this case. This is a case which is nothing   but   an   abuse   of   the   process   of   law   and therefore, in order to meet the ends of justice, we allow this appeal and quash the entire proceedings initiated against the appellant.

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Withe the above observations and directions, the appeal is allowed.

Pending interlocutory application(s), if any, is/are disposed of.

[ SUDHANSHU DHULIA ]
[ AHSANUDDIN AMANULLAH ]
New Delhi;
OCTOBER 21, 2024.

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