LexSAMBHOO NATH MISRA versus STATE OF U.P. AND ORS.
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SAMBHOO NATH MISRA A v. STATE OF U.P. AND ORS. MARCH 14, 1997 [K. RAMASWAMY AND G.T. NANAVATI, JJ.J B Code of Criminal Procedure, 1973 : S. 197-Sanction for prosecution of public se1vant-Complaint against Govemment servant for offences u/ss. 409, 420 IPC etc. alleging that he C fabricated signatures of complainant, withdrew and misappropriated the amount due to complainant-Magistrate dismissed the complaint holding that sanction u/s 197 was iwt obtained-High Cowt upheld the order holding that the offence alleged to have been committed by the employee was related with the discharge of his official duty-Held, it is not the official duty of the public servant to fabricate false record and misappropriate public funds in fur- D therance or in discharge of his official duties-Discharge of official duty is not integrally connected nor is it inseparably interli11ked with the c1ime committed in the course of same tra11sactio11--0rder of Magistrate dismissing the com- plaint is set aside-Complaint stands restored-Magistrate would deal with the case· 011 merits. E Hari Ram v. Emperor, 1939 F.C.R. p. 159; Orill's case, 1948 Law Reporter 75 I11dia11 Appeal 41 and B. Saha v. M.S. Kochhar, (1979) A.C.C. (16) 318, cited. CRIMINAL APPELLATE JURISDICTION: Criminal Appeal No. F 318 of 1997. From the Judgment and Order date<l 31.7.95 of the Allahabad High Court in €rl. R. No. 985 of 1993. P.N. Singh, Mohan Pandey for the Appellant. M.C. Dhingra, Kamakshi Singh Mehlwal for the Respondents. The following Order of the Court was delivered : Leave granted. We have heard learned counsel on both sides. 1139 G H A B c 1140 SUPREME COURT REPORTS [1997] 2 S.C.R. This appeal by special leave arises from the judgment and order of the learned Single Judge of Allahabad High Court, made on September 31, 1995 in Criminal Revision No. 985 of 1993. The appellant had laid a private complaint against R.D. Tripathi, the second respondent, for offences under Section 409, 420, 465, 468, 477A and 109 I.P.C., after examination, alleging that the second respondent and the Cashier had fabricated his signatures, drawn and misappropriated and amount of Rs. 443.90 which was due and payable to him. On the basis thereof, after recording his evidence and also of the court witness under Section 202 Cr. P.C. 1973, the Magistrate dismissed the complaint holding that the sanction under Section 197 of the Cr. P.C. was not obtained. Aggrieved by the order, the appellant went in revision before the High Court. The High Court recorded the finding that the second respondent was discharging his duties as a Government servant and was alleged to have misappropriated the amount in question by forging the signature of the D appellant in the payment register. The High Court further observed that "the offence alleged to have been committed by the respondent is related in some manner with the. discharge of his official duties. There is reasonable connection between t.he act and discharge of his official duty. Under these circumstances, sanction under Section 197, Cr. P.C., is neces- sary before procescution of this accused". In support of it, the learned E Judge relied upon Hari Ram v. Emperor, (1939) F.C.R. p. 159, on·ll's case [1948 Law Reporter 75 Indian Appeal 41] and the case of B. Saha v. M.S. Koch/tar, (1979) A.C.C. (16) 318. The question is: whether the view taken by the trial Court as upheld by the High Court for the aforesaid reason is correct is law? F Section 197 (1) postulates that "when any person who is a public servant not removable from his office, save by or with the sanction of the Government, is accused of any offence alleged to have been committed by him, while acting or purporting to act in the discharge of his official duty, no court shall take cognizance of such offence except with the previous G sanction of the appropriate Government/authority". The essentiiµ require- ment postulated for sanction to prosecute the public servant is that the offence alleged against the public servant must have been done while acting or purporting to act in the discharge of his official duties. In such a situation, it postulates that the public servant's act is in furtherance of the H performance of his official duties. If the act/omission is integral to perfor- ' -. -- f r ' S.N. MISRAv. STATE [K.RAMASWAMY,J.] 1141 mance of public duty, the public servant is entitled to the protection under· A
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