ORDER SHEET

IN THE HIGH COURT OF SINDH AT KARACHI

C.P.No.D-3444 of 2013

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DATE                 ORDER WITH SIGNATURE(S) OF JUDGE(S) 

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          For Katcha Peshi.

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Date of Hearing : 03.09.2013

Mr. Sharafuddin Jamali, Advocate for the Petitioner.

Mr. Sher Muhammad Shaikh, Additional Advocate General Sindh a/w SIP Akram Rind, ASI Noor Muhammad and ASI Muhammad Ismail Qureshi of P.S. Bilal Colony, Karachi

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NAIMATULLAH PHULPOTO, J.- Through the instant Constitution Petition, Petitioner Nek Muhammad seeks the following reliefs:-

a)     To transfer the investigation to any other fair, honest, impartial police investigating officer of any other district of Karachi under the supervision of police officer at least to rank of SP other than district central because accused above named have greased the palms of respondents No.5 to 7 by paying much bribe.

 

b)    To quash proceedings of F.I.Rs. Nos.134 of 2013 and 126  of 2013 Police Station Bilal Colony pending against petitioner’s father and brother illegally and unlawful through false and fictitious and ill founded FIRs.

 

c)     To restrain the respondent No.5, 6 and 7 from register false, fictitious and ill founded cases against petitioner, his brother and father except prior permission of this Honourable Court and extending threats for dire consequences so in collusion and in connivance with the above named accused persons and their relatives maliciously and to achieve ulterior motives.

 

d)    To direct the respondent No.1 to 4 to take stern and strict action against the respondents Nos.5, 6 and 7 for receiving illegal gratification and destroying the investigation and falsely involving the father and brother of petitioner.

 

e)     Any other relief which this Honourable Court may deem fit and proper in the circumstances be awarded.

 

f)      Cost of the petition.

 

2.       Notice was issued to the Respondents Nos.4 to 7 as well as learned Advocate General Sindh.

 

3.       Comments have been filed by S.H.O. Police Station Bilal Colony in which it is stated that a case bearing F.I.R. No.134/2013 under section 302/34 PPC was lodged on 21.06.2013. He made all possible efforts to arrest the nominated accused but he could not arrest them and submitted challan against the accused under section 512 Cr.PC.

 

4.       Mr. Sharafuddin Jamali, learned advocate for the petitioner submitted that investigation was mala fide and proceedings arising out of F.I.R. No.134/2013 and 126/2013 registered at police station Bilal Colony, pending against petitioner’s father and brother may be quashed. Lastly he argued that proceedings would be abuse of process of law.

 

5.       Mr. Sher Muhammad Shaikh, learned Additional Advocate General Sindh, strongly opposed the submissions made by the learned counsel for the petitioner and argued that cases have been investigated, there is sufficient material against the accused nominated in the F.I.R., trial of the cases would be for just decision of the cases. Lastly it is argued that accused have not approached Trial Court and petition is not maintainable.  

 

6.       We have carefully heard the learned counsel for the parties and perused the contents of the F.I.R. No.134/2013 under sections 302/34 PPC and F.I.R. No126/2013, under section 392/34 PPC, registered at police station Bilal Colony.

 

7.       From the contents of the F.I.Rs. bearing Crimes Nos.134/2013 and 126/2013 registered at P.S. Bilal Colony, Karachi, prima facie, alleged offences are made out. Petitioner and other accused nominated in the F.I.R. did not join the investigation and challan was submitted against them under Section 512 Cr.P.C. Petitioner has also been implicated by the P.Ws in 161 Cr.P.C statements. At this stage, there is sufficient material to connect the petitioner in the commission of the offences. Determination of correctness or falsity of the allegations leveled against petitioner/accused in prosecution cases, the consequent determination of the guilt or innocence of accused and ultimate conclusion regarding his conviction or acquittal is an obligation casts on the trial Courts on the basis of evidence likely to be produced at the trial. The Honourable Supreme Court in  the case of A-Habib Ahmed V/s MKG Scott Christian and five others reported in PLD 1992 SC 353 held as under:-

 

“Undoubtedly one primary question which the High Court had to face immediately on entertaining a case like the present one is: whether, the ordinary course of trial before the court concerned should be allowed to be deflected through an approach to its special of inherent jurisdiction -– the writ jurisdiction under Article 199 of the Constitution is one of them. The basic rule was laid down by this Court in the well kwon case of Ghulam Muhammad v. Muzammal Khan PLD 1967 SC 317 and it was ruled that if prima facie the offence had been committed justice required that it should be enquired into and tried. If the accused are not as a result of the trial found guilty they have a right to be declared as “honourably acquitted by a competent Court”. On the other hand if the evidence against the accused discloses a prima facie case then “justice clearly requires that the trial should proceed according to law”. It was also held that the inherent jurisdiction of the High Court is not an alternative jurisdiction or additional jurisdiction. It is only in the interest of justice to redress grievances for which no other procedure is available. The power given by section 561-A, Cr.P.C., it was held can certainly not be so utilized as to interrupt or divert the ordinary course of criminal procedure as laid down in the procedural statue.” Undoubtedly, the case of Ghulam Muhammad had come before the Supreme Court through an interruption by the High Court under section 561-A, Cr.P.C. The order of the High Court quashing the proceedings before the trial Court was set aside and it was directed that the criminal cases were to proceed before the Court concerned in accordance with the normal law.” 

 

          A resort to the provisions of Article 199 of the Constitution, seeking quashment of criminal case pending in the competent court of law, is an extraordinary remedy which can be invoked only in extraordinary circumstances and the said provisions could never be exploited as a substitute for the prescribed trial or to decide the question of guilt or innocence of accused person(s) on the basis of material. Accused have also not exhausted alternate remedy by approaching trial court in the first instance. Therefore, at this stage quashment of proceedings amounts to throttle the prosecution hence, while relying upon above cited authority, we have no hesitation to hold that there is no merit in the abovementioned petition. The same is dismissed. Trial Court is directed to proceed with cases expeditiously.    

 

          These are the reasons for our short order announced on 03.09.2013.

 

                                                                             JUDGE

 

                                      JUDGE

Dated: ___.09.2013

 

Gulsher/PA