High CourtDivision BenchWrit Petition dismissed.

Pooja Rana v. State of Haryana & Ors.

Case / Petition Number:Writ Petition (Crl.) No.109 of 2012
Neutral Citation:[2012] 7 S.C.R. 905

Case Details & Bench

Court
High Court
Hon'ble Judges
  • Dr. B.S. Chauhan
  • Jagdish Singh Khehar
Judgment Date
2012-08-27
Court Decision / Holding
Writ Petition dismissed.
Final Disposition
Writ Petition dismissed.

Parties to the Case

Appellants / Petitioners

  • Pooja Rana

Respondents

  • State of Haryana
  • Ors.

Legal Representation & Advocates

Counsels for Petitioners

  • • Vivek Gupta

Case Synopsis & Summary

Pooja Rana v. State of Haryana & Ors. concerns a writ petition under Article 32 of the Constitution challenging FIR No. 609/2012 registered at the Hissar Police Station in Haryana against the petitioner's husband Sachin Kumar Rana, with a prayer for quashing the FIR and for directions to the State to register a criminal case against the petitioner's parents and maternal uncle. The petitioner, born on 2 September 1993, contends that she is a major and has exercised her free will in marrying Sachin Kumar Rana; she alleges harassment by her parents and maternal uncle. The petition seeks to protect the husband by quashing the FIR and to compel action against the complainants. The petition was found to suffer from serious defects: the FIR copy was not placed on record; the person to be granted protection (the husband) was not a party; the complainants (the father Ashok Bansal, mother Sunita Bansal, and maternal uncle Subhash Gupta) were not parties; and the petition lacked proper explanation as to maintainability. The Court cited Surinder Singh v. Central Government & Ors. and Re: Sanjiv Datta to underscore the necessity of proper pleadings and record, remarking that such a petition does not deserve entertainment on these procedural grounds. While dismissing the writ petition, the Court left open the possibility for the petitioner to approach the High Court with a proper petition, noting the need for complete records, necessary parties, and a sound basis for relief. The order ultimately states: Writ Petition dismissed, with a suggestion to refile properly in appropriate proceedings.

Provisions of Law Cited

Constitution of India, 1950 Article 32Indian Penal Code, 1860 ss. 363, 366, 328, 504

Legal Doctrines & Maxims

  • In the absence of the impugned order it would not be possible to ascertain the reasons which may have impelled the authority to pass the order. It is therefore improper to quash an order which is not produced before the High Court in a proceeding under Article 226 of the Constitution (procedural principle from Surinder Singh v. Central Government & Ors., AIR 1986 SC 2166).
  • The lawyers took their profession seriously and practised it with dignity, deference and devotion (exhortation from Sanjiv Datta, 1995 (3) SCC 619).
  • No service will be too small in making the system efficient, effective and credible (principle from Sanjiv Datta).

Submissions & Arguments

Contentions of Appellants / Petitioners

The petitioner contends she is a major who freely chose her spouse and seeks to quash FIR No. 609/2012 against her husband and direct the registration of a criminal case against her parents and maternal uncle, seeking protection for her husband and asserting her Article 32 rights to vindicate her personal choice in marriage.

Contentions of Respondents

The respondents contend the petition is not maintainable due to defects in pleadings and record: the FIR copy is not on record; essential parties (the protected person and complainants) are not impleaded; the petition lacks a proper basis for quashing proceedings; thus the petition should be dismissed on maintainability grounds.

Cited Precedents (2)

Case NameCitationTreatmentExplanation
Surinder Singh v. Central Government & Ors.AIR 1986 SC 2166PositiveCited for the proposition that records must be complete and proper when quashing orders are sought and that a petition cannot be entertained without essential record.
Re: Sanjiv Datta1995 (3) SCC 619PositiveCited for admonitions about professional conduct and the seriousness of the profession; used to underscore the need for proper pleadings and record.

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Extracted Judgment Text

Exact text extracted from official judgment records.

A B [2012] 7 S.C.R. 905 ## POOJA RANA _v._ STATE OF HARYANA & ORS. (Writ Petition (Crl.) No.109 of 2012) ## AUGUST 27, 2012 ## **[DR. B.S. CHAUHAN AND JAGDISH SINGH KHEHAR, JJ.]** - - - _Constitution of India, 1950 Article 32 Writ petition Petitioner had married_ a _person out of her free will_ - _However,_ C _her parents and maternal uncle had registered_ a _criminal_ - _case against her husband Prayer of petitioner for quashing FIR against petitioner's husband and for further direction to the State Authorities to register criminal case against her_ - _parents and maternal uncle FIR sought to be quashed not_ o - _placed on record The person to be granted protection i.e. petitioner's husband_ as _well_ as _the complainants i.e. the petitioner's parents and maternal uncle also not impleaded in the writ petition_ - _Maintainability of the writ petition_ - _Held: It is not the case of the petitioner that she had made any attempt_ E _to get the copy of the FIR and it was not made available to her_ - _Nor there is any statement in her petition that she tried to lodge FIR against her parents and uncle but it was not accepted_ - _Counsel for the petitioner failed to explain_ as _why the necessary parties i.e. the complainants_ as _well_ as _the_ **F** _person for whom the protection is sought have not been impleaded_ - _Approach of the petitioner's counsel_ was _casual_ - - _The petition is therefore liable to be dismissed However, in facts and circumstances of the case, the petitioner, if_ so _advised, may move the High Court for appropriate relief by_ - - _filing appropriate petition Penal Code, 1860_ ss.363, _366,_ G _328 and 504._ _Surinder Singh v. Central Government_ & _Ors._ **AIR 1986** 905 **H** 906 SUPREME COURT REPORTS [2012] 7 S.C.R. A SC 2166: 1986 (3) SCR 946 and _Re: Sanjiv Datta_ (1995) 3 sec 619: 1995 (3) SCR 450 - relied on. ## Case Law Reference: B 1986 (3) SCR 946 relied on Para 5 1995 (3) SCR 450 relied on Para 7 CRIMINAL ORIGINAL JURISDICTION : Writ Petition (Crl.) No. 109 of 2012. c Under Article 32 of the Constitution of India. Vivek Gupta for the Petitioner. The following order of the Court was delivered ## D ## ORDER 1. This petition has been filed for quashing the First Information Report No. 609 of 2012 under Sections 363, 366, 328 and 504 of Indian Penal Code, 1860 (hereinafter called E 'IPC') registered at Police Station Hissar, (City) Haryana and for further direction to the State Authorities to register the criminal case against the petitioner's father, mother and maternal uncle. 2. The writ petition has been filed alleging that the petitioner F was born on 2.9.1993, thus she was major and has a right to choose a person with whom she wants to settle in her life. Petitioner married one Sachin Kumar Rana, resident of Sambhal, Moradabad, (U.P.) of her free will. However, her parents and maternal uncle had registered a criminal case G against her husband and they are harassing him. Thus, the petition has been filed for the aforesaid reliefs. 3. The matter was heard at length on 24.8.2012 and Mr. Gaurav Kumar Bansal, learned counsel appearing for the H petitioner was asked to explain as under what circumstances POOJA RANA _v._ STATE OF HARYANA & ORS. 907 such a writ petition can be entertained as it suffers from A following basic defects: (i) The FIR sought to be quashed has not been placed on record. (ii) The person who is to be granted protection i.e. Shri B Sachin Kumar Rana is not a party as either petitioner or the respondent. (iii) The complainant-persons who are harassing the petitioner's husband Sachin Kumar Rana, namely Ashok c Bansal-father, Sunita Bansal-mother and Subhash Guptamaternal uncle are not the parties before us. 4. As learned counsel for the petitioner was not able to provide proper assistance, we adjourned the case for today and 0 also requested the learned Advocate-on-record who has signed the petition to remain present in the court so that he can explain as to whether such a petition is maintainable or ought to have been filed. 5. In _Surinder Singh v. Central Government_ & _Ors.,_ AIR 1986 SC 2166, this Court dealt with an issue for quashing of order which had not been made part of the record and observed as under: E " ..... In the absence of the impugned order it would F not be possible to ascertain the reasons which may have impelled the authority to pass the order. It is therefore improper to quash an order which is not produced before the High Court in a proceeding under Art. 226 of the Constitution. The order of the High Court could be set G aside for this reason ... " F 6. It is not the case of the petitioner that she had made any attempt to get the copy of the FIR and it was not made available to her. Nor there is any statement in her petition that she tried to lodge the FIR against her parents and uncle but it H 908 SUPREME COURT REPORTS [2012] 7 S.C.R. - A was not accepted. Learned counsel for the petitioner failed to explain as why the necessary parties, i.e. the complainants as well as the person for whom the protection is sought have not been impleaded. 7. While dealing with a similar situation, this Court in Re: 8 _Sanjiv Datta,_ (1995) 3 SCC 619, held as under: - " ..... Some members of the profession have been adopting perceptibly casual approach to the practice of the profession as is evident from their absence _when the_ - C _matters are called out, the filing of incomplete and_ - - _inaccurate pleadings many times even illf?gible and without personal check and verification, the non-payment_ of court fees and process fees, the failure to remove office objections, the failure to take steps to serve the parties, - D et al. They do not realise the seriousness of these acts and omissions. _They not only amount to the contempt of the court but do positive disservice to the litigants and create embarrassing situation in the court_ leading to avoidable unpleasantness and delay in the disposal of matters. This - E augurs ill for the health of our judicial system ...... The lawyers took their profession seriously and practised it with dignity, deference and devotion. If the profession is to survive, the judicial system has to be vitalised. No service will be too small in making the system efficient, effective - F and credible .... " (Emphasis added) 8. In view of the above, we are of the opinion that such a petition does not deserve to be entertained. It is accordingly dismissed. However, in the facts and circumstances of the case, the petitioner, if so advised, may move the High Court G for appropriate relief by filing appropriate petition. B.B.B. Writ Petition dismissed.