Allahabad High Court
AMBRISH GUPTAversusSTATE OF U.P. AND ANOTHER
- Decided
- Bench
- SAURABH SRIVASTAVA
Holding
The Court held that the application under Section 528 CrPC is devoid of merit and must be dismissed as there is no sufficient ground to quash the charge sheet or the cognizance order.
Summary
The applicant sought to quash the charge sheet and the magistrate's cognizance order under Section 528 of the Code of Criminal Procedure, alleging a three‑day delay in filing the FIR and that the investigating officer had not properly inquired before filing the charge sheet. The State opposed the prayer. The Court held that at the stage of issuing a summons, the magistrate is required only to record a prima facie opinion and not to conduct a mini‑trial, and that the factual allegations of false implication must be decided by the trial court. Citing the Supreme Court decisions in S.W. Palanitkar and Nupur Talwar, the Court reiterated that the test at this stage is whether there is sufficient ground for proceeding, not for conviction. It further observed that the inherent powers under Section 528 are to be exercised sparingly and that no sufficient ground existed to invoke them. Consequently, the application was dismissed as devoid of merit.
Issues considered
- Whether a three‑day delay in lodging the FIR constitutes sufficient ground to quash the charge sheet under Section 528 CrPC.
- Whether the magistrate, at the stage of summoning, must conduct a mini‑trial or merely record a prima facie opinion.
- Whether the inherent powers under Section 528 CrPC can be exercised to quash the proceedings in the present facts.
Legislation cited
- Code of Criminal Procedure, 1973 — s. 528
- Indian Penal Code — s. 279, 304A, 338
Subjects
- Section 528 CrPC
- quash proceedings
- prima facie opinion
- inherent powers
- delay in FIR
- magistrate cognizance
- criminal procedure
Judgment
HIGH COURT OF JUDICATURE AT ALLAHABAD
APPLICATION U/S 528 BNSS No. - 14277 of 2026
Ambrish Gupta
.....Applicant(s)
Versus
State of U.P. and Another
.....Opposite
Party(s)
Counsel for Applicant(s) : Alkesh Singh
Counsel for Opposite Party(s) : G.A.
Court No. - 77
HON'BLE SAURABH SRIVASTAVA, J.
1. Heard learned counsel for the parties.
2. Present application has been preferred with prayer to quash charge sheet
dated 6.4.2017 as well as cognizance/summoning order dated 12.7.2018
passed by learned Judicial Magistrate, Kannauj and entire proceeding of
Case no. 652 of 2018 (State vs. Ambrish Gupta) arising out of Case Crime
no. 101 of 2016 under sections 279, 338, 304A IPC, PS- Gursahayganj,
District Kannauj.
3. It is contended by learned counsel for applicants that there is delay of
about 3 days in lodging the present FIR. The Investigating Officer without
properly inquiring the case with the applicant and without recovery of
alleged vehicle assuming that the owner i.e. applicant was driving the
vehicle, submitted charge sheet against the applicant and as such impugned
cognizance order and charge sheet are liable to be quashed and set aside.
4. Per contra, learned AGA vehemently opposed the prayer sought through
instant application.
5. After hearing the rival submissions extended by learned counsels for the
parties and perusing the records, this Court is of the opinion that at the stage
of summoning, the Magistrate is only required to record a prima facie
opinion, based on the material on record, and is not expected to hold a mini
trial or to examine the defence of the accused. In judgment rendered by
Hon'ble Apex Court in case of S.W. Palanitkar and Others v. State of
NA528 No. 14277 of 2026
2
Bihar and Another; (2002) 1 SCC 241 it was held that the test which was
required to be applied was whether there is "sufficient ground for
proceeding" and not whether there is "sufficient ground for conviction". In
the case of Nupur Talwar v. Central Bureau of Investigation and
Another; (2012) 11 SCC 465, it was reiterated that the limited purpose of
consideration of material at the stage of issuing process being tentative as
distinguished from the actual evidence produced during trial, the test to be
applied at the stage was whether the material placed before the Magistrate
was "sufficient for proceeding against the accused" and not "sufficient to
prove and establish the guilt".
6. From perusal of the material on record, at this stage, it cannot be said that
no offence is made out against the applicant. The assertions of false
implication raised by the applicant are factual issues that requires proper
adjudication by the trial court based on evidence and cannot be conclusively
determined in proceedings under Section 528 BNSS. In proceeding u/s 528
BNSS, this Court is not inclined to hold mini-trial.
7. It is well settled that the inherent powers under Section 528 BNSS are to
be exercised sparingly and with caution, primarily to prevent abuse of the
process of the court or to secure the ends of justice. In the instant case, no
sufficient ground have been made out to invoke the extraordinary
jurisdiction of this Court under Section 528 BNSS.
8. In view of the foregoing, the application under Section 528 BNSS is
devoid of merits and is accordingly dismissed.
(Saurabh Srivastava,J.)
May 7, 2026
Shaswat
Digitally signed by :-
SHASWAT SINGH
High Court of Judicature at Allahabad
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