Holding

The complaint was an abuse of process and did not disclose any offence; therefore, the proceedings were quashed under s.482 CrPC.

Summary

The respondent, a former peon of K.L.E. Society, filed a private complaint alleging offences under IPC ss.403, 405 and 415 r/w s.34, claiming that salary deductions were made without justification. The Judicial Magistrate took cognizance and issued process, prompting the society to move the Karnataka High Court under s.482 CrPC for quashing the proceedings. The High Court dismissed the application, holding that the complaint disclosed a cause of action. On appeal, the Supreme Court examined the scope of the inherent power under s.482 and held that the complaint was an abuse of process because it did not disclose any offence and the allegations were inconsistent with the respondent's earlier industrial dispute petition. Consequently, the Court allowed the appeal, quashed the criminal proceedings and clarified that s.482 is to be exercised sparingly to prevent abuse of process, not to substitute for a trial.

Issues considered

Whether the private complaint filed by the respondent discloses any offence punishable under IPC ss.403, 405 and 415 r/w s.34.
Whether the High Court erred in refusing to quash the criminal proceedings under s.482 CrPC.
Whether the inherent jurisdiction under s.482 CrPC can be exercised in the present facts to prevent abuse of the process of law.

Legislation cited

Code of Criminal Procedure, 1973s. 482
Indian Penal Code, 1860s. 34, s. 403, s. 405, s. 415
Industrial Disputes Act, 1947s. 33(C)(2)

Subjects

Section 482 CrPCinherent jurisdictionquashing of criminal proceedingsabuse of processprivate complaintIndian Penal CodeIndustrial Disputes Actprocedural law

Judgment

[2008] 3 S.C.R. 783
'

~ 't
K.L.E. SOCEITY AND ORS. A
;
II.
SIDDALi NG ESH
(Criminal Appeal No. 427 of 2008)
MARCH 3, 2008
B .
[DR. ARIJIT PASAYAT AND AFTAB ALAM, JJ.]
"',.,,_
" Code of criminal Procedure, 1973: ·
s. 482 - Complaint for offences under /PC - Initiation of
criminal proceedings - Application for quashing the c
proceedings and complaint -Dismissed by High Court - On
appeal held: Complaint was an abuse of process of law - In
the facts of the case, accusations in the complaint are not
made out - Proceedings quashed - Penal Code, 1860 - ss.
403, 405 and 415 rlw s. 34 . D
• ""( s. 482 - Inherent powers under - Nature and scope of -
Held: Exercise of such power in cases of quashing of
proceedings is the exception and not the rule- It is, though
wide, has to be exercised sparingly in order to do substantial
justice - It should not be exercised to stifle a legitimate E
prosecution- While exercising svch powers courts not to
function as court of appeal or revision.

." ~'~ Respondent was appointed as a peon with the
appellant-society. He filed a petition in terms of s. 33 (C) F
(2) of Industrial Disputes Act, 1947 stating that lesser
amounts were paid to him and his signatures were taken
for higher amounts. After his retirement he filed a complaint
against the society and its Principal and Secretary
alleging· commission of offence punishable u/ss. 403, 405 G
and 415 r/w s. 34 IPC. He stated in the complaint that he
was given to understand by the appellants that certain
amounts were being deducted for repayment at the time
of retirement. Judicial Magistrate took cognizance and
783 H
784 SUPREME COURT REPORTS [2008] 3 S.C.R.

f •
A issued pr.ocess. Appellants filed application u/s 482 Cr.P.C.
~
for quashing the proceedings and the complaint. High
Court dismissed the application. Hence the present
appeal.
Allowing the appeal, the Court
B
HELD: 1. The complaint was nothing but an abuse
(
of the process of law. High Court came to the conclusion .,;-"
,;
that deductions were made without any rhyme and reason
and without any basis. That was not the case of the
c complainant. On the other hand, it tried to make out a case
that the deduction was made with an object. That
obviously, was the foundation to substantiate claim of
entrustment. On a close reading of the ·complaint it is clear
that the ingredients of Sections 403, 405 and 415 do not
exist. The statement made in the complaint runs contrary
D
to the averments made in the petition in terms of Section ',.
)
33-(C) (2). [Paras 7 and 12) [795-C, D; 790-A, BJ
2.1 Exercise of power under Section 482 Cr.P.C., in a
case of the nature where quashing of criminal proceeding
E is sought, is the exception and not the rule. The Section
does not confer any new powers on the High Court. It
only saves the intierent power which the Court possessed
before the enactment of the Cr.P.C. It envisages three
circumstances under which the inherent jurisdiction ..
.,,
F may be exercised, namely, (i) to give effect to an order
under the Code, (ii) to prevent abuse of the process of
court, and (iii) to otherwise secure the ends of justice.
[Para 8] [790-C, D]
-
2.2 It is neither possible nor desirable to lay down
G any inflexible rule which would govern the exercise of ,
inherent jurisdiction. No legislative enactment dealing
with procedure can provide for all cases that may possibly
arise. Courts, therefore, have inherent powers apart from
express provisions of law which are necessary for proper
-t-
-
H discharge of functions and duties imposed upon them
K.L.E. SOCEITY AND ORS. v. SIDDALINGESH 785'

t
"
j. by law. That is the doctrine which finds expression in the A
section which merely recognizes and preserves inherent
powers of the High Courts. All courts, whether civil or
criminal possess, in the absence of any express
provision, as inherent in their constitution, all such powers
as are necessary to do the right and to undo a wrong in B
course of administration of justice on the principle
" ·"';... "quando lex aliquid alicui concedit, concedere videtur et id
' sine quo res ipsae esse non potest" (when the law gives a
person anything it gives him that without which it cannot
exist). [Para 8) [790·0, E, F, G] c
2.3 While exercising powers under the Section, the
court does not function as a court of appeal or revision.
Inherent jurisdiction under the Section though wide, has
to be exercised sparingly, carefully and with caution and
only when such exercise is justified by the tests D
...-- r specifically laid down in the Section itself. It is to be
exercised ex debito justitiae to do real and substantial
justice for the administration of which alone courts exist.
Authority of the court exists for advancement of justice
and if any attempt is made to abuse that authority so as E
to produce injustice, the court has power to prevent
abuse. It would be an abuse of process of the court to
allow any action which would result in injustice an_d
• ;l:; prevent promotion of justice. In exercise of the powers
court would be justified to quash any proceeding if it finds · F
that initiation/continuance of it amounts to abase of the
process of court or quashing of these proceedings would
otherwise serve the ends of justice. When no offence is
disclosed by the complaint, the cou"rt may examine the
question of fact. When a complaint is sought to be
G
quashed, it is permissible to look into the materials to
assess what the complainant has alleged and whether
~-+ any offence is made out even if the allegations are
accepted in toto. [Para 8) [790-G; 791 ·A, B, C, DJ
2.4 When exercising jurisdiction under Section 482 H
786 SUP~EME COURT REPORTS (2008] 3 S.C.R.
t v
A Cr.P.C., the High Court would not ordinarily embark upon l
an enquiry whether the evidence in question is reliable
or not or whether on a reasonable appreciation of it,
accusation WO!Jld not be sustained. That is the function
of the trial Judge. Judicial process should not be an
B instrument of oppression, or, needless harassment. Court
should be circumspect and judicious in exercising ,.. ~

discretion and should take all relevant facts and ,
-.I

circumstances into consideration before issuing process,
lest it would be an instrument in the hands of a private
complainant
c needlessly. Atto unleash vendetta to harass any person
the same time the Section is not an
instrument handed over to an accused to short-circuit a
prosecution and bring about its sudden death. [Para 10]
[792-A, B, C]
D State of Haryana v. Bhajan Lal 1992 Supp (1) 335 ...
)
relied on.
2.5 Court must be careful to see that its decision in
exercise of this power is based on sound principles. The
inherent power should not be exercised to stifle a
E legitimate prosecution. The High Court being the highest
court of a State should normally refrain from giving a prima
facie decision in a case where the entire facts are
incomplete and hazy, more so when the evidence has not ~

•""""
been collected and produced before the Court and the
F issues involved, whether factual or legal, are of magnitude
and cannot be seen in their true perspective without
sufficient material. Of course, no hard-and-fast rule can
be laid down in regard to cases in which the High Court
will exercise its extraordinary jurisdiction of quashing the
G proceeding at any stage. [Para 11) [793-G; 794-A, BJ
Janata Dal v. H. S. Chowdhary 1992 (4) SCC 305;
Raghubir Saran (Dr.) v. State of Bihar AIR 1964 SC 1 - relied -;-- .......
on.
H 2.6 It would not be proper for the High Court to
.K.L.E. SOCEITY AND ORS. v. SIDDALINGESH 787

analyse the case of the complainant in the light of all A
probabilities in order·to determine whether a conviction
would be sustainable and on such premises arrive at a
conclusion that the proceedings are to be quashed. It
would be erroneous to assess the material before it and
conclude that the complaint cannot be proceeded with. B
In a proceeding instituted on complaint, exercise of the
inherent powers to quash the proceedings is called for
only in a case where the complaint does not disclose any
offence or is frivolous, vexatious or oppressive. If the
allegations set out in the complaint do not constitute the C
offence of which cognizance has been taken by the
Magistrate, it is open to the High Court to quash the same
in exercise of the inherent powers under Section 482
. Cr.P.C .. It is not, however, necessary that there should be
meticulous analysis of the case before the trial to find out
r whether the case would end in conviction or acquittal. D
The complaint has to be read as a whole. If it appears that
on consideration of the allegations in the light of the
statement made on 0<1th of the complainant that the
ingredients of the offence or offences are disclosed and
there is no material to show that the complaint is mala E
fide, frivolous or vexatious, in that event there would be
no justification for interference by the High Court. When
· an information is lodged at the police station and an
offence is registered, then the ma/a fides of the informant
would be of secondary importance. It is the material F
collected during the investigation and evidence led in
court which decides the fate of the accused person. The
allegations of ma/a fides against the informant are of no
consequence and cannot by themselves be the basis for
quashing the proceedings. [Para 11] [794-B, C, D, E, F, G; G
795-A]
Dhanalakshmi v. R. Prasanna Kumar 1990 Supp SCC
686; State of Bihar v. P P Sharma AIR 1996 SC 309; Rupan
: Debi Bajaj v. Kanwar Pal Singh Gill 1995 (6) SCC 194; State
. of Kera/av. 0. C. Kuttan AIR 1999 SC 1044; State of UP v. 0. H
·788 SUPREME COURT REPORTS [2008] 3 S.C.R.
.
i ~
A P Sharma 1996 (7) SCC 705; Rashmi Kumar v. Mahesh ..._
Kumar Bhada 1997 (2) SCC 397; Satvinder Kaur v. State
(Govt. of NCT of Delhi AIR 1996 SC 2983; Rajesh Bajaj v.
State NCT of Delhi 1999 (3) SCC 259;·State of Karnataka v.
M. Devendrappa and Anr. 2002 (3) SCC 89; Zandu
B Pharmaceutical Works Ltd. v. Mohd. Sharaful Haque and Anr.
2005 (1) SCC 122; R. P Kapur v. State of Punjab AIR 1960
SC 866 - relied on. '
"'>
CRIMINALAPPELLATEJURISDICTION: CriminalAppeal
No. 427 of 2008.
c
From the final Judgment and Order dated 04.12.2006 of
the High Court of Karnataka at Bangalore in Criminal Petition
No. 2795 of 2006.
Basava Prabhu S. Patil, V.N. Raghupathy, B. Subrahmanya
D Prasad and Narayan P. Kengasur for the Appellants.
'! '
Kiran Suri for the Respondent.
The Judgment of the Court was delivered by
Dr. ARIJIT PASAYAT, J. 1. Leave granted.
E
2. Challenge in this appeal is to the order passed by the
learned Single Judge of the Karnataka High Court dismissing
the application filed before it in terms of Section 482 of the Code
of Criminal Procedure, 1973 (in short 'Cr.P.C.'). Prayer in the i: ~

F application before the High Court was for quashing the
proceedings in C.C.No.273/2006 including the complaint on the
file of learned Judicial Magistrate First Class, Gulbarga.
3. Background facts in a nutshell are as under:

G Respondent was appointed as a Peon in K.L.E. Society's
Women Arts and Commerce College in the year 1992 of which
the appellant no.3 was the Principal at the relevant point of time.
Appellant no.2 was the Secretary at the relevant point of time
and the Society was represented by its Chairman, Board of
~-
Management. He resigned from service on 17.12.2003. The
H
K.L.E. ·SOCEITY AND ORS. v. SIDDALINGESH 789
(DR. ARIJIT PASAYAT, J.J.
" \ complaint was filed on 13.1.2006 alleging commission of A
J.
offence punishable under Section 403, 405 and 415 read with
Section 34 of the Indian Penal Code, 1860 (in short 'IPC'). The
learned Judicial Magistrate took cognizance and issued
process. The same was questioned by the appellants. The stand
before the High Court was that the complaint was misconceived, B
no offence was made out even on indepth scrutiny of the
'', complaint. In fact, the respondent had filed petition in terms of
'-··
' Section 33 (C} (2) of the Industrial Disputes Act, 1947 (in short
'ID' Act) and also filed writ petition claiming parity in salary which
was disposed of by giving the direction to consider the· c
respondents' case. In the petition in terms of Section 33-(C)(2)
of the ID Act the respondent had stated that lesser amounts
were paid and signatures for higher amounts were taken. The
said petition is pending. In the writ petition before the High Court ·
there was no mention about any deduction. It is stated in the D
complaint that the complainant was given to understand that
~ r certain amounts were being deducted for repayment at the time
of retirement or cessation of his job. In the notice issued on
23.11.2004, there is no mention about this aspect. It was,
therefore, submitted that the complaint was nothing but an abuse
of process of law. E
4. The complainant-respondent resisted the stand by
stating that the offences are clearly spelt out.
5. The High Court dismissed the petition holding as follows:
F
"The respondent lodged a private complaint against the
petitioner on 13.1.2006 along with six supporting
documents. After perusing the complaint, the documents
and the sworn statement of the respondent, process is
issued against the petitioners for the aforesaid offences. G
This petition is filed for quashing the proceedings."
6. Learned counsel for the appellants reiterated the stand
•-+ taken before the High Court. On the other hand, respondent also
reiterat~d the stand taken before the High Court.
H
790 SUPREME COURT REPORTS [2008] 3 S.C.R.

A 7. One thing is clear on reading of High Court's reasoning
t
that the ~igh Court came to the conclusion that deductions were
made without any rhyme and reason and without any basis. That
was not the case of the complainant. On the other hand, it tried
to make out a case that the deduction was made with an object.
B That obviously, was the foundation to substantiate claim of
entrustment. On a close reading of the complaint it is clear that
the ingredients of Sections 403, 405 and 415 do not exist. The /
statement made in the complaint runs contrary to the pVerments ' "
made in the petition in terms of Section 33-(C) (2).
c 8. Exercise of power under Section 482 of the Code in a
case of this nature is the exception and not the rule. The Section
does not confer any new powers on the High Court. It only saves
the inherent power which the Court possessed before the
enactment of the Code. It envisages three circumstances under
D which the inherent jurisdiction may be exercised, namely, (i) to
give effect to an order under the Code, (ii) to prevent abuse of 1 '
the process of court, and (iii) to otherwise secure the ends of
justice. It is neither possible nor desirable to lay down any
inflexible rule which would govern the exercise of inherent
E jurisdiction. No legislative enactment dealing with procedure can
provide for all cases that may possibly arise. Courts, therefore,
have inherent powers apart from express provisions of law which
are necessary for proper discharge of functions apd duties
imposed upon them by law. That is the doctrine which finds _ ~ ~

F expression in the section which merely recognizes and preserves
inherent powers of the High Courts. All courts, whether civil or
criminal possess, in the absence of any express provision, as
inherent in their constitution, all.such powers as are necessary
to do the right and to undo a wrong in course of administration
G of justice on the principle "quando lex aliquid alicui concedit,
concedere videtur et id sine quo res ipsae esse non potest"
(when the law gives a person anything it gives him that without
which it cannot exist). While exercising powers under the sectiQn, -;--- ~
the court does not function as a court of appeal or revision.
Inherent jurisdiction under the section though wide has to be
H
K.L.E. SOCEITY AND ORS. v. SIDDALINGESH 791
[DR. ARIJIT PASAYAT, J.)
., 't
exercised sparingly, carefully and with caution and only when A
• such exercise is justified by the tests specifically laid down in
the section itself. It is to be exercised ex debito justitiae to do
·real and substantial justice for the administration of which alone
courts exist. Authority of the court exists for advancement of
justice. and if any attempt is made to abuse that authority so as B
to produce injustice, the court has power to prevent abuse. It
'I
would be an abuse of process of the court to allow any action
·•" which would result in injustice and prevent promotion of justice.
In exercise of the powers court would be justified to quash any
proceeding if it finds that initiation/continuance of it amounts to c
abuse of the process of court or quashing of these proceedings
would otherwise serve the ends of justice. When no offence is
disclosed by the complaint, the court may examine the question
of fact. When a complaint is sought to be quashed, it is
permissible to look into the materials to assess what the
D
">. ·r
complainant has alleged and whether any offence is made out
even if the allegations are accepted in toto.
9. In R. P Kapur v. State of Punjab (AIR 1960 SC 866)
this Court summarized some categories of cases where
inherent power can and should be exercised to quash the E
proceedings.
(i) where it manifestly appears that there is a legal bar
against the institution or continuance e.g. want of sanction;
·~
(ii) where the allegations in the first information report or F
complaint taken at its face value and accepted in their
entirety do not constit.ute the offence alleged;
(iii) where the allegations constitute an offence, but there
is no legal evidence adduced or the evidence adduced
clearly or manifestly fails to prove the charge. G
10. In dealing with the last case, it is important to bear in
' -+ mind the distinction between a case where there is no legal
evidence or where there is evidence which is clearly inconsistent
with the accusations made, and a case where there is legal
H
79.2 SUPREME COURT REPORTS [2008] 3 S.C.R.

A ev'dence which, on appreciation, may or may not su;p6'rt the t :
accusations. When exercising jurisdiction under Section 482
of the Code, the High Court would not ordinarily embark upon
an enquiry whether the evidence in question is reliable or not or
whether on a reasonable appreciation of it accusation would
s not be sustained. That is the function of the trial Judge. Judicial
process should not be an instrument of oppression, or, needless
harassment. Court should be circumspect and judicious in ,..
.
exercising discretion and should take all relevant facts and "
circumstances into consideration before issuing process, lest
c it would be an instrument .in the hands of a private complainant "'
to unleash vendetta to harass any person needlessly. At the
same time the section is not an instrument handed over to an
accused to short-circuit a prosecution and bring about its sudden
death. The scope of exercise of power under Section 482 of
the Code and the categories of cases where the High Court
D may exercise its power under it relating to cognizable offences
1
to prevent abuse of process of any court or otherwise to secure
the ends of justice were set out in some detail by this Court in
State of Haryana v. Bhajan Lal (1992 Supp (1) 335). A note of
caution was, however, added that the power should be
E exercised sparingly and that too in rarest of rare cases. The
illustrative categories indicated by this Court are as follows:
"(1) Where the allegations made in the first information
report or the complaint, even if they are taken at their face
F value and accepted in their entirety do not prima facie
constitute any offence or make out a case against the ...
accused.
(2) Where the allegations in the first information report
and other materials, if any, accompanying the FIR do not
G disclose a cognizable offence, justifying an investigation
by police officers under Section 156(1) of the Code except
under an order of a Magistrate within the purview of Section
155(2) of the Code.
(3) Where the uncontroverted allegations made in the FIR
H
K.L.E. SOCEITYAND ORS. v. SIDDALINGESH 793
[DR. ARIJIT PASAYAT, J.]

...y " or complaint and the evidence collected in support of the A
same do not disclose the commission of any offence and
make out a case against the accused.
(4) Where the allegations in the FIR do not constitute a
cognizable offence but constitute only a non-cognizable
offence, no investigation is permitted by a police officer B
without an order of a Magistrate as contemplated under
". .. Section 155(2) of the Code.
"
(5) Where the allegations made in the FIR or complaint
are so absurd and inherently improbable on the basis of c
which no prudent person can ever reach a just conclusion
that there is sufficient ground for proceeding against the
accused.
(6) Where there is an express legal bar engrafted in any
of the provisions of the Code or the Act concerned (under D
:r which a criminal proceeding is instituted) to the institution
/

and continuance of the proceedings and/or where there is
a specific provision in the Code or Act concerned,
providing efficacious redress for the grievance of the
aggrieved party. E
(7) Where a criminal proceeding is manifestly attended
with mala fide and/or where the proceeding is maliciously
instituted with an ulterior motive for wreaking vengeance
r~
on the accused and with a view to spite him due to private
and personal grudge." F
...
11. As noted above, the powers possessed by the High
Court under Section 482 of the Code are very wide and the
very plenitude of the power requires great caution in its exercise.
Court must be careful to see that its decision in exercise of this
G
power is based on sound principles. The inherent power should
not be exercised to stifle a legitimate prosecution. The High
• ---+ Court being the highest court of a State should normally refrain
from giving a prima facie decision in a case where the entire
facts are incomplete and hazy, more so when the evidence has
H
794 SUPREME COURT REPORTS [2008) 3 S.C.R.

f •
A not been collected and produced before the Court and the issues
involved, whether factual or legal, are of magnitude and cannot
.
be seen in their true perspective without sufficient material. Of
course, no hard-and-fast rule can be laid down in regard to cases
in whiCh the High Court will exercise its extraordinary jurisdiction
B of quashing the proceeding at any stage. (See: Janata Dal v.
H. S. Chowdhary (1992 (4) SCC 305), and Raghubir Saran
(Dr.) v. State of Bihar (AIR 1964 SC 1). It would not be proper ,.
,.,
for the High Court to analyse the case of the complainant in the
light of all probabilities in order to determine whether a conviction
would be sustainable and on such premises arrive at a
c conclusion that the proceedings are to be quashed. It would be
erroneous to assess the material before it and conclude that
the complaint cannot be proceeded with. In a proceeding
instituted on complaint, exercise of the inherent powers to quash
the proceedings is called for only in a case where the complaint
D
does not disclose any offence or is frivolous, vexatious or ,~

oppressive. If the allegations set out in the complaint do not 1
constitute the offence of which cognizance has been taken by
the Magistrate, it is open to the High Court to quash the same in
exercise of the inherent powers under Section 482 of the Code.
E It is not, however, necessary that there should be meticulous
analysis of the case before the trial to find out whether the.case
would end in conviction or acquittal. The complaint has to be
read as a whole. If it appears that on consideration of the
allegations in the light of the statement made on oath of the .,a.
F complainant that the ingredients of the offence or offences are
disclosed and there is no material to show that the complaint is
mala fide, frivolous or vexatious, in that event there would be no
justification for interference by the High Court. When an
information is lodged at the police station and an offence is
G registered, then the mala fides of the informant would be of
secondary importance. It is the material collected during the
investigation and evidence led in court which decides the fate
of the accused person. The allegations of mala fides against 1- "(
the informant are of no consequence and cannot by themselves
H
K.L.E. SOCEITY AND ORS. v. SIDDALINGESH 795
[DR. ARIJIT PASAYAT, J.]

be the basis for quashing the proceedings. (See: A
Dhanalakshmi v. R. Prasanna Kumar (1990 Supp SCC 686),
State of Bihar v. P. P. Sharma (Al R 1996 SC 309), Rupan Deol
Bajaj v. Kanwar Pal Singh Gill (1995 (6) SCC 194), State of
Kera/a v. 0. C. Kuttan (Al R 1999 SC 1044), State of U. P. v. 0.
P. Sharma (1996 (7) SCC 705), Rashmi Kumar v. Mahesh B
Kumar Bhada (1997 (2) SCC 397), Satvinder Kaur v. State
(Govt. ofNCTofDelhi) (AIR 1996 SC 2983) and Rajesh Bajaj
v. State NCT of Delhi (1999 (3) SCC 259, State of Karnataka
v. M. Devendrappa and Another (2002 (3) SCC 89) and Zandu
Pharmaceutical Works Ltd. v. Mohd. Sharaful Haque and Anr. C
(2005 (1) sec 122). ·
12. When the factual scenario is examined in the
background of the legal principles set out above, the inevitable
conclusion is that the complaint was nothing but an abuse of the
process of law. We, therefore, allow this appeal and set aside D
the proceedings in C.C.No.273/2006 pending before learned
Judicial Magistrate First Class, Gulbarga.
13. We make it clear that we have not expressed any
opinion on the merits so far as the petition under Section 33•
(C)(2) of the ID Act is concerned, which is stated to be pending. E
K.K.T. Appeal allowed.