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Supreme Court of India

RAMENDRA@ RAMAN DHULDHUEversusSTATE OF MADHYA PRADESH

Citation
2015 INSC 1041
Decided
10 December 2015
Disposal
Dismissed

Holding

The Act cannot be applied retrospectively; the High Court’s view is upheld and the appeal is dismissed.

Summary

The appellant, a junior assistant in the Indore Regional Transport Office, was investigated for possessing property allegedly acquired through corrupt means under Section 13(1)(e) of the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988. After the Madhya Pradesh Vishesh Nyayalaya Adhiniyam, 2011 came into force, the Special Judge declared the appellant to be within the Act’s ambit under Section 5. The prosecution then sought confiscation of the property under Section 15(3) of the same Act. The appellant challenged the proceedings, arguing that the 2011 Act could not be applied retrospectively because it is a substantive law with penal consequences, and filed a petition under Section 482 of the CrPC for quashment. The High Court rejected the retrospective‑application plea, and the Supreme Court affirmed that view, relying on its earlier decision in Yogendra Kumar Jaiswal v. State of Bihar. Consequently, the appeal was dismissed for lack of merit.

Issues considered

  • Whether the Madhya Pradesh Vishesh Nyayalaya Adhiniyam, 2011 can be given retrospective effect to proceedings under the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988.
  • Whether a law that is substantive and imposes penal consequences can be applied to acts committed before its commencement.

Legislation cited

Subjects

retrospective legislationsubstantive lawpenal consequenceconfiscationPrevention of Corruption ActM.P. Vishesh Nyayalaya AdhiniyamSection 5Section 13(1)(e)Section 15(3)Section 482 CrPC

Judgment

                    [2015] 14 S.C.R. 985


            RAMENDRA@ RAMAN DHULDHUE                              A
                               v.
              STATE OF MADHYA PRADESH
              (Criminal Appeal No. 56 of 2013)
                                                                  B
                    DECEMBER 10, 2015
          [ANIL R. DAVE AND DIPAK MISRA, J.]
     M.P. Vishesh Nyayalaya Adhiniyam, 2011 -
Retrospective applicability of - Discussed - Prevention of
CorruptionAct, 1988-s.13(1)(e).                            C
      Yogendra Kumar Jaiswal Etc. v. State of Bihar and
      Ors. 2016 (3) SCC 183 - referred to.
                      Case Law Reference
      2016 (3) SCC 183       referred to.       Para 5            D

    CRIMINAL APPELLATE JURISDICTION: Criminal
Appeal No. 56 of 2013.
     ·From the Judgment and Order dated 03.07 .2012 of the
High Court of Madhya Pradesh Bench at Indore in M. Cr. C.         E
No. 4045 of 2012.
      Ashok Mathur, Adv., for the Appellant.
                •
      C. D. Singh, Adv., for the Responde"nt.
      The Judgment of the Court was delivere.d by                 F
        DIPAK MISRA, J. 1. The appellant was appointed on
 the post of Assistant Grade Ill in the Regional Transport Office,
 Indore.A search was conducted on the residential premises
 of the appellant on the allegation that the property was acquired G
'from the ill-gotten money by criminal misconduct as per Section
 13(1 )(e) of the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988.
      2. After M.P. Vishesh Nyayalaya Adhiniyam, 2011 (for
short, "the Act") came into force, the appellant was brought
                                                                  H
                             985
986         SUPREME COURT REPORTS                  [2015] 14S.C.R.


A     within the ambit of that Act by declaration under Section 5 of
      the Act.
         3. As the factual matrix would reveal, after the declaration,
  the prosecution filed an application under Section 13(1) for
  confiscation of the property under Section 15(3). The appellant
B protested and filed application for his discharge, but the said
  application met with non-success. The appellant approached
  the High Court under Section 482 of the Code of Criminal
  Procedure, 1973 for quashment of the order passed by the
  Special Judge. It was contended before the High Court that
C the Act could not be made retrospectively applicable inasmuch
  as it is a substantive law having penal consequence.
            4. The High Court, as is manifest from the impugned order,
      after analyzing the provisions and also keeping in view the
0     concept of confiscation, has not accepted the plea of
      retrospective applicability of the Act.
           5. In our considered opinion, the view expressed by the
      High Court is infallible in view of the judgment pronounced by
      us today in Civil Appeal Nos. 6448-6452 of 2011 titled
E Yogendra Kumar Jaiswal Etc. v. State of Bihar & Ors.
           6. Resultantly, the appeal. being devoid of merit, stands
      dismissed.


      Bibhuti Bhushan Bose                            Appeal dismissed.


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