SRI A.M.C.S. SWAMY ADE/DPE/HYD (CENTRAL)versusMEHDI AGAH KARBALAI & ANR.

                         [2019] 9 S.C.R. 695                            695


                      SRI A.M.C.S. SWAMY                                A
                   ADE/DPE/HYD (CENTRAL)
                                 v.
               MEHDI AGAH KARBALAI & ANR.
                 (Criminal Appeal No. 1102 of 2019)                     B
                           JULY 23, 2019
     [R. BANUMATHI AND R. SUBHASH REDDY, JJ.]
       Code of Criminal Procedure, 1973: s.482 – Quashing of
criminal proceedings against respondent no.1 under the Electricity      C
Act – The Electricity Department inspected the premises of consumer-
respondent no.1 and found meter tampered – The said meter was
replaced with another meter and earlier meter sent for examination
which on examination was found to be tampered – Loss assessed at
Rs.6.28 lacs – Case of appellant that offence committed by
                                                                        D
respondent no.1 was second offence and the first offence registered
against respondent no.1 was compounded – Complaint registered
under s.135 of 2003 Act – Special Court took cognizance of case
under s.151 of the 2003 Act – Petition for quashing the proceedings
filed on the ground that the Special Court took cognizance without
any order of committal and the same was in violation of s.193 Cr.P.C.   E
– High Court allowed the petition and quashed the proceedings –
On appeal, held: Second proviso to s.151 of the 2003 Act specially
empowers the Special Court constituted under s.153 of the 2003
Act to take cognizance of an offence without the accused being
committed – In view of the specific provision under s.151 of the
                                                                        F
2003 Act, Special Court is empowered to take cognizance without
there being an order of committal as contemplated under s.193,
Cr.P.C. – High Court did not consider the said proviso to s.151
while passing the impugned order – The impugned order is set
aside – Electricity Act, 2003 – s.151 and its proviso, s.193.
      Allowing the appeal, the Court                                    G

      HELD : It is true that as per the procedure under Section
193 Cr.P.C., no Court of Session shall take cognizance of any
offence as a Court of original jurisdiction unless the case has

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                                695
696            SUPREME COURT REPORTS                      [2019] 9 S.C.R.


A     been committed to it by a Magistrate except as otherwise
      expressly provided by the Code, or any other law for the time
      being in force. Section 151 of the Electricity Act, 2003 is
      altogether a new provision. Section 151 of the Act provides that
      no court shall take cognizance of an offence punishable under
      the Act except upon a complaint in writing made by the
B
      Appropriate Government or Appropriate Commission or any of
      their officer authorised by them or a Chief Electrical Inspector
      or an Electrical Inspector or licensee or the generating company,
      as the case may be, for this purpose. Second proviso to Section
      151 of the Electricity Act, 2003, specially empowers the Special
C     Court constituted under Section 153 of the Electricity Act, 2003,
      to take cognizance of an offence without the accused being
      committed. In view of the specific provision under Section 151
      of the Electricity Act, 2003, Special Court is empowered to take
      cognizance without there being an order of committal as
      contemplated under Section 193 Cr.P.C. When there is express
D
      provision in the Special Act empowering the Special Court to
      take cognizance of an offence without the accused being
      committed, it cannot be said that taking cognizance of offence by
      Special Court is in violation of Section 193 Cr.P.C. The High
      Court did not consider the said proviso to Section 151 and passed
E     the impugned order. The order impugned is liable to be set aside.
      [Paras 10, 11] [701-A, B, D-G]
            State of Andhra Pradesh, represented by its Public
            Prosecutor v. M/s. Shalini Steels Private Limited,
            Bollaram, Medak District 2011 CrlLJ 67 ; Gangula
F           Ashok & another v. State of Andhra Pradesh (2000) 2
            SCC 504 : [2000] 1 SCR 468 – referred to.
                            Case Law Reference
      2011 CrlLJ 67                  referred to             Para 4(c)

G     [2000] 1 SCR 468               referred to            Para 4(c)
            CRIMINAL APPELLATE JURISDICTION : Criminal Appeal
      No. 1102 of 2019.
            From the Judgment and Order dated 03.12.2018 of the High Court
      of Judicature at Hyderabad in Criminal Petition No. 13678 of 2011.
H
 SRI A.M.C.S. SWAMY ADE/DPE/HYD (CENTRAL) v. MEHDI                            697
                  AGAH KARBALAI

      Ms. Meenakshi Arora, Sr. Adv., Rakesh K. Sharma, Advs. for              A
the Appellant.
       A. Sirajudeen, Sr. Adv., M. Srinivas R. Rao, Sarath S. Janardanan,
Karri Venkata Reddy, Abid Ali Beeran P, S.Udaya Kumar Sagar, Advs.
for the Respondents.
      The Judgment of the Court was delivered by                              B

      R. SUBHASH REDDY, J. 1. Leave granted.
       2. This Criminal Appeal is filed by the Officer of the State
Distribution Utility Southern Power Distribution of Telangana Limited
(formerly known as APCPDCL) challenging the order dated 03.12.2018            C
passed by the High Court of Judicature at Hyderabad in Criminal Petition
No.13678 of 2011.
       3. By the aforesaid order, the High Court has allowed the Criminal
Petition No.13678 of 2011, which was filed under Section 482 of the
Code of Criminal Procedure, 1973, and quashed the proceedings in E.S.C.       D
No.3 of 2011 on the file of 1st Additional Metropolitan Sessions Judge,
Hyderabad.
       4.(a) Respondent No.1 herein is a consumer of electricity
with Service Connection bearing SC No.CZ007583 connected with a
load of 12903 W of Southern Power Distribution of Telangana Limited
                                                                              E
(SPDTL). On 12.11.2009 at about 12.26 hours, premises of respondent
No.1 was inspected in his presence by the concerned staff of the
appellant. At the time of inspection, the inspecting authorities have found
extra pressing and seal bit bulging marks along with seal wire on the
meter box seal. The said meter was replaced with another meter and
the earlier meter was sent to MRT Lab for examination. The MRT Lab,           F
on examination, certified that the meter was tampered. The loss thereby
was assessed at Rs.6,28,383/- (Rupees six lakhs twenty eight thousand
and three hundred and eighty three only). It is a case of the appellant
that the offence committed by respondent No.1 is a second offence.
The first offence registered against respondent No.1 was in Crime
                                                                              G
No.491 of 2008 dated 25.11.2008. The first criminal case registered
against respondent No.1 was compounded on 03.08.2009 upon payment
of Rs.47,000/- (Rupees forty seven thousand only).
       (b) When the appellant noticed tampering of meter, on receipt
of report from MRT Lab, the concerned officer has lodged a complaint
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698                SUPREME COURT REPORTS                         [2019] 9 S.C.R.


A     on 24.11.2009 and the same was registered as First Information Report
      No.440 of 2009 on 25.11.2009, for the offence punishable under Section
      135 of Electricity Act, 2003. On filing the charge sheet, as contemplated
      under Section 173 of the Code of Criminal Procedure, 1973, on
      10.01.2011, the Special Court took cognizance of the case under Section
      151 of the Electricity Act, 2003 as amended by Act 26 of 2007, which
B
      came into force from 15.06.2007, and registered the same as E.S.C.
      No. 3 of 2011.
            (c) Respondent No.1 herein has filed Criminal Petition No.13678
      of 2011 before the High Court of Judicature at Hyderabad under Section
      482 of the Code of Criminal Procedure, 1973, seeking to quash the
C     aforesaid proceedings on two grounds. The first ground was that the
      complaint was not filed within twenty-four hours of disconnection as
      mandated under proviso to Section 135(1-A) of the Indian Electricity
      (Amendment) Act, 2007. Section 135(1-A) of the Indian Electricity
      (Amendment) Act, 2007, reads as under:
D              “(1-A) Without prejudice to the provisions of this Act, the licensee
               or supplier, as the case may be, may, upon detection of
               such theft of electricity, immediately disconnect the supply of
               electricity:
                           ……
E
               Provided further that such officer of the licensee or supplier,
               as the case may be, shall lodge a complaint in writing relating to
               the commission of such offence in police station having
               jurisdiction within twenty-four hours from the time of such
               disconnection:”
F
             The second ground was that the Special Court has taken
      cognizance without any order of committal and the same is in
      violation of Section 193 of the Code of Criminal Procedure, 1973. In
      support of the said contention, respondent No.1, before the High
      Court, relied on a decision in the case of State of Andhra Pradesh,
G     represented by its Public Prosecutor v. M/s. Shalini Steels
      Private Limited, Bollaram, Medak District1. In the said case,
      High Court by relying on the decision of this Court in Gangula Ashok
      & another v. State of Andhra Pradesh2 held that committal order
      1
          2011 CrlLJ 67
      2
H         (2000) 2 SCC 504 = 2000(1) ALT (Crl) 174 (SC)
 SRI A.M.C.S. SWAMY ADE/DPE/HYD (CENTRAL) v. MEHDI                              699
        AGAH KARBALAI [R. SUBHASH REDDY, J.]

is must, unless it is strictly made clear in the special enactment that         A
committal order is not required. In the impugned order, the High Court,
mainly on the ground that the Special Court has taken cognizance
directly and the same is not disputed by the learned Public
Prosecutor, quashed the proceedings.
      5. We have heard Ms. Meenakshi Arora, learned Senior                      B
Advocate, assisted by the Advocate on record for the appellant,
and also Mr. A. Sirajudeen, learned Senior Advocate, assisted by the
Advocate on record for respondent No.1.
       6(a) In this appeal, mainly it is contended by Ms. Meenakshi
Arora, learned Senior Advocate appearing for the appellant, that the            C
High Court has passed the impugned order without examining the proviso
to Section 151 of the Electricity Act, 2003. It is submitted that the proviso
to Section 151 of the Electricity Act, 2003, specially empowers the Special
Court to take cognizance directly, as such, it cannot be said that taking
cognizance by the Special Court is in violation of provision under Section
193 of the Code of Criminal Procedure, 1973.                                    D

      (b) Further, by referring to the additional affidavit and other
material placed on record, it is submitted that on 12.11.2009, when
it was suspected that respondent No.1 has tampered the meter, the said
meter was replaced with another meter on the same day i.e., 12.11.2009
and the supply was not disconnected on the said date and disconnection          E
has taken place after receipt of the Lab report only, that is on
25.11.2009. To substantiate the said plea, the learned Senior Advocate
further submitted that a bill was issued for consumption of energy by
respondent No.1 for the period from 12.11.2009 till 25.11.2009.
       (c) It is submission of the learned Senior Advocate that in              F
the case of Shalini Steels Private Limited (supra), on which reliance
was placed, the High Court has rendered it based on the decision of this
Court in the case of Gangula Ashok (supra), which was a case arising
out of the Scheduled Castes and the Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of
Atrocities) Act, 1989. It is submitted that there is no provision in the        G
Scheduled Castes and the Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities)
Act, 1989, equivalent to Section 151 of the Electricity Act, 2003. In
that context, considering the provisions of the Scheduled Castes and the
Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, 1989, this Court has
held that the Special Court cannot take cognizance directly unless the
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700            SUPREME COURT REPORTS                           [2019] 9 S.C.R.


A     case has been committed to it by a Committal Court as contemplated
      under Section 193 of the Code of Criminal Procedure, 1973.
            (d) It is submitted that though respondent No.1 herein is an
      offender of theft of electricity for the second time, the High Court has
      committed error in quashing the proceedings without taking into
B     consideration the proviso to Section 151 of the Electricity Act, 2003.
             7. On the other hand, Sri Sirajudeen, learned Senior Advocate
      appearing for respondent No.1, referring to the counter affidavit and
      other material on record, has submitted that the disconnection was made
      on 12.11.2009 and the complaint was lodged on 24.11.2009 which is ex
C     facie time barred and the same is contrary to the proviso to Section
      135(1A) of the Electricity Act, 2003 (Amendment Act 26 of 2007). It is
      further submitted that the Court which has taken cognizance of the
      offence is not a Special Court within the meaning of the Electricity
      Act, 2003. It is further submitted that merely because the Presiding
      Officer is of the rank of Additional Sessions Judge, it cannot be
D     construed as a Special Court within the meaning of the Electricity
      Act, 2003. It is submitted that as the Court lacks jurisdiction,
      further the complaint was not lodged within twenty-four hours
      from disconnection, the cognizance taken against respondent No.1
      is rightly quashed by the High Court and there are no grounds to interfere.
E           8. Having heard the learned counsel on both sides, we have perused
      the impugned order and the other material placed on record.
             9. From a perusal of the order passed by the High Court, it is
      clear that the petition for quashing under Section 482 of the Code of
      Criminal Procedure, 1973, was filed by respondent No.1 only on two
F     grounds viz., (i) the complaint was not lodged within twenty-four hours
      as contemplated under Section 135(1A) of the Electricity Act, 2003
      (Amendment Act 26 of 2007), and (ii) the Special Court has taken
      cognizance directly without an order of committal as contemplated
      under Section 193 of the Code of Criminal Procedure, 1973. The
G     High Court had relied on its earlier decision in Shalini Steels
      Private Limited (supra) which itself was rendered based on the
      decision of this Court in Gangula Ashok (supra). The High Court, only
      on the ground that taking cognizance of the case by the Special Court
      is not disputed by the learned Public Prosecutor, has passed the
      impugned order, quashing the proceedings.
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 SRI A.M.C.S. SWAMY ADE/DPE/HYD (CENTRAL) v. MEHDI                            701
        AGAH KARBALAI [R. SUBHASH REDDY, J.]

       10. It is true that as per the procedure under Section 193 of the      A
Code of Criminal Procedure, 1973, no Court of Session shall take
cognizance of any offence as a Court of original jurisdiction unless
the case has been committed to it by a Magistrate except as otherwise
expressly provided by the Code of Criminal Procedure, 1973, or any
other law for the time being in force. Section 193 of the Code of Criminal
                                                                              B
Procedure reads as under:
      “193. Cognizance of offences by Courts of Session:- Except
      as otherwise expressly provided by this Code or by any other law
      for the time being in force, no Court of Session shall take
      cognizance of any offence as a court of original jurisdiction unless
      the case has been committed to it by a Magistrate under this            C
      Code.”
       11. Section 151 of the Electricity Act, 2003 is altogether a new
provision. Section 151 of the Act provides that no court shall take
cognizance of an offence punishable under the Act except upon a
complaint in writing made by the Appropriate Government or Appropriate        D
Commission or any of their officer authorised by them or a Chief Electrical
Inspector or an Electrical Inspector or licensee or the generating company,
as the case may be, for this purpose. Second proviso to Section 151
of the Electricity Act, 2003, specially empowers the Special Court
constituted under Section 153 of the Electricity Act, 2003, to take           E
cognizance of an offence without the accused being committed. In
view of the specific provision under Section 151 of the Electricity Act,
2003, we are of the view that Special Court is empowered to take
cognizance without there being an order of committal as
contemplated under Section 193 of the Code of Criminal Procedure,
1973. When there is express provision in the Special Act empowering           F
the Special Court to take cognizance of an offence without the
accused being committed, it cannot be said that taking cognizance of
offence by Special Court is in violation of Section 193 of the Code
of Criminal Procedure, 1973. It appears that the High Court has not
considered the said proviso to Section 151 and passed the impugned            G
order. As the impugned order is passed only on the said ground, we
are of the view that the order impugned is liable to be set aside by
this Court.
       12. Further, Mr. A. Sirajudeen, learned Senior Advocate appearing
for respondent No.1, has submitted that the complaint was not lodged          H
702              SUPREME COURT REPORTS                         [2019] 9 S.C.R.


A     within twenty-four hours as required under Section 135(1A) of the
      Electricity Act, 2003, and also submitted that the Court which has taken
      cognizance is not a Special Court within the meaning of the Electricity
      Act, 2003. Ms. Meenakshi Arora, learned Senior Advocate appearing
      for the appellant, has submitted that the date of disconnection as
      mentioned earlier as 12.11.2009 is not correct and that the power supply
B
      was disconnected only on 25.11.2009, as such, complaint was filed within
      the timeframe. Further, it is submitted by the learned Senior Advocate
      appearing for the appellant that the Government vide G.O.Ms. No.118,
      Energy (Power-II) Department, dated 18.10.2003, notified the 1 st
      Additional District Judge’s Court as a Special Court for the purpose
C     of cases arising under the Electricity Act, 2003, as such, the Special
      Court is having competent jurisdiction.
             13. The aforesaid both grounds raised by respondent No.1
      cannot be accepted to sustain the impugned order. In view of the
      submission made by the learned Senior Advocate appearing for the
D     appellant that the disconnection was within the specified time and
      further the Government has already issued notification notifying the 1st
      Additional District Judge’s Court as a Special Court, we are not
      inclined to accept the submission made by the learned Senior counsel
      appearing for respondent No.1.
E            14. For the aforesaid reasons, we allow this appeal and set
      aside the impugned order dated 03.12.2018 in Criminal Petition No.13678
      of 2011 passed by the High Court of Judicature at Hyderabad. We make
      it clear that we have not gone into merits of the matter and it is open for
      the trial Court to record its own findings based on the evidence during
      trial.
F
            15. Accordingly, the appeal is allowed, with an observation as
      indicated above. Since the occurrence is of the year 2009, the trial
      court shall expedite the hearing of the case.


G     Devika Gujal                                                 Appeal allowed.




H