STATE OF BIHAR & ANR.versusLALU SINGH

                         [2013] 10 S.C.R. 552


A                     STATE OF BIHAR & ANR.
                                    V.
                            LALU SINGH
                 (Criminal Appeal No. 1883 of 2013)
                          OCTOBER 29, 2013
8
               [CHANDRAMAULI KR. PRASAD AND
                 JAGDISH SINGH KHEHAR, JJ.]

        Code of Criminal Procedure, 1973 - s. 173 - State of
C Bihar - Criminal Investigation Department (CID) - Whether
  Inspector of C.l.D. can be treated in law as officer-in-charge
  of the police station for purpose of submitting the report
  contemplated uls. 173(2) - Held: r.431 (b) envisages that an
  Inspector of C.l.D. can exercise the power of an officer-in-
D charge of a police station - Once it is held that the Inspector
  of C.l.D. can exercise the power of an officer-in-charge of a
  police station, its' natural corollary is that the Inspector of C.l.D.
  is competent to submit the report as contemplated uls. 173 -
  The case in hand is not one of those cases where officer-in-
E charge of the police station had deputed the Inspector of C.l.D.
  to conduct some steps necessary during the course of
  investigation - Rather the investigation itself was entrusted to
  the Inspector of C.l.D. by the order of the Director General of
  Police - In such circumstances, it shall not be necessary for
F the officer-in-charge of the police station to submit the report
  u/s. 173(2) - The formation of an opinion as to whether or not
  there is a case to forward the accused for trial shall always
  be with the officer-in-charge of the police station or the officers
  superior in rank to them, but in a case investigated by the
  Inspector of C.l.D., all these powers have to be performed by
G the Inspector himself or the officer superior to him - In the case
  in hand, the case was transferred to the C.l.D. and it was
  entrusted for investigation by an Inspector of C.l.D., who
  possesses a rank superior to an officer-in-charge of the police

H                                  552
      STATE OF BIHAR & ANR. v. LALU SINGH                  553


station as per r.431 (b) and, therefore, competent to form         A
opinion in terms of s. 173(2), subject of course to the power of
superior officer - Bihar Police Manual - r.431(b) - Police Act,
1861 - ss. 7 and 12

     On the basis of an oral statement made by one 'S'
before the officer-in-charge of the Police Station, case           8
was registered under Section 302/34 IPC and Section 27
of the Arms Act. The officer-in-charge of the Police
Station took up the investigation, but before he could
complete the same, and submit report in terms of Section
173 CrPC, the Director General of Police entrusted the             C
investigation to the Criminal Investigation Department,
(C.1.D.) and the task for conducting the investigation was
assigned to an Inspector. The Inspector of C.l.D.
conducted the investigation and submitted the charge-
sheet against the accused persons. On consideration of             D
the charge-sheet and the materials collected during the
course of investigation, the Magistrate took cognizance
of the offence and directed for issuance of process.
     The respondent-accused preferred writ petition E
before the High Court for quashing the prosecution, inter
alia, on the ground that under Section 173(2) CrPC only
an officer in-charge of a Police station has the authority
to do that and, therefore, the charge-sheet submitted by
the Inspector, C.1.D. is fit to be quashed. Though the High
                                                            F
Court declined to quash the charge-sheet submitted by
the Inspector of the Criminal Investigation Department of
the State Government, it observed that under Section 36
CrPC, the higher police officials have got same powers
as available to the officer-in-charge of a police station
under them but the power is available only with respect G
to supervising the investigation or participating into the
investigation to some extent but under section 173(2)
CrPC, the final view over the investigation of a case with
regard to filing charge sheet or final form has to be taken
                                                            H
    554      SUPREME COURT REPORTS           [2013] 10 S.C.R.

A by the concerned officer-in-charge only and he only has
  the authority to file the charge sheet in the case. The
  observations were challenged before this Court by the
  State of Bihar.
      The question which arose for consideration was:
8 whether the Inspector of C.l.D. can be treated in law as
  the officer-in-charge of the police station for the purpose
  of submitting the report contemplated under Section
  173(2) CrPC.

c         Allowing the appeal, the Court
         HELD: The State Government, in exercise of the
    powers under Sections 7 and 12 of the Police Act, 1861,
    has framed the Bihar Police Manual. Chapter 15 thereof
    deals with the constitution and functions of the Criminal
0
    Investigation Department. Rule 431(b) makes the
    Inspectors and superior officers of the C.l.D. superior in
    rank to an officer-in-charge of a police station and they
    have been conferred with the same powers as may be
    exercised by an officer-in-charge of a police station. This
E   Rule, therefore, envisages that an Inspector of C.l.D. can
    exercise the power of an officer-in-charge of a police
    station. Here, in the present case, the investigation was
    conducted by the Inspector of C.l.D. and it is he who had
    submitted the report in terms of Section 173 CrPC. The
F   Inspector of C.l.D. can exercise the power of an officer-
    in-charge of a police station and once it is held so, its
    natural corollary is that the Inspector of C.l.D. is
    competent to submit the report as contemplated under
    Section 173 CrPC. The case in hand is not one of those
G   cases where the officer-in-charge of the police station
    had deputed the Inspector of C.l.D. to conduct some.
    steps necessary during the course of investigation.
    Rather, in the present case, the investigation itself was
    entrusted to the Inspector of C.l.D. by the order of the
H   Director General of Police. In such circumstances, it shall
      STATE OF BIHAR & ANR. v. LALU SINGH                555

not be necessary for the officer-in-charge of the police        A
station to submit the report under Section 173(2) CrPC.
The formation of an opinion as to whether or not there is
a case to forward the accused for trial shall always be
with the officer-in-charge of the police station or the
officers superior in rank to them, but in a case                B
investigated by the Inspector of C.l.D., all these powers
have to be performed by the Inspector himself or the
officer superior to him. In the case in hand, the case was
transferred to the C.l.D. and it was entrusted for
investigation by an Inspector of C.l.D., who possesses a        c
rank superior to an officer-in-charge of the police station
as per Rule 431 (b) and, therefore, competent to form
opinion in terms of Section 173(2) CrPC, subject of
course to the power of superior officer. The observations
made by the High Court in the impugned judgment is
erroneous and deserve to be set aside. [Paras 11, 12, 14]       D
[559-D-E; 560-C-H; 561-A & F-G]
    M.C.Mehta (Taj Corridor Scam) v. Union of India (2007)
1 SCC 110: 2006 (9) Suppl. SCR 683 - distinguished.
                                                                E
                     Case Law Reference:
    2006 (9) Suppl. SCR 683       distinguished     Para 14
    CRIMINAL AP PELLATE JURISDICTION : Criminal Appeal
No. 1883 of 2013.
                                                                F
    From the Judgment & Order dated 23.03.2009 of the High
Court of Judicature at Patna in Cr.W.J.C. No. 996 of 2007.
    Manish Kumar, Gopal Singh for the Appellants.
   Nagendra Rai, Shantanu Sagar, Aabhas Parimal, Gopi           G
Raman, T. Mahipal for the Respondent.
    The Judgment of the Court was delivered by
    CHANDRAMAULI KR. PRASAD, J. 1. While dismissing
the Writ Petition, the High Court has made observations which
have far reaching consequences and accordingly the State of     H
    556       SUPREME COURT REPORTS                [2013] 10 S.C.R.


A   Bihar, aggrieved by the same has preferred this Special Leave
    Petition. The observations made read as follows:
          "I have no doubt in taking this view that under Section 36
          of the Code of Criminal Procedure, the higher police
          officials have got same powers as available to the officer-
B         in-charge of a police station under them but the power is
          available only with respect to supervising the investigation
          or participating into the investigation to some extent but
          under section 173(2) of the Code of Criminal Procedure,
          the final view over the investigation of a case with regard
c         to filing charge sheet or final form has to be taken by the .
          concerned officer-in-charge only and he only has the
          authority to file the charge sheet in the case"
      2. While doing so, however, the High Court has not
D quashed the report submitted by the Inspector of the Criminal
  Investigation Department of the State Government.
        3. It is the aforesaid observation, which is the subject
    matter of this special leave petition.
          4. Leave granted.
E
          5. Facts lie in a narrow compass:
       On the basis of an oral statement made by one Shail
  Kumari Devi before the officer-in-charge of Marhaura Police
  Station, Marhaura, P.S. Case No. 148 of 2004 was registered
F under Section 302/34 of the Indian Penal Code and Section
  27 of the Arms Act. The officer-in-charge of the Police Station
  took up the investigation, but before he. could complete the
  same, and submit report in terms of Section 173 of the Code
  of Criminal Procedure (hereinafter referred to as the "Code"),
G the Director General of Police entrusted the investigation to the
  Criminal Investigation Department, (hereinafter referred to as
  "C.l.D."} and the task for conducting the investigation was
  assigned to an Inspector. The Inspector of C.l.D. conducted the
  investigation and submitted the charge-sheet against the
H accused persons. On consideration of the charge-sheet and the
      STATE OF BIHAR & ANR. v. LALU SINGH                     557
        [CHANDRAMAULI KR. PRASAD, J.]
materials collected during the course of investigation, the Chief    A
Judicial Magistrate, Saran took cognizance of the offence and
directed for issuance of process. One of the accused, namely
Lalu Singh, aggrieved by the same, preferred writ petition
before the High Court for quashing the prosecution, inter alia,
on the ground that under Section 173(2) of the Code only an          J3
officer in-charge of a Police station has the authority to do that
and, therefore, the charge-sheet submitted by the Inspector,
C.l.D. is fit to be quashed.
     6. The High Court considered the aforesaid submission
an.d though it declined to quash the charge-sheet, it made the       C
observation quoted above and held that it is the officer-in-charge
only who can file the charge-sheet.
      7. We have heard Mr. Manish Kumar, learned Counsel for
the appellants and Mr. Nagendra Rai, learned Senior Counsel
for the respondent.                                                  D
     8. Mr. Kumar contends that the Inspector of C.l.D.
possesses the power to submit report under Section 173(2) of
the Code and the observation made by the High Court is
erroneous. Mr. Rai, however, submits that in the facts of the        E
present case, the High court was justified in making the
observations as quoted above.
     9. In view of the rival submissions, we deem it expedient
to analyse the scheme of the Code and the provisions of the
Bihar Police Manual. Section 173 of the Code contemplates            F
submission of report on completion of investigation. Section
173(2) of the Code which is relevant for the purpose reads as
follows:
     "173 - Report of police officer on completion of
     investigation-                                                  G
    (1) xxx                       :xxx              :xxx
    (2)(i) As soon as it is completed, the officer in charge of
    the police station shall forward to a Magistrate empowered
    to take cognizance of the offence on a police report, a          H
    558       SUPREME COURT REPORTS                   [2013] 10 S.C.R.


A         report in the form prescribed by the State Government,
          stating -
                 (a) the names of the parties;
                 (b) the nature of the information;
B                (c) the names of the persons who appear to be
                 acquainted with the circumstances of the case;
                 (d} whether any offence appears to have been
                 committed and, if so, by whom;

c                (e) whether the accused has been arrested;
                 (f) whether he has been released on his bond and,
                 if so, whether with or without sureties;
                 (g) whether he has been forwarded in custody under
                 section 170;
D
                 (h) whether the report of the medical examination
                 of the woman has been attached where
                 investigation relates to an offence under section
                 376, 376A, 3768, 376C or 3760 of the Indian
E                Penal Code (45 of 1860).
          (ii) The officer shall also communicate, in such manner as
          may be prescribed by the State Government, the action
          taken by him, to the person, if any, by whom the information
          relating to the commission of the offence was first given.
F               xxx                xxx                    xxx"
       10. From a plain reading of the aforesaid provision, it is
  evident that it is the officer-in-charge of a police station who is
  authorized to forward report in the prescribed form to the
G Magistrate empowered to take cognizance. Section 36 of the
  Code deals with the power of superior officers of police with
  reference to the officer-in-charge of a police station, same
  reads as follows:
          "36. Powers of superior officers of police.- Police
H         officers superior in rank to an officer in charge of a police
       STATE OF BIHAR & ANR. v. LALU SINGH                     559
         [CHANDRAMAULI KR. PRASAD, J.]

     station may exercise the same powers, throughout the              A
     local area to which they are appointed, as may be
     exercised by such officer within the limits of his station."
     11. Therefore, under the scheme of the Code the power
to submit report in terms of Section 173(2) of the Code is with
the officer-in-charge of the police station. Further, in view of       B
Section 36 of the Code, police officers superior in rank to an
officer-in-charge of the police station throughout the local area
have been conferred with the authority to exercise the same
power as that of officer-in-charge of police station. In the present
case, the investigation has been conducted by Inspector of             C
C.l.D. and he had submitted the report under Section 173(2)
of the Code. Therefore, the question is as to whether the
Inspector of C.l.D. can be treated in law as the officer-in-charge
of the police station for the purpose of submitting the report
contemplated under Section 173(2) of the Code. The State               D
Government, in exercise of the powers under Sections 7 and
12 of the Police Act, 1861, has framed the Bihar Police Manual.
Chapter 15 thereof deals with the constitution and functions of
the Criminal· Investigation Department. Rule 431, with which we
are concerned in the present appeal, reads as follows:                 E
           "431.(a} Sub-Inspectors of the department deputed
     to districts have not the powers of an officer in charge of
     a police-station nor of the subordinate of such an officer,
     unless they are posted to a police-station for the purpose
     of exercising such powers. It follows that unless so posted F
     they have not the powers of investigation conferred by
     Chapter XII, Cr.P.C. and their functions are confined to
     supervising or advising the local officers concerned. If for
     any reason it be deemed advisable that a Sub-Inspector.
     of the department should conduct an investigation in G
     person, the orders of the Inspector-General shall be taken
     to post him to a district where he shall be appointed by
     the Superintendent to the police-station concerned. Such
     a necessity will not arise in case of Inspectors of C.l.D. as
     given in sub-rule (b} below.                                  H
    560       SUPREME COURT REPORTS                [2013) 10 S.C.R.


A               Sub-Inspectors of the department shall not be
          employed to conduct investigations in person unless such
          orders have been obtained.
                 (b) Under section 36, Cr.P.C. Inspectors and
          superior officers of the C.l.D. are superior in rank to an
B         officer in charge of a police-station and as such may
          exercise the same powers throughout the State as may be
          exercised by an officer in charge of a police-station within
          the limits of his station."
C         12. Rule 431(b) makes the Inspectors and superior officers
    of the C.l.D. superior in rank to an officer-in-charge of a police
    station and they have been conferred with the same powers as
    may be exercised by an officer-in-charge of a police station.
    This Rule, therefore, envisages that an Inspector of C.l.D. can
    exercise the power of an officer-in-charge of a police station.
D   Here, in the present case, as stated earlier, the investigation
    was conducted by the Inspector of C.l.D. and it is he who had
    submitted the report in terms of Section 173 of the Code. In
    view of what we have observed above, the Inspector of C.l.D.
    can exercise the power of an officer-in-charge of a police
E   station and once it is held so, its natural corollary is that the
    Inspector of C. I. D. is competent to submit the report as
    contemplated under Section 173 of the Code. The case in hand
    is not one of those cases where the officer-in-charge of the
    police station had deputed the Inspector of C.l.D. to conduct
F   some steps necessary during the course of investigation.
    Rather, in the present case, the investigation itself was
    entrusted to the Inspector of C.l.D. by the order of the Director
    General of Police. In such circumstances, in our opinion, it shall
    not be necessary for the officer-in-charge of the police station
G   to submit the report under Section 173(2) of the Code. The
    formation of an opinion as to whether or not there is a case to
    forward the accused for trial shall always be with the officer-in-
    charge of the police station or the officers superior in rank to
    them, but in a case investigated by the Inspector of C.l.D., all
H   these powers have to be performed by the Inspector himself
         STATE OF BIHAR & ANR. v. LALU SINGH                  561
           [CHANDRAMAULI KR. PRASAD, J.]
or the officer superior to him. In view of what we have discussed    A
above, the observations made by the High Court in the
impugned judgment is erroneous and deserve to be set aside.
     13. The High Court while coming to the aforesaid
conclusion has greatly been swayed by the observation of this
Court in the case of M.C.Mehta (Taj Corridor Scam) v. Union B
of India, (2007) 1 sec 110. In that case the Court was
considering the scope of Section 173(2) of the Code in case
of difference of opinion between the team of investigating
officers and the law officers on one hand and the Director of
Prosecution of the same investigating agency i.e. C.B.I., on the. C
other hand, on the question as to whether there exist adequate
materials for judicial scrutiny against the accused persons. In
this background this Court held that it is the officer-in-charge
of the police station, who is competent to form final opinion. In
this coi:inection, it has been observed as follows:               D
          "31. As stated above, the formation of the opinion,
    whether or not there is a case to place the accused on trial,
    should be that of the officer in charge of the police station
    and none else. Under the CBI Manual, the officer in charge
    of the police station is the SP. In this connection, we quote    E
    hereinbelow the CBI Manual, which though not binding on
    this Court in Supreme Court monitored cases,
    nonetheless, the said Manual throws light on the
    controversy in hand."
                                                                     F
     14. In the case in hand, there is no such controversy. The
case was transferred to the C.l.D. and it was entrusted for
investigation by an Inspector of C.l.D., who possesses a rank
superior to an officer-in-charge of the police station as per Rule
431 {b) extracted above and, therefore, competent to form
opinion in terms of Section 173(2) of the Code, subject of           G
course to the power of superior officer.
    15. In the result, we allow this appeal, set aside the
impugned observations, but without any order as to the costs.
B.B.B.                                          Appeal allowed.      H