1) By this petition under Article 226 of the Constitution of India, the petitioner seeks quashing of the first information report registered vide Maninagar Police Station I-C.R. No.368 of 2007 for the offences punishable under sections 406, 420, 451, 469, 499, 500, 501 and 120(B) of the Indian Penal Code, 1860.
2) The petitioner is a Bureau Chief of TV Today Network Limited stationed at Ahmedabad. The said TV Today Network Limited telecasts various programmes through television channels and one such telecasting channel is “Aaj Tak”. On 25th October 2007, a news program of a sting operation carried out by Tehelka for over a period of six months or so, came to be telecast, which contained interviews of various persons, officers, professionals and connected persons and also of persons accused of various cases of communal violence that had occurred following the Godhra train incident as well as interviews of Government lawyers representing the Government before the Commission of Enquiry which had been set up by the Government of Gujarat, more popularly known as Justice Nanavati & Shah Commission. The operation carried out by Tehelka had been given the name of “Operation Kalank” and the said sting operation came to be telecast from the Aaj Tak news channel of TV Today Network Limited.
3) The third respondent lodged the above referred first information report against the petitioner herein alleging commission of the offences punishable under sections 406, 420, 451, 469, 499, 500, 501 as well as 120(B) of the Indian Penal Code. It is inter-alia stated in the first information report that the first informant was an advocate by profession. In the year 2002 as a fall out of the Godhra incident communal riots had erupted in various parts of Ahmedabad city and in the State of Gujarat. For the purpose of inquiring into the said riots the State Government had appointed a Commission of Inquiry, comprising of Hon’ble Justice Nanavati & Hon’ble Justice Shah. The first informant had been appointed by the Gujarat Government as Special Counsel and Coordinator in the year 2002 and since then he was appearing on behalf of the State Government. Between the years 2002 to 2007, he had given several interviews in connection with the Justice Nanavati Inquiry Commission and had good relations with all channels and print media. Since he was making effective representation on behalf of the Government, elements that were opposed to the Government were fabricating several facts against the Government and were spreading rumours in respect thereof. It is the case of the first informant that with a view to bring out the truth in respect of the various rumours which were being spread since the last seven months in connection with the judicial proceedings in relation to the Godhra incident of 2002, Aaj Tak wanted to bring out a new serial and for the purpose of the said serial, they had brought a written script. It was represented to the first informant that in the interview based on the said script, the truth would come out and all the rumours would stand refuted. Initially he had hesitated in this regard, however out of the two persons who had come for the interview, one person asked him to act as per the role with a view to ascertain the correctness of his say, he had called the local channel of Aaj Tak from his own phone and Shri Dhimant Purohit, Bureau In-charge (the petitioner herein) was present at the office and upon talking with him, he had assured him that there was nothing objectionable in giving an interview based on the written script. He was informed that the script was theirs and he was only required to play a role accordingly and the object of the role is to bring out the truth. Dhimant Purohit had told him that it was his responsibility to see that there is no cheating and for the benefit of the society, he was required to give an interview as per the written script. Upon such clear assurance having been given to him, and by reposing faith in him, he had, after rehearsing several times on the basis of the written script, given an oral interview in terms of the paragraphs of the written script along with expressions as told. The interview had continued for about three hours and was as per the script and he was informed that after the interview was over, he would be sent a copy of the C.D.
He was further informed that, like the written script which was shown to him, written scripts were also given to other persons. He was also shown some clips of interviews taken by other persons and hence, he had believed their say about producing a serial. On the previous night, a fabricated show by the name of “Operation Kalank” was telecast in the time slot which started at about 7:00 O' clock on Aaj Tak channel wherein he and other persons were falsely depicted to be giving interviews. At that time he came to know that Aaj Tak and the persons connected therewith who had represented to him that he was to play a role as per the written script, had instead, with a view to defame him, entered into his house with the malafide intention of taking an interview of their choice with a view to see that he loses his prestige in society and that he is defamed. By telecasting such interview they had also caused damage to his reputation. In doing so, Dhimant Purohit of Aaj Tak Channel by sending his acquaintances from channels had committed offence and had defamed him in India as well as in the world and through him had also defamed the Government.
It is further alleged that in the telecast of “Operation Kalank” shown on 25.10.2007 at 19:00 hours on Aaj Tak channel, whatever was spoken by him, was all part of a pre-written script, which he had read and after preparation and several rehearsals, the episode had been recorded. What was spoken in the interview was not as per his desire and not even a single thought of his has been added in the same. However, instead of showing the entire episode, as per the pre-decided and pre-hatched conspiracy, they had shown clippings of their choice intentionally with a view to mislead the public and with a view to create breach of public peace and disorder and with a view to create differences between Hindus and Muslims and for the purpose of obtaining cheap publicity with the malafide intention had telecast “Operation Kalank”. By telecasting the episode, they had been successful in inciting the public against the Government. After recording the episode, further criminal acts were being continued by way of opinions of persons.
According to the first informant, though he had only given an interview as an actor as per the written script based on the talks with Aaj Tak channel, by hatching conspiracy with a view to defame the Government and with a view to diminish the effectiveness of his submissions before the Nanavati Commission on behalf of the Government, as per the pre-hatched plan with a malafide intention, when the code of conduct is in force and with a view to see that the voters in Gujarat do not vote in peace and the present Government is put to difficulty and suffers during the election and its opponents are benefited, all such elements have joined hands and have committed the offences punishable under the above referred sections.
4) Mr. N.D. Nanavati, Senior Advocate, learned counsel for the petitioner submitted that the first information report in question is a sheer abuse and misuse of the process of law and is malafide and has been filed with a view to harass the petitioner and all concerned. Inviting the attention of the court to the allegations made in the first information report, it was submitted that on the face of it, the same does not disclose a prima facie offence against the petitioner and it is apparent that no offence as alleged can be said to have been constituted. It was submitted that on a bare reading of the provisions of sections 406, 420, 451 IPC. etc., which are sought to be invoked against the petitioner, in juxtaposition with the facts and allegations narrated in the first information report, it is apparent that no offence as alleged has been constituted. According to the learned counsel, the first informant had very conveniently not disclosed the name or identification or description of the persons who were said to have visited his home for the purpose of playing a role as an artist in the serial and giving interviews according to the written script. Not only that, he has conveniently not disclosed the telephone numbers and that no particulars in this behalf have been disclosed. It is, therefore, apparent that a false and fabricated story has been put up by the first informant without disclosing any authentic information about the person who had lured him into playing the role of an artist in the episode. It was submitted that the entire complaint on the face of it is a concoction, which has resulted after a deep thought of the senior advocate, namely, the first informant who has been engaged as a special counsel for effective representation of various cases before the Enquiry Commissions.
4.1) Referring to the ingredients of the various sections of the Indian Penal Code which have been invoked against the petitioner, the learned counsel submitted that on the allegations made in the first information report, it is apparent that the same do not disclose any of the ingredients thereof. The first information report is, therefore, ex-facie malicious and has been filed either with an ulterior motive or is a step taken by way of an afterthought as a defence against the statement made by the first informant during the course of interview disclosing confessional statements of various acts of omission and commission in his capacity as a special counsel and coordinator while representing the Government of Gujarat before the Commission of Enquiry which had been telecast in the said episode. It was, accordingly, urged that the first information report on the face of it, is malicious and malafide and filed with a view to harass the petitioner and is a misuse and abuse of process of law and Government machinery and, as such, deserves to be quashed and set aside.
5) Vehemently opposing the petition, Mr. Vijay Patel, learned advocate appearing on behalf of the respondent No.3-first informant submitted that the ingredients of the offences alleged are clearly made out on a bare reading of the first information report. According to the learned counsel, it was represented to the first informant that the petitioner herein was preparing a serial which was to be telecast on Aaj Tak channel. Such serial would bring out the truth about the Godhra incident and that the first informant was merely playing a role as per the script. However, while telecasting the episode, the interview was so represented as if it was in the words of the first informant and as if what was stated by him was his own opinion about various aspects in relation to the said riots. It was submitted that as alleged in the complaint, the interview had gone on for about three hours, however, only extracts thereof which reflected the first informant in a poor light were telecast, thereby affecting his reputation in the eyes of the public at large. Attention was invited to the provisions of section 39 of the Indian Evidence Act, 1872, which makes provision for what “evidence” to be given when statement forms part of a conversation, document, electronic record, book or series of letters or papers” to submit that unless the full transcription or recording of the interview is furnished to the court, it would not be possible for the court to say whether an offence is committed in the facts of the present case. Drawing the attention of the court to the fact that pursuant to the interim order passed by this court further investigation had been stayed due to which the offence has not been investigated into, it was urged that at this stage, no case is made out for quashing the first information report and the investigating agency should be permitted to investigate into the offence. According to the learned counsel, serious offences have been made out against the petitioner herein and that this is not a fit case for exercise of powers under section 482 of the Code for quashing the first information report at the inception. It was, accordingly, submitted that there being no merit in the petition, the same deserves to be dismissed and that the interim relief granted earlier is required to be vacated.
5.1) In support of his submissions, the learned counsel placed reliance upon the decision of the Supreme Court in the case of State of Bihar v. Rajendra Agrawalla, 1996 (8) SCC 164, for the proposition that the inherent power of the court under section 482 of the Code of Criminal Procedure should be very sparingly and cautiously used only when the court comes to the conclusion that there would be manifest injustice or there would be abuse of the process of the court, if such power is not exercised. It was submitted that in the facts of the present case, non-exercise of powers under section 482 of the code would not amount to manifest injustice as contemplated under section 482 of the code and, as such, there is no warrant for exercise of powers thereunder.
6) It may be noted that earlier on 12th April, 2012, the learned counsel for the petitioner had placed on record a copy of the transcript of the interview and the episode which had been telecasted. Copies of the C.D. of the interview had already been submitted to the court much prior thereto. This court has gone through the copy of the transcript and has also viewed the C.D. which has been placed on record.
7) From the allegations made in the first information report, it is apparent that the case of the first informant is that he had been approached by two persons from Aaj Tak Channel and that they had represented to him that they wanted to bring the true facts with regard to the Godhra incident of 2002 before the public and that they wanted to prepare a serial in respect thereof. It was further represented to the first informant that he should play a role as per the written script, which would bring out the truth in respect of the riots and that based upon such representation he, after several rehearsals, had enacted the role as per the written script. It is further the case of the first informant that prior to accepting the proposal put forth by the persons who had come to meet him, he had made a call to the Aaj Tak office and had talked to the Bureau In-charge, namely, the petitioner herein, who had assured him that he was required to act only as per the role and that their intention was only to bring out the truth. He had also assured the first informant that there would be no cheating and that he would take responsibility for the same. According to the first informant, he had given the interview as per the written script given to him whereas while telecasting the same, it was projected as being his own interview and his own opinion in respect of the incidents that had taken place pursuant to the Godhra riots of 2002. It is, therefore, the case of the first informant that the entire exercise of recording his interview was a pre-hatched conspiracy with a view to defame the Government as well as to tarnish his reputation and lower his prestige in the society, which amounted to commission of the offences punishable under sections 406, 420, 451, 469, 499, 500, 501 and 120(B) of the Indian Penal Code.
8) Examining the allegations made in the first information report, in the light of the statutory provisions which have been invoked against the petitioner, section 406 of the Indian Penal Code makes provision for punishment for criminal breach of trust. Section 405 of the Indian Penal Code defines criminal breach of trust and postulates that whoever, being in any manner entrusted with property, or with any dominion over property, dishonestly misappropriates or converts to his own use that property, or dishonestly uses or disposes of that property in violation of any direction of law prescribing the mode in which such trust is to be discharged, or of any legal contract, express or implied, which he has made touching the discharge of such trust, or willfully suffers any other person so to do, commits “criminal breach of trust”. In the facts of the present case, it is not the case of the first informant that he had entrusted any property to the petitioner. The limited extent to which section 405 IPC could be invoked would be in relation to any legal contract, express or implied, which he had made touching the discharge of such trust. For this purpose, the first informant has stated that he had talked to the Bureau In-charge on telephone who had assured him that the role which he would play would be as per the script. The aforesaid allegation has to be examined in the light of the allegations made in the first information report to the effect that the first informant was required to act as per the script and that he had not given any original interview, but the interview itself was an episode of a role played by him as per the written script supplied to him.
9) In this regard, it may be noted that this court has perused the written script, a copy whereof has been placed on record and has also viewed the C.D. of the interview stated to have been given by the first informant. On a perusal of the C.D., this court is of the opinion that it is difficult for one to believe the say of the first informant that he was acting a role as per the script. The entire interview appears to be natural and seems to have been taken in the office of the first informant. The attending circumstances, namely, the first informant asking the name of the interviewer and the place of his origin and upon the interviewer stating so, commenting that his (the first informant’s) maternal uncle also resides at the said place, are the factors which have convinced the court that the said interview could in no manner have been given on the basis of a written script. From the contents of the transcript, it is evident that the same is not part of a written script. Assuming for a moment that it was a written script, no reasonable person would be prompted to believe that a person of the standing of the first informant, who is a seasoned lawyer representing the Government in important matters, would enact such a script. If the first informant was playing a part, there would not be reference to all real life characters. The contents of the interview show that the same are totally natural and what is stated by the first informant appear to be instances narrated by him to the interviewer. There is nothing in the entire interview which would lead one to believe that the same is based upon a written script. Considering the nature of the statements made by the first informant during the course of such interview, it cannot be gainsaid that he is now facing a difficult situation and is put in a very embarrassing position before the Government whom he represents before the Commission as well as the members of the Commission. Under the circumstances with a view to wriggle out of such as sticky situation, the petitioner appears to have lodged the first information report in question alleging that he was enacting a role based upon a written script. The Supreme Court in the case of State of Haryana v. Bhajan Lal, 1992 Supp (1) SCC 335, has given various categories of cases by way of illustration wherein the extraordinary power under Article 226 of the Constitution of India or inherent powers under section 482 of the Code could be exercised to prevent abuse of process of any court or otherwise to secure the ends of justice. In the opinion of this court, the present case would squarely fall within the ambit of Category (v) thereof which reads thus: “Where the allegations made in the first information report or complaint are so absurd and inherently improbable, on the basis of which, no prudent person can ever reach a just conclusion that there is sufficient ground for proceeding against the accused”.
10) Apart from the above, the allegations made in the first information report may be examined independently so as to ascertain as to whether on the basis of such allegations, the offence as alleged is made out. It may be recalled that the petitioner has been alleged to have committed the offences punishable under sections 406, 420, 451, 469, 499, 500, 501 and 120(B) of the Indian Penal Code. Insofar as invocation of section 406 IPC is concerned, in the light of the fact that the court finds it difficult to believe that the first informant was told that he would be enacting a role as per the written script, the offence punishable under section 406 is clearly not made out. As regards the offence under section 420 IPC, the same makes provision for punishment in case of cheating and dishonestly inducing delivery of property. Insofar as dishonestly inducing the first informant is concerned, on a plain reading to the first information report it is apparent that there is no allegation to the effect that he was induced to deliver any property to any person, or to make, alter or destroy the whole or any part of a valuable security, or anything which is signed or sealed and which is capable of being converted into a valuable security. Insofar as cheating is concerned, it may be germane to refer to the provisions of section 415 of the Act which defines “cheating” and lays down that whoever, by deceiving any person, fraudulently or dishonestly induces the person so deceived to deliver any property or intentionally induces the person so deceived to do or omit to do anything which he would not do or omit if he were not so deceived, and which act or omission causes or is likely to cause damage or harm to that person in body, mind, reputation or property, is said to “cheat”. For the reasons stated hereinabove, in the facts of the present case it is not possible to believe the say of the first informant that he was deceived into giving the interview by the petitioner by holding out that he would have to act a role as per the written script. Under the circumstances, the ingredients of section 415 IPC are clearly not satisfied in the present case and consequently, the provisions of section 420 IPC would not be attracted. As regards section 451 IPC, the same makes house- trespass in order to committing of any offence punishable with imprisonment as prescribed thereunder. “House trespass” has been defined under section 442 IPC and reads thus: “Whoever commits criminal trespass by entering into or remaining in any building, tent or vessel used as a human dwelling or any building used as a place of worship, or as a place for the custody of property, is said to commit “house-trespass”. Adverting to the facts of the present case, a perusal of the first information report in its entirety shows that it is not even the case of the first informant that the petitioner had entered his office for the purpose of committing the offence in question. The entire case against the petitioner is on the basis that when the first informant made a phone call to the petitioner, he, as Bureau in-charge had assured him that there would not be any fraud and that the interview would be as per the written script. Under the circumstances, the provisions of section 451 IPC are clearly not attracted. Section 469 IPC appears to have been invoked on the ground that the interview has not been published in the form in which it was given. However, as noticed earlier, on a perusal of the C.D. as well as the transcript, it does not appear as if the interview has been represented in a manner which is contrary to the actual interview given by the first informant. Section 499 IPC relates to the offence of “Defamation” which is a non- cognizable offence. Section 500 provides for punishment for defamation and section 501 provides for punishment for printing and engraving matter known to be defamatory, and is also a non-cognizable offence. In the light of the aforesaid discussion, it is apparent that on the allegations made in the first information report, the provisions of section 406, 420, 451 and 469 IPC are not attracted, whereas insofar as section 499, 500 and 501 are concerned the same are non-cognizable offences. Sub-section (2) of section 155 of the Code bars investigation by a police officer of a non-cognizable case without the order of a Magistrate having power to try such case or commit the case for trial. Thus, the first information report in respect of non-cognizable offences alone is not tenable.
11) The upshot of the aforesaid discussion is that the allegations made in the first information report are so absurd and inherently improbable on the basis of which no prudent person can ever reach a just conclusion that there is sufficient ground for proceeding against the petitioner. In fact, the first information report appears to be nothing but a face saving exercise by the first informant to come out of the sticky situation in which he finds himself as a consequence of the interview given by him.
12) In the result, the petition succeeds and is, accordingly, allowed. The first information report registered vide Maninagar Police Station I-C.R. No.368 of 2007, is hereby quashed and set aside. Rule is made absolute accordingly.
(HARSHA DEVANI, J.)
Vahid