SURESH KUMAR Vs. STATE OF MAHARASHTRA

JUDGEMENT

(1.) This Special Leave Petition arises out of the judgment and order dated 17th December, 2012, passed by the Aurangabad Bench of the Bombay High Court in CRLA No. 4601 of 2012, dismissing the same and directing the Special Judge, in seisin of the matter, to expedite the hearing on framing of charge, as had been directed by this Court on 12th October, 2012, while disposing of Special Leave to Appeal (Crl.) No. 6463 of 2012, filed by the co-accused Pradeep Raisoni.

(2.) This case has thrown into focus certain important issues regarding the right of an accused to be released on bail under Section 167(2) of the Code of Criminal Procedure, 1973, hereinafter referred to as "Cr.P.C.". One of such issues concerns the power of the Magistrate to pass orders of remand even beyond the period envisaged under Section 167(2) Cr.P.C. In the instant case, despite charge-sheet having been filed, no cognizance has been taken on the basis thereof. The learned Magistrate has, however, continued to pass remand orders, without apparently having proceeded to the stage contemplated under Section 309 Cr.P.C. In order to appreciate the issues which have cropped up during the hearing of the instant case, it is necessary to briefly set out the facts giving rise to the said questions, which have fallen for determination.

(3.) As per the prosecution case, the Petitioner, Suresh Kumar Bhikamchand Jain, is alleged to have misappropriated amounts meant for development of slums in Jalgaon city, when he was functioning as the Minister of Housing and Slum Area Development, as a Member of the Legislative Assembly. Initially, charge-sheet was filed against certain persons claiming to be the contractors and the Vice-President of the Municipal Corporation, Jalgaon. Thereafter, during investigation the Petitioner was arrested on 11th March, 2012, and while charge-sheet was filed against the four other accused persons on 25th April, 2012, a supplementary charge-sheet came to be filed against the Petitioner herein on 1st June, 2012. For a while, the Petitioner was released on interim bail, but upon rejection of his application for bail on merit, he was again taken into custody on 5th July, 2012.