RAGHBIR SINGH Vs. STATE OF HARYANA

JUDGEMENT

(1.) The short question which arises for decision in this petition under Article 32 of the Constitution is whether it is open to a person who is undergoing imprisonment on being convicted of an offence committed by him to claim that the period occupied by the investigation or inquiry carried on and the trial held while he was undergoing imprisonment in respect of another offence alleged to have been committed by him should be set off against the term of imprisonment imposed on him on being convicted of the latter offence, under section 428 of the Code of Criminal Procedure, 1973 (hereinafter referred to as 'the Code').

(2.) The facts relevant for the purpose of this case are these:The petitioner was convicted of an offence punishable under Section 307 of the Indian Penal Code and sentenced to undergo rigorous imprisonment for seven years and to pay a fine of Rs. 100/- in a Sessions Case on February 1, 1980 by the Addl. Sessions Judge, Karnal. In the same case, he was also convicted of an offence punishable under section 459 of the Indian Penal Code and sentenced to undergo rigorous imprisonment for five years and to pay a fine of Rs. 100/-. Both the sentences of imprisonment were directed to run concurrently. The petitioner was in judicial custody with effect from January 11, 1980 in another case F. I. R. No. 315/78 under sections 457/380/411 of the Indian Penal Code before a Metropolitan Magistrate at Delhi. That case ended in his conviction on February 16, 1981 for an offence punishable under Section 457 of the Indian Penal Code and he was sentenced to under go imprisonment for one year and to pay a fine of Rs. 200/-. In the same case he was convicted of an offence punishable under Section 380 of the Indian Penal Code and sentenced to undergo rigorous imprisonment for four months and to pay fine. The two sentences of imprisonment imposed in this case were directed to run concurrently. In this case it was further ordered that the petitioner was entitled to the setoff as provided by section 428 of the Code. It is not necessary to refer to the other case or cases in which he has also been convicted in order to decide the issue involved in this case.

(3.) The petitioner is undergoing rigorous imprisonment for seven years as directed by the Addl. Sessions Judge, Karnal in the sessions case from February 1, 1980 at the District Jail at Rohtak. The sentences of imprisonment imposed by the Metropolitan Magistrate, Delhi will commence to run at the expiration of the imprisonment imposed by the Addl. Sessions Judge, Karnal as prescribed by section 427 of the Code since the Court has not directed that the subsequent sentence shall run concurrently with the previous sentence. The petitioner, however, contends that since he was in judicial custody from January 11, 1980 in connection with the investigation and trial of the case which ended in his conviction by the Metropolitan Magistrate on February 16, 1981, the whole of the period between January 11, 1980 and February 16, 1981 should be set off against the sentence of imprisonment imposed by the Metropolitan Magistrate, Delhi. This claim of the petitioner is contested by the State Government of Haryana. It is urged on behalf of the State Government that while the petitioner is entitled to setoff under Section 428 of the Code, the period between January 11, 1980 and February 1, 1980 on which date he was sentenced to imprisonment for seven years by the Addl. Sessions Judge, Karnal against the sentence of imprisonment imposed by the Metropolitan Magistrate, Delhi, the period between February 1, 1980 and February 16, 1981 on which date the petitioner was convicted by the Metropolitan Magistrate, Delhi cannot be set off since during that period the petitioner was actually undergoing imprisonment imposed on him in the sessions case. The State Government has relied in support of its contention on the instruction issued by the High Court of Punjab and Haryana in No. 29442 Rules VI. V. 38 dated Nov. 29, 1975, the relevant part of which reads thus: