PIYARELAL JAWAHARLAL Vs. STATE

JUDGEMENT

(1.) THIS is a reference by the learned Additional Sessions Judge, Bhilsa, recommending that the committal order made by the First Class Magistrate, biaora, be quashed.

(2.) THE facts giving rise to this reference are that two separate charge-sheets were put up by the Police before the Magistrate under Section 409, I. P. C. , for two offences alleged to have been committed in the course of a singly year. Both the challans were consolidated and from the record put up before him, the Magistrate was satisfied that there were sufficient grounds for committing the accused to the court of Sessions because the accused had been previously convicted of an offence under Ch. 17 of the Indian Penal Code. When the case was sent to the Additional Sessions Judge, Bhilsa, he took objection to it on the ground that the Magistrate had not complied with the formalities of Section 347, Cr. P. Code and that as such the order of committal was bad. The learned Additional Sessions Judge has undoubtedly taken great pains in referring this case to the High Court and he has cited a number of authorities in support of the view he has taken. But the proper section applicable in this case is not Section 347 but it is Section 348 of the Criminal Procedure Code.

(3.) IN committing a case under Section 348, the committing Magistrate should consider whether in the circumstances of the case, his powers enable him to try and pass an adequate sentence or not. If they do not permit him to pass a sufficiently severe sentence, and, he is prima facie satisfied that the case calls for a deterrent sentence, which he is unable to award, he should commit the case.