SURINDER MALHOTRA Vs. STATE OF HIMACHAL PRADESH

JUDGEMENT

(1.) The petitioner herein challenges the order passed by the learned Special Judge on 16.2.2011 on application under Section 307 Cr.P.C. declining the prayer made by the petitioner herein for being granted pardon and application under Section 306 Cr.P.C. on the same set of facts. The petitioner herein stands charged in FIR No. 2/2008 for offences under Sections 420, 468, 471, 201 read with Section 120-B IPC and Section 13(2) of Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988. The application has been rejected by the learned trial Judge only on the ground that the record does not disclose reasons for tender of pardon. There is non application of mind by the prosecution. Learned Court holds that there is only a bald statement of 'No Objection' by the State which is not sufficient for grant of pardon. The petitioner challenges this decision.

(2.) The application has been resisted by the respondents on a number of grounds. I am not adverting to the merits of the submissions made as I find that the two applications have been rejected only on hypertechnical grounds. A submission was made before the learned Court on 16.2.2011 that the application under Section 306 Cr.P.C. was not maintainable as those powers can be exercised only by a committing Magistrate. It was argued that the powers under Section 307 Cr.P.C. also cannot be exercised and it is Section 13(2) of the Prevention of Corruption Act which is applicable. I concur with the reasoning of the learned Special Judge to the extent that it holds that mere nomenclature of the application in mentioning the wrong Section is not sufficient to reject an application. However, what I find is that the powers under Section 5(2) of the Prevention of Corruption Act vest the same powers in the Court as Section.

(3.) Adverting to the record on the substantive ground of rejection, there is substance in what the learned Judge holds that the prosecution has not seriously applied its mind and disclosed reasons for acceptance of the pardon.