MOHD AKRAM ANSARI Vs. STATE OF TELANGANA

JUDGEMENT

(1.) This Criminal Petition is filed under Section 482 of Cr.P.C. to quash the proceedings in Crime No.296 of 2020, pending on the file of Station House Officer, P.S.Chaderghat, Hyderabad, against the petitioners/Accused. The offences alleged against the petitioners are under Sections 188, 273, 336 r/w.109 of IPC, Sections, 5 and 20(2) of COPTA.

(2.) Learned counsel for the petitioners as well as the learned Assistant Public Prosecutor would submit that the subject matter is squarely covered by a common order in Chidurala Shyamsubder v. State of Telangana (Crl.P.No.3731 of 2018 & batch, decided on 27.08.2018) rendered by the High Court of Judicature at Hyderabad for the State of Telangana and the State of Andhra Pradesh, and placed copy of the said judgment for perusal.

(3.) In Chidurala Shyamsubder 's case (supra), a learned Single Judge of the High Court, following the guidelines laid down by the Hon'ble Supreme Court in State of Haryana v. Bhajan Lal , 1992 Supp1 SCC 335 , held that the Police are incompetent to take cognizance of the offences punishable under Sections 45 and 59(1) of the Food Safety and Standards (FSS) Act, 2006, investigating into the offences along with other offences under the provisions of the Indian Penal Code, 1860, and filing charge sheet is grave illegality, as the Food Officer alone is competent to investigate and to file charge sheet following the Rules laid down under Sections 41 and 42 of FSS Act, whereas, in the present case, the Police have registered the crime for the offences under Sections 188, 273, 336 r/w.109 of IPC, Sections, 5 and 20(2) of COPTA. Therefore, the said proceedings in Crime No.296 of 2020 against the petitioners herein are contrary to the principle held by the learned Single Judge of the High Court in Chidurala Shyamsubder (supra) and, accordingly, the same are liable to be quashed.