Rakesh S/O Upendra Singh vs State Of Mah. Thr. Officer In Charge Of Ps … on 23 June, 2025

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Bombay High Court

Rakesh S/O Upendra Singh vs State Of Mah. Thr. Officer In Charge Of Ps … on 23 June, 2025

2025:BHC-NAG:5757




              Judgment

                                                       414 revns238 & 239.22



                                            1

               IN THE HIGH COURT OF JUDICATURE AT BOMBAY,
                         NAGPUR BENCH, NAGPUR.

                    CRIMINAL REVISION APPLICATION NO.238 OF 2022
                                       WITH
                    CRIMINAL REVISION APPLICATION NO.239 OF 2022


              CRIMINAL REVISION APPLICATION NO.238 OF 2022
              Rakesh s/o Upendra Singh,
              aged about 45 years,
              occupation : business,
              r/o 43, Welcome Nagar,
              Bokhara, Koradi Road, Nagpur,
              currently lodged in Central Jail,
              Nagpur.                           ..... Applicant.

                                   :: V E R S U S ::

              1. State of Maharashtra,
              Officer-in-charge of Police
              Station Jalalkheda, Nagpur,
              District (Rural), Nagpur.

              2. State of Maharashtra, through
              Economic Offences Wing,
              Nagpur (Rural), Civil Lines,
              Nagpur.                          ..... Non-applicants.


              CRIMINAL REVISION APPLICATION NO.239 OF 2022
              Nutan w/o Rakesh Singh,
              aged about 43 years,
                                                                     .....2/-
 Judgment

                                             414 revns238 & 239.22



                             2

occupation : business,
r/o 43, Welcome Nagar, Bokhara,
Koradi Road, Nagpur, currently
lodged in Central Jail, Nagpur.         ..... Applicant.

                     :: V E R S U S ::

1. State of Maharashtra, Officer-
in-charge of Police Station
Jalalkheda, Nagpur, District (Rural),
Nagpur.

2. State of Maharashtra, through
Economic Offences Wing, Nagpur
(Rural), Civil Lines,
Nagpur.                          ..... Non-applicants.

Shri F.T.Mirza, Senior Counsel assisted by Shri M.N.Ali,
Advocate for Applicants.
Shri Anant Ghongre, Additional Public Prosecutor for the
Non-applicants/State.

CORAM : URMILA JOSHI-PHALKE, J.
CLOSED ON : 13/06/2025
PRONOUNCED ON : 23/06/2025

COMMON JUDGMENT

1.    Heard learned Senior Counsel Shri F.T.Mirza for

applicants and learned Additional Public Prosecutor Shri



                                                           .....3/-
 Judgment

                                           414 revns238 & 239.22



                              3

Anant Ghongre for the State.       Rule.   Heard finally by

consent.


2.       By these revisions, applicants have challenged

orders dated 13.6.2022 passed by learned Additional

Sessions Judge, Nagpur rejecting their applications for

discharge in connection with Crime No.304/2018 (Special

Case No.539/2020) registered under Sections 120-B; 409;

411; 413; 420; 467; 468; and 471 of the IPC and 3 of the

MPID Act below Exhs.36 and 37.         By these revisions,

applicants are challenging orders only to the extent of

discharge of offences under Section 3 of the MPID Act and

Sections 411 and 413 of the IPC.


3.       Brief facts for disposal of these revisions are as

under:


         The crime is registered on the basis of a report

lodged by Madhukar Vithoba Gaikwad against applicants,

                                                         .....4/-
 Judgment

                                         414 revns238 & 239.22



                           4

who are husband and wife, alleging that they through co-

accused Nilesh Dhorpe collected documents i.e. 7/12

Extracts, Aadhar Cards, Voter IDs, and Photographs from

agriculturists on pretext of ensuring benefits under the

Government Schemes and, thereafter, fraudulently, loan

applications were prepared showing said farmers are

asking for financial assistance. Applicants Rakesh Singh,

represented agriculturists that he and his wife stood as

guarantors and prepared 58 fraudulent loan cases. It is

also case of the prosecution that while the Scheme

envisaged sanctioning loan on security of product stored

in godown subject to certificate issued by The National

Collateral Management Services Ltd. Company (NCMSL),

loans were sanctioned in names of agriculturists who did

not supply grain. Thus, as per allegations, in connivance

with certain officers of the Corporation Bank and NCMSL,

applicants and co-accused succeeded in transferring

                                                       .....5/-
 Judgment

                                          414 revns238 & 239.22



                            5

amount Rs.25,11,68,500/- to accounts of farmers. Both

applicants and co-accused, with the help of forged

documents,     released     food    grains     worth         of

Rs.17,89,00,500/-    from   "Jagdamba     Godown"       from

accounts of said farmers. Both amounts were transferred

to their accounts and accounts of certain ostensible

employees and close relatives of applicant Rakesh Singh.

Total amount disbursed fraudulently was to the tune of

Rs.51,49,56,057/- and only amount Rs.7,16,20,000/- is

recovered.


4.    On the basis of the said report, the crime was

registered. During investigation, the Investigating Officer

recorded statements of various agriculturists and after

completion of the investigation, filed chargesheet against

accused including applicants.




                                                        .....6/-
 Judgment

                                         414 revns238 & 239.22



                            6

5.    After filing of chargesheet, applicant Rakesh Singh

preferred application vide Exh.36 and applicant Nutan

Rakesh Singh vide Exh.37 for discharge on ground that

applicant Rakesh Singh is Director of company namely

"Maa Gouri Poultry Pvt.Ltd" and his wife Nutan Rakesh

Singh is owner of "Jagdamba Warehouse Godown". They

only stood as guarantors.    It is purely a case of non-

payment of loans. They have not collected any deposits

and there is no promise to agriculturists to pay amounts

back to them. The agriculturists obtained loans and they

are guarantors to the same. Thus, as far as offences under

Sections 3 of the MPID Act and 411 and 413 of the IPC are

not applicable and they be discharged from said charges.


6.    The said applications were strongly opposed by the

State on ground that it is applicant Rakesh Singh who is

master mind and his wife and other co-accused, in


                                                       .....7/-
 Judgment

                                             414 revns238 & 239.22



                             7

connivance with other accused, committed the alleged

fraud and misappropriated amount Rs.48,63,36,057/-.

From the entire chargesheet, ingredients to constitute the

offence under Section 3 of the MPID Act is not made out.


7.     After hearing both sides, learned Judge below

rejected applications for discharge and hence these

revisions.


8.     In the light of the aforesaid challenge, I have heard

learned Senior Counsel Shri F.T.Mirza for applicants and

learned Additional Public Prosecutor Shri Anant Ghongre

for the State. With their assistance, I have also perused

material on record especially chargesheet.


9.     Learned Senior Counsel for applicants submitted

that Section 2(c) of the MPID Act defines "deposit". The

entire prosecution case nowhere states that applicants

have collected deposits from agriculturists or villagers.

                                                           .....8/-
 Judgment

                                                      414 revns238 & 239.22



                                   8

The entire prosecution case states that applicants, through

Nilesh     Dhorpe,     collected       various   documents          from

agriculturists on pretext of assisting them to obtain

benefits under the Government Scheme and, thereafter,

fraudulent loan applications were prepared in names of

various agriculturists and amounts obtained by way of

loans are transferred to their accounts.


         The other allegation is that loans were obtained on

the security of the product stored in the godown in

connivance      with    the   employees          of      NCMSL        and

Corporation Bank.         Thus, total amount obtained is

Rs.51,49,56,057/- and only amount Rs.7,16,20,000/- is

recovered and amount Rs.41,47,60,057/- is yet to be

recovered.


         He also invited my attention towards objects of

enactment of the MPID Act and submitted that the object


                                                                    .....9/-
 Judgment

                                                414 revns238 & 239.22



                                9

of the MPID Act is to address mischief of collecting

deposits from public mostly from poor strata of the society

on false promises. The intention of the MPID Act was

never      to   govern     "inter-corporation     deposits"       or

transaction" which forms a class apart by themselves.

Thus, application of provisions of the MPID Act itself is

erroneous and illegal.


10.     Per contra, learned Additional Public Prosecutor for

the State supported orders impugned in revisions and

submitted       that     fraudulently   applicants       obtained

documents,       loans     in   names    of      farmers,       and

misappropriated the same. Thus, an ample material is on

record to show involvement of applicants and, therefore,

Section 3 of the MPID Act cannot be questioned.




                                                            .....10/-
 Judgment

                                             414 revns238 & 239.22



                              10

11.   Before adverting to merits of the matter, it is

necessary to see, what are considerations for considering

application for discharge.


12.   It is a settled principle of law that at the stage of

considering an application for discharge, the court must

proceed on the assumption that the material which has

been brought on record by the prosecution is true and

evaluate the material in order to determine whether the

facts emerging from the material, taken on its face value,

disclose the existence of the ingredients necessary of the

offence alleged.


13.   The Hon'ble Apex Court in the case of State of

Gujarat    vs.   Dilipsinh   Kishorsinh    Rao,   reported     in

MANU/SC/1113         2023,     adverting    to    the    earlier

propositions of law in its earlier decisions in the cases of

State of Tamil Nadu vs. N.Suresh Rajan and ors, reported


                                                         .....11/-
 Judgment

                                            414 revns238 & 239.22



                            11

in (2014) 11 SCC 709 and The State of Maharashtra vs.

Som Nath Thapa, reported in (1996) 4 SCC 659 and The

State of MP Vs. Mohan Lal Soni, reported in (2000) 6 SCC

338, has held as under:


      "10. It is settled principle of law that at the stage of
      considering an application for discharge the court
      must proceed on an assumption that the material
      which has been brought on record by the
      prosecution is true and evaluate said material in
      order to determine whether the facts emerging
      from the material taken on its face value, disclose
      the existence of the ingredients necessary of the
      offence alleged. This Court in State of Tamil Nadu
      vs. N.Suresh Rajan and ors, (2014) 11 SCC 709
      adverting to the earlier propositions of law laid
      down on this subject has held:


            "29. We have bestowed our consideration to
            the rival submissions and the submissions
            made by Mr. Ranjit Kumar commend us. True


                                                        .....12/-
 Judgment

                                          414 revns238 & 239.22



                           12

           it is that at the time of consideration of the
           applications for discharge, the court cannot
           act as a mouthpiece of the prosecution or act
           as a post office and may sift evidence in order
           to find out whether or not the allegations
           made are groundless so as to pass an order of
           discharge. It is trite that at the stage of
           consideration of an application for discharge,
           the court has to proceed with an assumption
           that the materials brought on record by the
           prosecution are true and evaluate the said
           materials and documents with a view to find
           out whether the facts emerging therefrom
           taken at their face value disclose the existence
           of all the ingredients constituting the alleged
           offence. At this stage, probative value of the
           materials has to be gone into and the court is
           not expected to go deep into the matter and
           hold that the materials would not warrant a
           conviction. In our opinion, what needs to be
           considered is whether there is a ground for
           presuming    that    the   offence    has     been

                                                       .....13/-
 Judgment

                                            414 revns238 & 239.22



                             13

            committed and not whether a ground for
            convicting the accused has been made out. To
            put it differently, if the court thinks that the
            accused might have committed the offence on
            the basis of the materials on record on its
            probative value, it can frame the charge;
            though for conviction, the court has to come
            to the conclusion that the accused has
            committed the offence. The law does not
            permit a mini trial at this stage."


14.    Thus, the defence of the accused is not to be looked

into at this stage when applications are filed for discharge.

The expression "the record of the case" used in Section 227

of the Code of Criminal Procedure is to be understood as

the documents and materials, if any, produced by the

prosecution.   The provisions of the Code of Criminal

Procedure does not give any right to the accused to

produce any document at the stage of framing of the


                                                        .....14/-
 Judgment

                                           414 revns238 & 239.22



                              14

charge. The submission of the accused is to be confined to

the material produced by the investigating agency. The

primary consideration at the stage of framing of charge is

the test of existence of a prima facie case, and at this

stage, the probative value of materials on record need not

be gone into. At the stage of entertaining the application

for discharge under Section 227 of the Code of Criminal

Procedure, the court cannot analyze or direct the evidence

of the prosecution and defence or the points or possible

cross examination of the defence.         The case of the

prosecution is to be accepted as it is.


15.    In the case of Union of India vs. Prafulla Kumar

Samal and anr, reported in (1973)3 SCC 4, the Hon'ble

Apex Court considered the scope of Section 227 of the

Code of Criminal Procedure.         After adverting to the




                                                       .....15/-
 Judgment

                                         414 revns238 & 239.22



                            15

various decisions, the Hon'ble Apex Court has enumerated

the following principles:


       "(1) That the Judge while considering the question

       of framing the charges under section 227 of the

       Code has the undoubted power to sift and weigh

       the evidence for the limited purpose of finding out

       whether or not a prima facie case against the

       accused has been made out.


       (2) Where the materials placed before the Court

       disclose grave suspicion against the accused which

       has not been properly explained the Court will be,

       fully justified in framing a charge and proceeding

       with the trial.


       (3) The test to determine a prima facie case would

       naturally depend upon the facts of each case and it

       is difficult to lay down a rule of universal

                                                     .....16/-
 Judgment

                                          414 revns238 & 239.22



                           16

      application. By and large however if two views are

      equally possible and the Judge is satisfied that the

      evidence produced before him while giving rise to

      some suspicion but not grave suspicion against the

      accused, he will be fully within his right to

      discharge the accused.


      (4) That in exercising his jurisdiction under section

      227 of the Code the Judge which under the present

      Code is a senior and experienced Judge cannot act

      merely as a Post office or a mouth-piece of the

      prosecution, but has to consider the broad

      probabilities of the case, the total effect of the

      evidence and the documents produced before the

      Court, any basic infirmities appearing in the case

      and so on. This however does not mean that the

      Judge should make a roving enquiry into the pros


                                                      .....17/-
 Judgment

                                            414 revns238 & 239.22



                           17

      and cons of the matter and weigh the evidence as if

      he was conducting a trial."


16.   Thus, the catena of decisions explains the scope of

Sections 227 and 228 of the Code of Criminal Procedure

from which following principles emerge:


           1. While considering the question of framing
           the charges under section 227 of the Code, the
           court has the undoubted power to sift and
           weigh the evidence for the limited purpose of
           finding out whether or not a prima facie case
           against the accused has been made out: The
           test to determine prime facie case would
           depend upon the facts of each case.


           2. Where the materials placed before the
           Court disclose grave suspicion against the
           accused   which      has   not   been      properly
           explained the Court will be, fully justified in
           framing a charge and proceeding with the
           trial.

                                                        .....18/-
 Judgment

                                            414 revns238 & 239.22



                             18

           3. The court cannot act merely as a Post office
           or a mouth-piece of the prosecution, but has
           to consider the broad probabilities of the case,
           the total effect of the evidence and the
           documents produced before the Court, any
           basic infirmities appearing in the case and so
           on. However, at this stage, there cannot be a
           roving enquiry into the pros and cons of the
           matter and weigh the evidence as if he was
           conducting a trial.


           4. If on the basis of the material on record, the
           Court could form an opinion that the accused
           might have committed offence, it can frame
           the   charge,     though   for   conviction      the
           conclusion is required to be proved beyond
           reasonable      doubt   that   the   accused     has
           committed the offence.


           5. At the time of framing of the charges, the
           probative value of the material on record
           cannot be gone into but before framing a


                                                        .....19/-
 Judgment

                                          414 revns238 & 239.22



                           19

           charge the Court must apply its judicial mind
           on the material placed on record and must be
           satisfied that the commission of offence by the
           accused was possible.


           6. At the stage of sections 227 and 228 the
           Court is required to evaluate the material and
           documents on record with a view to find out if
           the facts emerging there from taken at their
           face value discloses the existence of all the
           ingredients constituting the alleged offence.
           For this limited purpose, sift the evidence as it
           cannot be expected even at that initial stage to
           accept all that the prosecution states as gospel
           truth even if it is opposed to common sense or
           the broad probabilities of the case.


           7. If two views are possible and one of them
           gives rise to suspicion only, as distinguished
           from grave suspicion, the trial Judge will be
           empowered to discharge the accused and at




                                                      .....20/-
 Judgment

                                             414 revns238 & 239.22



                              20

              this stage, he is not to see whether the trial
              will end in conviction or acquittal.


17.    As observed earlier, applicants have only challenged

application of Sections 3 of the MPID Act and 411 and 413

of the IPC.


18.    Before dealing with the challenge, it would be

appropriate to note relevant provisions of the MPID Act

especially interpretation clause thereof.


19.    The clause (c) of Section 2 of the MPID Act defines

'deposit' as under :


       "(c) "Deposit" means the deposit of money either in
       one lump sum or by installments made with the
       Financial Establishment for a fixed period for
       interest or for return in any kind or for any service
       and includes and shall be deemed always to have
       included any receipt of money or acceptance of any
       valuable commodity by any Financial Establishment


                                                         .....21/-
 Judgment

                                          414 revns238 & 239.22



                            21

      to be returned after a specified period or otherwise,
      either in cash or in kind or in the form of specified
      service with or without any benefit in the form of
      interest, bonus, profit, or in any other form, but
      does not include--


           (i) amount raised by way of share capital or by
      any way of debenture, bond or any other
      instrument covered under the guidelines given, and
      regulations made, by the SEBI, established under
      the Securities and Exchange Board of India Act,
      1992 (15 of 1992) ;


           (ii) amounts contributed as capital by partners
      of a film;


           (iii) amounts received from a Scheduled bank
      or Shraddha Talekar PS Co-operative Bank or any
      other banking company as defined in clause (c) of
      Section 5 of the Banking Regulation Act, 1949 (10
      of 1949);



                                                      .....22/-
 Judgment

                                             414 revns238 & 239.22



                              22

           (iv) any amount received from--
           (a) the Industrial Development Bank of India;
           (b) a State Financial Institution;
           (c) any financial institution specified in or
      under section 6-A of Industrial Development Bank
      of India Act, 1964 (18 of 1964) ; or
           (d) any other institution that may be specified
      by the Government in this behalf;


      (v) amounts received in the ordinary course of
      business by way of --
           (a) security deposit;
           (b) dealership deposit; and
           (c) earnest money;


      (vi) any amount received from an individual or a
      firm or an association or individuals not being a
      body corporate, registered under any enactment
      relating to money lending which is for the time
      being in force in the State ; and




                                                         .....23/-
 Judgment

                                           414 revns238 & 239.22



                               23

      (vii) any amount received by way of subscriptions
      in receipt of a Chit.


      Explanation I -- "Chit" has the meaning as assigned
      to in clause (b) of Section 2 of the Chit Funds Act,
      1982 (40 of 1982);


      Explanation II .-- "Any credit given by a seller to a
      buyer on the sale of any property (whether
      movable or immovable) shall not be deemed to be
      a deposit for the purposes of this clause."



      Whereas clause (d) of Section 2 defines "Financial

Establishment" as:


      "(d) Financial Establishment" means any person
      accepting      deposit    under   any    scheme        or
      arrangement or in any other manner but does not
      include a corporation or a co-operative society
      owned or controlled by any State Government or
      the Central Government or a banking company


                                                       .....24/-
 Judgment

                                                 414 revns238 & 239.22



                               24

       defined under clause (c) of Section 5 of the
       Banking Regulation Act, 1949 (10 of 1949)."


20.    Thus,     definitions   of    'deposit'    and     'financial

establishment'    are   rather      expansive.    The     inclusive

definition of 'deposit' covers any receipt of money or

acceptance of any valuable commodity, except those

amounts which have been specifically excluded by sub-

clauses (i) to (vii) thereof. Thus, any person accepting

deposits under any scheme or in any other manner

satisfies the description of financial establishment except a

corporation or a co-operative society owned or controlled

by any State Government or the Central Government or a

banking company defined under the Banking Regulation

Act.


21.    In the present case, it is nobody's case that

applicants are running any "financial establishment" and

                                                             .....25/-
 Judgment

                                            414 revns238 & 239.22



                             25

they have collected "deposits", but it is case that they have

misrepresented agriculturists, collected documents from

them, obtained loans in their names, and loan amounts

are misappropriated by them.


22.    Thus, the entire controversy revolves around

question as to whether loans' amounts obtained by

applicants in names various agriculturists are within the

definition of "deposit.


23.    The Hon'ble Apex Court, in the case of State of

Maharashtra vs. 63 Moon Technologies Limited, reported

in (2022)9 SCC 457, dealt with the scope and ambit of

"deposit" and "financial establishment" and held as under:


       "(i) the expression 'deposit' is conspicuously broad
       in its width and ambit for it includes, not only any
       receipt of money but also the acceptance of any
       valuable commodity by a financial establishment
       under any scheme or arrangement;

                                                        .....26/-
 Judgment

                                                414 revns238 & 239.22



                                26



      (ii) the money or commodity must be liable to be
      returned.    However,          such    return   need      not
      necessarily be in the form of cash or kind but also
      in the form of a service, with or without any benefit
      such as interest;


      (iii) it is not necessary that the return should be
      with the benefit of interest, bonus or profit.
      Therefore,   if     the    financial     establishment      is
      obligated to return the deposit without any
      increments, it shall still fall within the purview of
      Section 2(c) of the MPID Act, provided that the
      deposit does not fall within any of the exceptions;
      (iv) the phrase 'valuable commodity' cannot be
      restricted   to     only       mean     precious     metals.
      Agricultural commodities which NSEL trades in will
      fall within the purview of the term, and


      (v) the definition is broadly worded to include even
      the possession of the commodities for a limited
      purpose."


                                                            .....27/-
 Judgment

                                           414 revns238 & 239.22



                            27

24.   Thus, The expression 'deposit' is conspicuously

broad in its width and ambit for it includes, not only any

receipt of money but also the acceptance of any valuable

commodity by a financial establishment under any scheme

or arrangement.     The expression 'any' is used in the

substantive part of the definition of the expression

'deposit' on five occasions namely;


       (i) Any receipt of money;
       (ii) Any valuable commodities;
       (iii) By any financial establishment;
       (iv) With or without any benefit; and
       (v) In any other form.


      The Hon'ble Apex Court further explains that there

is nothing in the definition of the term "deposit" to mean

that the acceptance of the commodity should be

accompanied by a transfer of title to the commodity. Even

if the financial establishment is only in "custody" of the

                                                       .....28/-
 Judgment

                                             414 revns238 & 239.22



                             28

commodity, it would still fall within the purview of the

phrase "acceptance of commodity".


25.    According to the second ingredient of Section 2(c),

the money or commodity must be liable to be returned.

However, such return need not necessarily be in the form

of cash or kind but also in the form of a service, with or

without any benefit such as interest. It needs to be recalled

that clause (v) of Section2(c) states that a deposit of

money or commodity made as a security deposit,

dealership deposit or an advance amount is excluded from

the definition of the phrase "deposit".


26.    On    going   through      the   entire   record      and

investigation papers, the prosecution case, on the basis of

statements of witnesses, revolves around facts that

applicants along with co-accused obtained loans in names

of farmers and said loan amounts were transferred in


                                                         .....29/-
 Judgment

                                             414 revns238 & 239.22



                                29

accounts of said farmers and from accounts of farmers

transferred said amounts to the accounts of "Maa Gouri

Poultry Pvt.Ltd" and "Annapurna Trading Company" and

64 proprietary concerns. These proprietary concerns are

in the name of applicant Rakesh Singh and his close

relatives.


27.     Thus, the entire investigation papers show that

amounts are obtained by way of loans in names of

farmers. Thus, loans advanced in names of farmers, which

are required to be repaid to the concerned bank, would

not amount to "deposit" within the meaning and for the

purpose of the MPID Act.


28.     The object of the aforesaid enactment was clarified

by the Hon'ble Apex Court in the case of M/s.New Horizon

Sugar      Mills   Ltd.   vs.   Government   of   Pondicherry,

thr.Additional Secretary and anr, reported in (2012)10


                                                         .....30/-
 Judgment

                                           414 revns238 & 239.22



                             30

SCC 575 and it has been observed that the object of this

enactment is namely to protect the interests of small

depositors from fraud perpetrated on unsuspecting

investors, who entrusted their life savings to unscrupulous

and fraudulent persons and who ultimately betrayed their

trust.   The said enactment was enacted to protect the

interests of small depositors from fraud perpetrated on

unsuspecting investors, who entrusted their life savings to

unscrupulous and fraudulent persons and who ultimately

betrayed their trust that was stated to be the main object

indicated in the statement of object and reason of the

enactment.    The nature of legislation is to protect the

interests of small depositors, who invest their life's

earnings and savings in schemes for making profit floated

by   unscrupulous    individuals   and   companies,       both

incorporated and unincorporated which needs to be kept

in mind while testing the provisions of the said Act.

                                                        .....31/-
 Judgment

                                          414 revns238 & 239.22



                             31

29.    In the aforesaid view of the matter, loans obtained

by applicants in names of farmers would not amount to

"deposit" within the meaning and for the purposes of the

said Act.


30.    Even, the definition of "financial establishment" as

defined in Section 2(d) defines, "as any person accepting a

deposit".


31.    On going through the definition of "financial

establishment", admittedly, applicants are not fit in the

definition of "financial establishment" and, therefore, the

contention of learned Senior Counsel for applicants

requires to be accepted that amounts obtained by

applicants, allegedly by obtaining loans in names of

farmers, does not come within the definition of "deposit"

and applicant also are not covered under the definition of

"financial establishment".


                                                      .....32/-
 Judgment

                                           414 revns238 & 239.22



                            32

32.    Learned    Senior   Counsel   for   applicants     also

challenged the charge under Sections 411 and 413 of the

IPC.


33.    Section 411 of the IPC deals with offence of

"dishonestly receiving or retaining stolen property" which

reads as under:


       "whoever dishonestly received any stolen property,
       defined under Section 410 of the IPC, dishonestly
       receiving the same is guilty of the offence under
       Section 411 of the IPC".


34.    Here, in the present case, there is absolutely no

allegation against applicants that they have received stolen

property and, therefore, application of Section 411 of the

IPC itself is erroneous.


       Similarly, Section 413 of the IPC deals with "offence

of habitually dealing in stolen property". The same is also


                                                       .....33/-
 Judgment

                                            414 revns238 & 239.22



                             33

not applicable as the entire chargesheet nowhere reveals

that applicants, at any point of time, habitually received or

dealt in property which they know or have reason to

believe to be stolen property.


35.    A plain reading of Sections 411 and 413 of the IPC

and applying the undisputed facts to the present case

indicates that none of ingredients are attracted to the case

in hand.


36.    After having sifted and weighed the evidence on

record; on going through investigation papers, and

considered materials on record, it is difficult to hold that

Section 3 of the MPID Act is attracted against applicants as

allegations levelled against them are that they obtained

money in names of farmers by obtaining loans and

transferred in their accounts and siphoned the same to

accounts of their firms which does not come within the


                                                        .....34/-
 Judgment

                                           414 revns238 & 239.22



                            34

definition of "deposits". On the basis of the evidence on

record, it cannot be stated that the material is sufficient

for the prosecution to establish the charge against the

applicants under Section 3 of the MPID Act.


      Likewise, the charge under Sections 411 and 413 of

the IPC also appears to be erroneous as there is no

allegation that applicants either received any stolen

property or dealt with the stolen property and, therefore,

as far as offences under Section 3 of the MPID Act and

Sections 411 and 413 of the IPC are not made out. As

such, subjecting applicants to face trial for the above said

offences would be abuse of process of law. Learned Judge

below ought to have appreciated this legal position while

deciding applications for discharge. I am, therefore, of the

view that orders impugned are liable to be quashed and




                                                       .....35/-
 Judgment

                                          414 revns238 & 239.22



                            35

set aside to the extent of application of Section 3 of the

MPID Act and Sections 411 and 413 of the IPC.


37.   In this view of the matter, the criminal revision

applications deserve to be allowed partly.         Hence, I

proceed to pass following order:


                         ORDER

(1) The Criminal Revision Applications are allowed partly.

(2) The orders dated 13.6.2022 passed by learned

Additional Sessions Judge, Nagpur rejecting applications

of applicants for discharge in connection with Crime

No.304/2018 (Special Case No.539/2020) below Exhs.36

and 37 are hereby quashed and set aside only to the extent

of offences under Section 3 of the MPID Act and under

Sections 411 and 413 of the IPC.

…..36/-

Judgment

414 revns238 & 239.22

36

(3) The applicants are hereby discharged of offences

under Section 3 of the MPID Act and under Sections 411

and 413 of the IPC.

38. Rule is made absolute in the aforesaid terms.

Revisions stand disposed of accordingly.

(URMILA JOSHI-PHALKE, J.)
!! BrWankhede !!

Signed by: Mr. B. R. Wankhede
Designation: PS To Honourable Judge …../-
Date: 23/06/2025 17:50:29



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