High CourtsSingle Bench(2011) 01 GUJ CK 0048

Prafulbhai J. Vaghela and Another vs Pankaj Srikrishnakumar Saxena, Gruhpati and Others

Gujarat High Court · Decided on 10 January 2011

HON’BLE JUDGES
Akil Kureshi, J
CASE NUMBER
Criminal Miscellaneous Application No. 564 of 2010 in Criminal Miscellaneous Application No''s. 770 and 13519 of 2009

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Judgment

255 paragraphs · 5,279 words

Akil Kureshi, J.—The Petitioners of Criminal Misc. Application No. 13519/2009 are the original accused in FIR bearing C.R. No. 13/2009

dated 7.11.2009 registered before Gandhinagar zone police station. They shall in this order be referred to as the Petitioners. The incident referred

to in the said FIR pertains to unfortunate death of two young inmates who went missing from Gurukul situated at Motera village, in the outskirts of

Ahmedabad known as Sant Shri Asaramji Ashram. The Petitioners pray for quashing of the said complaint on various grounds.

2.

It is not in dispute that two young boys namely, Dipesh Prafulbhai Vaghela aged 11 years and Abhishek Shanitlal Vaghela aged about 10 years

who were cousin brothers were admitted in the said Gurukul on 1.6.2008 in standard 6th and 5th respectively. It is also not in dispute that in the

late evening of 3.7.2008, these boys went missing from the school. After lot of efforts to search them, on 5.7.2008 at about 18:30 hours, their

dead bodies were found close to Sabarmati river flowing behind the Gurukul Ashram. The mysterious disappearance of these two young boys and

their ultimate death received considerable public attention. Long after the said incident, above-mentioned impugned FIR came to be lodged by the

detective police inspector CID Crime, Gandhinagar on 7.11.2009 alleging offences punishable under Sections 304 read with Section 114 of the

IPC as well as Section 23 of Juvenile Justice(Care and Protection) Act, 2000 against the Petitioners.

3.

Special Criminal Application No. 770/2009 has been filed by fathers of the deceased boys praying for following relief:

5(A) Directing the Respondent No. 2 to register offence and to carry out investigation into the incident of mysterious death of two children namely

Dipesh and Abhishek on 5-7-2008 at the Gurukul Ashram of Respondent No. 3 and take all penal actions against the offenders in accordance

with law.

4.

They are also the applicants of Criminal Misc. Application No. 564/2010 in which prayer made is to permit them to be joined as Respondents

in the quashing petition filed by the original accused.

5.

On 4.12.2009, when the petition for quashing i.e. Criminal Misc. Application No. 13519/2009 came up for hearing, petition was admitted

granting stay against further investigation by making following observations:

1.

Petitioners are shown as accused in criminal complaint bearing No. 13/2009 dated 07.11.2009 filed before Gandhinagar Police Station, alleging

offences punishable u/s 304 read with Sections 34 and 114 of Indian Penal Code as well as Section 23 of the Juvenile Justice (Care and

Protection) Act, 2000.

2.

Complaint is with respect to unfortunate death of two young inmates aged about 10 to 11 years in Sant Shri Asharamji Ashram, Gurukul,

Motera on 3rd July, 2008. These two boys Dipesh and Abhishek were students of standard 6 and 5 respectively in the said Gurukul. They went

missing from their hostel on the night of 3rd July, 2008. Their dead bodies were found from the river-bed nearby, at about 6.30 in the evening on

5th July, 2008. This unfortunate incident has received considerable public attention through media, print as well as electronic.

3.

Amidst allegations and counter allegations from parents of the unfortunate children and the authorities of the School, after long gap of time,

present FIR came to be filed on 07.11.2009, which the Petitioners want quashed, in the present proceedings.

4.

I have perused the complaint and re-read it with the assistance of learned APP. Pursuant to the said complaint, some investigation has already

been carried out by the police and statements of various witnesses recorded. I have briefly perused such statements also. I have also been shown

the post-mortem reports and the report of the Lie Detection Tests, both of which were available before filing of the complaint.

5.

In sum and substance, the complaint suggests that the accused had the responsibility of safety of the students including the deceased boys, that

timely search was not undertaken and if proper search had been taken timely, unfortunate deaths could have been avoided. It is also alleged that

passage behind the Gurukul leading to the river was kept open leading to possibility of such accidents, it is also alleged that some of the accused

had suggested/carried out black magic to search out the missing boys.

6.

Prima facie I have my serious doubt whether such allegations would constitute offence punishable u/s 304 of IPC. The statements recorded and

the materials collected before and after filing of the complaint also prima facie furthers the allegations only in the direction as disclosed in the

complaint, relevant elements of which I have noted hereinabove.

7.

At this stage, it would not be appropriate to make any further observations except to call upon the State to explain the entire issue in detail

including whether looking to the sensitive nature of incident, there is an attempt to somehow file a complaint leaving it for the Court to later take

corrective measures.

8.

Rule returnable on 12th January, 2010. Ad-interim relief in terms of para 11(c) till then.

6.

This is a peculiar case where FIR is not lodged immediately upon happening of the incident raising suspicion of involvement of accused in

commission of offences alleged. It is a case where FIR is lodged more than a year after the incident during which time police had sufficient

opportunity and occasion to inquire into various details revolving around the incident. From the perusal of the complaint itself, reference to the

contents whereof shall be made shortly hereafter, it becomes clear that after detailed inquiry, FIR has been lodged involving the present Petitioners

in the said offence of culpable homicide not amounting to murder u/s 304 of IPC besides Section 23 of Juvenile Justice(Care and Protection) Act,

2000.

7.

In addition to the said preliminary inquiry carried out by the police between 7.11.2009 when the FIR was registered and 4.12.2009 when this

Court granted stay against further investigation, investigating agency also got nearly four weeks time to formally investigate into the offence

registered against the Petitioners in the said FIR.

8.

While hearing this quashing petition therefore, I have perused not only the impugned FIR and allegations made therein, but also materials

gathered by the Respondents before filing of the FIR, as also the evidence collected after registering the FIR to satisfy myself whether any case for

offence punishable u/s 304 of the IPC has been made out.

9.

Appearing for the Petitioners, learned senior counsel Shri S.B. Vakil vehemently contended that a bare perusal of the FIR would establish that

no case u/s 304 of the IPC is disclosed. Ingredients of the said offence are not satisfied. Registering FIR for said offence was therefore, illegal. Any

investigation carried out pursuant to such a FIR would also be illegal. He further submitted that even through such unauthorised investigation also,

no further evidence has come on record to establish offence punishable u/s 304 of IPC against any of the accused.

10.

He relied on the following decisions in support of his contentions:

1) S.N. Sharma Vs. Bipen Kumar Tiwari and Others,

2) State of West Bengal and Others Vs. Swapan Kumar Guha and Others,

3) State of Haryana and others Vs. Ch. Bhajan Lal and others,

4) State of West Bengal and Others Vs. Sampat Lal and Others,

5) Tapinder Singh Vs. State of Punjab and Another,

6) Sham Alias Raju R. Anpur and others Vs. State of Maharashtra,

7) Giridhari Lal Kanak Vs. State and Others,

11.

On the other hand, learned GP Shri Prakash Jani appeared for Respondents and submitted that no case for quashing is made out. Two young

students died under unfortunate circumstances. The Petitioners who were in-charge of Sant Shri Asaramji Ashram and who were required to take

proper care of the safety of the inmates, did not discharge their duties. He further, submitted that investigation is still incomplete. Some early

evidence has been collected against the Petitioners. Full investigation should be permitted, only upon which full facts can be ascertained. He relied

on the following decisions:

1) State of West Bengal and Others Vs. Sampat Lal and Others,

2) State of Haryana and others Vs. Ch. Bhajan Lal and others,

3) S.M. Datta v. State of Gujarat and Anr. 2001(3) GLH 221.

4) State of Orissa and Another Vs. Saroj Kumar Sahoo,

5) State of Karnataka and Another Vs. Pastor P. Raju,

6) Sanapareddy Maheedhar and Another Vs. State of Andhra Pradesh and Another,

7) Swaran Singh and Others Vs. State through Standing Counsel and Another,

12.

Learned GP made available for my perusal all the documents at the command of the investigating agency including in particular, the statements

of different witnesses recorded by IO after registration of FIR. He also referred to the efforts made by the Investigating Agency to ascertain the

cause of death, different medical certificates and opinions. He also relied on the report of the lie detection test of the accused.

13.

Before adverting to the material collected by the investigating agency, it would be useful to take note of the contents of the impugned FIR at

some length.

14.

In the complaint in question, it is alleged that the incident took place on 3.7.2008. After initial inquiry by Sabarmati police station, inquiry was

handed over to CID Crimes. On 22.7.2008, Dipesh and Abhishek were admitted in the said Gurukul in 6th and 5th standards respectively. They

had joined the Boarding school on 1.6.2008 for the term which was to begin on 9.6.2008. On 3.7.2008 both the children had gone to the dinning

hall for dinner at 8 O'' clock in the evening . Till about 8:30, they did not return to the Gurukul. Watchman Naresh Daangar took the presence. He

found these two brothers missing. He informed about it to the rector Shri Pankaj Saxena. At 9:30 at night, Pankaj Saxena spoke to

Prafulbhai(father of Dipesh) on telephone and inquired whether boys had come home, who answered in negative. Prafulbhai along with his elder

brother Shantibhai immediately rushed to the Gurukul and gathered information from the rector Pankaj Saxena. They thereafter, along with Vikas

Khemka, Minketan Patra and Yogesh Bhati and other Sadhaks looked for boys in Gurukul till about 12:30 at night. Pankaj Saxena told them that

boys must have gone to sleep somewhere. They would look for them tomorrow. If proper inquires had been made, it could have been confirmed

that boys were not in the Ashram and search also could have been conducted outside the Ashram. Sabarmati river flows near the Ashram. Search

therefore, should have been made there which was not done by the administrators of the Ashram. Thus, if immediately after the boys were

reported to be missing, after verifying that they were not in Ashram, if proper inquiry had been made, since the river flows next to Ashram, perhaps

these boys could have been found alive. It is further alleged that on 4.7.2008 in the morning when the fathers of both boys came to Ashram and

urged the authorities to lodge a complaint with Chandkheda police station, they were told to wait for sometime longer. Thereafter, PSI Pandya was

contacted at Chandkheda police station who advised them to make public announcement. However, Vikas Khemka of Yog Vedant Committee,

rector Pankaj Saxena and Miniketan Patra to avoid lodging of the complaint, had wasted time and along with fathers of the boys had come back

to Ashram. Thus by not lodging the complaint immediately delayed the investigation. On 4.7.2008, none of the inmates of the Ashram

accompanied the fathers of the children to the police station for lodging the complaint. Vikash Khemka advised them to soak the clothes of the

boys and thereafter, to hang them for drying and said that as clothes go on drying, boys would return within three or four days. He also advised

them to throw pebbles in hot water. Thus knowing fully well that such tricks would not ensure return of the children, efforts were made to delay

lodging of the police complaint. Eventually fathers of boys lodged complaint before Chandkheda police station regarding their missing sons. There

was delay of nearly 24 hours in lodging such a complaint. On 5.7.2008, fathers of the boys had again went to the Ashram. Sadhak Yogesh Bhati

had gone towards Adalaj to look for the boys. At that time also, he had stated that he could see the boys far away in a garden. By such stories,

fathers of boys were misled. Dead bodies of the missing boys were found on 5.7.2008, at 18:30 hours near the Sabarmati river, behind the

Ashram. Thus though there were large number of inmates, employees and administrators in Ashram, sufficient efforts were not made to look for the

boys. If proper inquires were made on the very day, dead bodies of the boys could have been found. Knowing fully well that Sabarmati flows near

the Ashram and from three different ways, it is possible to reach the river, no proper search was carried out around the river bed. On the contrary,

fathers of the boys were misled. If sufficient and careful search was made, perhaps the boys could have been found alive since in the postmortem

report, it is opined that boys had died some three to four hours after they disappeared. Thus the administrators of the Ashram have acted in an

irresponsible manner. It is further alleged that if the Sadhaks of Ashram had visited the river bed, they would have spotted the dead bodies and

bodies could have been recovered before they decomposed enabling proper postmortem and ascertainment of cause of death. However, accused

with mala fide intention wasted time thereby ensuring indirect destruction of evidence. It is further alleged that though accused knew that it is

possible to reach river from behind the Ashram, proper search was not made. If the gate leading to the river was locked and if proper security was

kept, the incident could perhaps have been avoided. Thus accused acted in such negligent manner. If proper inquires had been made, perhaps

boys could have been found alive. Accused have thus committed culpable homicide. It is further alleged that accused were managing the Gurukul.

They were responsible for security of the students. They have failed in ensuring their safety. They have thus committed offence also punishable u/s

23 of the Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection) Act, 2000.

15.

As noted earlier, FIR has been lodged after more than a year of the incident. CID Crimes thus had more than sufficient time to conduct inquiry

and gather material. It is not the case where FIR has been lodged immediately upon happening of the incident on the basis of some suspicion.

Despite such availability of time and collection of material, all that the FIR alleges is that proper care was not taken to ensure safety of the children

of the Ashram. Gate leading to the Sabarmati river flowing near Ashram was not locked or guarded thereby enabling the children to wonder

towards the river. It is also stated that proper search was not conducted within the Ashram to ascertain whether boys are in the Ashram or not.

This should have been ascertained without any loss of time. Had it been done, it would have come to the light of the administrators of the Ashram

that boys were not inside. Proper search could have been therefore, immediately directed towards the riverbed. If this was done in time, perhaps

boys could have been found alive. Other limb of allegation is that accused delayed lodging of the complaint with the police and also indulged in

some sought of ""tantrik vidya"" to pacify fathers of the children that boys would return safely. Accused deliberately delayed informing police and

prevented relatives of the boys from doing the same. In the nutshell, all the averments in the complaint point to allegations that:

1) Proper care was not taken to guard the gate leading to the river.

2) Prompt and thorough search was not made in the Ashram which would have established that boys were not inside the Ashram and search could

have been immediately directed to the river bed.

3) If prompt steps were taken to look for boys around the river, perhaps they could have been found alive.

4) Accused not only delayed the search, delayed lodging of the police complaint and also took help of some hocus-pocus black magic to pacify

the parents. If the authorities were informed promptly, at-least the dead bodies of the boys could have been recovered before de-composition

which would lead to ascertaining the cause of death.

5) At several places in FIR it is alleged that if sufficient care was taken, if proper search was carried out, if sufficient inquires were made, perhaps

boys could have been found alive.

16.

Entire tenor of the complaint thus is that on account of alleged lethargy, negligence and irresponsible behaviour on part of the accused, death of

two boys could not be averted.

17.

As per the complainant, gate leading to the river from Ashram should either have been locked or guarded. This was not done. Upon being

reported that boys are missing, sufficient search was not carried out in the Ashram to ascertain that they were not inside the Ashram premises. If

proper, thorough and timely search was carried out, perhaps boys could have been found alive. At one place, it is suggested that if the dead bodies

were found in time, postmortem could have been conducted without the bodies being decomposed and cause of death could have been properly

ascertained. Nowhere in the complaint it is alleged that accused caused deaths of the boys. Nowhere in the complaint it is alleged that the accused

had either intention or knowledge that such acts or omission would lead to death of these boys. Section 304 of the IPC provides for punishment

for offence of culpable homicide not amounting to murder. Term ""Culpable Homicide"" has been defined in Section 299 of the IPC as under:

299.

Culpable Homicide. -Whoever causes death by doing an act with the intention of causing death, or with the intention of causing such bodily

injury as is likely to cause death, or with the knowledge that he is likely by such act to cause death, commits the offence of culpable homicide.

18.

Allegations in the FIR at best amount to negligent, lethargic or perhaps irresponsible behaviour on part of the accused. Negligent in not

guarding the gate between the Ashram and Sabarmati river bed, particularly, when large number of young students reside there. Lethargic in not

carrying out sufficient search of the Ashram. Carelessness of administrators of Ashram in not informing the police immediately or even diverting the

attention of the parents of boys by assuring them that they would return safely. These may be deplorable acts. These may be acts and omissions

which may have resulted into ultimate death of two young boys and may be more care and caution, would have averted such tragic incident.

Question is in the complaint are there any allegations disclosing offence of culpable homicide. For such offence it is necessary that death should

have been caused by doing an act with the intention of causing death, or with the intention of causing such bodily injury as is likely to cause death,

or with the knowledge that accused is likely by such act to cause death.

19.

FIR nowhere discloses that such acts and omission attributed to the accused were done with the intention of causing death of young boys, or

with the intention of causing such bodily injury as are likely to cause death. It does not even disclose that such acts or omissions were committed

with the knowledge that accused were likely by such act to cause death.

20.

Thus insofar as FIR is concerned, to my mind ingredients of culpable homicide as defined in Section 299 of the IPC made punishable u/s 304

of the IPC are not made out.

21.

Since pursuant to the said FIR, some early investigation has also been carried out, it would not be possible to quash the complaint only on

perusal of the contents of the FIR, ignoring the material, if any, collected by the investigating agency pursuant to such complaint. With the

assistance of learned GP, therefore, I have perused in detail the material available with the investigating agency in form of statements recorded

during conducting of the inquiry prior to filing of FIR as well as formal statements of witnesses recorded u/s 161 of the Code of Criminal

Procedure after registering FIR.

22.

None of the statements of the witnesses or such materials collected by the investigating agency attribute any mens rea on part of the accused.

Statements of witnesses further elaborate the manner in which different accused had not taken prompt steps or enough interest in searching out the

boys after they were reported missing. There is nothing on record in the investigation so far carried out to attribute any role to any of the accused

of having caused death of these young boys ""by doing an act with the intention of causing death, or with the intention of causing such bodily injury

as is likely to cause death, or with the knowledge that he is likely by such act to cause death"".

23.

Insofar as first portion of the definition of culpable homicide u/s 299 of the IPC is concerned, same poses no difficulty whatsoever. Neither in

the FIR nor the statements of witnesses collected by the investigating agency so far, there is any iota of allegations or material that the accused

committed the acts with intention of causing death or with intention of causing bodily injury which was likely to cause death. Definition of culpable

homicide contained in Section 299 of IPC however, also brings within its fold not only acts done intentionally but with requisite knowledge that by

doing such act, person is likely to cause death. As noted here-in-above, I have ruled out the element of intention on part of the accused in causing

death or such bodily injury as is likely to cause death. Question therefore, is can it be stated that the accused ought to have the knowledge that

their actions are likely to cause death.

24.

In this regard, if we peruse the complaint and the materials collected by the investigating agency closely, it is alleged against the accused that

after the boys were reported to be missing proper inquiries were not made, the area around the river was not searched, lodging of police complaint

was delayed, if sufficient and careful search was made promptly perhaps the boys could have been found alive since postmortem report suggested

that boys died some three to four hours after they disappeared. In fact, the FIR suggests that if bodies would have been recovered before

decomposition, it would have enabled proper postmortem and ascertainment of cause of death. It may be noted that despite repeated efforts,

medical opinion on the cause of death has remained inconclusive. For example, in the postmortem report dated 30.7.2008 from the department of

Forensic Medicine , B.J. Medical College, Ahmedabad with respect to cause of death of Dipesh following opinion was expressed:

OPINION

Body is in stage of decomposition and mutilation

No ante mortem injury is detected over available parts of body.

Toxicology report shows ""No chemical poison detected

FSL report shows ""Presence of diatoms could not detected"".

25.

Considering above FSL report and postmortem findings possibility of death due to drowning cannot be ruled out, however, ""no definite

opinion regarding cause of death can be given.

26.

In connection with the said report, Detective Police Inspector, CID Crimes, Ahmedabad addressed letter dated 31.7.2008 to the concerned

Doctors seeking clarification in connection with certain issues arising therein, in particular, clarification was sought with respect to the observations

Possibility of death due to drowning cannot be ruled out."" and specific query was raised whether during the postmortem, there were any

indications that the boys were murdered. Forensic department replied to the said queries vide letter dated 1.8.2008 favouring possibility of death

due to drowning in case of both the boys but eventually concluding:

But above findings are nonspecific as both the bodies are in stage of decomposition so, they do not confirm the death due to drowning.

... No definite opinion regarding manner of death can be given in both the cases.

27.

Further queries were raised by the police through letter dated 1.9.2008 which were replied to by the Medical Officer vide communication

dated 3.9.2008 stating:

6.

During the postmortem examination of both the bodes there were no such injuries over neck to draw blood, no shaving of scalp hairs seen. In

case of abhishek no such injury found over body to take out organs after death for ""tantrik vidhi"", whereas in case of Dipesh, body was

decomposed and mutilated, so no definite opinion regarding the removal of organs after death in form of ""tantrik vidhi"" can be given.

28.

It appears that further queries were raised by the police department. Dr. Kapesh Shah, Professor, Forensic Medicine department, therefore,

sent his opinion dated 29.12.2008. After perusal of previous reports, he reiterated that bodies of boys were in decomposed condition. There were

no antimortem injuries found. No chemical poison was traced. Doctors carrying out postmortem had clearly stated that no ""tantrik vidya"" has been

performed. It is not possible to give any definite opinion as to cause of death. However, possibility of boys dying due to drowning cannot be ruled

out.

29.

All these factors may attribute a degree of carelessness, negligence, lethargy in safeguarding the inmates of the school or insensitivity towards

members of the family of boys, but can knowledge be attributed to these accused that such acts were likely to cause death. In my opinion, answer

has to be in the negative. Whole case built up in the FIR and the attending material is of accidental death. I do not see how elements of culpable

homicide would be attracted. This is not to suggest that in no case of accidental death due to negligence, Section 304 of the IPC would not be

attracted. In a given case if an act leading to death is so negligent that the accused ought to have known that such act is likely to cause death,

Section 304 of the IPC may be attracted.

30.

Under the circumstances, I am clearly of the opinion that not only the allegations contained in the FIR but also the materials collected by the

investigating agency so far on the basis of such a FIR, do not reveal offence u/s 304 of the IPC against the accused.

31.

Question however, is should FIR be quashed and investigation permanently be restrained. In my opinion, the allegations contained in the FIR

would disclose offence punishable u/s 304A of the IPC namely causing death by negligence which is defined under the IPC as follows:

304A. Causing death by negligence.- Whoever causes the death of any person by doing any rash or negligent act not amounting to culpable

homicide shall be punished with imprisonment of either description for a term which may extend to two years, or with fine, or with both.

32.

All the accused were part of the management of the Ashram. They were responsible for safety and well being of the inmates. Ashram school

provides for boarding facility. Extremely young students are housed in such a boarding. The school management and particularly, those in-charge

of the boarding facility were thus responsible for the safety of young students residing in the hostel. Admittedly, the school and the hostel are

situated in the river bank. The premises are connected to the river through a gate. As per the allegations in the FIR and the investigation carried

out, such gate was neither locked nor manned. Possibility of young students, out of curiosity or for playing in the river bed, getting drawn to such

area therefore, ought to have been accounted for. As per the allegations even after these boys were reported to be missing, the accused did not

show sufficient promptness in searching out the boys. They in fact, according to the allegations, prevented the relatives of the boys from lodging the

complaint immediately. Even if such dilatory tactics may not have link with intentionally causing death of the boys and may have been employed in

order not to damage the reputation of the school management, nevertheless, may have contributed to the death of the boys. All these factors need

to be investigated and looked into by the investigating agency for the purpose of finding out whether any case of causing death by negligent act is

made out. It is by now well settled that while exercising powers u/s 482 of the Code of Criminal Procedure and examining the request of accused

for quashing of the complaint, if Court finds that not the offence disclosed in the complaint, but some other offences are borne out from the

allegations in the complaint, entire complaint need not be quashed, however, investigation for offences not disclosed but included in the complaint

must be stopped. It is also well established that FIR need not in all cases refer to sections under which offences alleged in the complaint would fall.

In my opinion, therefore, though no allegations of offence u/s 304 of the IPC are made out in the complaint nor any material collected by the

investigating agency, nevertheless, entire complaint is not required to be quashed. Investigation can be permitted for offence u/s 304A of the IPC.

33.

Simultaneously in the FIR offence u/s 23 of Juvenile Justice(Care and Protection) Act, 2000 is also made. This aspect also should be permitted

to be investigated. Above observations and conclusions I have reached were on the basis of investigation made so far. While permitting further

investigation for offence u/s 304A of the IPC, the investigating agency is permitted to file its final report on the basis of evidence that maybe

collected once the investigation is over. In this respect, reliance can be placed on the decision of the Apex Court in case of Reshma Bano v. State

of Uttar Pradesh and Ors.AIR 2008 SCW 1998, where in the Apex Court made following observations:

8.

The case at hand falls within the category I of the illustrations given in Bhajan Lal''s case(supra). Therefore, we quash the proceedings relatable

to FIR No. 316 of 2007 so far as the Appellant is concerned. In other words, on the basis of the existing materials the Appellant shall not be

treated to be accused. It is, however, open to the Investigation Agencies to examine her as a witness. It is, further made clear that we have

quashed the proceedings vis-a-vis the Appellant only on the basis of the existing material.

34.

In the result, complaint i.e. FIR bearing C.R. No. 13/2009 dated 7.11.2009 registered before Gandhinagar zone police station is quashed

insofar as it pertains to Section 304 of the IPC qua all the Petitioners. However, investigating agency is permitted to carry out further investigation

for offence u/s 304A of the IPC and Section 23 of Juvenile Justice(Care and Protection) Act, 2000. These directions are on the basis of material

on record so for and will not preclude the investigating agency from filing final report on the basis of total material collected.

35.

Criminal Misc. Application No. 13519/2009 is disposed of accordingly. Special Criminal Application No. 770/2009 has become infructuous.

Disposed of accordingly. In Criminal Misc. Application No. 564/2010, advocate of the applicants was heard on the quashing petition without

granting request for joining party. Said Application is also disposed of in view of order passed in quashing petition.