Pakistan Case Law
1995 P Cr. L J 1835
[Lahore High Court]
Present: Ahmad Saeed Awan, J

IQBAL HUSSAIN Versus THE STATE and anothers

Criminal Miscellaneous No,533/M of 1995, decided on 4th May, 1995.
Result: Petition dismissed.
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Summary

This criminal petition arises out of an order passed by the Additional Sessions Judge setting aside a Magistrate's refusal to grant physical remand and remanding the accused to police custody in a murder case registered under Section 302/34, Pakistan Penal Code 1860. The core legal questions involved whether a Magistrate's refusal to grant physical remand for the recovery of a weapon was lawful, and whether a complainant has the locus standi to file a criminal revision petition. The Lahore High Court held that the revisional jurisdiction of the court is very wide and functions as a duty to be exercised whenever relevant facts are brought to its notice, regardless of who brings them. The Court found that the Magistrate acted improperly by refusing physical remand in the face of grave circumstances and the need to recover the weapon of offence. The petition was accordingly dismissed in limine, affirming the Additional Sessions Judge's order for physical remand.

Questions settled in this judgment
  • Does a complainant have the locus standi to file a criminal revision petition against a Magistrate's order refusing physical remand?
  • Is the revisional jurisdiction of a court limited only to applications filed by specific parties or can it be exercised suo motu upon facts being brought to its notice?
  • Can a Magistrate refuse physical remand when recoveries of the weapon of offence are yet to be made in a murder case?
Laws & provisions referred
  • Section 302, Pakistan Penal Code 1860
  • Section 34, Pakistan Penal Code 1860
physical remandrevisional jurisdictionlocus standimurderrecovery of weaponcriminal revision

ORDER

' Brief facts of the case are that a case F.I.R. No,409 of 1994 under section 302/34, P.P.C. Was registered with Police Station, Hanjarwal against the petitioner and three other accused on the statement of Ghulam Rasool. After rejection of bail, the petitioner was taken into custody on 29-11- 1994. He remained on physical remand for ten days with the police. Ultimately the petitioner was produced before the Magistrate for physical remand on the ground that the recovery of weapon of offence was yet to be made but the Magistrate refused physical remand and sent the petitioner to judicial lock-up.

2. Against the order of the Magistrate, dated 9-12-1994, respondent filed a revision which was accepted by the learned Additional Sessions Judge vide order dated 27-4-1995; hence this petition.

3. Learned counsel for the petitioner argued that the discretion was exercised by the learned Magistrate in a lawful manner as such interference in revisional jurisdiction was not called for. It was next contended that the complainant had no locus standi to file the revision when the State was the actual party in the case.

4. After hearing learned counsel for the petitioner, I find no justification to interfere with the order of the learned Additional Sessions Judge. The contention of learned counsel that the complainant has no locus standi to file revision is misconceived as the revisional jurisdiction as held by the Honourable Supreme Court of Pakistan is very wide and not a power but a duty and jurisdiction has to be exercised whenever facts calling for its exercise are brought to the notice of the Court irrespective of law and by whom such facts are brought to its, notice.

5. In the instant case the police had recovered the staff car of the Advisor to the Chief Minister, Punjab, which was allegedly involved in the commission of the offence. The police has also recorded Zimni No,29, dated 8-12-1994 after interrogation of respondent No,1. It was also recorded that the alleged weapon of offence Mauzer and Klashnikov type rifle was in the care of Makhdoom All Raza, Advisor to the Provincial Chief Minister. The learned Magistrate has not taken into consideration that the police has to make further progress. The learned Additional Sessions Judge rightly keeping in view the circumstances and gravity of offence and involvement of staff car of the Advisor to the Chief Minister, Punjab accepted the revision petition. I am constrained to observe that the learned Illaqa Magistrate by refusing physical remand of the petitioner indirectly patronized the culprit and made an effort to destroy the prosecution case by not allowing remand so that the recovery could not be made. I, therefore, find no good ground to interfere into the revisional order passed by the learned Additional Sessions Judge. The result is that the writ petition is without merit and is hereby dismissed in limine.

Cited by 4 cases

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