Ketan Kantilal Seth VERSUS State of Gujarat & Ors. - Supreme Court Case

Ketan Kantilal Seth VERSUS State of Gujarat & Ors. - Supreme Court Case

Landmark Cases of India / सुप्रीम कोर्ट के ऐतिहासिक फैसले

NON­REPORTABLE

IN THE SUPREME COURT OF INDIA

CRIMINAL ORIGINAL JURISDICTION

TRANSFER PETITION (CRIMINAL) Nos. 333­348/2021

Ketan Kantilal Seth …….Petitioner

VERSUS

State of Gujarat & Ors. ……. Respondent(s) 

With I.A. No. 134476 of 2021

O R D E R

1. With the consent of the parties, these transfer petitions

have been taken up for final hearing. The present petitions have

been filed by petitioner/accused for invoking the power under

Section 406 of Code of Criminal Procedure, 1973 (hereinafter

referred   to   as   ‘CrPC’),   seeking   transfer   of   16   criminal   cases

pending against him in four different   States to one Court in

Mumbai, where 3  cases are already pending. Following are the

cases of which transfer are being sought – 

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i. Criminal Case No. 101878/2003 arising out of FIR No.

C.R.   No.   I­64/2002,   dated   30.07.2002   registered   at

Police Station Udhana, Surat, Gujarat, pending before

Additional Chief Judicial Magistrate, Surat;

ii. Criminal Case No. 9166/2002 arising out of FIR No.

I.C.R. No. 274/2002, dated 02.07.2002 registered at

Police   Station   Umra,   Surat,  Gujarat,  pending   before

Additional Chief Judicial Magistrate, Surat;

iii. Criminal Case No. 174/2003 arising out of FIR No. C.

R.   No.   I­226/2002,   dated   30.08.2002   registered   at

Police Station Rander, Surat, Gujarat, pending before

Additional Chief Judicial Magistrate, Surat;

iv. Criminal Case No. 100521/2003 arising out FIR No.

274/2002,   dated   06.08.2002   registered   at   Police

Station   Varachha,   Surat,   Gujarat,   pending   before

Additional   Chief   Judicial   Magistrate/Judicial

Magistrate First Class, Surat;

v. Criminal Case No. 2778/2004 arising out of   FIR/M.

Case No. 3/2002, dated 16.07.2002 registered at Police

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Station   Gandevi,   Navsari,   Gujarat,   pending   before

Additional Chief Judicial Magistrate, Gandevi;

vi. Criminal Case No. 6840/2002 arising out of FIR No. I93/2002, dated 18.08.2002 registered at Police Station

Navsai Town, Navsari, Gujarat, pending before Chief

Judicial Magistrate, Navsari;

vii. Criminal Case No. 2121/2002 arising out of FIR No. I119/2002,   dated   10.06.2002   registered   at   Police

Station Valsad City, Valsad, Gujarat, pending before

Chief Judicial Magistrate, Valsad;

viii. Criminal Case No. 1578/2006 arising out of FIR/M.

Case   No.   29/2002,   dated   13.06.2002   registered   at

Police Station Vidya Nagar, Anand, Gujarat, pending

before Additional Chief Judicial Magistrate, Anand;

ix. Criminal Case No. 244/2002 arising out   of FIR/M.

Case   No.   22/2002   (C.R.   No.   I­226/2002),   dated

07.06.2002 registered at Police Station Morbi, Gujarat,

pending before II Additional Chief Judicial Magistrate,

Morbi; 

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x. Criminal Case No. 40449/2016 arising out of  FIR No.

280/2002,   dated   04.05.2002   registered   at   Police

Station Connaught Place, New Delhi, pending before

Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate, Patiala House

Court, New Delhi;

xi. Criminal Case No. 2034203/2016 arising out of   FIR

No. 242/2002, dated 17.06.2002 registered at Police

Station Sarojini Nagar, New Delhi, pending before Chief

Metropolitan Magistrate, Saket Court, New Delhi;

xii. Criminal Case No.  ____/2002 arising out of   FIR No.

298/2002,   dated   22.08.2002   registered   at   Police

Station  Jagatdal, 24 North  Paraganas,  West Bengal,

pending before Barrackpore Court, Kolkata;

xiii. Criminal Case No.  147/2002 arising out of F.I.R. No.

97/2002, dated 25.04.2002 and C.R. No. 101/2002,

dated   29.04.2002,   both   registered   at   Police   Station

Ganeshpeth,   Nagpur,   Maharashtra,   pending   before

155­II Additional Chief Judicial Magistrate First Class,

Nagpur;

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xiv. Criminal Case No.  847/2002 arising out of F.I.R. at

C.R.   No.   75/2002,   dated   15.05.2002   registered   at

Police   Station   City   Kotwali,   Amravati,   Maharashtra,

pending before Chief Judicial Magistrate, Amravati;

xv. Criminal Case No.  498/2002 arising out of F.I.R. at

C.R.   No.   102/2002,   dated   08.05.2002   registered   at

Police   Station   Pimpiri,   Pune,   Maharashtra,   pending

before Chief Judicial Magistrate, Pimpri, Pune;

xvi. Criminal Case No.  357/2002 arising out of F.I.R. at

C.R.   No.   65/2002,   dated   15.05.2002   registered   at

Police   Station   Vishrambaug,   Pune,   Maharashtra,

pending   before   III   Judicial   Magistrate   First   Class,

Shivaji Nagar, Pune. 

In fact, the basic object to file these transfer petitions is to get all

cases   transferred   at   one   place   and   may   be   directed   to   try

together. 

2. In a nutshell, the prosecution story in majority of the cases

revolves around one accused company namely M/s Home Trade

Limited, which is alleged to have engaged in the business of

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Stock, Securities, Brokering and Trading. The allegations against

the petitioner herein and one Sanjay Hariram Agarwal are that

they were the authorized signatories of the accused company

and while acting in the capacity of Directors of the said accused

company, they entered into several transactions dealing with

government 

securities   and   further   sold   the   said   securities   without   any

authorization.   Further,   it   has   also   been   alleged   that   the

government securities were not delivered within time and the

money raised thereby has been misappropriated by the accused

persons including the petitioner herein.

3. During the pendency of the instant petitions, application

for intervention (bearing I.A. No. 134476 of 2021) has also been

filed on behalf of one applicant namely;   Omprakash Bhaurao

Kamdi, seeking permission to intervene on the grounds of being

a ‘necessary’ and ‘proper’ party as stated in the application. 

4. Before   adverting   to  merits   of   the   transfer   petitions,   the

application seeking intervention is being taken up for disposal.

The intervenor claims to be an agriculturist who is dependent on

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financial aid provided by Nagpur District Central Cooperative

Bank Limited (hereinafter referred as NDCCB) for his day­to­day

agricultural activities. It is said Chairman of NDCCB, who lodged

an FIR in 2002 against the petitioner and other accused persons

alleging non­delivery of the government securities worth Rs. 125

crores which NDCCB purchased through accused company in

which petitioner and other accused persons were directors. The

petitioner also sought transfer of concerned trial in the instant

transfer petitions.

5. It is a settled principle of law in criminal jurisprudence that

intervention   application   filed   by   a   third   party   should   not

ordinarily   be   allowed   in   criminal   cases   unless   the   Court   is

satisfied   that   on   the   grounds   on   which   the   person   seeking

intervention is directly or substantially related to the case and

question of law which may affect him adversely; or in the opinion

of Court, joining the intervenor in the case is expedient in public

interest. Having perused the contents of intervention application,

nothing   is   averred   in   the   application,   how   non­joining   of

applicant may cause prejudice or affect the public interest. The

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applicant is neither a complainant in any of the cases of which

transfer is being sought, nor he has any direct involvement or

ground of  his joining in public interest. The intervenor has no

locus  to intervene in the present petition, therefore, I am of the

opinion that the grounds as mentioned by the intervenor are not

proper  to allow the application. It is to observe that prayer in

the present petition 

is confined to transfer the criminal trials pending before Trial

Courts  in different States for trial by one Court in one State and

in   such circumstances, the prayer for intervention  cannot be

allowed   for   reasons   mentioned   above.   Consequently,   I.A.   No.

134476 of 2021 seeking intervention stands dismissed.  

6. Reverting to the merits of the transfer petitions, learned

counsel for petitioner has contended that multiple FIRs were

registered   against   petitioner   and   other   accused   persons   in

different States having similar set of allegations, which has led

into multiple trials being pending before various  Trial Courts in

different States for adjudication. Most of the accused persons in

all FIRs and witnesses thereof are   common. However, for the

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purpose of trial, all the accused as well witnesses have to attend

hearing dates before various  Courts leading to delay and huge

expenses. Moreover, most of the transactions pertaining to the

alleged offence have taken place in Mumbai, Maharashtra and as

per   the   chart   supplied   by   the   petitioner,   majority   of   the

witnesses relevant for the purpose of trial are also from Mumbai.

However, the petitioner has prayed the transfer of all cases for

trial by one 

Court   primarily   on   the   grounds   of   convenience,   expeditious

disposal and no­prejudice may be caused to the defence of the

accused for fair trial and to secure ends of justice.

7. Per contra, the learned counsel for respondent has opposed

the transfer petitions primarily on the ground that the transfer

petitions have been filed belatedly. It has been contended that,

High Court of Bombay vide order dated 24.06.2021 passed in

Criminal Application No. 628/2014, directed the concerned Trial

Court to complete the trial in C.C. No. 147/2002 (i.e. one of the

cases of which transfer is being sought in the instant petitions)

by passing final judgment and order within a maximum period of

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four months. The proceedings in the said case are already at the

final stage. Hence, the prayer of the petitioner seeking transfer of

cases as mentioned deserves to be dismissed.

8. After having heard both the sides, the primary issue for

consideration before this Court is ‘Whether the criminal cases

pending   before   different   Trial   Courts   in   four   States   can   be

transferred to one Trial Court in one State?; Whether transfer of

case of one of the criminal case which is at the final stage of trial

before   concerned   Court   in   Nagpur,   can   be   directed   to   be

transferred at such belated stage?’

9. To answer the aforesaid questions, first of all it is necessary

to know the underlying intention of Section 406 of CrPC. Section

406   deals   with   the  power   of  Supreme   Court  to   transfer   the

cases. The Court can exercise such power for fair trial and to

secure   the   ends   of   justice.   The   language   impliedly   left   the

transfer of the cases on the discretion of the Court. If the Court

is satisfied that it is imperative to transfer the cases in the

interest of justice or to secure ends of justice,  then it may do so.

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10. In the instant case, it is not in dispute that since 2002,

multiple FIRs across four States namely; Gujarat, Maharashtra,

New Delhi and West Bengal have been filed against petitioner

and   other   accused   persons   containing   broad   and   common

allegations   pertaining   to   act   done   in   collusion   by   accused

persons to defraud the complainants and misappropriate the

money   raised   thereby   while   dealing/trading   in   government

securities in the name of accused company M/s Home Trade

Limited. The State in its counter affidavit has stated that during

investigation, the accused 

Company was found not to be eligible to deal in transactions

relating to government securities, whereas, petitioner and other

accused person namely Sanjay Hariram Agarwal were acting as

Directors and authorized signatories of accused Company. From

a bare perusal of the facts and FIRs, it is seen that there is

commonality   of   facts   in   each   FIR   and   that   most   of   the

transactions have taken place in Mumbai. Further, the FIRs

mainly have petitioner and Sanjay Hariram Agarwal as common

accused persons. 

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11. As per the details provided by petitioner in a chart annexed

with petition, out of all the nineteen FIRs registered against

petitioner   and   other   accused   persons,   one   FIR   has   been

registered in Kolkata, West Bengal; two FIRs are registered in

Delhi; nine FIRs are registered in different districts of Gujarat

and   seven   FIRs   are   registered   in   different   districts   of

Maharashtra.   Furthermore,   as   stated   by   petitioner   and

unrefuted by respondent State, out of total 689 witnesses in all

nineteen   cases   pending   before   respective   Trial   Courts,   236

witnesses are from Mumbai. It is further not disputed that in

multiple cases, almost 20 years have lapsed and 

yet  majority  of  the  trials are  pending  at  the  initial   stage.  It

wouldn’t be out of place to mention that primary reason for such

delay   is   the   multiplicity   of   proceedings   alongwith   practical

difficulties for the Trial Court to secure the presence of witnesses

as well as accused for concluding the trial. 

12. The contention of the State that prejudice will be caused if

the transfer is allowed at such a belated stage when one of the

criminal proceedings is at the final stage is bereft of merit. At

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this juncture, it is apt to refer order dated 24.06.2021 passed by

High Court of Judicature at Bombay in Criminal Application No.

628/2021   filed   by   accused   Sanjay   Hariram   Agarwal   seeking

transfer of criminal cases pending against him. The same is

reproduced for ready reference as thus:

“……(ii)  We direct that the trial in said C.C. No.

147/2002   (Crime   No.   101/2002   registered   with

Ganesh Peth Police Station, Nagpur) be completed

by   passing   final   judgment   and   order   within

maximum   period   of   four   months   from   today.   We

make it clear that we are granting maximum four

months’ time in view of Covid­19 restrictions……..

(iii) We make it clear that after completion of trial in

said   C.C.   No.   147/2002  (Crime   No.   101/2002

registered with Ganesh Peth Police Station, Nagpur)

against other accused except the Applicant, the trial

against Applicant be commenced by conducting the

same   expeditiously   and   preferably   on   day­to­day

basis and the same be completed within a period of

four   months   after   commencement   of   trial   against

present Applicant.”

As is evident from the aforesaid order, the High Court directed

completion   of   trial   in   C.C.   No.   147/2002   in   a   time   bound

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manner against other accused persons except the applicant i.e.,

Sanjay Hariram Agarwal (accused no. 3 in C.C. No. 147/2002).

The High Court further directed that once the trial against other

accused persons is completed, then only trial against applicant

therein shall commence. The High Court effectively split the trial

of other accused persons from trial of Sanjay Hariram Agarwal

and caused serious prejudice. As is gathered from the records

and   also   stated   above,   accused   Sanjay   Hariram   Agarwal

alongwith petitioner herein were acting in the capacity of the

Directors of accused company. The person who could have put

the best defence (oral as well as documentary) before Trial Court

where   evidence   led   by   prosecution   was   common   and   mostly

related   to   same   transaction,   was   effectively   excluded   by   the

order of High Court. In my considered view, such an approach

taken   by   High   Court   is   prima­facie   amounts   to   differential

treatment, causing serious prejudice to the right of fair trial of

other accused persons including the petitioner herein.

13. In   view   of   the   foregoing   discussion,   considering   the

common nature of allegations raised against the petitioner in all

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FIRs and criminal proceedings emanating therefrom which are

yet pending before respective Trial Courts in four States, I am of

the opinion that to meet the ends of justice and fair trial, the

transfer petitions deserve to be allowed. Therefore, the instant

transfer petitions are  disposed­off with the following directions:–

a) The criminal cases, as specified in para 1 (clause (i) to

(xvi)) of this order shall be transferred from the courts,

where those are pending, to the court of Principal Judge,

Bombay City Civil and Sessions Court, Fort, Mumbai –

400032, Maharashtra;

b) the Principal Judge is at liberty to assign the cases to

any of the Court   situated in his jurisdiction to try all

those cases.  He is also at liberty to assign some of the

cases to any other courts also, if necessary;

c) it   is   further   directed   that   the   transferor   courts   shall

immediately transmit the record of concerned cases to

the   Principal   Judge,   Bombay   City   Civil   and   Sessions

Court, Fort, Mumbai – 400032, which should reach on

or before 31.10.2022; 

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d) all   the   accused   in   the   concerned   cases   shall   appear

before   the   Principal   Judge,   Bombay   City   Civil   and

Sessions Court, Fort, Mumbai  on 14.11.2022;

e) on assignment of those cases to the concerned Court(s),

as directed hereinabove, the said Court(s) shall frame the

charges within a period of two months from the date of

appearance, or on   securing presence of the accused

persons, if absent; and thereafter the trial be concluded

as expeditiously as possible, not later than two years. It

is   needless   to   observe   that   the   examination   of   the

witnesses in all cases will be recorded by the Court(s)

separately, thereby it should not cause any prejudice  to

any accused.

      .….………………………J.

                                                (J.K. MAHESHWARI)

New Delhi;

September 9, 2022.

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