RAMESH SANKA vs. UNION OF INDIA

Case Type: Writ Petition Criminal

Date of Judgment: 25-01-2019

Preview image for RAMESH SANKA vs. UNION OF INDIA

Full Judgment Text

REPORTABLE IN THE SUPREME COURT OF INDIA CRIMINAL ORIGINAL JURISDICTION WRIT PETITION (Crl.) No.142 OF 2018   Ramesh Sanka …….Petitioner (s) VERSUS Union of India & Ors.        …….Respondent(s) J U D G M E N T Abhay Manohar Sapre, J.   1. This   writ   petition   is   filed   by   one   Mr.   Ramesh Sanka   under   Article   32   of   the   Constitution   of   India seeking for the issuance of Writ of Mandamus or any other   Writ   or   directions   directing   Respondent   No.23 (CBI) to investigate the entire matter and examine all the   allegations   made   by   the   writ   petitioner   against Signature Not Verified Respondent Nos.12 to 22 in accordance with law.  The Digitally signed by ANITA MALHOTRA Date: 2019.01.25 16:44:11 IST Reason: 1 other   reliefs   claimed   in   clause   (b)   to   (d)   of   the   writ petition are consequential to the main relief. 2. Stated   concisely,   the   petitioner   seeks   the aforementioned reliefs on following facts. 3. The   petitioner   is   a   former   employee   of Respondent No.12 ­ a Limited Company. He worked as st CEO   of   the   said   company   from   June   2014   till   31 December 2016.  4. In substance, the grievance of the writ petitioner is against Respondent  No.12.  He  has highlighted  the manner and the  modus operandi  of Respondent No.12 – Company, in carrying out their business and financial operations/dealings.  5. His grievance is also against the persons who are managing the affairs of Respondent No.12 ­ Company and also against the Companies, individuals and the firms with whom respondent No.12 ­ Company is having 2 their   business   and   financial   dealing/operations   i.e. (Respondent Nos.13 to 22, 24 and 25).  6. According   to   the   writ   petitioner,   Respondent No.12   –   Company,   through   their   Directors   and employees has committed several financial irregularities in   their   business   and   financial   dealing   with   many Companies, firms and individuals who are having their work   places   in   India   and   abroad   contrary   to   and   in contravention of the provisions of Several Acts/ Rules / Regulations which have gone unnoticed despite the writ petitioner had sent several complaints/representations to various statutory authorities in this behalf. 7. According   to   the   writ   petitioner,   all   such dealings/activities   of   Respondent   No.12   –   Company, which he has highlighted in the writ petition has not only caused heavy loss to the public exchequer but also rendered the persons, who indulged in these activities, 3 liable   to   face   prosecution   for   commission   of   several cognizable offences punishable under the Acts. 8. It is essentially with these background facts; the writ petitioner has made allegations in the writ petition. He has also filed some documents to show  prima facie that   the   prayer   made   by   him   in   his   writ   petition deserves consideration. 9. On 11.07.2018, this Court issued notice of this writ   petition   confining   it   to   the   official   respondents namely,   respondent   Nos.7   to   11.   These   respondents have   filed   the   status   report   in   a   sealed   cover.   One official­respondent has filed the affidavit. 10. Respondent No.12 – Company, however, in the meantime entered  suo motu  appearance and has filed IA No.104447 of 2018 praying therein for dismissal of the writ petition on legal as well as on factual grounds.  11. In  substance,  according to  respondent No.12 – Company, the writ petition filed by the writ petitioner 4 under Article 32 of the Constitution deserves dismissal on   the   grounds   inter   alia   that   it   is   not   a   bona   fide petition. It is contended that this writ petition is filed by a former employee of respondent No.12 – Company to score   his   personal   issues   and   the   differences   qua respondent No.12 – Company, for which some civil suits are pending between the parties in the Civil Court: that the writ petitioner has suppressed several material facts in the writ petition including the fact of pendency of the Civil Suits between them: that the writ petition is filed with an ulterior motive at the behest of others only to tarnish the image of respondent No.12 – Company, in the market: that the writ petition does not involve any issue of infraction/violation of any fundamental rights, guaranteed   to   the   citizens   under   the   Constitution   of India,   of   the   petitioners.     The   Respondent   No.12   – Company, has denied all such allegations made against them by the writ petitioner as being baseless. 5 12. The writ petitioner has countered the averments made   in   the   aforesaid   IA   by   placing   reliance   on   the averments   made   in   the   writ   petition   contending   that there has been no suppression of the material facts as alleged by respondent No.12 – Company. 13. In the meantime several persons /organizations have   suo   motu   filed   the   applications   being   I.A. Nos.3739/2018, 176284­85/2018, D.No.110020/2018, 160094/2018,   171501/2018,   160094/2018, 163098/2018,   D.   No.175943­47/2018,   144019/2018, 81895/2018,   165472/2018,   163874/2018, 157884/2018, 115735/2018 and 2974/2019, seeking therein various kinds of reliefs for them individually and collectively   against   respondent   No.12   –   Company,   in relation   to   their   independent   dealings   which   they claimed to have had with respondent No.12 – Company and which according to them are not till date fructified 6 and given to them by respondent No.12 – Company, as agreed. 14. We  have  heard  all the  learned  counsel for  the parties in support of their case.   15. Having heard the learned counsel for the parties and keeping in view the law laid down by this Court in the cases reported in  State of Uttaranchal  vs.  Balwant Singh Chaufal & Ors.  [2010(3) SCC 402],  K.D. Sharma vs.  Steel Authority of India Ltd. & Ors.  [2008(12) SCC 481 and lastly in   Arun Kumar Agrawal   vs.   Union of  [2014(2) SCCC 609], we are not inclined to India & Ors. grant any relief in this writ petition. 16. At the outset, we find that the writ petitioner has not claimed any relief in person  qua  respondent No.12 – Company, in this writ petition. Even otherwise, no writ lies under Article 32 of the Constitution at the instance of   any   employee   or   the   employer   for   claiming 7 enforcement of any personal contractual rights  inter se the employee and his employer. 17. If the writ petitioner has any personal grievance in   relation   to   any   of   his   contractual   personal   rights flowing   from   any   service   conditions   or   any   other agreement with the respondent No.12 – Company, his   legal remedy lies in filing Civil Suit or take recourse to any   other   civil   law   remedy   for   adjudication   and enforcement   of   his   rights     respondent   No.12   – qua Company or anyone claiming through them as the case may   be.     The   writ   petition   under   Article   32   of   the Constitution is not the remedy for agitating any such grievance. 18. It is not in dispute that the parties are already prosecuting their grievances against each other in Civil Court in their respective civil suits filed by them against each other. If that be the position, the same have to be 8 pursued by them in accordance with law against each other. 19. So far as the raising of other grievances as set out supra   by   the   writ   petitioner   against   the   other respondents are concerned, suffice it to say, this court by   order   dated   11.07.2018   had   issued   notice   to   the official   respondents   Nos.7   to   11.   These   respondents pursuant to the notice issued have filed their respective status report in relation to the inquiries, which is being undertaken by them in their respective jurisdiction. We have perused the same.        20. Needless to say depending upon the outcome of the inquiry once it is completed by the respective official respondents   in   their   exclusive   jurisdiction   under various Acts, the appropriate action as provided in law will follow against all those who are found guilty.  21. Before parting, we make it clear that we have not expressed any opinion on several factual issues alleged 9 and denied by all the parties against each other in this writ petition and in respective IAs.  22. This   order,   therefore,   will   not   influence   any authority or the Court or ongoing inquiry or proceedings while dealing with any issue.  The same has to be dealt with uninfluenced by this order.  23. In   view   of   the   foregoing   discussion,   it   is   not necessary   to   entertain   several   IAs   bearing Nos.3739/2018, 176284­85/2018, D.No.110020/2018, 160094/2018,   171501/2018,   160094/2018, 163098/2018,   D.   No.175943­47/2018,   144019/2018, 81895/2018,   165472/2018,   163874/2018, 157884/2018, 115735/2018 and 2974/2019, filed by different   applicants   for   claiming   various   reliefs   qua respondent   No.12   –   Company,   in   relation   to   their individual and collective grievances. 24. All such applicants would be at liberty to raise their   grievances     respondent   No.12   –   Company qua 10 whether   individually   or   severally   for   adjudication   of their   rights   before   an   appropriate   Judicial   Forum   in accordance with law. 25. It is with these observations, we find no merit in this   writ   petition,   which   fails   and   is   accordingly dismissed.        ………………………………..J.   (ABHAY MANOHAR SAPRE)               ..………………………………J.    (R. SUBHASH REDDY) New Delhi, January 25, 2019 11