http://JUDIS.NIC.IN SUPREME COURT OF INDIA Page 1 of 2  

PETITIONER: L.   N. MUKHERJEE

       Vs.

RESPONDENT: THE STATE OF MADRAS

DATE OF JUDGMENT: 19/04/1961

BENCH: DAYAL, RAGHUBAR BENCH: DAYAL, RAGHUBAR SUBBARAO, K.

CITATION:  1961 AIR 1601            1962 SCR  (2) 116  CITATOR INFO :  R          1963 SC1620  (23)

ACT: Criminal Trial-jurisdiction-Court having jurisdiction to try offences  committed in Pursuance of conspiracy, if  can  try the   offence  of  criminal  conspiracy-Code   of   Criminal Procedure, 1898 (V of 1898), SS. 177, 239-Indian Penal Code, 1860 (Act XLV of 1860), SS. 120-B, 420, 463.

HEADNOTE: The  appellant  was  committed to the Court  of  Session  at Madras  for  trial under s. 120-B read with s.  420  of  the Indian Penal Code and for committing the offence of  forgery in  pursuance of that conspiracy.  The  Criminal  conspiracy was  alleged to have been committed at Calcutta,  while  the other offences in                             117 pursuance thereof were committed at Madras.  It was urged on behalf  of  the  appellant  that the  Madras  Court  had  no jurisdiction to try the offence of criminal conspiracy. Held,  that  the court having the jurisdiction  to  try  the offences committed in pursuance of the conspiracy, has  also the jurisdiction to try the offence of criminal  conspiracy, even  though  it  was  committed.  outside  its  territorial jurisdiction. Purushottamdas  Dalmia  v. State of wesst Bengal,  [1962]  2 S.C.R. 101, applied.

JUDGMENT: CRIMINAL, APPELLATE JURISDICTION: Criminal Appeal No. 119 of 1960. Appeal  by special leave from the judgment and  order  dated April  14,  1960,  of the Madras High Court  in  Cr.   Misc. Petition No. 246 of 1960, D.   N. Mukherjee, for the appellant. M.   S. K. Sastri and T. M. Sen, for respondent. 1961.  April 19.  The Judgment of the Court was delivered by RAGHUBAR  DAYAL,,  J.-This  appeal,  by  special  leave,  is against  the order of the Madras High Court  dismissing  the application for quashing the commitment of the case  against

http://JUDIS.NIC.IN SUPREME COURT OF INDIA Page 2 of 2  

the  appellant,  to  the  Court of  Session,  for  trial  of offences of criminal conspiracy to cheat under s. 120-B read with  s.  420,  Indian Penal Code, and for  the  offence  of forgery  committed  in pursuance of  that  conspiracy.   The criminal  conspiracy  is alleged to have been  committed  at Calcutta.  The other offences in pursuance of the conspiracy are  alleged to have been committed within the  jurisdiction of  the  Court of Session at Madras.  The quashing  of.  the commitment  was  sought on the ground that,  the  Courts  at Madras had no jurisdiction to try the offence of conspiracy. The  High Court did not accept the contention and  dismissed the application. The  sole  question  for consideration  in  this  appeal  is whether  the  offence  of conspiracy alleged  to  have  been committed  at Calcutta can be tried by the Court of  Session at Madras. We have held this day, in Purushottamdas Dalmia v.     The State of West Bengal (1) that the Court having (1) [1962] 2S.C.R. 101. 118 jurisdiction  to try the offence of criminal conspiracy  can also try offences committed in pursuance of that  conspiracy even   if   those  offences  were  committed   outside   the jurisdiction  of  that Court, as the provisions of  s.  239, Criminal   Procedure  Code,  are  not  controlled   by   the provisions  of s. 177, Criminal Procedure Code,which do  not create an absolute prohibition against the trial of offences by a Court other than the one within whose jurisdiction  the offence  is committed.  On a parity of reasoning, the  Court having  jurisdiction  to  try  the  offences  committed   in pursuance  of the conspiracy, can try the offence  of  con,- ,piracy  even if it was committed outside its  jurisdiction. We  therefore  hold that the order under appeal  is  correct and, accordingly, dismiss this appeal. Appeal dismissed.