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PETITIONER: RAM CHANDER SINGH SAGAR AND ANR.

       Vs.

RESPONDENT: STATE OF TAMIL NADU AND ANR.

DATE OF JUDGMENT23/01/1978

BENCH: KRISHNAIYER, V.R. BENCH: KRISHNAIYER, V.R. SINGH, JASWANT

CITATION:  1978 AIR  475            1978 SCR  (2) 604  1978 SCC  (2)  35

ACT: Power of Supreme Court to transfer criminal cases--Scope  of S.  406  of Criminal Procedure Code (Act II of  1974),  1973 (1898 Code S. 527) r/w Order XXXVI S. C. Rules 1966.

HEADNOTE: The  Petitioners moved this Court u/s 406 Crl.  P. C.,  1973 r/w Order XXXVI Supreme Court Rules, 1966, when their matter was  at  the  investigation stage itself  for  an  order  of transfer of the case to some other court. Dismissing the petition for transfer, the Court HELD  : The Code of Criminal Procedure clothes  the  Supreme Court with power u/s 406 to transfer a case for appeal  from one  High Court or a Court subordinate to one High Court  to another  High Court or to a Court subordinate  thereto,  but not  with  the  power to transfer  investigations  from  one police station to another in the country simply because  the first  information  or  a remand report is  forwarded  to  a Court.  ’lo come to this Court directly seeking an order  of transfer  in  such  a case is  travelling  along  the  wrong street.   If justice is denied, there are  other  redresses, not u/s 406.  [604 F-G 605 A]

JUDGMENT: ORIGINAL JURISDICTION : Transfer Petition (Criminal) No.  40 of 1977. Under Section 406 of the Code of Criminal Procedure. D. P. Bhandare and N. S. Das Bahl for the Petitioners. V.P. Rama, Adv.  Genl.  Tamil Nadu and A. V. Rangam for the Respondents. The Order of the Court was delivered by KRISHNA IYER, J.-The Code of Criminal Procedure clothes this Court  with power under s. 406 lo transfer a case or  appeal from one High Court or a Court subordinate to one High Court to  another  High Court or to a Court  subordinate  thereto. But it does not clothe this Court with the power to transfer investigations  from  one police station to another  in  the country  simply  because the first information or  a  remand report  is forwarded to a Court.  The application before  us stems  from  a  misconception about the scope  of,  S.  406.

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There is as yet no case pending before any Court as has been made  clear in the counter affidavit of the State  of  Tamil Nadu.   In the light of this counter affidavit, nothing  can be done except to dismiss this petition. If the petitioners are being directed to appeal in a far-off Court during investigatory stage it is for them to move that Court  for  appropriate  orders  so that  they  may  not  be tormented  by  long travel or otherwise teased  by  judicial process.  If justice is denied there are 605 other redresses, not under s. 406, though it is  unfortunate that  the petitioners have not chosen to move that court  to be  absolved  from  appearance  until  necessitated  by  the circumstances or the progress of the investigation.  To come to  this  Court  directly seeking an order  of  transfer  is travelling along the wrong street.  We are sure that if  the second  petitioner  is ailing, as is represented,  and  this fact  is  brought  to  the notice of  the  Court  which  has directed her appearance, just orders will be passed in  case there is veracity behind the representation. We need  hardly say  courts  should use their processes to  the  purpose  of advancing justice, not to harass parties. Anyway, so far  as thepetition for transfer is concerned, to borrow a cliche, the less said the better and so we dismiss it. S. R.                                 Petition dismissed. 606