2024 SCMR 1123
The mere registration of FIR does not insinuate the conviction but as a rider, it is clearly provided under Section 169 of the Cr.P.C. that if upon an investigation, it appears to the officer incharge of the police-station, or to the police-officer making the investigation that there is no sufficient evidence or reasonable ground or suspicion to justify the forwarding of the accused to a Magistrate, such officer shall, if such person is in custody, release him on his executing a bond, with or without sureties, as such officer may direct, to appear, if and when so required, before a Magistrate empowered to take cognizance of the offence on a police-report and to try the accused or send him for trial. While Section 173 Cr.P.C inter alia provides that as soon as the investigation is completed, the officer incharge of the police station shall, through the Public Prosecutor, forward to a Magistrate empowered to take cognizance of the offence on a policereport, in the form prescribed by the Provincial Government, setting forth the names of the parties, the nature of the information and the names of the persons who appear to be acquainted with the circumstances of the case, and stating whether the accused (if arrested) has been forwarded in custody or has been released on his bond, and, if so, whether with or without sureties, and communicate, in such manner as may be prescribed by the Provincial Government. Furthermore, in the present context of the case where the respondents allegedly claim that no case was made out and the Justice of Peace exceeded his jurisdiction, it would be pertinent to point out the genre of the “A”, “B” and “C” Class Reports under Section 173, Cr.P.C. The Police Report under “A” class indicates that the FIR is true but the accused persons are untraced, or there is no clue whatsoever about the culprits or property, or the accused is known but there is no evidence to justify his being sent up to the Magistrate for Trial, while report under “B” class denotes that the FIR is maliciously false or frivolous and no case is made out against the accused persons, whereas the report under “C” class refers to when the criminal case was filed due to mistake of fact or if offence complained about is of a civil nature. Had the opportunity been afforded to the Investigating Officer to carry out investigation according to the statement of the petitioner, he could perform his duties to ascertain whether any prima facie case is made out, and obviously if no case was made out then the Investigating Officer could file the report in the Court in the relevant Class. Being fully cognizant to such law and procedure, the learned Justice of Peace, while allowing application under Section 22-A, Cr.P.C, directed the S.H.O. Police Station ‘A’ Section, Ghotki, to record the statement of the petitioner and if a cognizable offence is made out, then register the FIR with the rider that the proposed accused should not be arrested without collection of tangible evidence and if during investigation, the FIR is found to be false, the police will be at liberty to initiate action against the complainant (petitioner) as required under Section 182 Cr.P.C.
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