Neutral Citation No. - 2025:AHC-LKO:1985 Court No. - 12 Case :- APPLICATION U/S 482 No. - 180 of 2025 Applicant :- Ram Awadh Yadav Opposite Party :- State Of U.P. Thru. Prin. Secy. Home U.P. Lko. And 2 Others Counsel for Applicant :- Mukesh Kumar Tewari,Sanjay Kumar Yadav Counsel for Opposite Party :- G.A. Hon'ble Saurabh Lavania,J. Heard learned counsel for the parties. By means of this application, the applicant has prayed for the following main reliefs:- "Wherefore, it is most respectfully prayed that this Hon'ble Court may kindly be pleased to allow the present petition under section 482 CrPC and set aside the impugned order dated 17.12.2024 passed by Chief Judicial Magistrate, Ambedkar Nagar contained as annexure no. 1 to this petition, in the interest of justice. It is further prayed that this Hon'ble Court may kindly be pleased to release/unseal the premises/building (Basement, House situated 1st floor and 2nd floor) situated over the land Gata No.272 Village Harraiya, Baskhari District- Ambedkar Nagar in favor of the petitioner, during pendency of trial of the case, in interest of justice." Vide order impugned dated 17.12.2024, the Chief Judicial Magistrate, Ambedkar Nagar (in short "Magistrate") rejected the application of the applicant on issue of maintainability. The relevant portion of the order impugned dated 17.12.2024 reads as under:- " पततवलल कक अवललकन सक वववदत हह वक उक मकतन मम०अ०सस०- 188/2024 अनतररत धतरत 419, 420, 467, 468 व 471 भत०दस०सस० एवस धतरत- 15(1) इसवडयन मकवडकल कतउससललसर एकट, 1956 मम सलज वकयत रयत थत। बतद वववकचनत उक पकरण मम अवभयमक कक ववरद धतरत-420 भत०दस०सस० मम आरलप- पत पकवषत वकयत जत चमकत हह। उक मकतन कल अवममक वकयक जतनक हकतम पतथरनत पसतमत वकयत रयत हह। यहतह पर धतरत-451 दस०प०सस० कत पत अवललकन वकयत जतनत वनततनत आवशयक हह। धतरत-451 दस प०सस० मम यह उवललखत हह वकक- धतरत-451 कम छ मतमलल मम ववचतरण लममबत रहनक तक समपवत कक अवभरकत और वययन कक ललए आदकश जब कलई समपलत वकसल दणड नयतयतलय कक समक वकसल जतहच यत ववचतरण कक ददरतन पकश कक जततल हह, तब वह नयतयतलय उस जतहच यत ववचतरण कक समतप हलनक तक ऐसल समपलत कक उवचत अवभरकत कक ललए ऐसत आदकश, जहसत वह ठलक समझक, कर सकतत हह और वह समपलत शलघतयत यत पकक तयत कयशलल हह, यवद ऐसत करनत यथत समलचलन हह वह नयतयतलय, ऐसत सतकय अवभलललखत करनक कक पशचतत जहसत वह आवशयक समझक, उसकक ववकय यत उसकत अनयथत वयय ललए जतनक कक ललए आदकश कर सकतत हह। सपषलकरणक इस धतरत कक पयलजन कक ललए "समपलत" कक अनतररत वनमनलललखत हह:- (क) वकसल भल वकसम कक समपलत यत दसततवकज जल नयतयतलय कक समक पकश कक जततल हह, यत उसकक अवभरकत मम हह, (ख) कलई भल समपलत लजसकक बतरक मम कलई अपरतध वकयत जतनत पतलत हलतत हह यत जल वकसल अपरतध कक करनक मम पयमक कक रयल पतलत हलतल हह। थतनक सक पतप आखयतनमसतर पतथरनत पत मम उवललखत मकतन कल मकवडकल टलम दतरत सलज वकयत रयत थत तल इस ससबसध मम धतरत-451 दस०प०सस० कत उलकख वकयत जतनत वनततनत आवशयक हह। धतरत-451 दस०प०सस० कक अनमसतर जब ऐसल समपवत जल नयतयतलय कक समक पकश कक जततल हह, ऐसल समपलत कक ससबसध मम हल नयतयतलय धतरत-151 दस०प०सस० कक अनतररत आदकश पतररत कर सकतल हह। धतरत- 451 दस०प०सस० कक सतथ सपषलकरण मम भल कथन वकयत रयत हह वक कक वल वक समपवत जल नयतयतलय कक समक पकश कक जततल हह यत जल नयतयतलय कक अवभरकत मम हह यत लजस समपलत कक बतरक मम कलई अपरतध वकयत जतनत पतलत हलतत हह यत जल वकसल अपरतध मम वकयक जतनक मम पयमक कक रयल पतलत हलतल हह, मतत इनहह समपलतयल कक ससबसध मम हल धतरत-451 दस०प०सस० कक अनतररत नयतयतलय कल आदकश पतररत करनक कत अलधकतर हह। पतथर दतरत अवभकलथत सलल हहआ मकतन न तल नयतयतलय मम पसतमत वकयक जतनक यलगय हह और न हल नयतयतलय कक अवभरकत मम रखक जतनक यलगय हह, न उक भवन दतरत कलई अपरतध वकयत जत सकतत हह, न हल उक भवन कल अपरतध करनक हकतम पयलर वकयत जत सकतत हह। अथतरतत आवतसलय भवन ऐसल समपवत हह, जल धतरत-451 दस०प०सस० मम ववणरत समपवत कक पररलध मम नहह आतत हह। अतक धतरत-451 दस०प०सस० कक अनतररत नयतयतलय कल भवन ममक करनक कक शवक पतप नहह हह। इस ससबसध मम मतननलय उचचतम नयतयतलय दतरत पवतपतवदत ववलध- वयवसथत अमकत लतल कम मतवट एवस अनय बनतम रतजसथतन रतजय एवस अनय 1998 वक०एल० जक० 3032 कत अवललकन आवशयक हह। उक ववलध- वयवसथत मम मतननलय नयतयतलय दतरत यह अवधतररत वकयत रयत हह वक धतरत-451 दस०प०सस० कक असतररत अचल समपवत शतवमल नहह हह तथत अचल समपलत कक ससबसध मम धतरत-451 दस०प०सस० कक अनतररत आदकश पतररत नहह वकयत जत सकतत हह। उक ववलध- धतरत-451 दस०प०सस० कक ससबसध मम हह, जबवक पसतमत पकरण मम नयतयतलय कल धतरत- 451 दस०प०सस० कक असतररत अचल ससपलत आवतसलय भवन कल अवममक करनक कक शवक पतप नहह हह। अतक मतमलक कक समसत तथय एवस पररमसथवतयल मम पतथर दतरत पसतमत पतथरनत पत वनरसत वकयक जतनक यलगय हह। आदकश पतथर रतम अवध यतदव दतरत पसतमत ररललज/ अवममक करतनक हकतम मकतन पतथरनत पत उपरलकतनमसतर वनरसत वकयत जततत हह।" In the aforesaid background of the case, the instant application has been filed before this Court. It is stated that the premises of the applicant was sealed on 16.06.2024 at about 5.00 P.M. by the team consisting of Additional Chief Medical Officer, Ambedkar Nagar, Sub-Divisional Magistrate, Tanda, Ambedkar Nagar and Medical Officer, C.H.C., Baskhari, Ambedkar Nagar. It is also stated that in terms of Section 15(3) of Indian Medical Council Act, no power vests in the Medical Officer or in S.D.M. to seal the premises. It is also stated that the present case is fully covered by the order dated 11.01.2021 passed by this Court in APPLICATION U/S 482 No. 4 of 2021 (Chandra Prakash Chaudhary vs. State of U.P. and another). The relevant portion of the order dated 11.01.2021, referred, is extracted hereunder:- "The present application has been filed challenging the order dated 19.11.2020 passed by the 3rd Additional Sessions Judge, Basti in Criminal Revision No. 90 of 2020 (Chandra Prakash Chaudhary Vs. State of U.P. and Another) as well as the order dated 19.9.2020 passed by the Chief Judicial Magistrate, Basti in Misc. Case No. 494/12/2020, Case No. 1294 of 2020 (State Vs. Chandra Prakash Chaudhary) arising out of Case Crime No. 279 of 2019, under Sections 419, 420 IPC and Section 15(3) of the Indian Medical Council Act, P.S. Lalganj, District Basti. The brief contention of the counsel for the applicant is that the applicant has taken the premises on rent from one Raghav Ram and opened a Hospital on the said premises for providing medical facilities. It is stated that the Chief Medical Officer, Basti issued a medical establishment certificate to the applicant as owner on 20.9.2019. The said certificate was valid from 20.9.2019 to 30.4.2020 and the applicant was running a medical center in the name and style of Krishna Medical Center in the Village Jobhiyaon Chauraha, Post Udhraha, District Basti. It is argued that in the said center one Dr. Shailendra Kumar Yadav was working as full time doctor, one Ranchan Devi was working as part time A.N.M. and one Pooja was working as full time G.N.M. An F.I.R. came to be lodged against the applicant as Case Crime No. 279 of 2019, under Sections 419, 420 I.P.C. and Section 15(3) of the Indian Medical Council Act at Police Station Lalganj on 19.10.2019, wherein allegations were levelled that at the time of inspection it was found that the applicant, who does not even have a degree, was performing operations. The applicant denied the said allegations, however, the present application has been filed on the ground that not only an FIR was lodged, the entire hospital was seized and sealed in pursuance to an order dated 19th October, 2019 passed by the C.M.O., informing the S.H.O. that premises has been sealed in exercise of powers under Section 15(3) of the Indian Medical Council Act. The neat submission of the counsel for the applicant is that for the sake of arguments even if the averments made in the F.I.R. are treated to be correct, there is no power vested either with the S.H.O. or the C.M.O. to seal the premises, as has been done in purported exercise of powers under Section 15(3) of the Indian Medical Council Act. Section 15(3) of the Indian Medical Council Act is being quoted hereinbelow:- "15 (3) Any person who acts in contravention of any provision of sub-section (2) shall be punished with imprisonment for a term which may extend to one year, or with fine which may extend to one thousand rupees, or with both.]" A plain reading of the provisions of Section 15 (3) of the Indian Medical Council Act makes it clear that it provides for punishment to any person who contravenes any of the provisions of Sub Section (2) with an imprisonment for a term which may extend to one year or with fine which may extend to Rs. 1,000/- or with both. Contravention which can attracts punishment under section 15 (3) are contained in Section 15(2). A perusal of the said Section does not in any way empower the authorities to seal or seize the property, as has been done in the present case. Learned A.G.A. was granted time to ascertain the source or power under which the sealing and the seizure activity has been carried out. He fairly states that no such power has been found either under the Cr.P.C. or under the provisions of the Indian Medical Council Act. As the parties agree that no such specific powers exist, the act of sealing and seizure of the hospital is in clear violation of rights enshrined in the applicant under Article 300-A of the Constitution of India. The applicant had rightly approached the Court concerned for lifting the sealing order, which was rejected and the Revisional Court also rejected the revision. The authorities have sealed the hospital and a seizure order has been passed without there being any authority of law, thus I have no hesitation in holding that the order sealing the premises is clearly bad in law. It is well settled that if any action of the State has expropriatory effect, the same should be specifically authorised by a valid law. Admittedly, there is no such law authorising the State to seal the premises as has been done in the present case. Once source of power cannot be traced, the Courts below ought to have release the seizure of the premises and the revisional court has committed manifest error of law in dismissing the revision. Accordingly, the application is allowed. The order dated 19.11.2020 passed by the 3rd Additional Sessions Judge, Basti in Criminal Revision No. 90 of 2020 (Chandra Prakash Chaudhary Vs. State of U.P. and Another) as well as the order dated 19.9.2020 passed by the Chief Judicial Magistrate, Basti in Misc. Case No. 494/12/2020, Case No. 1294 of 2020 (State Vs. Chandra Prakash Chaudhary) are quashed. Directions are issued for forthwith de-sealing of the premises namely, Krishna Medical Center situated at Village Jibhiyao, Post Kudraha, District Basti." The aforesaid could not be disputed. Accordingly, this Court finds that the present application is liable to be allowed in the light of the observations made by this Court in the order dated 11.01.2021. In view of above, the instant application is allowed. The order dated 17.12.2024 passed by Chief Judicial Magistrate, Ambedkar Nagar is hereby set-aside. Let the premises/building (Basement, House situated 1st floor and 2nd floor) situated over the land Gata No.272, Village Harraiya, Baskhari District- Ambedkar Nagar of the applicant be be released/unsealed forthwith by the officer concerned. Order Date :- 10.1.2025 Arun/- Digitally signed by :- ARUN KUMAR GANGWAR High Court of Judicature at Allahabad, Lucknow Bench