Neutral Citation No. - 2025:AHC:91961 Court No. - 74 Case :- APPLICATION U/S 528 BNSS No. - 19408 of 2025 Applicant :- Aajad And 2 Others Opposite Party :- State of U.P. and Another Counsel for Applicant :- Jyoti Bhushan Counsel for Opposite Party :- G.A. Hon'ble Saurabh Srivastava,J. 1. Heard Sri Jyoti Bhushan, learned counsel for applicants and learned A.G.A for the State-respondent. 2. By means of the present application, applicants have sought quashing of the entire proceeding of Case No.392 of 2025 (State vs. Aajad and Others) arising out of Case Crime No.528 of 2023, under Sections 3/2/5 Prevention of Damage to Public Property Act, 1984, Police Station- Bardah, District - Azamgarh pending in the court of Judicial Magistrate, Court No.9, Azamgarh including the charge-sheet dated 06.02.2024 along with cognizance order dated 01.04.2024. 3. Brief facts of the present case are that a first information report dated 18.12.2023 bearing Case Crime No.528 of 2023 was lodged by Lekhpal/opposite party no.2 in pursuance of Section 3/2/5 of Prevention of Damage to Public Property Act, 1984 against applicants alleging that applicants have encroached illegally over some part of Gata No.1061 area 0.047 hectare situated at Village Belabas, Pargana Beladaultabad, Tehsil Lalganj, District Azamgarh which is Chakmarg. The applicants had, thus, caused damage and loss to the public property which is the land vested in Gram Sabha. After lodging of the FIR, the concerned Investigating Officer started inquiry and after conclusion of the same, preferred charge- sheet on dated 06.02.2024 against applicants, whereupon learned court concerned has taken cognizance/summoning of offence vide order dated 01.04.2024 which impugned the present application. 4. Learned counsel for applicants has challenged the charge-sheet as well as cognizance/summoning order on several other ground inter-alia precisely on the ground that lodging of the first information report taking aid of provisions of the P.D.P.P. Act, 1984 is nothing but an abuse of process of the law, inasmuch as, the said provisions cannot be invoked to lodge a criminal case on the allegations of damage or loss caused to the Gram Sabha land. The Magistrate has acted illegally and without application of judicial mind in taking cognizance on the charge sheet submitted under Section 3/2/5 of the P.D.P.P. Act, 1984. 5. In any case, the question as to whether applicant had illegally encroached upon the land vested in Gram Sabha, can only be adjudicated by the Revenue Authorities. The proper proceeding for eviction of the unauthorized occupant can be undertaken under Section 67 of the Revenue Code, 2006. The short-cut procedure adopted by the Lekhpal of the village concerned is nothing but with a view to harass the applicant. 6. Per contra, learned AGA vehemently opposed the prayer sought through the instant petition but could not dispute the aforesaid arguments raised by learned counsel for applicants. 7. While dealing with similar issue, co-ordinate Bench of this Court vide order 6.8.2020 passed in Application u/s 482 no. 9964 of 2020 (Munshi Lal and Another vs. State of U.P. and another), quashed the entire proceeding u/s 2/3 of Prevention of Damage to Public Property Act, 1984 and held that as far as criminal proceeding for illegal encroachment, damage or trespass over the land belonging to Gram Sabha is concerned, the same can be undertaken but it would be subject to the adjudication of rights of the parties over the land in dispute as the said determination can be done only by the revenue court. As far as the P.D.P.P. Act, 1984 is concerned, the same has been enacted with the specific purpose. The statement of objects and reasons of the said Act shows that it was enacted with a view to curb acts of vandalism and damage to public property including destruction and damage caused during riots and public commotion. 8. From perusal of the records, it transpires that present case is squarely covered with the judgment of co-ordinate Bench of this Court passed in Munshi Lal (supra) and as such the criminal proceedings initiated against the applicants pursuant to Section of Prevention of Damage to Public Property Act, 1984, cannot but be said to be an abuse of the process of law or the Court. The cognizance/summoning order dated 01.04.2024 has been passed in complete ignorance of law. The continuation of criminal proceedings, in the considered opinion of the Court, being an abuse of process of the Court, ends of the justice requires that the said proceedings be quashed. 9. Invoking inherent powers under Section 482 Cr.P.C, entire proceedings of the Case Crime no. 528 of 2023, Police Station- Bardah, District Azamgarh is hereby quashed, only in respect of applicants herein. 10. The instant application stands allowed. Order Date :- 28.5.2025 Saif Digitally signed by :- SHAIKH SAIF ABDIN High Court of Judicature at Allahabad