BORDER SECURITY FORCE RULES, 1969:
r.41(1) (i) and (ii) read with ss. 47 and 80 of Border
Security Force Act - Owing to a quarrel between BSF
personnel and some boys, death of a boy by gunfire caused
by BSF Constable in Srinagar - Charge sheet submitted by
police in the Court of Chief Judicial Magistrate - Application
filed by Dy. Inspector General praying for trial of the accused
in Security Force Court allowed by CJM - Order affirmed by
High Court - Held: In view of Notification, accused were on
active duty at the time of commission of the offence -
Therefore, the bar under s.47 of the Act shall not stand in their
way for trial by a Security Force Court - However, in the instant
case, the criminal court and the Security Force Court each
will have jurisdiction for trial of the offence - The allegations
in the case do not indicate that the accused committed the
offence in course of performance of their duty in any of the
situations enumerated in r. 41 (1 )(i) - Though the
Commanding Officer,
has exercised his power u/s. 80 of
the Act, but he has nowhere stated that the trial of the accused
by Security Force Court is necessary in the interest of
discipline of the Force as required under r. 41(1)(ii) -
Commanding Officer has exercised his power ignorant of the
restriction placed on him under the Rules -- His decision is,
therefore, illegal - Order of CJM as affirmed by High Court
set aside - However, liberty given to Director General to make an appropriate application before CJM - Border Security
Force Act, ss.47, 80 and 141.
ADMINISTRATIVE LAW:
Delegated legislation - r.41 of Border Security Force
Rules, 1969 - Held is not in conflict with provisions of s. 80 of
the Act - Border Security Force Act, 1969 - s. 80.
Delegated legislation - Exercise of power - Extent of -
Held: When the power is conferred in general and thereafter
in respect of enumerated matters, as in the instant case, the
particularisation in respect of specified subject is construed
as merely illustrative and does not limit the scope of general
power.
An F.l.R. was registered against a Constable and a Commandant of Border Security Force, namely,
respondent nos.1 and 2 in Crl. A. No. 624 of 2013, on the
allegation that they while returning after Annual Medical
examination at Composite Hospital, on the way, got
involved in a quarrel with some boys, and on the
instigation of respondent no. 2, respondent no.1 fired twice and one such bullet hit one of the boys, causing
his death. The police submitted a charge-sheet against
both the respondents for offences punishable u/ss.302,
109 and 201 of Ranbir Penal Code before the Chief
Judicial Magistrate. The Dy. Inspector General, Border Security Force filed an application before the CJM to stay
the proceedings and to forward the accused persons for
trial before Security Force Court. The application was
allowed. The order was unsuccessfully challenged by the
father of the deceased and the State Government in revision petitions before the High Court.
In the instant appeals it was contended that the
offence committed was a civil offence triable by a criminal court as at the time of commission of offence, the
accused persons were not engaged in any operation nor
were they on active duty so as to give jurisdiction to the
force to try them before Security Force Court.