Summoning - Drugs and Cosmetics Act, 1940, Section 28 - Code of Criminal Procedure, 1973, Sections 468, 469 - Offence punishable under - Maximum punishment - Imposition of sentence - Scope of - Whether, in a case where an offence is punishable under Section 28 of the Drugs Act with a maximum imprisonment for a term of one year, the Court can take cognizance of the offence beyond the period of limitation prescribed under Section 468 of the Cr.P.C. - Held, no - Once the report of the Government Analyst was received by the respondent, the complaint filed after the expiry of the period of limitation was clearly barred by limitation - Summoning order passed by the Additional Sessions Judge, Sirsa against the petitioner was beyond jurisdiction - Criminal proceedings rendered unsustainable . (para 9, 10)

Amendment of complaint - Maintaining a criminal complaint against a company without impleading its authorized representative - Whether permissible - Held, maintaining criminal proceedings against the company only, when sentence of imprisonment cannot be imposed on the juristic person, is an exercise in futility - Application seeking impleadment through amendment doubted for its maintainability. (para 11)

Limitation - Commencement of the period of limitation - Report of the Laboratory - Whether the limitation for filing a complaint commences from the date of receipt of the report of the Central Insecticide Testing Laboratory or from the date of the report received from the competent authority – Held - the limitation commences from the date of the offence alleged to have been committed - The report received from the competent authority cannot be the basis for the commencement of limitation. (para 8)

Criminal Procedure Code, 1973 - Sections 468, 469 - Offences under Drugs and Cosmetics Act, 1940 - Limitation for taking cognizance of offence - Whether the period of limitation should be computed from the date of the offence or from the date of receipt of the report or from the date of knowledge of the commission of offence – Held - the period of limitation should be computed from the date of the offence alleged to have been committed - The date of receipt of the report or the date of knowledge of the commission of offence are relevant only when the date of the offence is not known to the person aggrieved or the police officer. (para 8)

Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act, 2012 (POCSO Act) – Section 19 read with Section 21 – Override of restrictions imposed under Section 198(1) read with Section 198(3) of the Code of Criminal Procedure, 1973 (Cr.P.C) – Declaration by the court – Court declares that Section 19 read with Section 21 of the POCSO Act shall override the restrictions imposed by Section 198(1) read with Section 198(3) of the Cr.P.C – POCSO Act being a special law dealing with sexual abuse and exploitation of children prevails over the general law (Cr.P.C) to the extent dealt with.

Marital rape of minor victims – Limitation period for filing a complaint – Extension of limitation period – Court’s observations – The court clarifies that Section 3(3) of the Prohibition of Child Marriage Act, 2006 (PCM Act) dealing with voidability of child marriage does not extend the limitation period for filing complaints in cases of rape of minor children who are married – However, Section 472 and Section 473 of the Cr.P.C empower the courts to extend the period of limitation if necessary or if the delay has been properly explained.

Relevant legal provisions – Doctrine of harmonious construction – In cases where a general law and a special law cover the same subject matter, the special law prevails over the general law to the extent dealt with – Principle of lex specialis derogat legi generali applied

Criminal Law – Quashing of FIR – Petition dismissed –

Petitioner charged under Sections 376 and 506 IPC and Sections 3 and 5(1) of the U.P. Prohibition of Unlawful Religious Conversion Act, 2021 – Allegations include stalking, rape, and forced conversion – Court declines to interfere with investigation given serious allegations and legislative intent to curtail societal malady [Paras 1-10].

Unlawful Religious Conversion – Legislative Purpose –

U.P. Prohibition of Unlawful Religious Conversion Act, 2021 emphasized – New statute addressing societal issues – Court notes frequent interference in initial stages would undermine legislation’s purpose [Paras 8-9].

Decision – Writ Petition Dismissed –

Court finds no grounds to interfere with FIR – Petition fails – Legislative intent and societal context considered significant in decision [Para 10].