CHANDIGARH: The Punjab and Haryana excessive court docket has held that if a phrase or an idiom that has been despatched by a message has two interpretations, the one which is beneficial to the accused could be acceptable. The court docket made these observations whereas quashing an FIR towards a younger man who was booked for extortion and legal intimidation of his firm’s shareholders by sending a textual content wherein he had referred to himself as a “straight shooter.”
After going by a number of dictionary meanings of the phrase “straight shooter,” the excessive court docket noticed that a “straight shooter” is a straight ahead and forthright one that would name a spade a spade. The definition doesn't confer with any violent exercise.
Using the slang is pretty frequent amongst the youthful technology which is adept at messaging. It may be misunderstood if taken actually. Typically these messages could seem like cryptic however the level is pushed house. The artwork of letter writing with the formation of sentences, punctuated with correct grammar is sort of on the verge of extinction. One can say that from the standpoint of a semi-literate individual, the message could seem threatening," noticed Justice Anupinder Singh Grewal, who quashed the FIR registered towards the 26-year outdated younger pc science graduate belonging to a company household. An alumnus of Massachusetts Institute of Know-how, the younger man had additionally labored with Google earlier than becoming a member of the household enterprise.
The accused's grandfather had a share in a Faridabad firm, M/s Buddies Auto (India) Non-public Restricted, which has a turnover of Rs 250 crores and manufactures automotive elements.
After the loss of life of his grandfather, the petitioner's father and his uncles turned the homeowners, being authorized heirs to the extent of 38.40% of the entire shareholding of the corporate. The petitioner's household had a dispute with one other shareholder of the corporate.
To settle the dispute and in furtherance thereto, the petitioner had despatched a message on WhatsApp to a different shareholder stating, "62/B-II Mohan company indl property + 50 crs for me and my dad... Boss to Boss, Straight shooter (sic)."
On this, the opposite shareholder filed a police criticism after which the petitioner was arrested for extortion and legal intimidation and later launched on common bail.
The accused approached the HC for quashing the FIR, contending that the message was solely in furtherance of the talks of settlement. The property and the cash talked about within the message are commensurate with the share of the petitioner's father within the firm.
He had referred to the definition of "straight shooter" in numerous dictionaries and an American journal the place the time period has been used within the context of a straight ahead individual.
The respondent get together, nevertheless, argued that it was an try on the a part of the petitioner to extort cash by placing him in worry of grievous harm and loss of life.
After listening to all of the events, Justice Grewal ordered the quashing of the FIR, observing a naked take a look at the WhatsApp message within the attending info and circumstances wouldn't point out that the complainant was put in worry of harm, or there was any inducement to ship property or useful safety. The property has, in fact, not been delivered to the accused and there's no allegation on this regard. An offence underneath Part 386 IPC would, thus, not be attracted, noticed the decide.