Kannan v. Adisiva (2026) Requires Reconsideration: Section 466 CrPC Appears to Have Been Misread

Saji Koduvath, Advocate, Kottayam.

Part 1

Section 465 of the Code of Criminal Procedure reads as follows:

“465. Finding or sentence when reversible by reason of error, omission or irregularity — (1) Subject to the provisions hereinbefore contained, no finding, sentence or order passed by a Court of competent jurisdiction shall be reversed or altered by a Court of appeal, confirmation of revision on account of any error, omission or irregularity in the complaint, summons, warrant, proclamation, order, judgment or other proceedings before or during trial or in any inquiry or other proceedings under this Code, or any error, or irregularity in any sanction for the prosecution, unless in the opinion of that Court, a failure of justice has in fact been occasioned thereby.
(2) In determining whether any error, omission or irregularity in any proceeding under this Code, or any error, or irregularity in any sanction for the prosecution has occasioned  a failure of justice, the Court shall have regard to the fact whether the objection could and should have been raised at an earlier stage in the proceedings.”

From Section 466 CrPC, the following propositions emerge:

  • First: A mere error, omission or irregularity (for example, in the sanction to prosecute under Section 19(3) of the Prevention of Corruption Act**) attracts the “failure of justice” test. Such a defect does not, by itself, vitiate the proceedings; that is, the proceedings are not automatically vitiated.
  • Second: The complete absence of a mandatory sanction stands on a different footing. Such a defect goes to the root of the prosecution and is not treated as a mere error, omission or irregularity capable of being cured under Section 466 CrPC. Consequently, the DEFECT VITIATES THE COGNIZANCE (or the defect is not curable under Section 466 CrPC) and the prosecution CANNOT INVOKE SECTION 466 to cure it.

Accordingly, in the second category (e.g., absence of sanction), the saving provision under Section 466 is not attracted merely because the objection could have been raised at an earlier stage of the proceedings but was not. If the absence of a valid sanction remains as a fundamental defect, the prosecution cannot rely upon Section 466 to cure it. (See State of Goa v. Babu Thomas, 2005 KHC 1803 : 2005 (4) KLT SN 87 : 2005 (8) SCC 130 : AIR 2005 SC 3606; quoted in Luckose Joseph Formerly Village Officer, Kunnumma Village, Alappuzha v. State of Kerala, 2025 KLT (Online) 2658 : 2025 KHC (Online) 867.)

  • ** Note: It is true that in Parkash Singh Badal v. State of Punjab, (2007) 1 SCC 1, and the decisions following it, the Supreme Court observed that Section 19 of the Prevention of Corruption Act is essentially procedural and does not go to the root of the court’s jurisdiction. Nevertheless, those decisions were concerned with defects by way of error, omission or irregularity in an existing sanction and the applicability of the “failure of justice” test under Section 19(3). They do not detract from the “principle” recognised in State of Goa v. Babu Thomas that the complete absence of a mandatory sanction stands on a different footing and is not a mere procedural irregularity capable of being cured by the saving provision.

In Kannan v. Adisiva, 2026 (4) KLT 151, it is observed as under:

  • “9.​ It is clear from the aforesaid provision of law that in the present case, the findings of conviction and sentence of the Trial Court, which were upheld by the Appellate Court, are not liable to be reversed in this revision proceedings unless it is shown that a failure of justice has, in fact, been occasioned due to the act of the learned Magistrate taking cognizance of the offence upon the complaint filed by the power of attorney holder of the complainant. Going by the provisions contained in sub Section (2) of Section 465 Cr.P.C, in determining whether a failure of justice has occasioned, this Court shall have regard to the fact whether the objection raised by the revision petitioner regarding the non-competence of the power of attorney holder to institute the complaint, was raised at an earlier stage in the proceedings. As far as the present case is concerned, the petitioner did not care to object the order of the learned Magistrate taking cognizance of the offence, on the basis of the complaint filed by the power of attorney holder of the complainant, before the commencement of the trial. Thus, the point to be looked into is  whether the aforesaid aspect could be taken into account by this Court in this revision proceedings, to overturn the findings of the Courts below.”

Part – 2

Kannan v. Adisiva (2026) also Requires Reconsideration for it Appears to Have Failed to Follow A.C. Narayanan v. State of Maharashtra

A.C. Narayanan v. State of Maharashtra (P Sathasivam, Ranjana Prakash Desai, Ranjan Gogoi), AIR 2014 SC 630, 2014 (11) SCC 790, was a decision rendered on a twin matter.

1. Criminal Appeal No. 73 of 2007 – A.C. Narayanan  v. State of Maharashtra

  • This appeal is from the Bombay High Court decision. It pertained to the applications filed by the appellant against the order of issuance of process under Sections 138 and 142 of the Negotiable Instruments Act, 1881

2. Criminal Appeal No.1437 of 2013 – Shri G. Kamalakar v. Surana Securities Ltd.

  • This appeal is from the High Court of Andhra Pradesh. It pertained to the conviction of the accused under Section 138 of the N.I. Act. setting aside the dismissal of the complaint and acquittal of the accused by the Metropolitan Magistrate.

The verdict in A.C. Narayanan v. State of Maharashtra was rendered on a reference to a three Judge Bench to settle, mainly, the following dispute:

  • “Whether specific averments as to the knowledge of the Power of Attorney holder in the impugned transaction must be explicitly asserted in the complaint?”

It is answered in para 23 as under:

  • “Nevertheless, an explicit assertion as to the knowledge of the Power of Attorney holder about the transaction in question must be specified in the complaint.”

In the dictum in para 26 it is stated as under:

  • “(iii) It is required by the complainant to make specific assertion as to the knowledge of the power of attorney holder in the said transaction explicitly in the complaint and the power of attorney holder who has no knowledge regarding the transactions cannot be examined as a witness in the case.”

In Kannan v. Adisiva (2026), the Kerala High Court proceeded as under:

  • “6. …. There was no such prompt challenge in the case on hand. That apart, in the instant case, it is the original complainant himself who adduced evidence during the course trial of the case. Thus the ratio in Naresh Potteries and Narayanan A.C. (supra) have been laid at the initial stages of the respective cases, and not after the inaction of the accused paving the way for the original complainant to adduce evidence in the trial about the transactions which led to the offence.”

The court failed to take notice of the fact that in the ‘twin matter’ of A.C. Narayanan Case, the Apex court laid down the dictum also in the fact scenario of Shri G. Kamalakar v. Surana Securities Ltd. which pertained to the conviction of the accused under Section 138 of the N.I. Act by the High Court, setting aside the dismissal of the complaint and acquittal of the accused by the Metropolitan Magistrate.

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