195.

Prosecution for contempt of lawful authority of public servants: Prosecution for certain offence
againstpublicjustice:Prosecutionforcertainoffencesrelatingtodocumentsgiveninevidence:(1)No
Courtshalltakecognizance:
(a)ofanyoffencepunishableunderSections172to188ofthePakistanPenalCode,exceptonthe
complaint in writing of the public servant concerned, or of some other public servant to whom he is
subordinate
(b) of any offence punishable under any of the following sections of the same Code, namely,
Sections193,194,195,196,199,200,205,206,207,208,209,210,211and228,whensuchoffenceis
alleged to have been committed in, or in relation to, any proceedings in any Court, except on the
complaintinwritingofsuchCourtorofsomeotherCourttowhichsuchCourtissubordinateor
(c)ofanyoffencedescribedinSection463orpunishableunderSection471,Section475orSection
476ofthesameCode,whensuchoffenceisallegedtohavebeencommittedbyapartytoanyproceeding
inanyCourtinrespectofadocumentproducedorgiveninevidenceinsuchproceeding,exceptonthe
complaintinwritingofsuchCourt,orofsomeotherCourttowhichsuchCourtissubordinate.
(2)Inclause(b)and(c)ofthesubsection(1),theterm"Court"includesaCivil,RevenueorCriminal
Court,butdoesnotincludeaRegistrarorSubRegistrarunderthe[RegistrationAct,1908].
(3)For the purposes of this section, a Court shall be deemed to be subordinate to the Court to which
appealsordinarilyliefromtheappealabledecreesorsentencesofsuchformerCourt,orinthecaseofa
CivilCourtfromwhosedecreenoappealordinarilyliestotheprincipalCourthavingordinaryoriginal
civiljurisdictionwithinthelocallimitsofwhosejurisdictionsuchCivilCourtissituate:
Providedthat
(a)whereappealslietomorethanoneCourt,theAppellateCourtofinferiorjurisdictionshallbethe
CourttowhichsuchCourtshallbedeemedtobesubordinateand
(b) where appeals lie to a Civil and also to a RevenueCourt, such Court shall be deemed to be
subordinatetotheCivilorRevenueCourtaccordingtothenatureofthecaseorproceedinginconnecting
withwhichtheoffenceisallegedtohavebeencommitted.
(4) The provisions of subsection (9), with reference to the offences named therein, apply also to
criminal conspiracies to commit such offences and to the abetment of such offence, and attempts to
committhem.
(5) Where a complaint has been made under subsection (1), clause (a), by a public servant, any
authoritytowhichsuchPublicservantissubordinatemayorderthewithdrawalofthecomplaintand,if
does so, it shall forward a copy of such order to the Court and, upon receipt thereof by the Court, no
furtherproceedingsshallbetakenonthecomplaint.
COMMENTARY
1.Scopeandextent.EveryCivil,CriminalandRevenueCourtcantakecognizanceofoffencesreferred
toinS.195(1)(b)or(c)Cr.P.C.1994SCMR1103.HighCourtitselfcaninitiateproceedingsunderS.
476 Cr.P.C. 1994 SCMR 1103. Section 188, P.P.C. having been made cognizable by an amendment
madeintheScheduleofCr.P.C.,apoliceofficercannowarrestapersonwithoutwarrantofanoffence
punishable thereunder having been committed in any public place, but there being no corresponding
amendment in S. 195, Cr.P.C. a Court despite that can only take cognizance of such an offence on a
complaint in writing of the public servant concerned or of some other public servant to whom he is
subordinate. PLD 1996 Pesh 37. Offence committed before Revenue Officer dealing with mutation
proceedings. PLJ 1980 S.C. 70 1979 SCMR 130 PLD 1973 S.C. 619. Complaint cannot be made
againstawitness.1971SCMR227.Approverresilingfromhispreviousstatement.PLD1961AJ&K61.
ForgeddocumentproducedinCourt.MagistratetorecordafindingasrequiredbyS.476Cr.P.C.should

makecomplaintinwritingtoaCourtofcompetentjurisdiction,however,cancallupontheaccusedto
furnishsecurity.PLD1965Kar.622.Cannotproceedintheabsenceofvalidcomplaint.PLD1963Lah.
269.Protectionnotforadvocateofapartyortheabettorofanoffence.PLD1964Lah.369.Cognizance
canbetakenuponacomplaintinwritingofCourtconcerned.PLD1963Kar.719.Applicability.1969
PCr.LJ241.OffenceunderS.468P.P.C.aforgery.PLD1968Lah.451.Falsecomplaint.1972PCr.LJ
79.Offenceagainstevacueeproperty.PLD1966Kar.122.ContraventionoforderofMagistrate.PLD
1972 Pesh. 128. Not a tool to wreak a private vengeance or satisfy a private grudge. 1970 SCMR 10.
Merelyingofcivilsuitdoesnotbarregistrationofcaseifcriminalactisfoundtohavebeencommitted.
PLJ1998Lah1101.ThebasiclawdetailedinPLD1992Lah.178.Prosecutionforcontemptoflawful
authorityofpublicservant.ProvisionofS.195mandatoryinnature.PLD2001Pesh89.
2.Directcomplaint.NocognizancecanbetakenbyanyCourtforoffencesfallingunderS.195,Cr.P.C.
exceptuponcomplaintinwritingofsuchCourtwheresaidoffencesarecommittedorsomeotherCourt
towhichsuchCourtissubordinate,privatepersonhasnoauthoritytofilecomplaint.2003PCr.LJ1242.
Only public authority concerned and Court has a right to file the complaint under S. 195, Cr.P.C. and
unlessthereisacomplaintbyauthorityortheCourt,Courtcannottakeitscognizance.2004YLR716.
3.Documentsubjectmatteroflitigation.CriminalprosecutioncanbelaunchedonlybytheCourtbefore
whomaforgeddocumentispendingorcanbelaunchedbyapersonwhohasbeendefraudedasaresult
thereofandthattoo,muchpriortotheproductionofthatdocumentinCourt.1999MLD2243,PLD1992
Lah.178fol.TheconditionsnecessaryfortheapplicabilityofS.195(1)(c)are:
(i)theoffencementionedshouldbecommittedbyapartytotheproceedingsintheCourt,and
(ii) such offence should be in respect of a document produced or given in evidence in such
proceedings.1960PCr.LJ241(DB)referredin2000SCMR1904.
OnlythepublicservantorCourtconcernedarecompetenttofilesuchcomplaintswhichcannotbefiled
byaprivatepersoninrespectofanyoftheoffencesmentionedinS.195,Cr.P.C.1990PCr.LJ97.Clause
(c) of S. 195(1) applies to only those offences that have a "close nexus between the offence and the
proceedings".InotherwordsS.195(1)(c),Cr.P.C.contemplatescasesoftemperingwiththedocuments
on the record of Court or cases of previously forged documents being used as genuine in certain
proceedings. 2000 SCMR 1904 2000 MLD 1687. Suit for damages pending, criminal case would
amounttoputtingpressure,directionissuedtokeeppendingtilldecision.2000MLD863.
4.FamilyCourt.Canproceedformakingfalsestatement.1991PCr.LJ1879.Trialcannotbetakenonthe
report of Police. 1991 MLD 2090. Offence of forgery committed by third person. 1991 PCr.LJ 1337.
Dismissalofcomplaintdoesnotoperateasanacquittal.1990PCr.LJ777.Objecttopreventimproperor
reckless prosecution by private person for offences in connection with administration of justice. 1990
PCr.LJ1209.
Section 195, Cr.P.C. would apply to only those cases that had close nexus between the offence and
proceedingsintheCourt.Section195,Cr.P.C.contemplatescasesoftamperingwiththedocumentson
the record of a Court or cases of previously forged documents being used as genuine in certain
proceedings.1998PCr.LJ1126.DocumentsubjudicebeforeCivilCourt,criminalprosecutionregarding
the same document cannot be launched. 1997 MLD 2097. Bar only relates to those cases which have
closenexusbetweentheoffencesandproceedingsofthecivilcases.1999MLD2243.Documentforged
prior to the launching of the civil proceedings. No bar for the person so defrauded to initiate criminal
proceedingseventhecivillitigationispending.1999MLD2243+PLD1992Lah.178.
5. Public servant concerned. Means public servant whose orders violated. 1997 PCr.LJ 589. Public
servantconcernedistheonetowhomfalseinformationwasgivenwithanintenttocausethesaidpublic
servanttousehislawfulpowertotheinjuryofanotherperson.2002PCr.LJ366.
6.Section195(1)(c).Clause(c)ofsubs.(1)ofs.195doesnotapplytocasesinwhichtheforgerywas

committed before the institution of a suit or other proceedings in which the forged document is
producedorgiveninevidence.2004YLR830.Section195(1)(c)notapplicabletothecaseregistered
withlawfulauthoritybeforeinstitutionofcivilsuit.2004YLR830.
7.RentController.NocasecanberegisteredwithoutawrittencomplaintmadebyCourtconcernedas
required u/S. 195(1)(c). Case registered without such written complaint and proceedings before Trial
CourtwouldclearlyamounttoanabuseofprocessofCourt.NLR1999S.D.491.