Order.- In this petition, the legality of the order passed by the Second Additional Munsiff-Magistrate, Bellary, in C.C.No. 935 of 1969, refusing to give a free copy of the judgment of acquittal of the petitioner is challenged. 2. This petitioner who was an accused in C.C.No. 935 of 1969, was acquitted in the said case by the Second Additional Munsiff-Magistrate, Bellary. On 9th July, 1970, the petitioner filed application under section 371(1), Criminal Procedure Code, praying for grant of free copy of the judgment of acquittal on the ground that it was required by him for some other purpose. On 10th September, 1970, the learned Magistrate rejected the application on the ground that the petitioner had mentioned that the copy was required in order to file a suit for malicious prosecution. 3. Shri D. Puttaswamy, learned Advocate appearing on behalf of the petitioner, pointed out that section 371(1), Criminal Procedure Code, lays down mandatorily that a trial Court should grant a copy of the judgment in criminal case to the concerned accused, free of cost, on an application being made by such accused provided such a case is not a summons case. Section 371(1), Criminal Procedure Code, reads as follows: “On the application of the accused a copy of the judgment, or, when he so desires, a translation in his own language, if practicable, or in the language of the Court, shall be given to him without delay. Such copy shall in any case other than a summons case, be given free of cost.” 4. The case on hand is not a summons case. That goes to show that the accused-petitioner was, as of right, entitled to a free copy of the judgment. Section 371, Criminal Procedure Code, does not at all lay down that if a copy is required for any particular purpose, it need not be granted. Therefore, the order passed by the learned Magistrate is not sustainable in law. The same view is expressed in Anil Kumar Biswas v. The State1. 5. In view of the foregoing reasons, the order of refusal in question is to be set aside and, hence this petition is allowed. The order passed by the 2nd Additional Munsiff-Magistrate, Bellary, on 10th September, 1970, is set aside. The Magistrate is directed to supply a free copy of the judgment to the petitioner. S.V.S. ----- Petition allowed direction given.