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1988 DIGILAW 254 (RAJ)

STATE v. DHUDA SINGH

1988-04-23

SOBHAG MAL JAIN

body1988
Judgment SOBHAGMAL JAIN, J. ( 1 ) THIS appeal arises on leave granted by this Court under section 378, Cr. P. C. against the judgment, dated June 30, 1978, of the Judicial Magistrate, 1st Class, No. 2, Hanumangarh, acquitting the accused respondent for the offence under Section 54 (a) of the Rajasthan Excise Act, 1950 (herein-after referred to as the Act ). ( 2 ) THE brief facts, giving rise to the present appeal, are as follows: Shri Ghanshyam Dass Assistant Sub-Inspector, Police Station, Tibi, while on petrol duty on January 24, 1977, noticed that the accused who was coming from the Talwara side was trying to run away on seeing the police party. This aroused suspicions and Shri Ghanshyam Dass stopped the accused near the Home-Signal, and searched his person. One bottle of liquor was found in his possession. It was seized and sealed. The bottle was sent to the State Forensic Science Laboratory for analysis. On examination it was found to contain liquor having 65. 88 under proof ethyl-alcohol. After investigation, a charge-sheet was filed against the accused in the Court of Judicial Magistrate, Hanumangarh. There the accused was tried for the offence under section 54 (a) of the Act. ( 3 ) AFTER trial, the Judicial Magistrate, by the judgment dated June 30, 1978, acquitted the accused on the ground that the search held by the Assistant Sub Inspector was illegal and unauthorised and had caused material prejudice to the accused. Aggrieved by the aforesaid judgment of acquittal, the State of Rajasthan has come up in appeal to this Court after having obtained leave. ( 4 ) TRUE, the learned Magistrate has not addressed himself on the merits of the case and has acquitted the accused on the technical ground that the search conducted by the Assistant Subinspector was unauthorised and without jurisdiction and that the irregularity had caused material prejudice to the accused. Having heard the Public Prosecutor at length, I am not pursuaded to interfere with the order of acquittal passed by the learned Magistrate. Apart from the fact that the position of law adopted by the learned Magistrate is supported by a judgment of this Court in Nandlal v. State the reversal of the order of acquittal now after more than 11 years would lead to injustice rather than advancing the cause of justice. The occurrence is dated January 24, 1977. Apart from the fact that the position of law adopted by the learned Magistrate is supported by a judgment of this Court in Nandlal v. State the reversal of the order of acquittal now after more than 11 years would lead to injustice rather than advancing the cause of justice. The occurrence is dated January 24, 1977. Only one bottle of liquor was found in the possession of the accused. To my mind this is not a case where the order of acquittal passed by the learned Magistrate should be interfered with. There is no merit in the appeal and the same is hereby dismissed.