Ani, S/o. Bhaskaran v. State of Kerala, Represented by Public Prosecutor, High Court of Kerala
2021-10-12
MARY JOSEPH
body2021
DigiLaw.ai
ORDER : This petition is filed by accused Nos.1 and 2 in C.C No.615/2020, pending on the files of Additional Chief Judicial Magistrate Court (Economic Offences), Ernakulam. 2. The case of the prosecution was that sample of toddy was taken from toddy shop No.3 and was found to contain starch and for the violations Annexure-C final report was filed chargesheeting the petitioner for offences punishable under Sections 57(aa) and 56(b) of the Abkari Act (for short, ‘the Act’). 3. The grievance of the petitioners was that Section 57(aa) was introduced into the Act in the year 2018 and prior to the introduction only a general provision as 56(b) was available and punishment for violation of conditions of licence or permit was provided for thereunder. According to the learned counsel, with the introduction of Section 57(aa) in the year 2018, adding of starch into the toddy in particular was made an offence and the punishment for that was also provided thereunder. 4. It is submitted by Sri.Nireesh Mathew, the learned counsel that when a particular provision providing for violations of conditions of licence or permit and its punishment is introduced later, the petitioner cannot be made liable under the general provision providing for those which was there originally. According to him, therefore, there is every reason to quash Annexure-C final report to the extent it incorporates an offence under Section 56(b) of the Act also therein. 5. Section 56(b) of the Act is extracted hereunder; “(56) xxx (b) Wilfully does or omits to do anything in breach of any of the conditions of his license or permit not otherwise provided for in this Act;” (Emphasis supplied) The words emphasised as above make it clear that when the alleged acts are not otherwise made an offence under the Act alone the person responsible for it can be made liable under the general provision available. 6. It is undoubtedly clear from the words emphasised that for charge-sheeting a person for an offence punishable under sub-section (b) of Section 56, and be imposed with punishment thereunder, there must not be a provision providing for punishment separately.
6. It is undoubtedly clear from the words emphasised that for charge-sheeting a person for an offence punishable under sub-section (b) of Section 56, and be imposed with punishment thereunder, there must not be a provision providing for punishment separately. It is pertinent to note that Section 57(aa) has been introduced into the Act in the year 2018, which indisputably is a special provision to punish a person, guilty for adding starch into toddy, which is out of purview of the terms of licence or permit issued in his favour. 7. The petitioners having been chargesheeted for strict disobedience to the terms of licence or permit issued in their favour are liable to be punished under the specific provision of Section 57(aa). When a charge-sheet alleging commission of an offence under Section 57(aa) is there, the prosecution is highly unjustified in incorporating the offence under Section 56(b) also in the charge-sheet (Final Report). The investigating agency fails to take note of the words explicitly makes provision in the Act itself for its exclusion. Crl.M.C succeeds for the reason and is allowed in part. Annexure C Final Report is quashed to the extent it charge-sheets the petitioners for an offence under Section 56(b) of the Act.