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IN THE COURT OF THE JUDICIAL MAGISTRATE OF 1 st CLASS ::
RAILWAY KODUR
Present: Smt.M.Anjani Priyadarsini,
Judicial Magistrate of 1st Class, Railway Kodur
Wednesday, this is the 24 th day of April, 2024.
C.C.No.136/2023
Between The Enforcement Sub-Inspector, SEB Station, Railway Kodur:: Complainant
Vs
Chemuri Ravi, S/o Pedda Venkataiah, age:36 years, resident at D.No.2- 40, Tadivandlapalli Village, Railway Kodur Mandal, Kadapa District.
:: Accused
This case coming for final hearing before me in the presence of the Sri D.Chinna Babu Assistant Public prosecutor for complainant and of Sri R.Suresh Babu counsel for the accused and having stood over for consideration till this day, this court delivered the following:-
JUDGMENT
The State Represented by the Sub-Inspector of SEB Station,
Enforcement Bureau Station Railway Kodur filed a charge sheet against the accused in Cr.No.199/2021 for the offence punishable under section 7(B) r/w 8 (A) of A.P.Prohibition (Amendment) Act 2020 of SEB, Railway
Kodur P.S.,
2) The prosecutions case in brief is as follows:
On 01.10.2021 at about 8.20 AM during raids conducted by the
LW.4 and staff conducted raids at Desetipalli Village Cross situated on
Tadivandlapalli to Peddarachapalli road of Kodur Mandal, Y.S.R.Kadapa
District at that time they found the accused having one white colour
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plastic bag in his right hand. On seeing them tried to escape the accused but detained him. The accused admitted that with a fear of arrest him tried to escape. Then LW.3 deputed LW.1/v.Ravi to secure mediators but it was in vain. On questioning the accused, he revealed his identity and the white colour plastic bag contains liquor in it. LW.3 examined the white colour bag and found 16 polythene packets each containing 160 Ml I.D.Arrack (Total 2.56 Lts of ID arrack). LW.3 has drawn two polythene packets of I.D.Arrack from the white plastic bag and wrapped in a newspaper, duly sealed and labeled for the purpose of chemical analysis and seized the remaining property in the same white plastic bag which also duly sealed and labeled. On enquiry about the I.D.Arrack packets, the accused did not reveal anything. After informed the grounds of his arrest the accused under the cover of special report drafted on the spot. Basing on Ex.P.1 report, LW1 registered a case in Cr.No.199/2021 U/Sec.7-B r/w 8(e) of A.P.Prohibition (Amendment) Act, 1995 and the accused sent judicial remand. During the course of investigation the sample was sent to the Regional
Prohibition and Excise Laboratory Kurnool after analyzing the sample has opined his letter vide C.E.No.1648/2021 dated 28.06.2022, that the sample is illicit distilled liquor unfit for human consumption and injurious to health. The seized property was produced before the
Superintendent of Police, Kadapa for confiscation and the same was confiscated to state vide in the proceedings of the Superintendent of
Police, Kadapa Rc.No.1979/2021/B1 dated 28.06.2022 and same was destroyed before the Assistant Excise Superintendent, SEB kadapa
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under cover of panchanama dated 28.06.2022. The accused punishable
U/Sec.7-(B) r/w 8(e) of A.P.Prohibition (Amendment) Act 1995. Hence, the charge sheet.
3) This case was taken cognizance against the accused for the offence under section 7(B) r/w 8(B) of A.P.P. (Amendment) Act 2020 and issued summons to the accused.
4) On the appearance of the accused before this court, copies of documents as contemplated U/sec.207 of Cr.P.C were furnished and when he was examined U/sec.239 Cr.P.C and charge under section 7(B) r/w 8(B) of A.P.P. Amendment Act 2020 is framed and got read over and explained to him in Telugu for which he pleaded not guilty and claimed to be tried.
5) The prosecution to prove it’s case got examined PW.1 to
PW.3 and got marked Ex.P.1 to Ex.P.6 and MO.1 is the sample bottle. No witnesses were examined and no exhibits marked on behalf of the defence.
6) After closure of prosecution evidence, the accused was examined U/sec.313 Cr.P.C explaining incriminating material available in the evidence of prosecution witnesses and got read over and explained to him in Telugu for which he denied and reported no defence evidence. Hence, defence evidence closed.
7) Heard arguments of the learned Assistant Public prosecutor for complainant and the learned counsel for the accused.
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8) Now the point for consideration is:
Whether the prosecution brought home the guilt of the accused beyond all reasonable doubt for the offences under section 7(B) r/w 8(B) of A.P.P.
Amendment Act 2020?
9) In order to make out an offence under section 7(B) r/w 8(B) of A.P.P. Amendment Act 2020, the prosecution shall prove that an accused is found in importing, exporting, transporting, manufacturing, collecting, or possessing or selling any intoxicant without any license or permit in that regard and the same is seized from his possession as per the procedure laid down under law.
10) Coming to the evidence adduced before the Court,
PW.1/V.Ravi, SEB Constable deposed that on 01.10.2021 at about 10.30
AM he along with LW.3 and other staff were reached at Desettypalli village Cross situated on Thadivandlapalli village to Peddarachapalli road of Rly.Kodur Mandal. There they saw one male person sitting and holding one white colour Plastic Bag in his right hand, upon seeing them, he tried to skulk away, at the instruction of LW.3, himself and other constables caught hold the accused and the Inspector of Excise
Police questioned the accused as to why he was trying to escape for which he replied that he was in possession of I.D.Arrack Plastic Packets.
On verification of the Plastic bag by L.W.3 total 16 polythene packets each containing 160 ml ID Arrack and the total 2.56 liters of ID Arrack.
At the instructions of the L.W.3/G.Chandra Sekhar sent him to secure mediators in and around the near by village i.e., Desettypalli and he
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went there and he tried for Revenue Officials but they are not available so he returned back to the scene of offence. Accused revealed his identity particular as C.Ravi S/o Pedda Venkataiah, aged 36 years,
Thadivandlapalli village of Rly.Kodur Mandal. LW.3 drawn two polythene packets of ID Arrack from the Plastic Bag for Chemical
Analysis. LW.3 questioned the accused with regard to license or permit for which he replied that he does not possess any license or permit to sell the I.D.Arrack. Then LW.3 informed the accused that possessing, transporting and selling of ID arrack is illegal. The remaining property was seized and labeled and arrested the accused under cover of special report and submitted before the Honourable Court for judicial custody on that day.
In the cross examination he deposed that the distance between
Excise Police and scene offence is 04 KM. He admitted that the scene of offence is busy locality and surrounded by residential houses. He has not seen any customers buying I.D.Arrack from accused. They did not asked the pedestrians to act as mediators but in vain. He cannot say the names whom he asked to act as mediators. He cannot say the boundaries of scene of offence. He denied the suggestion that they did not arrested accused at scene of offence, only for statistical purpose we filed this case against accused and that accused is no way connected to this case and that they conducted table investigation and accused is no way connected to this case and not committed any offence and that only for statistical purpose he filed this case against accused, accused is no way connected to this property.
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11) PW.2/G.Chandra Sekhar, Inspector of Police, SEB Station deposed in his chief examination that on 01.10.2021 at about 10.30 AM he along with P.W.1 and other staff were reached at Desettypalli village
Cross situated on Thadivandlapalli village to Peddarachapalli road of
Rly.Kodur mandal. There they saw one male person sitting and holding one white colour Plastic Bag in his right hand, upon seeing them, he tried to skulk away, on his instructions, P.W.1 and other constables caught hold the accused and he questioned the accused as to why he was trying to escape for which he replied that he was in possession of
I.D.Arrack Plastic Packets. On his verification of the Plastic bag, the total 16 polythene packets each containing 160 ml ID Arrack and the total 2.56 liters of ID Arrack. On his instructions P.W.1 went to secure mediators in and around the near by village i.e., Desettypalli and he went there and he tried for Revenue Officials but they are not available so he returned back to the scene of offence. Accused revealed his identity particular as C.Ravi s/o Pedda Venkataiah, aged 36 years,
Thadivandlapalli village of Rly.Kodur Mandal. He drawn two polythene packets of ID Arrack from the Plastic Bag for Chemical Analysis. He questioned the accused with regard to license or permit for which he replied that he does not possess any license or permit to sell the
I.D.Arrack. Then he informed the accused that possessing, transporting and selling of ID arrack is illegal. The remaining property was seized and labeled and arrested the accused under cover of special report and submitted before the Honourable Court for judicial custody on that day.
Basing on the Ex.P1 he registered a case in Cr.No.199/2021 U/Sec.7(A),
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8(e) of APP Act and the same is marked under Ex.P2. M.O.1 is the
Sample of ID Arrack pocket. Ex.P3 is the Letter of Advice
dated:01.10.2021.Ex.P4is the Chemical analysis report
dated:24.12.2021 vide CE.No.1648/2021.
In the cross examination that the distance between Excise Police and scene offence is 04 KM. He admitted that the scene of offence is busy locality and surrounded by residential houses. He has not seen any customers buying I.D.Arrack from accused. they did not asked the pedestrians to act as mediators but in vain. He cannot say the names whom he asked to act as mediators. He cannot say the boundaries of scene of offence. He denied the suggeation that they did not arrested accused at scene of offence, only for statistical purpose they filed this case against accused and that accused is no way connected to this case and that they conducted table investigation and accused is no way connected to this case and not committed any offence NS that only for statistical purpose he filed this case against accused, accused is no way connected to this property.
12) PW.3/K.Narasimha Rao, Sub-Inspector of Police, SEB Station deposed in his chief examination that he took up further investigation in this case from P.W.2. He produced the Contraband before Deputy
Commissioner of SEB, Ananthapur and the same was order for destruction vide R.C.No.1979/2021/B1 dated:28.06.2022. The property was destroyed on 16.07.2022. Ex.P5 is the Attested copy of proceedings of the Deputy Commissioner of SEB, Ananthapur. Ex.P6 is the Destruction Panchanama dated:16.07.2022. After completion of
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investigation he filed the charge sheet before the Hon’ble Court.
In the cross examination he denied the suggestion that they made table investigation and got filed the charge sheet against the accused.
The accused are no way concerned to the present case and that they foisted a false case for statistical purpose.
13) The learned APP contended that the evidence on record clearly proves the guilt of the accused for the offence with which he was charged and that the accused may be convicted and sentenced accordingly.
14) On the other hand, the learned counsel for the accused submitted that the accused did not commit any offence as alleged and that the accused was brought from his house and this case was foisted falsely against him for statistical purpose. He further submitted that no independent witnesses were examined in this case and thus the so- called seizure is against the provisions of Section 100(4) of the Cr.P.C.
He thus prayed that the accused is entitled to acquittal.
15) It may be seen from the evidence on record that PW.2 sent
PW.1 to secure the presence of independent mediators once the property was found in possession of the accused but they returned back to the scene of offence and informed to him that nobody came forward to act as mediators. In the cross-examination of PW.2, he categorically deposed that he had not issued any written notices to
PW.1 sought to be served on the mediators and PW.1 did not state
before him the names of the person or persons to whom he requested
to act as mediators and who refused to do so. It is well settled principle
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of law that a police officer conducting investigation of a crime is entitled to ask anybody to join the investigation and on refusal by a person from the public who is legally bound to assist him, such police officer can take action against such a person under the law for declining to assist him. In this case apparently no such action is initiated against the person or persons who allegedly refused to act as mediators. It is therefore very doubtful whether really PW.2 sent PW.1 to secure the presence of independent mediators once the case property was alleged to have been found in the possession of the accused. Even otherwise, P.W.2 is Police Official and his evidence manifestly demonstrates that he did not make any sincere efforts to secure the presence of independent mediators albeit it was stated in the evidence before the Court that the scene of offence is a busy locality. According to the provisions of Section 100(4) of the Cr.P.C., whenever any property is to be seized the officer who seizes such property is under an obligation to call for two or more respectable inhabitants of that locality and in this case that has not happened.
Therefore, the very seizure of the property from the alleged possession of the accused is in flagrant contravention of the provisions of Section 100(4) of the Cr.P.C.
16) In MUDAVATH MOTHIA v. STATE OF A.P. [2002 (1) ALT (Crl.) 437 (A.P.)], our Hon'ble High Court inter alia held thus:
“Adverting to the same, the offence under section 7(B) r/w 8(B) of A.P.P. Amendement Act 2020 is made cognizable offence and once the excise officials are entrusted with the investigation of cognizable offence, they become police officials and the excise officials
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can never say that they are not the police officials. .........The non- examination of independent mediators is fatal to the prosecution version. ......... It is not a case where the property was seized by virtue of confession made. When it is also not admissible in view of the legal bar and invalid proceedings, it is a fit case where the accused be given the benefit of doubt......”
17) Again in GAJAMKER NARAYANA v. STATE OF A.P. [2005 (3) ALT (Crl.) 1 (AP)], our Hon'ble High Court inter alia held thus:
"Thus, from the evidence on record, it is clear that the Police
Officials picked up punch witnesses at the police station and took along with them to the scene of offence. Neither the testimony of PW.2 nor that of PW.1 discloses that they tried to secure independent respectable inhabitants of the locality where the offence was allegedly committed, to act as mediators. Special report also does not disclose that any effort was made by Police Officials to secure independent respectable inhabitants of the locality. Therefore, in the absence of specific evidence in that regard, I am bound to come to the conclusion that the provisions of Section 100(4) Cr.P.C. are not followed by the
Police Officials while seizing the white bag containing I.D.Arrack in it.
Therefore, the seizure made in this case is illegal.”
18) Further, a perusal of the record shows that the sample was reached to the Chemical Examiner, Kurnool, on 24.12.2021 but as per the evidence on record the alleged offence took place on01.10.2021 when the alleged sample was drawn. Thus, there was a delay of nearly two months in reaching samples to the Chemical Examiner, Kurnool, for
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analysis and the said delay was not explained properly and therefore such delay is also fatal to the case of the prosecution, as has been inter alia observed in S.BABU SAHEB @ BABU v. STATE OF A.P. [2010 (1) ALT (Crl.) 32].
19) From the above it is crystal clear that except the evidence adduced by the Police Official-PW.1 to PW.3, PW.2 deposed in the cross examination that he denied the suggestion that except signing on panchanama he donot know anything about this case. He cannot say the number of cans that were destroyed and he is deposing false at the request of police though he donot know anything of this case. who are very much interested in the outcome of the case no independent witnesses were examined in support of their case. Thus, the case of the prosecution that the accused found in possession of pots containing
I.D.Arrack and the same was seized from his possession at the scene of offence is highly doubtful in as much as the evidence of excise official does not inspire the credibility and confidence of the Court in the absence of corroboration from any independent witnesses. It is well established principle of law that no conviction can be based on mere assumptions and presumptions or on mere surmises and conjectures.
Further, there must be concrete legal evidence to convict an accused and the burden lies on the prosecution to prove the guilt of the accused beyond all reasonable doubt with cogent and convincing evidence. In the present case, in the light of the above discussion, it is obvious that the prosecution has miserably failed to wholly bring home the guilt of the accused beyond all reasonable doubt. Consequently, this Point is
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accordingly answered in favour of the accused and against the prosecution.
In the result, the accused is found not guilty for the offence
U/Sec.7(A) r/w 8 (B) of A.P. Prohibition Act 2020 and he is acquitted of the same U/sec.248(1) of Cr.P.C. The bail bonds of accused with that of his sureties shall be in force for a period of six months as per Sec.437-A of Cr.P.C. MO.1 shall be destroyed after expiry of appeal time.
Typed my dictation by Stenographer Grade-III, corrected and
pronounced by me in open court, this the 24th day of April, 2024.
Sd/- M.Anjani Priyadarsini
Judicial Magistrate of 1 st Class
Railway Kodur.
Appendix of evidence
Witnesses examined for prosecution:-
PW.1: V.Ravi P.W.2: G.Chandra Sekhar PW.3: K.Narasimha Rao Witnesses examined for defence:- Nil
Exhibits marked for prosecution:- Ex.P.1: Special Report Ex.P.2: FIR in Cr.No.199/2021 of SEB Railway Kodur PS., Ex.P.3:Letter of Advice Ex.P.4: Chemical Analysis Report. Ex.P.5:Attested copy of proceedings of the Deputy Commissioner of SEB Ananthapuram Ex.P6: Destruction panchanama Exhibits marked for defence:-Nil
Material objects marked for prosecution:-
MO.1 is sample bottle. Sd/- M.Anjani Priyadarsini
Judicial Magistrate of 1 st Class
Railway Kodur.
// True Copy //
Sd/- M.Anjani Priyadarsini
Judicial Magistrate of First Class,
Railway Kodur.
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CALENDER AND JUDGMENT
DISTRICT:KADAPA
Calendar AND Judgment tried by the Judicial .Magistrate of I Class: Railway Kodur. Date of OffenceReportApprehensionReleaseCommenceClose of trialJudgment Of AccusedOn bailment of trial 24.04.2024 0 01.10.2021 1.10.2021–--31.10.202319.04.2024
Calendar and Judgment in C.C.No.136/2023 on the file of J.F.C.M, Railway Kodur.
Complainant: The Sub-Inspector, SEB, Rly.Kodur PS., in Cr.No.199/2021.
Name of the accused withAgeReligionResidence father’s Name Chemuri Ravi, S/o PeddaAge:36 yearsResident at D.No.2-40,
Venkataiah, Tadivandlapalli Village, Hindu Railway Kodur Mandal,
Kadapa District.
Offence : For the offence under section 7(B) r/w 8(B) of A.P.P. Amendment Act 2020
Finding : The accused is found not guilty.
In the result, the accused is found not guilty for the offence U/Sec.7(B) r/w Sentence: 8 (B) of A.P. Prohibition Act 2020 and he is acquitted of the same U/sec.248(1) of Cr.P.C. The bail bonds of accused with that of his sureties shall be in force for a period of six months as per Sec.437-A of Cr.P.C. MO.1 shall be destroyed after expiry of appeal time.
Sd/- Smt M.Anjani Priyadarsini
Judicial Magistrate of I Class
Railway Kodur.
Remarks: Explanation for the delay From: The Judicial Magistrate of I Class, Railway Kodur Copy submitted to: The Hon’ble I Additional District & Sessions Judge, Kadapa.
// True Copy //
Sd/- M.Anjani Priyadarsini
Judicial Magistrate of First Class,
Railway Kodur.