JUDGEMENT
G.K.SHARMA, J. -
(1.)THIS revision petition has been preferred against
the judgment dated 27th August, 1984, passed by the Additional Sessions
Judge, Kishangarh Bas (Alwar), by which, the conviction of the petitioner
u/s. 16/54, Rajasthan Excise Act, passed by the Judicial Magistrate,
Kishangarh Baas was maintained.
(2.)THE petitioner was prosecuted for the offence u/s. 16/54 of the Rajasthan Excise Act. The case of the prosecution is that on 18th August,
1973, at about 6 P.M., N.M. Kankaria Excise Inspector, on secret information, searched the house of the petitioner, and found a
rubber -tube of black colour, containing about 100 bottles of illicit
liquor. The liquor was seized and its sample was taken by the Excise
Inspector. On examination by the Forensic Science Laboratory - the said
sample was found to be illicit liquor. After completion of investigation,
a challan was filed against the petitioner for offence u/s. 16/54 of the
Rajasthan Excise Act.
After trial, the learned Judicial Magistrate, Kishangarh Baas, found that the case was established by the prosecution. He, therefore,
convicted the petitioner as such and sentenced him to rigorous
imprisonment for 11/2 years; and to a fine of Rs. 300/ -; and in default
of payment of the said fine, to further undergo rigorous imprisonment for
three months. The petitioner then preferred an appeal against that
judgment of the learned Judicial Magistrate, before the Learned Sessions
Judge, Kishangarh Baas, who, while maintaining the conviction of the
petitioner, reduced the sentence of imprisonment from 11/2 years to 5
months only and he maintained the sentence of fine but reduced the
sentence of imprisonment in Case of failure to deposit the said fine to
rigorous imprisonment for one month. Against the said judgment of the
learned Additional Session Judge, the present revision petition has been
preferred.
(3.)THE learned counsel for the petitioner has not argued on the points mentioned in the revision petition, except that of giving the
benefit of probation to the accused -petitioner. It was argued that
Section 361, Cr. P.C. contemplates that where the Court feels that the
accused -person should not be dealt with u/s. 360, Cr. P.C. or under the
provisions of the Probation of offenders Act. 1958, it shall record, in
its judgment, the special reasons for not having done so. According to
the learned counsel, the learned Additional Sessions Judge, in the
present case, has not given any reason in his judgment for not granting
the benefit of probation under Section 360 Cr. P.C. to the accused
petitioner. In his judgment, the learned Additional Sessions Judge has
mentioned that vast quantity of liquor was recovered from the possession
of the petitioner and so, it was not justified and proper to give him the
benefit of probation. Except this, no reason has been assigned in his
judgment by the learned Additional Sessions Judge for not giving the
benefit of S. 360, Cr. P.C. to the accused -petitioner.
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