- (1.) The short point that arises for consideration in this appeal, by special leave, is whether the conviction of the appellant for an offence under Section 420, Indian Penal Code is justified.
(2.) The appellant, who was the first-accused and one Gopaldas were tried for offences punishable under S. 420, 466, 468, 471 and 477-A all read with Section 120-B of the Indian Penal Code. The charges against both the accused were as follows : "1.That between 21/10/1959 and 25/05/1961 you ac- cused No. 1 Hiralal was working as Petition writer in Collector's office compund at Pali, Rajasthan and you accused No. 2 gopaldas was working as a miscellaneous clerk in the office of the Superintendent of Police, Pali who was the motor driving licensing authority at Pali, Rajasthan, both of you in conspiracy agreed to do illegal acts, namely to forge motor driving licences and to pass them as genuine one and by such illegal means to cheat various persons by inducing them to pay you various sums of money. 2. That in pursuance of the above said agreement to do illegal acts and during the said period, you accused No. 1 came to Ahmedabad and cheated the 21 persons mentioned beanie (names of the 21 Persons referred to omitted) by dishonestly inducing them to pay you sums of money ranging from Rs. 100. 00 to 150. 00 on false representation to the effect that you were in a position to get valid driving licences from Pali, Rajasthan without giving any driving test or without even going to Pali or without giving medical examination. 3. That in pursuance of the agreement, namely, to do illegal acts, stated above, and during the above said period, you accused no. 2 at Pali forged 21 above-mentioned motor driving licences, purporting to be made by a public servant and purporting to bear the signature of Shri G. P. Pillania, intending to use them as genuine documents for the purpose of cheating, 4. That you both during the above said period and in pursuance of the said agreement to do illegal acts, used the above-mentioned 21 forged driving licences as genuine which both of you knew at the time of so using them to be forged documents. 5. And, in pursuance of the said agreement to do illegal acts and during the above said period you accused No. 2 being a clerk in the office of the Superintendent of Police, Pali, wilfully and with intent to defraud, altered and mutilated motor driving register of your office, namely, office of the Superintendent of police, Pali, which was in your possession as a clerk in the said office. 6. Thereby you both committed offence punishable under Sections 420, 466,468,471 and 477-A all read with Section 120-B of the Indian Penal Code. "both the accused denied the allegations made against them. The Sessions court, by its judgment dated 12/06/1964 acquitted both the accused of the offences under S. 466, 468 and 477-A, but convicted them under sections 420 and 471 read with Section 120-B, Indian Penal Code.
(3.) Both of accused filed appeals before the High court. The High court acquitted Gopaldas, the second accused, of all charges ; it also set aside the conviction of the appellant of the offence under Section 471, Indian Penal Code, but sustained his conviction under Section 420, Indian Penal Code. The High court has also held that the charge of conspiracy has not been established against both the accused and therefore Section 120-B does not come into the picture. For the offence under Section 420, Indian Penal Code, the High court has sentenced the appellant to undergo rigorous imprisonment for three months and to pay a fine of rs. 200. 00 or in default to suffer further rigorous imprisonment for three months. The conviction of the appellant and sentence passed against him by the Sessions court for the offence under Section 471 read with Section 120-B, indian Penal Code was set aside, as already noted, and he was acquitted of the said offence. The conviction of the appellant under Section 420, Indian Penal Code is the subject of this appeal.;