Partly allowed

Bhagwan Das Sonar v. State of Jharkhand

Jharkhand HC17 Nov 2022Cr.Rev./563/2009

Case brief

AI extract

What is this about?

In a criminal revision, the High Court upheld the conviction against the petitioner but modified the sentence given the long lapse of time and lack of cruelty. The court substituted imprisonment with a fine and discharged the petitioner from bail liabilities.

What did the court decide?

Imprisonment sentence modified to period already undergone with a fine of Rs. 10,000/- payable within four months; petitioner discharged from bail bond liability.

Bhagwan Das Sonar Vs State of Jharkhand — Property and Title | Jharkhand HC (2022)

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IN THE HIGH COURT OF JHARKHAND AT RANCHI

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Cr. Revision No. 563 of 2009

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Bhagwan Das Sonar. ..… Petitioner

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Versus

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The State of Jharkhand. ..... Opposite Party ---------

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CORAM: HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE DEEPAK ROSHAN

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For the Petitioner : Mr. K.S.Nanda, Adv. For the State : Mr. Arup Kr. Dey, APP

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05/Dated: 17^th November, 2022

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Heard learned counsel for the parties.

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This revision application is directed against the judgment dated 12.05.2009 passed by learned Sessions Judge, Dhanbad, in Cr. Appeal No. 13 of 2003; whereby the judgment of conviction and order of sentence dated 30.01.2003 passed by learned Judicial Magistrate Railway, Dhanbad in. R.P.Case No. 181 of 1994, corresponding to T.R. No.1119 of 2003; whereby the petitioner was convicted under Section 3 (a) of R.P.U.P.Act and sentenced to undergo R.I. for one year with a fine of Rs. 4,000/-and appeal filed by the petitioner was dismissed.

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Learned counsel for the petitioner fairly confines his argument on the question of sentence on the ground that the instant case is of the year of 1994 and about 28 years have elapsed since then and the petitioner must have suffered the mental agony for ongoing litigation. He further submits that this is the only case filed against the petitioner and there is no other criminal antecedent against the petitioner. He further submits that the petitioner is a old aged person and also

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remained in custody for about 63 days and has never misused the privilege of bail, as such some leniency may be granted by this Court and sentence may be modified to period already undergone and fine amount may be reduced.

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Learned A.P.P. opposes the contention of the petitioner and submits that there is concurrent finding and as such, no interference is required though he fairly admits that there is no criminal antecedent of the petitioner.

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After going through the impugned judgments including the lower court records and keeping in mind the limited submissions of the learned counsel for the petitioner and also the scope of revisional jurisdiction, I am not inclined to interfere with the finding of the courts below and as such the judgments of conviction passed by the learned trial court and upheld by the learned appellate court is, hereby, sustained.

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However, so far as sentence is concerned, it is apparent from record that the incident is of the year 1994 and 28 years have elapsed and the petitioner must have suffered the rigors of litigation for the last 28 years. The petitioner remained in custody for about 63 days and now he is middle aged person and sending him back to prison at this stage will hamper the entire family. Further, it is not stated that the petitioner has ever misused the privilege of bail. In addition, the incident does not reflect any cruelty on the part of the petitioner or any mental depravity.

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In a situation of this nature, I am of the opinion that no

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fruitful purpose would be served by sending the petitioner/convict back to prison; rather interest of justice would be sufficed if the sentence is modified in lieu of fine.

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Thus, the sentence passed by the Court below is, hereby, modified to the extent that the petitioner is sentenced to undergo for the period already undergone, subject to the payment of fine of Rs. 10,000/-.

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It is made clear that the petitioner shall pay the aforesaid fine of Rs. 10,000/- within a period of 4 months from today before the D.L.S.A, Dhanbad failing which he shall serve rest of the sentence as ordered by the learned court below.

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With the aforesaid observations, directions and modification in sentence/fine only, the instant criminal revision application stands disposed of.

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The petitioner shall be discharged from the liability of his bail bond subject to fulfilment of aforesaid condition.

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Let a copy of this order be communicated to the courts below and Secretary DLSA, Dhanbad and also to the petitioner through the officer-in-charge of concerned police station.

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Let the lower court record be sent to the court concerned forthwith.

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(Deepak Roshan, J.)

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Amardeep/

Bhagwan Das Sonar v. State of Jharkhand

Case brief

What is this about?

What did the court decide?

Bhagwan Das Sonar v. State of Jharkhand

Case brief

What is this about?

What did the court decide?

What the court decided

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