IN THE HIGH COURT OF KERALA AT ERNAKULAM
CRL A No. 819 of 2000()
1. STATE OF KERALA
... Petitioner
Vs
1. K.K.BALAN, S/O.CHANDU CHETTIAR
... Respondent
For Petitioner :PUBLIC PROSECUTOR
For Respondent : No Appearance
The Hon'ble MR. Justice K.R.UDAYABHANU
Dated :13/07/2007
O R D E R
K.R.UDAYABHANU,J
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CRL.A.No.819 of 2000
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Dated this the 13th day of July,2007
JUDGMENT
The appellant is the State. The appeal is filed seeking to
set aside the order of the Enquiry Commissioner and Special
Judge in C.C.No.15/97. The matter related to the alleged
misappropriation of the amounts by the accused who was the
cashier of the Electrical Major Section, Mananthavady. The total
amount involved is in respect of 12 receipts from the consumers
worth Rs. 9428.25.
The evidence adduced consisted of the testimony PWs. 1 to
17 Exts. P1 to P54 and Ext. D1. The trial court found that the
accused is entitled to the benefit of doubt. The prosecution
could not establish the case beyond reasonable doubt that the
accused is guilty of the offence alleged under Section 13(c) and
(d) read with section 13(2) of P.C.Act 1988 and Section 409 and
477(A) of the I.P.C. It is noticed by the court below that it has
come out in evidence that there was one more cashier in the
same office and the amounts collected are with respect to the
Crl.A.No.819/2000
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consumers from three centers in Mananthavady section, ie.,
Mananthavady, Panamaram and vellamande and that the same
consumer numbers are in existence in the three centers and that
the prosecution has not adduced any positive evidence to
establish that the invoices involved in the matter is specifically
with respect to Mananthavady centre. It is also noted that the
receipts did not contain the dates, on which the payments are
made. Further, the consumers when examined have not stated
that it is the accused who collected the amount. It is also noted
that the dates of the receipts are not mentioned in some of them
and further, it is found that with respect to certain receipts
wherein the dates are mentioned, the accused was on leave on
the particular dates. Further there was no signature on the
receipts and the writings were not established to be that of the
accused in the impugned receipts. The facts vide Ext P42 report
is that no definite conclusion as to the identity of the hand
writing can be had. It was in the above circumstances that the
Special Judge has found that the accused is entitled to be
acquitted. In the circumstances noted above and considering the
constraint of the Appellate Jurisdiction with respect to order of
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acquittal, I find that it would not be proper to set aside the order
of the court below.
In the circumstances, the appeal is dismissed.
K.R.UDAYABHANU,JUDGE
dvs