{"id":43936,"date":"2008-02-29T00:00:00","date_gmt":"2008-02-28T18:30:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.legalindia.com\/judgments\/bechaarbhai-s-prajapati-vs-state-of-gujarat-on-29-february-2008"},"modified":"2017-11-02T20:05:36","modified_gmt":"2017-11-02T14:35:36","slug":"bechaarbhai-s-prajapati-vs-state-of-gujarat-on-29-february-2008","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.legalindia.com\/judgments\/bechaarbhai-s-prajapati-vs-state-of-gujarat-on-29-february-2008","title":{"rendered":"Bechaarbhai S. Prajapati vs State Of Gujarat on 29 February, 2008"},"content":{"rendered":"<div class=\"docsource_main\">Supreme Court of India<\/div>\n<div class=\"doc_title\">Bechaarbhai S. Prajapati vs State Of Gujarat on 29 February, 2008<\/div>\n<div class=\"doc_author\">Author: . A Pasayat<\/div>\n<div class=\"doc_bench\">Bench: Dr. Arijit Pasayat, J.M. Panchal<\/div>\n<pre>           CASE NO.:\nAppeal (crl.)  408 of 2008\n\nPETITIONER:\nBechaarbhai S. Prajapati\n\nRESPONDENT:\nState of Gujarat\n\nDATE OF JUDGMENT: 29\/02\/2008\n\nBENCH:\nDr. ARIJIT PASAYAT &amp; J.M. PANCHAL\n\nJUDGMENT:\n<\/pre>\n<p>J U D G M E N T<\/p>\n<p>CRIMINAL APPEAL NO 408 OF 2008<br \/>\n(Arising out of SLP (Crl.) No.6213 of 2007)<\/p>\n<p>Dr. ARIJIT PASAYAT, J.\n<\/p>\n<p>1.\tLeave granted.\n<\/p>\n<p>2.\tChallenge in this appeal is to the order passed by a<br \/>\nlearned Single Judge of the Gujarat High Court dismissing the<br \/>\nappeal filed by the appellant.\n<\/p>\n<p>3.\tChallenge before the High Court  was to the judgment<br \/>\nand order dated 5.11.1993 passed by learned Sub-Judge,<br \/>\nBhavnagar, in Special Case No.9 of 1991 whereby the<br \/>\nappellant was convicted and sentenced to suffer rigorous<br \/>\nimprisonment for one year in respect of offence under Section<br \/>\n161 of the Indian Penal Code, 1860 (in short the &#8216;IPC&#8217;) and for<br \/>\noffence punishable under Section 7(2) of the Prevention of<br \/>\nCorruption Act, 1988 (in short the &#8216;Act&#8217;), he was sentenced to<br \/>\nundergo rigorous imprisonment for one year in respect of each<br \/>\nof the offence and fine with default stipulation.\n<\/p>\n<p>4.\tBackground facts in a nutshell are as follows:\n<\/p>\n<p>On 12.12.1990, one Luxury Bus bearing No. GTS-9919<br \/>\nwas hired by Ramnikdas Hargovindas from Bharat Travels<br \/>\nCompany for carrying a marriage party from Mahuva to<br \/>\nSelana. According to the complainant-Ghelabhai Jasabhai, the<br \/>\nMehtaji of Bharat Travels who was present in the bus, at<br \/>\naround 6.00 or 6.15 a.m. of that day when the bus reached<br \/>\nAasarana Chokadi, the appellant-accused stopped the luxury<br \/>\nbus and demanded the documents relating to the luxury bus<br \/>\nwhereupon the complainant had shown the permit and other<br \/>\npapers. However, the police staff kept these papers with them.<br \/>\nThe appellant-accused, then demanded Rs.250\/-in the name<br \/>\nof entry fee. The complainant, then requested the appellant &#8211;<br \/>\naccused who was P.S.I. at the relevant time to let them go as<br \/>\nthe bus was carrying a marriage party. However, the appellant<br \/>\naccused demanded Rs.250\/- to which the complainant refused<br \/>\nas instructed by the owner of the bus.  It is further the case of<br \/>\nthe prosecution that the appellant-accused then told the<br \/>\ncomplainant that Rs.225\/- be paid and the papers be collected<br \/>\nfrom that spot where the bus was intercepted by 10.00<br \/>\nO&#8217;clock, and in case the complainant is late, the amount be<br \/>\npaid at Khuntvada Police Station. So saying, the appellant<br \/>\naccused issued a receipt in token of having taken away the<br \/>\npermit and other papers which was received by Bhagwanbhai<br \/>\nRanchhodbhai, the driver of the luxury bus. The driver was<br \/>\nthen allowed to run the bus towards village Selana. The<br \/>\ncomplainant thereafter, returned to Mahuva and narrated the<br \/>\nincident to the owner\/proprietor of the luxury bus. On hearing<br \/>\nthis, the owner of the luxury bus was against giving any illegal<br \/>\ngratification as all the documents relating to the luxury bus<br \/>\nwere genuine. Therefore, the owner decided to approach the<br \/>\nAnti Corruption Bureau, Bhavnagar. Accordingly, the<br \/>\ncomplainant, the owner of the luxury bus and one Ramjibhai<br \/>\nwho happens to be the elder brother of the owner of the luxury<br \/>\nbus went to the Office of the Anti Corruption Bureau,<br \/>\nBhavnagar, met Mr. Bhatt, P.I, of Anti Corruption Bureau,<br \/>\nBhavnagar, apprised him of the matter and lodged the<br \/>\ncomplaint. It is further the case of the prosecution that two<br \/>\nPanchas were called and they were told the purpose for which<br \/>\nthey have been called, the complaint was read over to them<br \/>\nand they agreed to be Panch Witnesess. They were also<br \/>\nexplained the purpose and use of anthracene powder.<br \/>\nThereafter, the complainant gave two currency notes in the<br \/>\ndenomination of  Rs.100\/-each and one currency note in the<br \/>\ndenomination of Rs.50\/- aggregating Rs.250\/-. These<br \/>\ncurrency notes as also the hands of the complainant, Panchas<br \/>\nand other staff were observed in ordinary light and nothing<br \/>\nsignificant appeared. Thereafter, a bottle containing<br \/>\nanthracene powder was taken from the cupboard, some<br \/>\nanthracene powder was put in a blank paper, these currency<br \/>\nnotes were smeared with anthracene powder and when they<br \/>\nwere again observed in ordinary light no visible marks were<br \/>\nseen. These currency notes were again tested under ultra-<br \/>\nviolet lamp and glowing marks of bluish powder were seen.<br \/>\nThese currency notes were then put into the shirt pocket of<br \/>\nthe complainant after ensuring that the shirt pocket was<br \/>\nempty. It was explained to the complainant that in ordinary<br \/>\nlight the marks of anthracene powder will not appear but only<br \/>\nunder ultra violet lamp the bluish powder marks of<br \/>\nanthracene powder can be seen. The anthracene powder that<br \/>\nremained in the blank paper was then put back into the bottle;<br \/>\nthe bottle was placed in the cupboard and locked. The blank<br \/>\npaper was burnt and destroyed. The complainant was<br \/>\ninstructed not to touch the currency notes put in his pocket<br \/>\nexcept for the purpose of giving them to the appellant-accused<br \/>\nand that these currency notes should be given to none other<br \/>\nthan the appellant-accused. With these instructions the<br \/>\nconstable washed his hands and made sure that there were no<br \/>\nmarks of anthracene powder by viewing under ultra violet<br \/>\nlamp. The preliminary Panchnama Exh. 14 was drawn. The<br \/>\nraiding party then left for Khuntvada &#8211; some persons went by<br \/>\nAmbassador Car while the others went by Jeep. The<br \/>\ncomplainant was instructed to give signal as soon as the<br \/>\namount is demanded and accepted by putting his hands on<br \/>\nhis head and Panch No.1-Hemantkumar Jayantilal Bharu was<br \/>\ninstructed to remain in the company of the complainant. In<br \/>\nthis manner, with a view to apprehend the appellant-accused<br \/>\nred handed while demanding and accepting the illegal<br \/>\ngratification from the complainant, the trap was arranged. It is<br \/>\nfurther the case of the prosecution that they reached<br \/>\nKhuntvada at 5.30 p.m. and on instructions by P.I. Mr. Bhatt,<br \/>\nRamjibhai Ukabhai, the elder brother of the owner of the<br \/>\nluxury bus went to Khuntvada Police Station to inquire<br \/>\nwhether the P.S.I. was present or not, however, since the P.S.I.<br \/>\nwas not available at the Police Station, they decided to wait for<br \/>\nan hour. It is alleged that within an hour the Police Jeep went<br \/>\ntowards the Police Station, and therefore, Panch No. 1 along<br \/>\nwith the complainant was sent to the Police Station. They went<br \/>\nto the Police Station on foot and so did the others who<br \/>\nfollowed. The complainant went up the first floor where he met<br \/>\nthe appellant-accused (P.S.I.) who was sitting in the Chamber<br \/>\nwhile Panch No. 1 who accompanied the complainant waited<br \/>\nat the door of the P.S.I&#8217;s Chamber. The complainant requested<br \/>\nto handover the papers of the luxury bus, but the appellant-<br \/>\naccused asked whether he (complainant) had brought the<br \/>\nmoney i.e. the illegal gratification. The complainant suggested<br \/>\nthat some lesser amount than Rs.250\/- be accepted to which<br \/>\nthe appellant-accused replied that Rs.200\/- be given.<br \/>\nAccordingly, the complainant handed over the tainted<br \/>\ncurrency notes of Rs.200\/- to the appellant-accused who<br \/>\naccepted the same by his left hand, put it in  his right hand<br \/>\nand then into his right hand trouser pocket. The appellant-<br \/>\naccused then gave the portfolio that was in the cupboard. In<br \/>\nthe meanwhile, the complainant had kept the remaining<br \/>\ncurrency note of Rs.50\/- in his pocket. The appellant-accused<br \/>\nthen demanded the receipt which was given at the time of<br \/>\ninterception at the spot, but the complainant told that the<br \/>\nreceipt was with the driver. It is alleged that, at that time,<br \/>\nPanch No.1 was at a distance of five feet from the Chamber of<br \/>\nthe appellant-accused and heard the conversation between the<br \/>\ncomplainant and the appellant-accused. It is also alleged that<br \/>\nthe complainant, thereafter, came out near the staircase and<br \/>\ngave the preplanned signal to the ACB personnel who rushed<br \/>\nto the Chamber of the appellant-accused in the company of<br \/>\nPanch No.2 Ishwarlal Girdharlal Chauhan. The ACB Inspector<br \/>\nrevealed his identity by showing his card, took away the<br \/>\nrevolver from the appellant-accused (P.S.I.). At that time, the<br \/>\nappellant-accused got frightened and took out the said tainted<br \/>\ncurrency notes from his trouser pocket and kept them in his<br \/>\nfist. The P.I. ACB, Bhavnagar then apprehended the appellant<br \/>\nfor having demanded and accepted a sum of Rs.200\/- from the<br \/>\ncomplainant for showing him favour by allowing the luxury<br \/>\nbus to go to the destination and the appellant-accused was<br \/>\nasked to place his hands on the table and the tainted currency<br \/>\nnotes were recovered from the appellant-accused. Thereafter,<br \/>\nthe test of anthracene powder was carried out on the hands of<br \/>\nthe raiding party by viewing their hands under ultra violet<br \/>\nlamp and no marks of anthracene powder was found. Similar<br \/>\ntest was carried out of the hands of the complainant, the<br \/>\nappellant-accused and trousers of appellant-accused and<br \/>\npresence of anthracene powder was noticed. It is further<br \/>\nalleged that the recovered currency notes of Rs.200\/- were<br \/>\ncompared with the numbers and denominations of the<br \/>\ncurrency notes mentioned in the pre-trap Panchnama and the<br \/>\nsame having tallied in toto were seized. The appellant-accused<br \/>\nwas taken into custody. The tainted currency note of Rs.50\/-<br \/>\nthat remained in the pocket of the complainant was also<br \/>\ncompared with the number and denomination mentioned in<br \/>\nthe pre-trap Panchnama and the same also tallied. Thereafter,<br \/>\na detailed second part of the Panchnama was drawn in<br \/>\npresence of the Panchas, muddammal currency notes, trouser<br \/>\nworn by the appellant-accused etc. were attached. It is further<br \/>\nthe case of the prosecution that on the next day, further<br \/>\nstatement of complainant was recorded and at that time he<br \/>\nproduced the receipt issued by the appellant-accused. The<br \/>\nstatements of witnesses were recorded and the sanction for<br \/>\nprosecution in respect of the appellant-accused was obtained<br \/>\nfrom Mr. Brar, Junagadh.\n<\/p>\n<p>\tAfter completion of investigation a charge sheet was filed<br \/>\nundertaking alleged commission of offence punishable under<br \/>\nSections 7, 12 and 13(1)(d) of the Act. Learned Special Judge<br \/>\nframed charges for offence punishable under Sections 7, 12<br \/>\nand 13 (1)(d) read with Section 13(2) of the Act and Section<br \/>\n161 of IPC.\n<\/p>\n<p>\tAs noted above, the appellant was convicted for offence<br \/>\npunishable under Section 7(2) of the Act and Section 161 IPC.<br \/>\nThe appeal before the High Court was dismissed on the<br \/>\nground that there was sufficient evidence on record to hold<br \/>\nthat the appellant did demand and accept the bribe money<br \/>\nfrom the complainant.\n<\/p>\n<p>5.\tThe learned counsel for the appellant submitted that the<br \/>\nevidence is inadequate and does not establish demand and<br \/>\nacceptance of illegal gratification. The appellant all through<br \/>\nhas taken the stand that he was falsely implicated.<br \/>\nAlternatively, it was submitted that the sentence as imposed is<br \/>\nheavy considering the amount of bribe alleged to have been<br \/>\nreceived.\n<\/p>\n<p>6.\tLearned counsel for the respondent-State on the other<br \/>\nhand supported the order.\n<\/p>\n<p>7.\tIt is to be noted that both the trial Court and the High<br \/>\nCourt have analysed the evidence in great detail and have<br \/>\nfound that the appellant had demanded and accepted a sum of<br \/>\nRs.200\/- from the complainant for allowing the luxury bus to<br \/>\ngo to the destination. The tainted currency notes were<br \/>\nrecovered from the appellant. The test of anthrecene powder<br \/>\nwas carried out of the hands of the raiding party under ultra<br \/>\nviolet lamp but no marks of anthracene powder was found.<br \/>\nSimilar test was carried out on the hands of the complainant.<br \/>\nOn the accused-appellant&#8217;s trouser presence of anthracene<br \/>\npowder was noticed. It has also been established that the<br \/>\nnumbers of the currency notes were matched with the<br \/>\ndenominations mentioned in the pre-trap panchnama.\n<\/p>\n<p>8.\tLooked at from these angles, it cannot be said that the<br \/>\nconclusions of, either the trial Court or the High Court, suffer<br \/>\nfrom any infirmity.\n<\/p>\n<p>9.\tThe alternative submission relates to the harshness of<br \/>\nsentence.  The occurrence took place nearly seven years back.<br \/>\nIt is stated that the appellant has suffered custody for more<br \/>\nthan six months. Taking into account all these aspects, we feel<br \/>\ninterest of justice would be best served if the sentence is<br \/>\nreduced to the period undergone, while maintaining the<br \/>\nconviction. It is to be noted that the minimum sentence<br \/>\nprescribed under Section 7(2) of the Act is six months.\n<\/p>\n<p>10.\tThe appeal is dismissed subject to modification of the<br \/>\nsentence as noted above.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Supreme Court of India Bechaarbhai S. Prajapati vs State Of Gujarat on 29 February, 2008 Author: . A Pasayat Bench: Dr. Arijit Pasayat, J.M. Panchal CASE NO.: Appeal (crl.) 408 of 2008 PETITIONER: Bechaarbhai S. Prajapati RESPONDENT: State of Gujarat DATE OF JUDGMENT: 29\/02\/2008 BENCH: Dr. ARIJIT PASAYAT &amp; J.M. PANCHAL JUDGMENT: J U D [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_lmt_disableupdate":"","_lmt_disable":"","_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[30],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-43936","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-supreme-court-of-india"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v27.3 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>Bechaarbhai S. 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