Judgement

Imam J.: These three appeals are by special leave against the decision of the High Court of Madras. The appellants were tried for the offence of conspiracy to cheat members of the public and for specific offences of cheating in pursuance of that conspiracy. The Additional Sessions Judge to Tirunelveli acquitted appellant Swamirathnam of all the charges framed against him. He convicted the appellants Abbas and Abu Bucker of the offence of conspiracy. Abbas was convicted by him with respect to the charges framed against him concerning the offence of cheating P.W.47.Krishnaswami Naicker. He, however, acquitted Abu Bucker with respect to all the charges concerning specific offences of cheating framed against him. Appeals were filed in the High Court by the convicted persons and by the Government against the acquittal of Swamirathnam and Abu Bucker. It is unnecessary in the present case, to mention the names of other accused, who were convicted or acquitted by the Sessions Judge, as their cases are not before us. The High Court set aside the acquittal of Swamirathnam and convicted him for the offence of conspiracy and the offence of cheating Ramaswami Mudaliar, P.W. 91, who was