1960 Supreme(Guj) 94
Gujarat High Court
Judgename :V.B.RAJU
State of Gujarat - Appellant
Versus
HERIA GIMBA - Respondent
CRIMINAL REVISION APPLICATION 64 of 1960
Decided On : 11/18/1960
Headnote:
Indian Penal Code, 1860 - Section 447 - Indian Forest Act -Section 26 – Conviction – Tress pass in forest land - Accused illegally entered into land belonging to Forest Department with an intention of cultivating and tilling land un authorized and also cultivated same land - It was not prosecution case that land was reserved forest land - Government Pleader concedes that it was not case of prosecution that land was reserved forest land Indian Forest Act relates to reserved forests land and it provides that any person who in a reserved forest clears or breaks up any land for cultivation or any other purpose shall be guilty - Act as it is not prosecution case that land in question was reserved forest land the conviction Indian Forest Act is bad and must be set aside - Held, Magistrate then observes that accused in his examination admitted the commission of offence - It is therefore clear that Magistrate had not mentioned necessary ingredients when asking accused to make his plea - Accused was not asked whether had committed an offence of criminal trespass - intention necessary to constitute criminal trespass was also not put to accused told that it was prosecution case had committed offence of criminal trespass - Ingredients of an offence must be proved either by evidence or by admission by a plea of guilty - All necessary ingredients are to be put to the accused before his plea is taken - It is clear that necessary ingredients had not been put to accused before his plea was takes - His plea of guilty merely amounts to a plea of an admission that had entered land belonging to Forest Department with an intention of cultivating and tilling land un authorized and that cultivated said Land - It does not amount to a plea of guilty to charge of offence of criminal trespass or to an admission that all necessary ingredients had been satisfied - Magistrate was therefore wrong in convicting accused his own plea of guilty - As regards conviction of Indian Forest Act case of prosecution was that accused illegally entered into land belonging to Forest Department with an intention of cultivating and tilling land un authorized and also cultivated same land - It was not prosecution case that land was reserved forest land - Government Pleader concedes that it was not the case of the prosecution that land was reserved forest Indian Forest Act relates to reserved forests land and it provides that any person who in a reserved forest clears or breaks up any land for cultivation or any other purpose shall be guilty Act As it is not prosecution case that land in question was reserved forest land conviction - Indian Forest Act is bad and must be set aside - Odered accordingly.
( 1 ) THIS is a criminal revision application by the State for the enhancement of sentences passed on the Heria Gimba who was convicted under sec. 447 I. P. Code and Sec. 26 (h) of the Indian Forest Act and sentenced to pay a fine of Rs. 3/in default S. I. for two days and to pay a fine of Rs. 2/in default S. I. for one day respectively.
( 2 ) THE learned Government Pleader for the State contends that the sentences are inadequate and should be enhanced. The learned Counsel for the opponent however contends that the convictions are erroneous and should be set aside.
( 3 ) AS regards the conviction under sec. 26 (h) of the Indian Forest Act the case of the prosecution was that on 3-9-59 the accused illegally entered into the land belonging to Forest Department with an intention of cultivating and tilling the land unauthorisedly and also cultivated the same land. It was not the prosecution case that the land was reserved forest land. The learned Government Pleader concedes that it was not the case of the prosecution that the land was reserved forest land. Sec. 26 of the Indian Forest Act relates to reserved forests land and it provides that any person who in a reserved forest clears or breaks up any land for cultivation or any other purpose shall be guilty under sec. 26 (h) of the Act As it is not the prosecution case that the land in question was reserved forest land the conviction under see. 26 (h) the Indian Forest Act is bad and must be set aside.
( 4 ) AS regards the conviction under sec. 447 Indian Penal Code the learned Magistrate relied on the plea of guilty by the accused. He-accepted the plea of guilty and convicted him on his own plea under sec. 447 I. P. Code. Before a person can be convicted on his own plea of guilty the court must be satisfied that the accused had pleaded guilty and had thereby admitted all the necessary ingredients of the offence in question. Para I of the judgment of the learned Magistrate reads as follows:
( 5 ) IT is alleged by the prosecution that on 3-9-59 the accused illegally entered into the land belonging to Forest Department with an intention of cultivating and tilling the land unauthorisedly and also cultivated the same land.
( 6 ) THE learned Magistrate then observes that the accused in his examination under sec. 342 Cri. Pro. Code admitted the commission of the offence. It is therefore clear that the learned Magistrate had not mentioned the necessary ingredients when asking the accused to make his plea. The accused was not asked whether he had committed an offence of criminal trespass. The intention necessary to constitute criminal trespass was also not put to the accused. The accused was also not told that it was the prosecution case that he had committed the offence of criminal trespass. The ingredients of an offence must be proved either by evidence or by admission by a plea of guilty. All the necessary ingredients are to be put to the accused before his plea is taken. It is clear that the necessary ingredients had not been put to the accused before his plea was takes. His plea of guilty merely amounts to a plea of an admission that he had entered the land belonging to the Forest Department with an intention of cultivating and tilling the land unauthorisedly and that he cultivated the said Land. It does not amount to a plea of guilty to the charge of offence of criminal trespass or to an admission that all the necessary ingredients under sec. 447 I. P. Code had been satisfied. The learned Magistrate was therefore wrong in convicting the accused under sec. 447 I. P. Code on his own plea of guilty. His conviction under sec. 447 is therefore bad.
( 7 ) I set aside both the convictions of the opponent and order that fine if paid by the opponent be refunded to him. Conviction set aside.
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