Point of Law: Criminal Law - Criminal Trial - Found possession of 2 litres of arrack - Tamper-proof Condition - Report - No evidence was adduced by prosecution to prove that the sample seal was affixed on the copy of the forwarding note.

JUDGMENT :

B. SUDHEENDRA KUMAR, J.

1. The appellant was convicted and sentenced by the court below under Section 8(2) of the Abkari Act.

2. The prosecution allegation is that on 03.03.2003 at about 7 p.m. the appellant was found in possession of 2 litres of arrack, in contravention of the provisions of the Abkari Act.

3. Heard.

4. The learned counsel for the appellant has argued that since no sample seal was affixed on Ext.P9 copy of the forwarding note, the appellant is entitled to be acquitted.

5. The learned counsel for the appellant relied on the decision of this Court in Krishnan H. vs. State, 2015 (1) KHC 822, to support his argument.

6. In Krishnan H (Supra), the Court held that the absence of sample seal at the space provided for the same in the copy of the Forwarding Note is sufficient to presume that the sample seal was not provided in the original Forwarding Note.

7. In this case, no evidence was adduced by the prosecution to prove that the sample seal was affixed on the copy of the forwarding note.

8. In Ravi vs. State of Kerala, 2011 (3) KLT 353, the Division Bench of this Court held that the prosecution in a case under the Abkari Act could succeed only if it is shown that the contraband liquor which was allegedly seized from the accused ultimately reached the hands of the chemical examiner by change of hands in a tamper proof condition.

9. Since the sample seal was not affixed on the copy of the forwarding note, the prosecution could not establish the tamper-proof despatch of the sample to the laboratory. In the said circumstances, there is no satisfactory link evidence to show that it was the same sample which was drawn from the contraband seized from the appellant, which eventually reached the hands of the chemical examiner by change of hands in a tamper–proof condition. In the said circumstances, there is no link evidence to connect the appellant with the sample analysed in the laboratory. Consequently, the conviction and sentence passed by the court below relying on Ext.P13 Certificate of Chemical Analysis, cannot be sustained.

10. In the result, this Criminal Appeal stands allowed, setting aside the conviction and sentence passed by the court below and the appellant stands acquitted. The bail bond of the appellant stands discharged.