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2023 Supreme(Raj) 2044

IN THE HIGH COURT OF RAJASTHAN
Farjand Ali, J.
Vikas Kumar - Petitioner
Versus
State of Rajasthan - Respondent
S.B. Criminal Revision Petition No. 1112 of 2023
Decided On : 02-09-2023

Advocates:
Advocate Appeared:
For the Petitioner: Mr. Nishit Shah.
For the Respondent: Mr. Mukhtyar Khan, P.P.

Headnote:(A) Criminal Procedure Code, 1973 - Sections 397 and 401 - Limitation Act, 1963 - Application under Section 5 for condonation of delay - Revision petition preferred against conviction - Delay of 349 days condoned based on grounds provided by petitioner, who remains in custody. (Paras 1, 2)

(B) Sentencing - The court maintains conviction but modifies sentence based on factors such as the petitioner's age, time spent in custody exceeding 2 years, and financial hardship, reducing sentence to that already served. (Paras 5, 8)

Facts of the case:
The petitioner was convicted for offences under Sections 457 and 380 IPC, related to a theft incident dating back to April 2017. The petitioner has undergone over two years of incarceration and was 19 at the time of the offence.

Findings of Court:
The court affirmed the conviction but adjusted the sentence to time served, balancing justice with the petitioner's circumstances.

Issues: The main issues involved the lawfulness of the conviction and the appropriateness of the sentence concerning the petitioner's background and prolonged trial.

Ratio Decidendi: The court affirmed the guilt found by previous courts but exercised discretion in reducing the sentence based on the petitioner's youth, period of custody, and the principle of justice.

Result: Revision petition allowed in part, with sentence modified to the time already served.

Table of Content
1. final conclusion and order. (Para 1 , 10)
2. details of the case and conviction. (Para 2 , 3 , 4)
3. arguments regarding sentence reduction. (Para 5 , 6)
4. court's observations on trial and sentencing. (Para 7 , 8)
5. modification of sentence while affirming conviction. (Para 9)

ORDER :

Farjand Ali, J.

The criminal revision petition is barred by limitation from 349 days. The petitioner is in custody. The revision petition has been filed by a counsel appointed by the Rajasthan High Court Legal Services Committee. An application under Section 5 of the LIMITATION ACT has been filed. For the grounds and reasons mentioned in the application, the same is allowed. The delay in filing the revision petition is condoned. The revision petition be treated to be filed within limitation.

2. The instant criminal revision petition under Section 397 /401 of the CrPC has been preferred by the petitioner being aggrieved of the judgment dated 10.06.2022 passed by the learned Additional Sessions Judge No.2, Nohar, District Hanumangarh in Criminal Appeal No.88/2018, dismissing the appeal preferred against the judgment dated 05.07.2018 passed by the learned Additional Chief Judicial Magistrate, Nohar in Criminal Original Case No.687/2017, whereby he was convicted for the offences under Sections 457 and 380 of the IPC and for each count, sentenced to undergo simple imprisonment of 3 years along with a fine of Rs.2000/- and in default of payment of fine, further to undergo simple imprisonment of 6 months.

3. Bereft of elaborate details, facts relevant and essential for disposal of the instant criminal revision are that complainant Shatrughn Sankhi submitted a report at the Police Station Nohar to the effect that he is having a mobile shop in the Sindhi Bazar, Nohar. In the intervening night of 04.04.2017-05.04.2017, some unknown person broke the locks of his shop and stole the mobile phones listed in the report. On the aforesaid report, FIR No.174/2017 was registered and after usual investigation, a charge-sheet was filed against the present petitioner for the offences under Sections 457 and 380 of the IPC.

4. The Learned Magistrate framed charges against the petitioner for the above offences and upon denial of guilt by him, commenced the trial. During the course of trial, the prosecution in order to prove the offences, examined as many as 7 witnesses and exhibited 21 documents. The accused, upon being confronted with the prosecution allegations, in his statement under Section 313 Cr.P.C., denied the allegations and claimed to be innocent. One document was exhibited from defence side. Then, after hearing the learned Public Prosecutor and the learned Defence Counsel and upon meticulous appreciation of the evidence, learned trial court convicted the accused for offences under Sections 457 and 380 of the IPC vide judgment dated 05.07.2018. Aggrieved by the judgment of conviction, he preferred an appeal, which was dismissed by the learned appellate court vide judgment dated 10.06.2022 affirming the judgment passed by the trial court. Hence, this revision petition is filed before this court.

5. After arguing the case on merits to some extent, learned counsel appearing for the petitioner submits that he will not assail conviction of the petitioner and confines his arguments to the alternative prayer of reduction of the sentence awarded by the trial court. He submits that the incident in the present case pertains to the year 2017. The offences involved are trespassing and theft. The petitioner was a young boy aged 19 years at the time of the incident. He has already suffered agony of protracted trial for 6 years. The maximum sentence awarded by the trial court is simple imprisonment of 3 years. He has already remained in custody for a period of more than 2 years and 1 month. He is a poor person. With these submissions, learned counsel prays that by taking a lenient view, the sentences awarded to the petitioner may be reduced to the period al

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