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2023 Supreme(Raj) 1952

IN THE HIGH COURT OF RAJASTHAN
Farjand Ali, J.
Rameshwar and Ors. - Appellants
Versus
State Of Rajasthan – Respondent
S.B. Criminal Appeal No. 1939 of 2022
Decided On : 16-08-2023

Advocates:
Advocate Appeared:
For the Appellant :Mr. Rakesh Matoria, Advocate.
For the Respondent: Mr. S.S. Rajpurohit, PP.

Headnote:(A) Rajasthan Bovine Animal (Prohibition of Slaughter and Regulation of Temporary Migration or Export) Act, 1995 - Sections 5 and 8 - Criminal appeal against conviction - The appellants were convicted for illegally transporting bovines, leading to a sentence of two years' rigorous imprisonment and a fine of Rs.2,000/- - The appellants, poor villagers with no criminal antecedent, sought reduction of sentence - The Court emphasized the need for a reformative approach in sentencing, affirming the conviction but reducing the sentence to the period already undergone. (Paras 2, 3, 5, 6, and 8)

Facts of the case:
The FIR was lodged regarding the illegal transport of bovines and the appellants were found with ten oxen, one of which had died. They claimed to be employees and not the owners of the vehicle involved in the offense.

Findings of Court:
The judgment of conviction was upheld as correct, but the sentence was adjusted, favoring the appellants' social and economic background.

Issues: The court considered whether the sentence should be reduced in light of the appellants' circumstances and first-time offence.

Ratio Decidendi: The court held that sentencing must reflect a blend of deterrent and corrective justice, with regard to individual circumstances, reaffirming that no strict formula applies to sentencing. (Paras 7 and 8)

Result: Appeal partly allowed; sentences reduced to the period already undergone.

Table of Content
1. case facts and convictions overview. (Para 1 , 2)
2. arguments for leniency in sentencing. (Para 3 , 4)
3. court's reasoning on sentence reduction. (Para 5 , 6)
4. legal principles on sentencing. (Para 7)
5. final judgment and order details. (Para 8 , 9)

ORDER :

Farjand Ali, J.

The instant appeal under Section 374 (2) Cr.P.C. has been filed by the accused-appellants against the judgment dated 15.11.2022 passed by the learned Additional Sessions Judge No.1, Parbatsar, District Nagaur in Sessions Case No.20/2012 whereby the learned Judge convicted and sentenced the accused as under:-

Name of the accused

Offence for which convicted

Substantive sentence

Fine and default sentence

Rameshwar Jagmal

Section 5 /8 of the Rajasthan Bovine Animal Act, 1955

Two years' RI

Fine of Rs.2,000/- each and in default of payment of fine, additional simple imprisonment of two months.

All the sentences were ordered to run concurrently and the period spent in judicial custody shall be adjusted in the original imprisonment.

2. Succinctly stated the facts of the case are that the SHO, Police Station, Parbatsar District Nagaur and lodged an FIR No.83/2012 at the Police Station Parbatsar, District Nagaur for the offences under Sections 3 , 5, 6, 8 & 9 of the Rajasthan Bovine Animal (Prohibition of Slaughter and Regulation of Temporary Migration or Export) Act, 1995 (hereinafter referred to as 'the Act of 1995') alleging inter alia that upon information of illegal transport of bovines, a team was constituted and upon search of a truck, appellants were found along with 10 oxes, out of which one had died. After investigation, the appellants and one Bhagwana Ram were charge-sheeted. It is revealing that during trial, the said Bhagwana Ram had passed away. After taking cognizance and framing of charges, as many as 9 witnesses were examined and 16 documents were tendered into evidence on behalf of the prosecution. Thereafter, the accused were examined under Section 3 13 Cr.P.C. wherein they claimed innocence and after affording opportunity of hearing to the counsel for the parties, the learned trial Court convicted the accused appellants for the offences under Section 5 /8 of the Act of 1995 and sentenced them to suffer two years rigorous imprisonment along with a fine of Rs.2,000/- and in default in payment of fine to further undergo 2 months simple imprisonment.

3. At the outset the learned counsel Shri Rakesh Matoria, representing the appellants submitted that he does not wish to press the finding of guilt and judgment of conviction but seeks benevolence on the point of sentence. He further states that in Para No.26 of the judgment impugned it has been mentioned that it was the first offence of the appellants and they have no other criminal incident antecedent; the appellants are poor villagers neither they were owner of the vehicle nor of the cattles; they were the employees and not the owner of the truck used for the commission of offence, reformative approach should be adopted to reform or rehabilitate them by reducing their sentence to period they have undergone.

4. Heard learned counsel for the appellants as well as learned Public Prosecutor for the State. Perused the judgment impugned.

5. I have gone through the facts of the case minutely and convinced that the judgment of conviction passed by the learned trial Judge is up to mark and no error has been committed in passing the same, therefore, the judgment of conviction is affirmed and appeal to this extent is dismissed.

6. So far is the question of sentence part is concerned, it is stated that the accused-appellants were youth at the time of incident; they were aged between 30 to 35 years; they have no criminal antecedent, this fact has also been observed by the learned trial Judge; they had remained in jail for some time; during investigation and trial and where after around 15 days post conviction. The incident took place in the year

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