1970 Supreme(Raj) 191
Rajasthan High Court
Mehta, J.
Kayum Ali - Appellant
Versus
Kana - Respondents
S.B. Cr. Appeal No. 591 of 1969
Decided On : December 16, 1970
M.L. Shrimal and N.N. Mathur, for Appellant
Headnote:Evidence Act, Sec. 114 (e) Report of public analyst under Prevention of Adulteration Act as to following off formalities.
1. Fat contents ... ... 2.2%
2. Solid non-fats ... ... 3 44%
3. Cane sugar and starch ... ... Nil
The Public Analyst was of the opinion that the milk sample was adulterated by reason of its containing 62% of added water. The Food Inspector then obtained necessary sanction from the Commissioner, Municipal Council, Udaipur, and lodged a complaint with the court of the Municipal Magistrate of the place for the prosecution of the accused under sec. 16, read with sec. 7, Prevention of Food Adulteration Act, 1954 (hereinafter called the Act). The Municipal Magistrate, framed charge against the accused under the aforesaid provisions of law on November 8, 1967, to which he pleaded not guilty and claimed trial. In support of its case the prosecution examined the Food Inspector Kayum Ali, P. W. 1 as also the two Motbirs Bhanwar Singh, P.W. 2, and Jamna Das P. W. 3. In his statement, recorded under Sec. 342, Cr.P.C. the accused pleaded that he was taking the milk not for sale but for giving it to one Udailal Mehta. He admitted that his milk was checked by the Food Inspector and its sample was obtained from him. In his defence he examined 2 witnesses, Dhanna Singh D.W. 1 and Nandlal Nai D.W. 2. Eventually the trial court acquitted the accused Kana on the following 3 grounds—
(1) that the prosecution has failed to prove that the accused was taking the milk for the purpose of selling it;
(2) that the prosecution has not succeeded in establishing that the Public Analyst had compared the seals of the container and the outer cover with the specimen impression received separately in accordance with rule 7, read with rule 18 of the Prevention of Food Adulteration Rules, 1955 and
(3) that the prosecution was launched with inordinate delay of more than 9 months.
2. Aggrieved by the above verdict, the Municipal Council, Udaipur, has taken this appeal. It has been submitted that the findings given by the court below are illegal and erroneous. The learned Magistrate went wrong in holding that the certificate given by the Public Analyst was not admissible in evidence. The learned Magistrate ought to have presumed under illustration (e) to sec. 114, Evidence Act, that the Public Analyst performed the duties regularly and that he acted in accordance with the rules. He must have compared the specimen impression received by him with the seal of the container. The learned counsel further submitted that the court below failed to properly appreciate the definition of Sale given in sec. 2(xiii) of the Act. In r