This Criminal revision petition has been filed to quash the proceedings in CC. No : 3 of 1989 on the file of the learned Sub-Divisional Judicial Magistrate, Shencottah under the following circumstances.

2. Petitioners 1 to 10 are the owners of the estate called 'Jemini Estate' situate at Meykkariai Village Shencottah Taluk, Tirunelveli District comprised in S. Nos. 12/1, 12/2, 13/1 and 15/2 measuring an extent of 208-064 hectares, There are large number of trees in the aforesaid survey numbers. According to the Petitioners, the aforesaid survey numbers among other lands in the village have been notified as hill area under S. 1(2) of the Tamil Nadu Hill Areas Preservation of Trees Act, 1955. The 11th Petitioner is the power agent of P.Ws. 1 to 10 Petitioners 12 and 13 are watchmen of the estate.

3. The Forest Ranger, Shencottah Range who is the respondent herein, preferred a complaint before the learned Sub-Divisional Judicial Magistrate Shencottah against the Petitioners for an alleged offence under S. 3(1)(a) to (c) of the Tamil Nadu Hill Areas Preservation of Trees Act, 1955, and under S. 7(1) of the Tamil Nadu Preservation of Private Forests Act, 1949. The Complaint ha