1. Challenges are made in these criminal appeals to the Judgment dated 19.01.2004 and made in S.T.C.No.4 of 2001, on the file of the learned Special Judge (under Essential Commodities Act, 1955) and the Additional District and Sessions Judge, Coimbatore, convicting the accused 1 to 4 under Clause 6(2)(3) and Clause 14(1)(c) of the Tamil Nadu Scheduled Commodities (Regulation of Distribution by Card System) Order, 1982, r/w Section 7(1)(a)(ii) of the Essential Commodities Act, 1955 and sentencing each, to suffer three months of simple imprisonment for each count (three counts) and also to pay a fine of Rs.3,000/-, in default to suffer two weeks of simple imprisonment; convicting the fifth accused under Clause 6(2)(3) and Clause 14(1)(a) of the Tamil Nadu Scheduled Commodities (Regulation of Distribution by Card System) Order, 1982, r/w Section 7(1)(a)(ii) of the Essential Commodities Act, 1955 and sentencing to suffer three months of simple imprisonment and also to pay a fine of Rs.3,000/-, in default to suffer two weeks of simple imprisonment.

2. Being aggrieved by the conviction and sentence, accused 1 and 4 have preferred the appeal in Crl.A.No.170 of 2004, 2nd accused