T.H.B.Chalapathi, J.

1. The appellants are partners of firm M/s Mangat Ram & Sons, Faridkot, On 27.6.1984 the Chief Agricultural Officer visited the shop of the appellants and found that they were in possession of 273 bags of NFL fertilizer. Then the Chief Agricultural Office took a sample of the fertilizer from a bag and divided the sample into four equal portions and sent one sample to the laboratory for analysis. The Analyst found that the sample was deficient in respect of Nitrogen and Amonical Nitrogen and therefore, a case was registered in FIR No. 135 dated 8.11.1984, Police Station, Kotwali Faridkot under Section 7 of the Essential Commodities Act 1955 and a charge sheet was filed in the Court of Presiding Officer, Special Court, Faridkot against the accused. The learned Presiding Officer, Special Court took the case in file in Case No. 4 of 1985. In order to prove the guilt of the accused, the prosecution examined the witnesses and marked certain documents. After closure of the prosecution evidence, the accused was examined under Section 313 Cr. P.C, wherein they stated that they had purchased the fertilizer from National Fertilizer Ltd., Nangal Unit which is a Gov