Tek Chand, J.

1. This criminal appeal has been preferred by Shri Harbhajan Singh, accused-appellant, from his conviction under Section 500, I.P.C. He was tried by the Additional Sessions Judge, Delhi who found him guilty and sentenced him to one years simple imprisonment by his order dated 27th. of August, 1959. The appellant has been on bail The accused was prosecuted on the complaint of P.W. 1, Surrinder Singh Kairon, son of Sardar Pratap Singh Kairon, the Chief Minister of Punjab State. The statement said to be defamatory of the complainant was given by the accused to the press on 23rd of July, 1957, which was published in extenso in the Blitz, a weekly magazine of Bombay, and the extracts were published in the Times of India and in some other papers. A pressnote dated 22nd/23rd of July, 1957. (Ex.P.D.) was issued by the Punjab Government and is reproduced below:

Certain Urdu dailies from Jullundur are indulging in a deliberately mischievous and false-propaganda alleging complicity of a Ministers son in smuggling on the border. This is evidently done with a view to malign Government and cause suspicion in the mind of the public. The Punjab Government categorically deny t