IN THE HIGH COURT OF ALLAHABAD
M. C. Desai, J.
GYANENDRA NATH MITTAL - Appellant
Versus
STATE - Respondents
Criminal Revn. 830 Of 1957
Decided On : 02/05/1959
Drugs Act - Conviction under Section 27 - Substandard drug - Government Analyst's report not in prescribed form - Applicant acquitted
Fact of the Case:
The applicant was convicted under Section 27 of the Drugs Act for stocking and exhibiting for sale a substandard drug, tincture zingiberis mitis, based on the report of the Government Analyst confirming its substandard quality.
Finding of the Court:
The court found that the Government Analyst's report did not comply with the prescribed form as required by Section 25 of the Act, as it failed to provide the protocols of the test or analysis, depriving the accused of the right to adduce evidence in controversion of the report. Consequently, the applicant's conviction and sentence were set aside, and he was acquitted.
Issues: Non-compliance of Government Analyst's report with prescribed form, Deprivation of accused's right to adduce evidence in controversion of the report
Ratio Decidendi: The failure of the Government Analyst's report to adhere to the prescribed form, specifically in not providing the protocols of the test or analysis, was deemed a fatal defect that deprived the accused of the opportunity to challenge the report, leading to serious prejudice and rendering the conviction unsustainable.
Final Decision: The applicant's conviction and sentence were set aside, and he was acquitted. His bail bonds were discharged, and any realized fine was to be refunded. The defect in the Government Analyst's report was to be brought to the notice of the State government.
( 1 ) THE applicant has been convicted under Section 27 of the Drugs Act for stocking and exhibiting for sale a drug, namely, tincture zingiberis mitis which was not of standard quality. There is the report of the Government Analyst to the effect that the sample of tincture zingiberis mitis taken from the applicants shop was substandard. Section 25 of the Act requires that the government Analyst to whom a sample of a drug is submitted for analysis should deliver to the inspector submitting it a signed report in the prescribed form and lays down that a document purporting to a report signed by a Government Analyst is evidence of the facts stated therein and is conclusive unless the person from whom the sample was taken has, within 28 days of the receipt of a copy of the report, notified in writing to the Inspector or the court that he intends to adduce evidence in controversion of the report. Rule 46 of the United Provinces Drugs Rules, 1945 lays down that after the test or analysis the result of the test or analysis together with full protocols of the test shall be supplied forthwith to the sender in Form 13. The Government Analysts report is in Form 13. It has column No. 7, "result of test or analysis with protocols of tests ap-plied. " In that column the Government analyst has simply stated the result of the test but has not given the protocols at all. He has not mentioned what tests were applied and, therefore, the result is not in the prescribed form. When it is not in the prescribed form it cannot be conclusive evidence of the facts stated therein. The failure to give the protocols is a fatal defect because it deprives the person from whom the sample was taken of his valuable right of giving notice under Section 25 to the Inspector or the court that he intends to adduce evidence in controversion of the report. If he does not know the protocols of the test or analysis, he cannot decide whether he should adduce evidence in controversion of the report and he is seriously prejudiced and his conviction cannot be maintained. I, therefore, allow this application, set aside the applicants conviction and sentence and acquit him. His bail bonds are discharged and the fine, if realised, shall be refunded.
( 2 ) LET this defect in the Government Analysts report be brought to the notice of the State government.
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