IN THE HIGH COURT OF KARNATAKA, DHARWAD BENCH DATED THIS THE 18^TH DAY OF FEBRUARY, 2025 BEFORE THE HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE HEMANT CHANDANGOUDAR CRIMINAL APPEAL NO.100110 OF 2018 (C)

BETWEEN:

SRI. VASANT VAMAN NAIK, S/O. VAMAN NAIK AGE: 51 YEARS, SHOP BUSINESS, R/O: PADMAPUR, NAGARABASTIKERI, TQ: HONAVARA, DIST: UTTARA KANNADA-581384.

…APPELLANT (BY SRI. LAXMESH PUTTA MATAGUPPI, ADVOCATE)

AND:

THE STATE OF KARNATAKA BY STATE PUBLIC PROSECUTOR, HIGH COURT BUILDING, DHARWAD-580022.

…RESPONDENT (BY SRI. PRAVEENA Y.DEVAREDDIYAVARA, HCGP)

Digitally signed by B K MAHENDRAKUMAR THIS CRIMINAL APPEAL IS FILED UNDER SECTION 374(2) OF B K Location: HIGH MAHENDRAKUMAR C KA O R U N R A T T O A F KA CR.P.C., PRAYING TO, ALLOWED BY SETTING ASIDE THE DHARWAD BENCH Date: 2025.02.20

16:40:01 +0530 JUDGMENT AND ORDER OF CONVICTION AND SENTENCE DATED

05.04.2018 PASSED BY THE PRL. SESSIONS AND DISTRICT JUDGE, UTTARA KANNADA, KARWAR, IN SESSIONS CASE NO.48/2014 IN RESPECT OF OFFENCE PUNISHABLE UNDER SECTION 32, 34 OF KARNATAKA EXCISE ACT AND 328 OF IPC AND THE APPELLANT/ACCUSED BE ACQUITTED.

THIS APPEAL, COMING ON FOR FINAL HEARING, THIS DAY, JUDGMENT WAS DELIVERED THEREIN AS UNDER:

CORAM: THE HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE HEMAN