HON’BLE SRI JUSTICE K.SURENDER CRIMINAL APPEAL No.513 OF 2020

JUDGMENT:

This appeal is filed by the appellant/complainant, aggrieved by the order of acquittal passed by the I Additional Metropolitan Sessions Judge, Hyderabad, in Electricity Sessions Case PCS No.3/2011, dated 14.02.2020, for the offence under Section 135(1)(b) of the Indian electricity Act, 2003.

2. The case of the defacto complainant, who was the Inspector of Police, PS Vigilance & APTS Team-III, Hyderabad, is that on 12.01.2009 at about 12.30 hours, he, along with 2 others, inspected the premises of the respondent/accused. Inspection was done on service connection bearing No.CZ-007583 of Best Bakery, in which they found extra pressing marks and seal bits building marks on the meter seal box, and seals were tampered with. In the presence of the accused, the meter was taken and sent to MRT lab for testing. It was found that the accused had indulged in tampering with the meter box seals and thereby committed theft of energy, resulting in an estimated loss of Rs.

6,28,383/-.

3. Learned Special Judge examined the witnesses PWs.1 to 5, of whom PWs.1 and 2 were the persons who conducted the inspection, and PW.3 is the perso