KHADARSAB Vs. STATE OF KARNATAKA

JUDGEMENT

(1.) This petition is filed by the sole accused under Sec. 438 of The Code of Criminal Procedure, 1973 (hereinafter referred to as the ' Cr.P.C .', for brevity) seeking anticipatory bail in Crime No.155/2022 of Khanapur Police Station, Belagavi, registered for the offences punishable under Ss. 3 and 7 of the Essential Commodities Act, 1955 and Sec. 18(1) of the Karnataka Essential Commodities (Public Distribution System) Public Control Order, 2016.

(2.) The case of the prosecution is that, one Smt. Mahaboobi Nadaf, Food Inspector, has filed complaint stating that, when she was in the Tahsildar's Office, she received credible information that one Khadarsab Makandar has stored PDS rice in his house and she informed the same to the Tahsildar and went along with the Police and panchas and reached the house of Khadarsab Makanadar and on seeing them, the said person ran away from the spot. Upon verification, they found rice in 116 bags each weighing 44 kg totally weighing 5,104 kg. They seized the said PDS rice under mahazar. The said complaint came to be registered in Crime No.155/2022 by Khanapur Police for the aforesaid offences. The petitioner apprehending his arrest filed Crl.Misc.No.1247/2022 seeking anticipatory bail and the same came to be rejected by the learned IX Additional Sessions Judge, Belagavi, by order dtd. 8/9/2022. Therefore, the petitioner is before this Court seeking anticipatory bail.

(3.) Heard the arguments of the learned counsel appearing for the petitioner and the learned High Court Government Pleader for the respondent- State.