RAJU MUNIBYREGOWDA Vs. STATE OF KARNATAKA

JUDGEMENT

(1.) This appeal is directed against the judgment dated 5.3.2012 and the order of sentence dated 13.3.2012 passed by the Fast Track Judge-IV, Bengaluru City in S.C. No.857/2010.

(2.) The learned Fast Track Judge has found the appellants (Accused Nos.1 and 2) guilty of the offences punishable under sections 489-A, 489-B, 489-C and 489-D r/w 34 Indian Penal Code and has sentenced them to undergo rigorous imprisonment for a period of 10 years and a fine of Rs.10,000.00 for each of the above offences and in default to pay the fine, to undergo rigorous imprisonment for a period of one month. For the offence punishable under section 489-C r/w 34 Indian Penal Code, the appellants are sentenced to undergo rigorous imprisonment for a period of three years and a fine of Rs.1,000.00 each. The sentences are ordered to run concurrently.

(3.) The prosecution case is that on 9.4.2010 at about 2.15 p.m., PW-6 Sri. B. Ramachandra-ppa, Assistant Commissioner of Police, Sampigehalli Sub-Division, Bengaluru, received a credible information that accused Nos.1 and 2 were possessing counterfeit notes of the face value of Rs.1,000.00, Rs.500.00, Rs.100.00 and Rs.50.00 respectively in their rented house situated at Gajendrappa's Vatara in Srirampura village, Bengaluru and that they were circulating the same through accused Nos.3 and 4. On receipt of this information, PW.6 along with PWs.1, 3, 4, 5 and 7 along with the panchas raided the rented house of accused Nos.1 and 2 at about 30 p.m. and apprehended accused Nos.1 and 2 at the spot and seized 57 counterfeit currency notes of Rs.1000.00 denomination, 105 counterfeit currency notes of Rs.500.00 denomination, 273 counterfeit currency notes of Rs.100.00 denomination and 24 counterfeit currency notes of Rs.50.00 denomination respectively of different numbers, in the presence of C.W.2 and C.W.3, under mahazar. The police, during raid, also seized a Canon Pixma Printer with Xerox machine, Jaimini paper trimmer-paper cutter, 98 white papers - Bilt Royal Executive Bond, Ink bottle - Image King refilled ink (Majenta, Yellow, Cyan, Black Pigment Ink), four injection syringes, one cello tape, one packet rubber bands, which are the instruments for processing the counterfeit notes, under mahazar, in the presence of panchas C.W.2 and C.W.