SUSEELA Vs. STATE

JUDGEMENT

(1.) PETITIONER Suseela was convicted in C.C. No. 16734 of 1978 by the learned XVIII Metropolitan Magistrate, Madras, for an offence under S. 3(1) of the Suppression of Immoral Traffic in woman and Girla Act, 1956, and sentenced to suffer rigorous imprisonment for one year and to pay a fine of Rs. 300/- in default to suffer rigorous imprisonment for three months

(2.) AGAINST her conviction and sentence, she filed an appeal, C.A. No. 498 of 1979 before the learned Sessions Judge, Madras, The appeal was dismissed and the conviction and sentence were confirmed

(3.) THE case against the petitioner was that on 25-10-1978 at about 12-30 p.m. she was running a brothel in the upstairs portion of Door No. 20, II Lane, Puliyur, Trustpuram, Kodambakkam, Madras, with the assistance of the other two accused girls, Manjula and Lakshmi. A2 Manjula carried on prostitution in the said premises and A-3 Lakshmi solicited the witness, Kumar, for prostitution in the said premises. THE premises is situate at a distance of 50 yards from a Nursery and Tutorial School as well as Pillayar Temple. THE trial Court framed charges against the petitioner under S. 3(1) of the said Act against A.2 Manjula under S. 7(1) of the said Act and against A.3 Lakshmi under Section 8(a) of the same Act. All the three accused pleaded not guilty. During the course of the trial, Accused 2 and 3 had absconded, and hence the case against them was separated and the case against the petitioner alone was proceeded with