STATE Vs. A MODEEN KUNJU

JUDGEMENT

(1.) The Assistant Superintendent of Police, Melur Range, along with the Deputy Director of Fisheries, Ramanathapuram and other officials, was said to have made a surprise inspection of vehicles on 4-1l99l at 4 p.m. at the place called Ganapathiyapuram, which is near Melur and during the course of such inspection, they found that four persons, namely Kodaleeswaran, Krishnan, Sundarraj and Ragunathan were engaged in the process of loading the lorry bearing registration number TMD 6039 and a van bearing registration number TN-59-6797 with gunny bags. On verification of the gunny bags so loaded, it was found the gunny bags contened Jathi Chanks and Patti Chanks. There were 381 bags containing 16.550/- pieces of Jathi Chanks and 400 pieces of Patti Chanks. All of them were seized.

(2.) Thereafter, the Assistant Director of Fisheries, Ramanathapuram, filed a complaint, besides producing the seized contrabands, before the Judicial Magistrate, Melur against the aforesaid four persons, impleading them as accused 1 to 4 for violations of the provisions contained in Ss. 6D and 6E, punishable under S. 6J of the Indian Fisheries Act (as amended by Tamil Nadu Act XXII of 1980 - for short the Act'), which was taken on file as C.C. No. 6 of 1991.

(3.) All the accused 1 to 4 pleaded guilty to the accusations levelled against them and consequently, learned Magistrate found them guilty under Ss. 6E read with 6D and S. 6J of the Act, convicted them thereunder and sentenced them each to pay a fine of Rs.400/- in default to undergo simple imprisonment for three months. The fine amount is stated to have been paid by them.