JITENDRA SUDHAKAR SAWAAL Vs. STATE OF MAHARASHTRA

JUDGEMENT

(1.) The applicant herein is accused of having committed offences under Sections 420 , 427 , 468 and 471 of the Indian Penal Code 1860. As per FIR dated 03/03/2019 registered against him, the complainant is an owner of agricultural land wherein there were teak wood trees standing. It is the allegation of the compalinant that the applicant herein misled the Forest Department Officers to show as if the complainant himself as owner of the land had sought permission for cutting some of the teak wood trees. It is alleged that the applicant forged the signature of the complainant on relevant documents on the basis of which the Officers of Forest Department permitted cutting of aforesaid teak wood trees. It was when the complainant realized about the activities of the applicant that he submitted the report leading to registration of FIR.

(2.) The applicant claims that he had cut the teak wood trees on the instruction of the complainant and that when the dispute arose as regards the payment to be made to the applicant for his services of cutting the teak wood trees, the complainant had lodged the false complaint against him leading to registration of FIR.

(3.) On 04/05/2019, while issuing notice, this Court granted ad-interim protection to the applicant in the following manner: