PERAM VENKATA REDDY Vs. STATE OF ANDHRA PRADESH

JUDGEMENT

(1.) Criminal Appeal has been preferred under Sec. 374(2) of the Code of Criminal Procedure, 1973 (for brevity 'the Cr.P.C.,') challenging the conviction and sentence imposed vide judgment dtd. 2/5/2025 in S.C.No.148 of 2018 on the file of the Special Tribunal under Electricity Act - Cum- I Additional Sessions Judge, Guntur.

(2.) The Appellant/Accused was found guilty for the offence under Sec. 135(1)(a)(b) of the Electricity Act, 2003 (for short 'the Act') and he was sentenced to pay a fine of Rs.2,70,000.00, failing which the Appellant shall undergo simple imprisonment for a period of four months in terms of Sec. 235(2) of the Cr.P.C.

(3.) The case of the prosecution is that the Appellant was indulged in tampering the electrical meter and resorted pilferage of the energy to a tune of Rs.44,859.00 in a raid conducted by the Assistant Engineer, Vigilance Department on 18/4/2018. A case was registered against the Appellant in Crime No.1095 of 2018 of APTS Police Station, Guntur. Later, on conducting thorough investigation a charge sheet was laid against the Appellant. In the course of trial, the learned Special Tribunal examined PWs.1 to 7 and marked Exs.P1 to P8 and MO.1.