T DEVESWAR REDDY Vs. ASISTANT DIRECTOR OF AGRICULTURRE

JUDGEMENT

(1.) These three criminal petitions involving common questions of fact and law were heard together and are being disposed of by this common order.

(2.) A learned Single Judge of this Court who heard Criminal Petition Nos.4111 and 4114 of 2003 noticing the conflicting views in M/s Thungabhadra Chemicals and Fertilizers Company Limited v. Assistant Director of Agriculture (Regular) Yerragondpaalem, judgment in Crl.P No.5462 of 2001 and Batch dated 22-2-2006, and in T. Deveswar Reddy, Area Manager, M/s Nagarjuna Fertilizers and Chemicals Limited v. Assistant Director of Agriculture, Hyderabad, judgment in Crl.P No.4102 of 2003 dated 5-4-2006, on the question as to whether the law laid down by this Court in District and Sessions Judge, Guntur and others v. State of A.P., Hyderabad and others, 2000 (1) ALD (Crl.) 268 (AP) = 2000 (1) ALT (Crl.) 103 (DB)(AP), would also apply to offences committed prior to 30-6-1999 the date of order of the Division Bench, by order dated 7-6-2006 referred the matter for an authoritative pronouncement by a Division Bench.

(3.) Subsequently, when Criminal Petition No.5801 of 2003 involving considering of similar question of law was taken up for hearing by one of us (AGRJ), it was represented that Criminal Petition Nos.4111 and 4114 of 2003 involving identical question of law were referred to a Division Bench and, therefore, the said petition may also be directed to be posted along with them. Accordingly, Criminal Petition No.5801 of 2003 was directed to be listed along with the said petitions. That is how the present petitions are listed before this Bench.