SUNDAY NNAMDI IKEJIDE Vs. STATE OF TRIPURA

JUDGEMENT

(1.) Heard Mr. AT Paul, learned Counsel appearing for the appellant also heard Mr. Raju Datta, learned Public Prosecutor, appearing for the respondent-State of Tripura.

(2.) The appellant, by means of filing the present appeal has challenged the Order of conviction and sentence dtd. 20/5/2025 passed by the learned Additional Sessions Judge, Gomati District, Udaipur, in connection with case No. Sessions Trial (T-II) 10 of 2025, wherein the appellant was convicted for commission of offence punishable under 14(A) of Foreigners Act and was sentenced to suffer rigorous imprisonment for two years and to pay a fine of Rs.1,00,000.00 with default stipulation; further the appellant was convicted under Sec. 3 of the Passport Amendment Act, 2000, and was sentenced to suffer rigorous imprisonment for a period of three months and to pay a fine of Rs.30,000.00, with default stipulation.

(3.) The prosecution case, is that, on 24/1/2025 evening at around 21.15 hrs. the complainant along with the GRP staffs were performing their duty at Udaipur Rail Station. During that time, it came to the notice that one person was suspiciously loitering around the Udaipur Railway station near platform no.1, and on seeing his suspicious movement the GRP staffs detained him at Udaipur Railway Station and accordingly interrogated him thoroughly to seek his real identity. After prolonged interrogation, the convict appellant confessed that he is citizen of Nigeria and he came to India in 2024 by flight and spotted in Mumbai Airport and thereafter he went to Delhi by Train and stayed there for 8 months. On 24/1/2025 he came to Tripura from Delhi by train and vide Kanchanjhangha express, he reached Udaipur from Agartala by holding a train ticket which was booked at the destination of Sabroom. On being asked he stated that he came to Tripura for meeting his sister at Sabroom but could not produce any valid passport or documents in support of his entry into Indian Territory. Thereafter the complainant lodged a written complaint with the Officer-in-Charge of RK Pur PS which was registered as RK Pur PS case No. 2025 RKP 047, under Sec. 143(3) BNS, 2023, and sec. 3 of the Passport (Entry into India) Amendment Act, 2000 and Sec. 14A of the Foreigners Act, 1946.