DEV RAJ Vs. STATE OF PUNJAB

JUDGEMENT

(1.) Appellant-Dev Raj was committed by Sub Divisional Judicial Magistrate Sunam to stand his trial for having committed offences punishable under Sections 498-A/489-B/489-C/489-D/489-E of the Indian Penal Code (for short 'IPC'). Appellant-Dev Raj was convicted under Section 489-C and 489-D IPC by the Additional Sessions Judge, Fast Track Court, Sangrur vide judgment dated 22.3.2003. Vide order of even date, appellant was sentenced to under go rigorous imprisonment for seven years and to pay a fine of Rs. 5000/- under Sections 489-C and 489-D IPC on each count. Both the sentences were ordered to run concurrently. Hence, the present appeal.

(2.) The case of the prosecution, as noticed by the trial Court in paras 2 and 3 of its judgment, is reproduced here in below :-

(3.) Learned counsel for the petitioner has submitted that the link evidence in this case was missing. When Constable Mandhir Singh, who had taken the alleged fake currency notes and other material to the Forensic Science Laboratory, has not been examined as a witness nor has even been cited as a witness. Moreover, PW3 HC Jaswinder Singh has submitted that the samples were sent to the Forensic Science Laboratory on 17.11.2000, whereas, as per the report of the Laboratory, the same had been received over there on 22.11.2002.