STATE OF HIMACHAL PRADESH Vs. KRISHAN LAL

JUDGEMENT

(1.) THIS appeal by the State is directed against the judgment dated 27th June, 2001, whereby the accused persons have been acquitted for having committed the offences punishable under Sections 218, 467, 468, 471 read with Section 120 -B of the Indian Penal Code, Section 5(2)(1) (d) of the Prevention of Corruption Act, Sections 41 & 42 of the Indian Forest Act and Rules 11/20 and 18/20 of the H.P. Forest Produce Transit (Land Routes) Rules, 1978.

(2.) THE prosecution case, in brief, is that accused No. 1, Krishan Lal, was a Forest Contractor engaged in the business of extraction and sale of timber. Accused No. 2, Nathu Singh, was the Station Master at Railway Station Shogi. Accused No. 3, Subhash Chander, was the Assistant Station Master at the same station. Accused No. 4 and 5, Om Prakash Verma and Baldev Verma, were the loading and unloading agents engaged in the business of loading and unloading the timber into the railway wagons.

(3.) WE have heard Mr. Vivek Singh Thakur, learned Additional Advocate General, for the State and Mr. Satyen Vaidya, Ms. Seema Guleria and Mr. Mehar Chand, Advocates, for the respondents -accused.