Alistair & Ors Vs.
State of Tamil Nadu [2008] INSC 1125 (15 July 2008)
Judgment
IN THE SUPREME COURT
OF INDIA CRIMINAL APPELLATE JURISDICTION CRIMINAL APPEAL NO.513 OF 1996
ALISTAIR & ORS Appellant (s) VERSUS STATE OF TAMIL NADU Respondent(s) WITH
CRIMINAL APPEAL NO.663 OF 1996 ANTONY MARTIN & ANR Appellant (s) VERSUS
STATE OF TAMIL NADU Respondent(s) ORDER These two appeals were filed against
the judgment of the Designated Court NO.II, Madras (now Chennai) under the
Terrorist and Disruptive Activities (Prevention) Act, 1987 (hereinafter
referred to as 'TADA Act'). The present six appellants were tried for the
offences punishable under Sections 451, 381 read with 120-B of the Indian Penal
Code and under Section 3(3) of TADA (P) Act. These appellants were acquitted of
the offence under T.A.D.A. but they were found guilty of offences under
Sections 451 and 381 read with Section 120-B of I.P.C. On both these counts,
they were sentenced to undergo rigorous imprisonment for a period of three
years each and the sentences were ordered to run concurrently.
These appellants were
employees of Halliburton Offshore Services Inc. Company. They were carrying out
the contract of offshore logging under the O.N.G.C. There was some dispute
between the employees and the management over the transfer of A-1 to Bombay
office and the appellants allege that PW 1, who was the Operations Manager of
the company, was inimically having disputes towards these accused. The company
was in possession of certain radio active resources to find out the resource of
natural gas. The allegation against these appellants is that they have
unlawfully trespassed into the workshop of the company and took away three
radio active resources and thereby committed the offences as charged. On 23rd
September, 1993 these radio active resources were found missing from the office
premises. On 24th September, 1993 PW 1 gave a complaint before the Station
House Officer, Maduravayal police station. The Sub- Inspector of Police -PW 20
took up the investigation and these appellants were arrested thereafter. Later
on the investigation was handed over to the C.B.C.I.D. and PW 26-Inspector of
Police took over the investigation and he filed a report before the Court
invoking the provisions of the TADA Act. The Superintendent of Police recorded
the confessional statement the appellants 2,3 and 4 and pursuant to the
confessions, certain recoveries were also effected and the three radio active
resources were recovered and later on the final report was filed in the case.
On behalf of the prosecution, 26 witnesses have been examined. The appellants
were found guilty on the basis of their confessions and also the recovery made
pursuant to the statements made by the accused.
Heard both sides.
Learned counsel for
the appellants contended that the materials 3 adduced by the prosecution are
not sufficient to find the appellants guilty.
We do not find any
force in the contention and the Designated Judge was justified in holding that
the appellants had committed the offence and therefore, we confirm the
conviction.
Though the articles
so stolen were of serious nature but there is no case that these appellants had
any ulterior motive except to cause some nuisance to the employer. It appears
that due to transfer of A-1 to Bombay they had some grievance against the
management. There is also no evidence to show that these appellants had not
stored the articles for the purpose of gaining any financial benefit nor did
they make any attempt to sell away these articles to some others. We are told
that the appellants have already undergone the sentence for more than 1 year
and 9 months. Having regard to the facts and circumstances of the case, we feel
that the period of imprisonment already undergone by the appellants is
sufficient to meet the ends of justice. Therefore, we confirm the conviction
but reduce the sentence to the period already undergone. The appellants are on
bail and their bail bonds are discharged.
The appeals are
disposed of accordingly.
...............CJI.
(K.G.
BALAKRISHNAN) .................J.
(P.
SATHASIVAM) NEW DELHI;
5TH
FEBRUARY, 2009.
Back
Pages: 1 2 3
