Madhya Pradesh High Court
Hira Lal vs The State Of Madhya Pradesh on 26 August, 2025
NEUTRAL CITATION NO. 2025:MPHC-JBP:40692
1 CRA-1441-2011
IN THE HIGH COURT OF MADHYA PRADESH
AT JABALPUR
BEFORE
HON'BLE SHRI JUSTICE BHAGWATI PRASAD SHARMA
ON THE 26th OF AUGUST, 2025
CRIMINAL APPEAL No. 1441 of 2011
HIRA LAL
Versus
THE STATE OF MADHYA PRADESH
Appearance:
Shri Naresh Sharma - Advocate for appellant.
Shri Pankaj Raj - Panel Lawyer for the respondent/State.
ORDER
This appeal has been filed under Section 374(2) of the Cr.P.C.
against the judgment of conviction dated 31.05.2011 passed by the learned
Special Judge, ( SC/ST Atrocities Act) District Seoni (M.P.) in Special Case
No. 61/2010, whereby learned Judge found the appellant guilty for the
offence punishable under Section 354 of the IPC and directed to suffer S.I.
for one month and to pay fine of Rs.500/- with default stipulation.
2. Relevant facts, briefly stated are that on the basis of report lodged,
crime was registered against the appellant at Police Station Dhanora District
Seoni for commission of offence punishable under Section 354 of IPC.
After completion of investigation, charge-sheet has been filed before the
competent Court.
3. After recording the statements of prosecution witnesses and
appreciating the evidence led by parties, learned trial Court found that the
appellant guilty for commission of offence punishable under Section 354 of
NEUTRAL CITATION NO. 2025:MPHC-JBP:40692
2 CRA-1441-2011
the IPC and sentenced him as mentioned above. Being aggrieved with the
impugned judgment, the appellant has preferred this criminal appeal before
this Court.
4. Learned counsel for the appellant expressly gave up his challenge to the
findings of the trial Court so far as the conviction of the appellant is
concerned. He further submitted that having regard to all circumstances
which resulted in appellant's conviction and that this appeal is also pending
since 2011, sentence of appellant may be reduced suitably.
5. Learned counsel for the respondent/State has submitted that after
appreciating the evidence produced by the prosecution, the trial Court has
rightly found the appellant guilty for the aforesaid offence, therefore, no
grounds are available for reducing the jail sentence awarded to the appellant,
hence, he prayed for dismissal of the appeal.
6. Having heard learned counsel for the parties and on perusal of entire
record of the case, I am inclined to allow this appeal in part upon finding
some force in the submissions made by the learned counsel for the appellant.
7. Considering the submissions of learned counsel for the appellant and
that this appeal is pending since 2011, I am of the considered view that the
ends of justice would be met if the fine amount is enhanced from Rs. 500/-
to Rs. 5000/- against the appellant.
8. Learned trial Court has duly appreciated the oral and documentary
evidence on record and has rightly come to the conclusion that appellant has
committed offence under Section 354 of IPC. There are no reasons to
interfere with the findings recorded by the trial Court. Therefore, conviction
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3 CRA-1441-2011
of appellant for commission of offence under Section 354 of IPC passed by
the trial Court being just and proper is hereby affirmed.
9. Consequently, the appeal is partly allowed upholding the conviction of
the appellants u/s 354 of IPC and modifying the sentence to the
imprisonment of one month to the enhancement of fine amount.
However, appellant sentence of fine amount is enhanced from Rs.500/- to
Rs.5,000/-.
10. Appellant is directed to deposit the enhanced fine amount as quantified
by this Court before the trial Court within a period of one month from today.
The amount of fine, if any, already deposited be adjusted. However, it is
clarified that if fine amount as quantified by this Court is not deposited
within a period of one month from today, applicant would surrender himself
to serve out the entire jail sentence as awarded by the learned trial Court with
default stipulations.
11. The appellant is on bail. His bail bonds stand discharged.
12. With the aforesaid modification, the present criminal appeal stands
partly allowed and disposed off.
13. Let a copy of this order along with record be sent to the court below for
information and necessary compliance.
14. Certified copy as per rules.
(BHAGWATI PRASAD SHARMA)
JUDGE
PG
