AIR 1996 SUPREME COURT 2787 ::1996 AIR SCW 3550 ::1997 AIR SCW 290 ::1997 UP CriR 94 ::1997 APLJ(Cri) 157 ::(1996) 66 ECR 428 ::(1997) 89 ELT 433 ::(1997) 1 MadLW(Cri) 159 ::(1997) 1 CurLR 6 ::(1996) 64 DLT 809 ::1996 (4) CurCriR 214 ::(1997) 1 CurCriR 248 ::1997 CriLR(SC&MP) 132 ::1996 (6) SCC 775 ::1996 (6) SCC 255 ::1997 SCC (Cri) 42 ::1996 SCC(Cri) 1303 ::1996 (3) RecCriR 524 ::1997 CriLR(SC MAH GUJ) 132 ::1996 (3) AllCriLR 219 ::(1997) 1 AllMR 47 (SC) ::(1997) 1 Andh LT 27 ::(1997) 1 Bom CR 636 ::(1998) 94 ComCas 781 ::(1997) 1 ChandCriC 121 ::(1997) 2 Guj LR 1302 ::(1997) 1 Guj LR 420 ::(1997) 40 DRJ 419 ::(1997) 1 CTC 390 (SC) ::(1997) 1 EastCriC 296 ::(1997) 1 MPLJ 4 ::(1997) 1 Mah LJ 112 ::(1997) 12 OCR 232 ::(1997) 1 Ker LT 366 ::(1997) 1 Ker LJ 51 ::(1997) 1 FAC 35 ::(1997) 1 Raj LW 119 ::(1997) 2 APLJ 22 ::(1997) 34 AllCriC 342 ::(1997) SC Cr R 51 ::(1996) 7 JT 256 (SC)

Supreme Court Of India

(From : Gujarat)*

Hon'ble Judge(s): K. Ramaswamy, G. B. Patnaik , JJ

(A) Customs Act (52 of 1962) , S.135(1)(a), S.138A— Charge of carrying silver without any transport voucher within specified area - Accused found to be inside vehicle carrying silver ingots - Vehicle not stopped even though signal led by customs authorities - Plea of accused that he had taken lift in vehicle and was not knowing about silver being carried in it - Disbelieved by lower courts on appreciation of evidence - Complicity of accused in commission of offence established - Presumption of culpable mental state under S. 138-A can be raised - Conviction of accused held well founded. (Para 10) (B) Customs Act (52 of 1962) , S.135(1)(a)— Sentence - Sufficient time elapsed from date of occurrence till date of judgment - Accused serving major part of sentence - However, lenient view in matter of sentence should not be taken regarding such economic offences which have deleterious effect on legitimate trade. (Para 11) .....