Thakur Narwar Singh v. the State of Madhya Pradesh

KAPUR, J.-Thia appeal is directed against the judgment ·and order of the High Court of Madhya Bharat upholding the conviction of the appella11t under ss. 380 and 451 of the Indian Penal Codt'. The quest ion for decision is whether the appellant could be tried in 1955 under the Indian Penal Code for offences committed by him in 1948 when the State of Jhabua, in which the offences were committed, was not a part of Domi­ nion of India and whether the State Penal Code pid contain any provision corresponding to the Sections of the Indian Penal Code under which the appellant has been convicted. In Jhabua State there is Thikana Jhaknawda whiah was a Jagir. Its thakur, Thakur Narayan Singh, died on November 11, I 945, without leaving a son. Hi8 two widows adopted Gajendrapal Singh, the second son of His HighneBS the Raja of Jnabua on July 15, 1946. Representations made by the appellant olaiming thP. suooession to the Thikana. were rejected by His HighneBS. His further repre­ sentation to the then Political Agent wa.e also • ' !· ' -~. \ -. -; ' 2 S.C.R. SUPREME COURT REPORTS 975 rejected. It is alleged that the appellant entered in a conspiraoy with about 150 persons and on January 18, 1948, forcibly entered the Thikana and took possession of it and remained in unlaw­ ful possession for about 7 months when he gave up the poasession. The prosecution against him and 15 others under ss. 121, 295 and 455 of the Indian Penal Code started on October 7, 1955. He was convicted under ss .. 451 and 380 of the Indian Penal Code but all the other accused persons were acquitted by the Sessions Jud~e. Against his conviction the appellant took an appeal to the High Court but his appeal was dismissed and he has come in appeal to this Court by Special Leave. When the appeal was heard on January 9, 1962, the question whether the appellant could be tried in 1955 under the Indian Penal Code for offences committed in 1948 in the erstwhile State of Jhabua and whether there were similar provisions in the penal laws of that State at the time of the commission of the offences was raised. As this question had not been raised in any of the courts below we adjourned the hearing of the appeal to enable the parties to place the necessary material before us. The argument was confined to this ques­ tion only as we did not find any substance in any of the other points in the appeal. According to the Report of the Council of Administration on the administration of Jhabua State for 1935-41 p.48, the then Raja of Jhabua State by notification applied amongst other laws the Penal Code of India to the State of Jhabua. By Ordinance 1 of 1948 issuad by the Rajapramukh after the State of Jhabua beoame part of the State of Madhya Bharat which was replaced by Regula­ tion of Government Act (Act 14 of 1948) the laws already in force in Jhabua were continued in that part of the Sta~ of Madhya Bharat. On February 22, 1951, the Part B States (Laws) Act, 1951, (Act Ilfl Thakur Narwar Singh v. TM 81.U of M adhJ• Praduh trapurJ. 1962 1mr1ur Narw11.1 Singh v. Th.Stataof Madk7a Pradesh KapUT J. 97G SUPREi\IE COURT 1-tEPORTS [1952] SUPP. III" of 1951) was enactecl. Seoti;:..u il of U1at Act relates to rnpeals and savin$s· Ii; provided : " If immediately uefore the appointed day, there is in force in any Part B State any law corresponaing to any of the Acts or Ordi­ nances now extended to thD,t State, that law shall, save as otherwise expressly provided in this Act, stand repealed : Provided that the repeal shall not affect, (a) the preyious operation of any law so repealed or ...•••............ (b) any right, prtvilege, obligation or lia­ bility acquired, accrued, or incurred, under any law so repealed c) any penalty, forfeiture or punishment incurred in respect of any offence com- mitted against any law ~o repealed ..... . rnd any such ............... remedy may be ..... . enfo1wid ........ ., ...... and any such penalty ..... . may be 1 imposyd as if this Act had not been passed.' Thus it is clear that in 1948, when the offences were committed by t.he appellant, t.he law in the State of .Jbabua was the Indian Penal Code and that law m1s con tin !ltld by the Ordinance of the Rajpra.mukh and L'B Repealing Act and any penalty incurrerl in respect. of any .offence com­ mitted in 1948 is rmnishah le under the Indian Penal Code as applic·l to .Jhabua State. , This appeal is t,herefore without force and is dismissed. Appeal dismissed. ' ' ·~ 1 I ------~