2006 (7) TMI 576 - SUPREME COURT

Whether burden of proof in terms of Section 118 had been discharged or not?

Held that:- The evidences adduced by the parties before the trial court lead to one conclusion that the Appellant had been able to discharge his initial burden. The burden thereafter shifted to the Second Respondent to prove his case. He failed to do so.

We have gone through the oral evidences. The Second Respondent has even failed to prove that the Appellant had paid to him a sum of Rs. 5000/- by cash. In any event the High Court entertained an appeal treating to be an appeal against acquittal, it was in fact exercising the revisional jurisdiction. Even while exercising an appellate power against a judgment of acquittal, the High Court should have borne in mind the well-settled principles of law that where two views are possible, the appellate court should not interfere with the finding of acquittal recorded by the court below. We, therefore, are of the opinion that the impugned judgment cannot be sustained which is set aside accordingly. The appeal is allowed. The Appellant is on bail. He is discharged from the bail bonds. The Second Respondent shall pay and bear the costs of the Appellant. Counsels' fee assessed at Rs. 10,000/-.