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IN THE SUPREME COURT OF INDIA
CRIMINAL APPELLATE JURISDICTION
CRIMINAL APPEAL No.4745 OF 2024 (Arising out of SLP(CRL.)No.9763 OF 2021)
L. MAHALINGAM & ORS. … APPELLANTS
Versus
STATE REP BY SUB INSPECTOR OF POLICE … RESPONDENT
O R D E R
1. Leave granted.
2. The appellants are farmers and residents of village
Chidambaranathapuram. They allegedly raised their voices against
the Village Administrative Officer (VAO) on 30.09.2009 and threw
the records the VAO was holding in his hand, while he was standing
outside his office in the village. Appellant No.1 threatened to
kill the VAO. Appellant No.2 used abusive words against him. They
also threatened to remove him from Government services, with dire
consequences.
3. After more than one month, i.e., on 11.11.2009, FIR No.
619 of 2009 was registered against the appellants on a complaint
made by the VAO under Sections 294(b), 353 and 506(i) of the IPC,
at Police Station Anaikaranchathiram, District Sirikali. It was
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followed by a chargesheet, and the Trial Magistrate framed charges
against all the appellants under Section 353 of the IPC, with a
separate charge under Section 506(i) of the IPC against appellant
No.1.
4. The Judicial Magistrate, Sirkali, vide judgment dated
02.06.2014, held that the charge under Section 353 of the IPC was
made out against the appellants as they snatched the Government
files, threw them away and threatened the VAO. However, the ...