Man convicted of deterring public servant from duty

Legal Correspondent

Shimla, May 21

The High Court has convicted a person of deterring a public servant from discharging his duty.

The court passed this judgment on last Friday on an appeal filed by the state challenging the acquittal of the accused.

As per the prosecution, accused Naresh Kumar on June 17, 2007, has not only prevented the Regional Transport Officer (RTO), Hamirpur, from discharging his official duties that is checking of vehicles at the place of occurrence but also tried to run over the officer and the accompanied staff. Thereafter, an FIR was registered against him in Hamirpur.

Setting aside the judgment of the Sessions Judge, Hamirpur, a Division Bench comprising Justice Dharam Chand Chaudhary and Justice Vivek Singh Thakur observed, “The prosecution has established beyond all reasonable doubts that respondent (convict) has assaulted the RTO and deterred him from discharging his official duty.”

For announcing the sentence on quantum, the court sought report from the District Welfare Officer-cum-Probationary Officer, Hamirpur, regarding the past conduct of the convict, criminal history and opinion of the general public near and around him about his conduct and behaviour.

The court directed the Welfare Officer to file his report within four weeks and listed the matter for further hearing on quantum on sentence on July 10.