1 2025:CGHC:5078 NAFR HIGH COURT OF CHHATTISGARH, BILASPUR CRA No. 449 of 2021 • Ashok Alsa S/o Lingaiya Aged About 25 Years R/o Dipopara, Bijapur, Police Station Bijapur, District Bijapur Chhattisgarh, District : Bijapur, Chhattisgarh ...Appellant versus • State Of Chhattisgarh Through Station House Officer, Police Station Modakpal, District Bijapur Chhattisgarh, District : Bijapur, Chhattisgarh. ---- Respondent For Appellant : Mr. Rajeev Dubey, Advocate. For Respondent/State : Ms. Priya Sharma, Panel Lawyer. Hon'ble Shri Justice Arvind Kumar Verma Judgment on Board 28.01.2025. 1. This appeal has been preferred against the judgment of conviction and order of sentence dated 03.03.2021 passed by learned Session Judge, (FTC), South Bastar Dantewada, (CG) in ST No.186/2018, whereby appellant/accused stand convicted and sentenced as under:- Conviction Sentence U/s 436/34 of the Indian Penal Code R.I. for 07 years and fine of Rs.1000/-, in default of payment of fine, additional R.I. for 01 month. 2 U/s 457/34 of the Indian Penal Code R.I. for 03 years and fine of Rs.500/-, in default of payment of fine, additional R.I. for 01 month. 2. The present appeal was filed in the year 2021. No one appeared on behalf of the appellant in pre-lunch session when the matter was called out for hearing, therefore, I requested for assistance from a Counsel of the High Court Legal Services Committee. Mr. Rajeev Dubey, Advocate is nominated to assist the Court. 3. Learned State Counsel submits that as per direction of this Court, she has received a written instruction from Jail Superintendent, Central Jail, Jagdalpur, and would submit that the appellant has already completed his jail sentence awarded to him by the trial Court and released from jail on 14.02.2024. In this regard, he places reliance upon the dictum of Hon’ble Supreme Court in case of Suresh Singh and Another v. State of Haryana reported in (2007) 13 SCC 518. Relevant portion of said judgment reads as under:- “12. It appears that thereafter on 22.01.2007, Criminal Miscellaneous Petition No. 1497 was filed wherein it was stated that Devender Singh (Accused 1) had expired. Death certificate was also produced alongwith the application. It was further stated that Jai Bhagwan (Accused 2), Jai Pal (Accused 4) and Shamsher Singh (Accused 5) be permitted to withdraw from special leave petition since all the three had already undergone the sentence and special leave on their behalf had become infructuous. The said application was 3 allowed by the Court and the prayer was granted. Thus, out of the six accused only two have remained viz. Suresh Singh, Appellant 1 (Accused 3) and Jagbir Singh, Appellant 2 (Accused No.6).” 4. At this stage, learned counsel for the appellant submits that since appellant has already been released from jail after serving out the entire jail sentence, he does not want to press this appeal on merit. As such, instant criminal appeal be disposed of accordingly. 5. Since the appellant/accused has already completed his jail sentence as also deposited the fine amount imposed by the trial Court and has been released from jail on 14.02.2024 and learned counsel for the appellant does not want to press this appeal on merits, instant criminal appeal is disposed of. 6. Let the written instruction received from the Jail Superintendent, Central Jail, Jagdalpur, be kept on record. Sd/- (Arvind Kumar Verma) JUDGE J.