In the High Court of Punjab and Haryana at Chandigarh Crl. Revision No. 248 of 1994 Date of decision : February 27, 2008 Ajit Singh and another ... Petitioners versus State of Punjab ... Respondent Coram: Hon'ble Mr. Justice A.N. Jindal Present: Mr. Neeraj Khanna, Advocate Amicus Curiae for the petitioners. Mr. C.S. Brar, DAG, Punjab for the respondent. A.N. Jindal, J The petitioners have assailed the judgment dated 6.4.1994 passed by the learned Additional Sessions Judge, Hoshiarpur, dismissing the appeal against the judgment dated 2.11.1993 passed by the Judicial Magistrate Ist Class, Hoshiarpur convicting them under Section 61 (i) (c) of the Punjab Excise Act and sentencing them accordingly. Without assailing the judgment of conviction, the petitioners have urged that since the proceedings in this case have been pending since 1990, therefore, they have already suffered much agony of the proceedings and they may be extended benefit of probation. Having perused the records of the case, the trial court appears to have appreciated the evidence in the right perspective. Even otherwise, no circumstances suggest to take a different view that what was found by the two courts below. As regards sentence, the case was registered against the accused as back as in the year 1990 and the proceedings are pending since then. The petitioners are first offenders and have no bad antecedents. Much agony has been suffered by them during the pendency of the protracted proceedings. As such, I deem it a fit case where provisions of Section 4 (1) of the Probation of Offenders Act 1958 could be invoked. Consequently, this revision petition is dismissed with the modification in the sentence that the petitioners shall be released on Crl. Revision No. 248 of 1994 -2- *** probation to keep peace and be of good behaviour for a period of one year on furnishing personal bonds in the sum of Rs.10,000/- with one surety in the like amount each, under Section 4(1) of the Probation of Offenders Act, 1958, failing to comply with the terms of the bonds, they shall be ready to serve the sentence as and when called for. The sentence of fine is converted into costs of litigation. February 27, 2008 (A.N.Jindal) deepak Judge To be referred to reporter: Yes/No.