High Court upholds trial court's order to jail salesman for corruption on ration shop

The Madras High Court has upheld the conviction and sentence along with penalty slapped on a salesman of a ration shop here, who swindled essential commodities in 1997. Justice P N Prakash in his order said ration cards are the primary evidences in the case. A Tamil Nadu scheduled commodities order 1982, clearly stated that the authorised dealers alone should supply the commodities to card holders only and should make necessary entries in the cards. This had not been done in this case.

The trial court was right in the conviction of the sales man R Kasinathan, the Judge said dismissing his appeal.

The judge also cancelled the bail granted to Kasinathan, who was employed as salesman of the ration shop of the Madurai Telegraph and Telephone Employees Cooperative Stores. The Judge directed the trial court to jail the salesman to serve remaining term of sentence.

The Sub registrar raided the ration shop in June 1997 found 506 kg of rice, 32.5 kg of sugar, 50 litres of kerosene and five kg of wheat had been sold using bogus bills without entries in the ration cards. After investigation by civil supplies officials, a case was registered.

The trial court convicted him to undergo three months of rigorous imprisonment and pay fine of Rs 25,000. Kasinathan moved the High court in 2003, challenging his conviction.