E-Paper
Mohali: Duo gets two-year rigorous jail for possessing stolen TV
The court convicted Bhupinder Singh, alias Ballu, a resident of Raipur Khurd, Chandigarh, and Rohit Rana, originally from Ambala and currently residing in Behlana, Chandigarh
Nearly four years after a house theft in Baltana in June 2022, a Mohali court has sentenced two men to two years of rigorous imprisonment after the stolen items, including a LED television belonging to the complainant, were recovered from their possession during investigation.
The court convicted Bhupinder Singh, alias Ballu, a resident of Raipur Khurd, Chandigarh, and Rohit Rana, originally from Ambala and currently residing in Behlana, Chandigarh, under Section 411 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC). The provision relates to retaining or dealing with property that a person knows, or has reason to believe, is stolen.
According to case files, Jatinder Kumar, a labourer living as a tenant in Baltana, approached the police on June 21, 2022, regarding a theft at his house that had taken place on June 9. In his statement to police, Kumar said his wife and children had gone to their village and he had locked the house before leaving for work. When he returned around 3 pm, he found the lock broken and the room ransacked.
He reported that a LED television, important documents, including the sale deed of a plot, Aadhaar cards of his children, certificates and money kept by his children were missing.
Following probe, two accused were arrested on June 22, 2022, from a police checkpoint at Furniture Market in Baltana, Zirakpur. A police team led by ASI Nathi Ram was conducting checking when a Hero Splendor motorcycle (HR-01AE-4806) approached the spot with two riders. On noticing the cops, the rider allegedly tried to flee, prompting the police to stop and apprehend them. The two men were identified as Bhupinder Singh and Rohit Rana. As they could not produce documents for the motorcycle, police took the vehicle into possession and arrested them. Subsequent investigation led to the recovery of several items, including a Toshiba LED television belonging to the complainant, which later became a crucial piece of evidence in the case. Mobile phones reported stolen by other persons and a motorcycle that had been reported stolen in Ambala were also recovered during the probe.
During trial, the court examined eight prosecution witnesses, including the complainant and investigating officials. While assessing the evidence, the court noted that the complainant had stated during cross-examination that he had not seen the accused committing the theft as he was away at work when the incident occurred.
Because there was no direct evidence linking the accused to the house break-in or theft, the court held that it was not safe to convict them for offences of theft, house trespass or snatching under Sections 379, 379-B, 380 and 457 IPC.
However, the court observed that prosecution had successfully established that the stolen LED television and other items were recovered from the possession of the accused. On this basis, the court held them guilty under Section 411 IPC.
The court rejected their plea for leniency, despite both convicts stating they were labourers and sole breadwinners for their families, and sentenced each of them to two years of rigorous imprisonment.
