RAVI K S AND ANR vs STATE OF MAHARASHTRA

Judgment text excerpt

-WP-2176-2025.DOC IN THE HIGH COURT OF JUDICATURE AT BOMBAY CRIMINAL APPELLATE JURISDICTION WRIT PETITION NO. 2176 OF 2025 1. Ravi K.S. Age-49, Occ-Business Residing at 510, 14th Main Road, 4th Block Nandani Lay Out, Bangalore, Karnataka – 560096. 2. Rajkumar Harpal Godara, Age-49, Occ-Business, Residing at D-401, Tirupati Complex, Plot No. 8, Sector No.. 36, Kamothe, Panvel, ARUN ..Petitioners RAMCHANDRA SANKPAL Raigad. Digitally signed by ARUN RAMCHANDRA SANKPAL Date: 2026.03.17 Versus 22:29:06 +0530 The State of Maharashtra At the instance of Chief Conservator of Forest, Thane …Respondent Mr. Sachin R Pawar, for the Petitioners. Mr. A.R. Metkari, APP, for the Respondent-State. CORAM: N. J. JAMADAR, J. RESERVED ON : 8th JANUARY 2026 PRONOUNCED ON : 17th MARCH 2026 ARS 1/23 -WP-2176-2025.DOC JUDGMENT: 1. Rule. Rule made returnable forthwith and, with the consent of the learned Counsel for the parties, heard finally. 2. By this Petition under Article 227 of the Constitution of India and Section 482 of the Criminal Procedure Code, 1973, the Petitioners assail the legality, propriety and correctness of a judgment and order dated 13th March 2025 passed by the learned Additional Sessions Judge Panvel in Criminal Appeal No. 10 of 2023, whereby the Appeal preferred by the Petitioners against an order passed by the Chief Conservator of Forest, dated 27th December 2022, under Section 61-C of the Indian Forest Act, 1927 (“Forest Act, 1927”), came to be dismissed by affirming the said order which, in turn, has affirmed an order of confiscation of the forest-produce and vehicle, passed by the Competent Authority and Assistant Conservator of Forest, Panvel, under Section 61- A of the Forest Act, 1927. 3. Shorn of superfluities, the background facts leading to this Petition can be s