State Of Karnataka vs Prakash

The Supreme Court upheld the High Court's acquittal of the accused under Section 87 of the Karnataka Forest Act and Sections 379 and 34 of IPC, emphasizing the mandatory compliance with Section 62C of the Act. The Court found that the prosecution failed to demonstrate that the Range Forest Officer was authorized to issue the certificate regarding the seized sandalwood, as required by Section 62C. Consequently, the charges could not be sustained due to this non-compliance, affirming the High Court's decision.