Advocate finds copy of century-old Thane court order in mango theft case
Thane (PTI): An advocate has stumbled upon a copy of an order pronounced by a court in Maharashtra's Thane 100 years ago in a case of theft of mangoes, providing a glimpse of the legal proceedings at that time.
In the order dated July 5, 1924, the then magistrate TA Fernandes convicted four persons of mango theft and released them after admonition, considering they were all young men and he did not want to ruin their life by sentencing them.
Advocate Poonit Mahimkar told PTI on Sunday that while shifting from his previous house in Thane city, he found a bag lying unattended in the mezzanine for years, possibly left by the earlier house occupants.
When he opened the bag, he found some old property papers and a copy of the magistrate's order.
The order was pertaining to the case titled 'Crown Vs Anjelo Alwares and 3 others', charged under sections 379/109 of the Indian Penal Code for the theft of "185 green mangoes".
The judgement, by magistrate Fernandes, recounted the prosecution's case alleging the accused were caught red-handed while plucking mangoes from a field belonging to Bostiav Ellis Andraden.
Witnesses testified to seeing the accused selling the stolen mangoes to a local dealer, prompting Andraden to reclaim his property (mangoes) and seek legal action.
The defence argued claiming innocence, but the magistrate convicted the accused of theft.
"Considering the whole evidence, I am satisfied that accused are guilty of the offence of theft. But they are all young men and I have no wish to ruin their life by sentencing them, and they have moreover no previous conviction. Accordingly I convict them under section 379/109 and release them after due admonition," the magistrate said in the order.
Mahimkar said he now plans to preserve the document.
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Death toll in Mundathikode fireworks explosion rises to 16
Thrissur (Kerala) (PTI): One more person who had been hospitalised following the Mundathikode fireworks explosion died at Thrissur Medical College on Sunday, police said.
With this, the death toll in the incident has risen to 16.
According to Thrissur Medical College police, the deceased has been identified as Unnikrishnan from Edappal, who was among the 38 persons present at the fireworks manufacturing unit in Mundathikode where the explosions occurred on April 21.
Police said Unnikrishnan had suffered over 80 per cent burns and had remained in critical condition.
The condition of the two other injured persons remains critical, police said.
Of the 38 persons present at the site, 16 have died, while four remain missing.
The fireworks were being manufactured for Thiruvambady Devaswom as part of the Thrissur Pooram festivities.
The licensee of the unit had also suffered burn injuries and had died earlier.
