1966 (7) TMI 74

X X   X X   Extracts   X X   X X

→ Full Text of the Document

X X   X X   Extracts   X X   X X

..... Sub-Inspector and he found contraband opium weighing about three seers in it. Five persons were challaned for the alleged illegal possession of contraband opium and for its transport, under ss. 9A and 9B of the Opitum Act (1 of 1878) as modified by the Opium (Madhya Bharat Amendment) Act, 1955, hereinafter referred to as the Madhya Bharat Act. Harbhajan Singh, one of the accused, is alleged to have absconded, and, therefore, he was tried separately later on. The Additional District Magistrate, Guna, convicted three persons and acquitted one person. Regarding the truck, he ordered that the final orders regarding the disposal of the truck would be passed later, on the conclusion of the trial of Harbhajan Singh. It may be Mentioned that Harbh .....

X X   X X   Extracts   X X   X X

→ Full Text of the Document

X X   X X   Extracts   X X   X X

..... Co. filed a revision in the High Court. The High Court held as follows:- The word shall occurring in Sec. 11 of the M.P. Opium Act means may and that it confers discretion on the court to confiscate the conveyance provided it belongs to the offender. But where it is not so, and, the owner of the truck has neither authorised the offender to transport opium, nor is there any reason to believe that the owner knew that his vehicle was likely to be used for transporting contraband opium, the conveyance should not be confiscated because confiscation in such circumstances would be tantamount to punishing one, who has not committed any offence under the Opium Act. The learned counsel for the appellant, Mr. Shroff, contends that the .....

X X   X X   Extracts   X X   X X

→ Full Text of the Document

X X   X X   Extracts   X X   X X

..... In our opinion, the High Court was correct in reading s. 11 of the Madhya Bharat Act as permissive and not obligatory. It is well-settled that the use of the word shall does not always mean that the enactment is obligatory or mandatory, it depends upon the context in which the word shall occurs and the other circumstances. Three considerations are relevant in construing s. 1 1. First, it is not denied by Mr. Shroff that it would be unjust to confiscate the truck of a person if he has no knowledge whatsoever that the truck was being used for transporting opium. Suppose a person steals a truck and then uses it for transporting contraband opium. According to Mr. Shroff, the truck would have to be confiscated. It is well recognised tha .....

X X   X X   Extracts   X X   X X

→ Full Text of the Document

X X   X X   Extracts   X X   X X