In this context it would be timely to recall the warning uttered by this Court in Jagdish Prasad v. West Bengal This Court said:
“Offences under the Act being anti-social crimes affecting the health and well-being of our people, the Legislature having regard to the trend of courts to impose in most cases only fines or where a sentence of imprisonment was passed a light sentence was awarded even in cases where a severe sentence was called for, a more drastic step was taken by it in prescribing a minimum sentence and a minimum fine to be imposed even for a first offence.”
In this case, there was no justification, much less special reasons statutorily required, for awarding less than the minimum sentence. stricto sensu Court exceeded its jurisdiction while interfering with the quantum of sentence. And with this observation we dismiss the special leave petition.
S.R. Petition dismissed.