In Brief
Bhola Ram was convicted by the Magistrate for theft of electricity under Section 39 of the Electricity Act, 1910, for taking an unauthorized direct line from the electricity board to run his huller mill. He received two years imprisonment and a fine of Rs. 5,000. His appeals to the Sessions Judge and High Court were dismissed. The Supreme Court upheld his conviction but reduced his sentence to one month imprisonment (with fifteen days default in lieu of fine) in view of mitigating circumstances, including the case's 21-year pendency, his payment of dues, and his remote village status.
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