In Brief
Bhola Ram was convicted by a trial court for theft of electricity under Section 39 of the Electricity Act, 1910, sentenced to two years imprisonment and a fine of Rs 5,000. The conviction was upheld by the Sessions Court and High Court. The Supreme Court confirmed the conviction but reduced the sentence to one month's imprisonment and the same fine, citing mitigating circumstances: the case had been pending over 21 years, the appellant was from a remote village, and he had already paid all electricity charges and penalties. Default fine imprisonment was set at fifteen days.
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