In Brief
A court examined whether mining-related offences prosecuted under both the Mines & Minerals (Development & Regulation) Act (MMDR Act) and the Indian Penal Code (IPC) sections on theft and receiving stolen property could proceed simultaneously. The Court held that the MMDR Act's requirement for prosecution only by written complaint of an authorised officer applies exclusively to MMDR contraventions, not to IPC offences arising from the same conduct. When an accused pays a penalty for compounding MMDR violations, this bars further MMDR prosecution but does not prevent IPC prosecution. The appeal was partly allowed, affirming that both statutory frameworks apply concurrently unless explicitly excluded.
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