Abdul Majeed V. The State,
PLD 2016 Balochistan 102 · Balochistan High Court
Abdul Majeed was accused of dealing in fake and spurious drugs. Based on the same allegations, he was prosecuted twice: once by a Judicial Magistrate under several Pakistan Penal Code provisions (like cheating, forgery, and abetment), and separately by a Drugs Court under the Drugs Act. He was convicted by the Magistrate first, and later also convicted and sentenced by the Drugs Court for the same conduct. He appealed the Drugs Court's decision, arguing that being punished twice for essentially the same offence amounted to double jeopardy, which is barred under Article 13 of the Constitution, Section 403 of the Criminal Procedure Code, and Section 26 of the General Clauses Act.
The State argued the two prosecutions involved different laws and offences, so both convictions were valid, and also that the appellant's absence from court (he had absconded) should result in dismissal of his appeal.
The Balochistan High Court disagreed with the State. It held that once an appeal is admitted for full hearing, it must be decided on its merits, even if the appellant fails to appear. On the core issue, the court ruled that once someone has been convicted and sentenced for an offence under one law, they cannot be prosecuted and punished again for the same offence under another law. Since the Magistrate had already convicted him, the subsequent Drugs Court trial and conviction were unlawful. The court set aside the Drugs Court's judgment and dismissed the complaint, allowing the appeal. This case reinforces the constitutional
عبدالمجید پر جعلی اور ناقص ادویات کی خرید و فروخت میں ملوث ہونے کا الزام تھا۔ انہی الزامات کی بنیاد پر اس کے خلاف دو مرتبہ مقدمہ چلایا گیا: ایک بار ایک جوڈیشل مجسٹریٹ کی عدالت میں پاکستان پینل کوڈ کی مختلف دفعات کے تحت (جیسے دھوکہ دہی، جعل سازی اور معاونت)، اور علیحدہ طور پر ڈرگ کورٹ میں ڈرگز ایکٹ کے تحت۔ پہلے مجسٹریٹ نے اسے مجرم قرار دیا، اور بعد ازاں ڈرگ کورٹ نے بھی اسی طرزِ عمل پر اسے مجرم قرار دے کر سزا سنائی۔ اس نے ڈرگ کورٹ کے فیصلے کے خلاف اپیل دائر کی اور موقف اختیار کیا کہ ایک ہی جرم پر دو بار سزا دینا دراصل ڈبل جیوپرڈی (دوہری سزا) کے زمرے میں آتا ہے، جو آئین کے آرٹیکل 13، ضابطہ فوجداری کی دفعہ 403، اور جنرل کلاز ایکٹ کی دفعہ 26 کے تحت ممنوع ہے۔
ریاست کا موقف تھا کہ دونوں مقدمات مختلف قوانین اور مختلف جرائم پر مبنی