Appeal by the State Government against sentence and appeal in case of acquittal are defined under Section 377 and 378 of CRPC 1973. Provisions under these sections are:
Section 377 of CRPC "Appeal by the State Government against sentence"
(1) Save as otherwise provided in sub-section (2), the State Government may, in any case of conviction on a trial held by any Court other than a High Court, direct the Public Prosecutor to present 1[an appeal against the sentence on the ground of its inadequacy-
(a) to the Court of Session, if the sentence is passed by the Magistrate;
and
(b) to the High Court, if the sentence is passed by any other Court.]
(2) If such conviction is in a case in which the offence has been investigated by the Delhi Special Police Establishment, constituted under the Delhi Special Police Establishment Act, 1946 (25 of 1946), or by any other agency empowered to make investigation into an offence under any Central Act other than this Code, 2 [the Central Government may also direct] the Public Prosecutor to present 3 [an appeal against the sentence on the ground of its inadequacy-
(a) to the Court of Session, if the sentence is passed by the Magistrate; and
(b) to the High Court, if the sentence is passed by any other Court.]
(3) When an appeal has been filed against the sentence on the ground of its inadequacy, 4 [the Court of Session or, as the case may be, the High Court] shall not enhance the sentence except after giving to the accused a reasonable opportunity of showing cause against such enhancement and while showing cause, the accused may plead for his acquittal or for the reduction of the sentence.
---------------------
1. Subs. by Act 25 of 2005, s. 31, for certain words (w.e.f. 23-6-2006).
2. Subs. by Act 45 of 1978, s. 29, for certain words (w.e.f. 18-12-1978).
3. Subs. by Act 25 of 2005, s. 31, for certain words (w.e.f. 23-6-2006).
4. Subs. by s. 31, ibid., for "the High Court" (w.e.f. 23-6-2006).
Section 378 of CRPC "Appeal in case of acquittal"
1[(1) Save as otherwise provided in sub-section (2), and subject to the provisions of sub-sections (3) and (5),-
(a) the District Magistrate may, in any case, direct the Public Prosecutor to present an appeal to the Court of Session from an order of acquittal passed by a Magistrate in respect of a cognizable and non-bailable offence;
(b) the State Government may, in any case, direct the Public Prosecutor to present an appeal to the High Court from an original or appellate order of acquittal passed by any Court other than a High Court [not being an order under clause (a)] or an order of acquittal passed by the Court of Session in revision.]
(2) If such an order of acquittal is passed in any case in which the offence has been investigated by the Delhi Special Police Establishment constituted under the Delhi Special Police Establishment Act, 1946 (25 of 1946), or by any other agency empowered to make investigation into an offence under any Central Act other than this Code, 2 [the Central Government may, subject to the provisions of sub-section (3), also direct the Public Prosecutor to present an appeal-
(a) to the Court of Session, from an order of acquittal passed by a Magistrate in respect of a cognizable and non-bailable offence;
(b) to the High Court from an original or appellate order of an acquittal passed by any Court other than a High Court [not being an order under clause (a)] or an order of acquittal passed by the Court of Session in revision.]
(3)3[No appeal to the High Court] under sub-section (1) or sub-section (2) shall be entertained except with the leave of the High Court.
(4) If such an order of acquittal is passed in any case instituted upon complaint and the High Court, on an application made to it by the complainant in this behalf, grants special leave to appeal from the order of acquittal, the complainant may present such an appeal to the High Court.
(5) No application under sub-section (4) for the grant of special leave to appeal from an order of acquittal shall be entertained by the High Court after the expiry of six months, where the complainant is a public servant, and sixty days in every other case, computed from the date of that order of acquittal.
(6) If, in any case, the application under sub-section (4) for the grant of special leave to appeal from an order of acquittal is refused, no appeal from that order of acquittal shall lie under sub-section (1) or under sub-section (2).
----------------------
1. Subs. by s. 32, ibid., for sub-section (1) (w.e.f. 23-6-2006).
2. Subs. by s. 32, ibid., for certain words (w.e.f. 23-6-2006).
3. Subs. by s. 32, ibid., for No appeal (w.e.f. 23-6-2006).
APPEALS