Code of Criminal Procedure, 1973

In a communal violence case in Gujarat, the trial court acquitted the accused after several witnesses, including Zahira Habibullah Sheikh, turned hostile. Zahira later alleged intimidation and coercion before various bodies, prompting the Supreme Court to order a retrial in Maharashtra. During the retrial she publicly …

The complainant Rajbir Singh lodged an FIR alleging that armed assailants fired at his father Hoti Lal, killing him and a Scheduled Caste girl, Pooja Kumari. During investigation, Akhilesh Chauhan (respondent No.2) was found to have received a rifle from one of the accused and fled the scene, leading the Special Judge …

The accused were convicted of murder under Section 302 read with Section 34 of the IPC. The trial court records were destroyed in a fire, and the High Court, after a long delay, concluded that reconstruction was impossible and ordered the acquittal of the accused. The Supreme Court held that the High Court erred by not…

Arivazhagan was charged under Section 13(1)(c) of the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988 read with Section 109 of the IPC. He filed a defence list of 267 witnesses. The Special Judge examined the list and, on the ground of avoiding delay, allowed only a few witnesses from each division. The Madras High Court slightly i…

The wife, Tarannum Akhtar, alleged dowry harassment and threatened termination of her pregnancy, filing an FIR on 1 April 2019 against her husband Md. Ikram and his in‑laws under Sections 341, 323, 379, 354, 498A read with Section 34 IPC. The in‑laws contended that the allegations against them were vague, general and o…

Tarun Tyagi was charged with stealing the source code of the 'Quick Recovery' software and selling it through his own company. The CBI seized three hard disks (Q‑2, Q‑9, Q‑20) containing the alleged source code. Tyagi sought copies of these disks under Section 207 of the Code of Criminal Procedure to prepare his defenc…

Gopal Singh was convicted under Section 324 of the Indian Penal Code for firing a country‑made pistol ("katta") and causing a firearm injury to his nephew, Narain Singh. The appellant challenged the conviction on the ground that the weapon was not seized and the injury was not grievous, and also contended that the thre…

Parimal filed a divorce suit against his wife Veena. The wife repeatedly refused to accept the court's notice, after which the trial court proceeded ex‑parte and granted a decree of divorce. Four years later she applied under Order IX Rule 13 CPC to set aside the decree, alleging improper service, fraud and lack of suf…

The complainants placed orders with Rifa Healthcare (India) Pvt. Ltd. and issued demand drafts, but the company failed to deliver the goods and later issued 18 cheques that were dishonoured. The complainants filed complaints under Sections 138 and 141 of the Negotiable Instruments Act, implicating the company and one o…

The appellant, a widowed woman, filed a suit in 1990 seeking declaration of ownership of land inherited from her deceased husband and alleging that a consent decree dated 26‑03‑1985, which transferred the property to the respondents, was procured by fraud. The trial court, after evaluating testimonies of four witnesses…

The appellants Mulla and Guddu were convicted for abducting and murdering five villagers for ransom, based on the testimony of injured eye‑witnesses and a test identification parade (TIP) conducted after a delay. The Supreme Court held that the TIP was properly conducted and its evidence admissible, and that the eye‑wi…

The appellant, a former employee of the Maharashtra Housing and Area Development Authority, was charged with offences under IPC sections 420, 465, 466, 467, 468 and 471 for allegedly falsifying allotment of premises and issuing spurious rent receipts. He sought discharge under Section 228 of the CrPC, arguing that no s…

The State of Uttar Pradesh prosecuted Satish for the rape and murder of a six‑year‑old girl, relying on circumstantial evidence that the accused was last seen carrying the victim on a bicycle and on the recovery of both parties' undergarments. The trial court convicted Satish under sections 302, 376(2), 363, 366 and 20…

The appellant, a Metropolitan Magistrate, complained that a Delhi High Court judgment contained disparaging observations against her, which later entered her confidential annual records and threatened her career. She sought expungement of those remarks under Article 136 of the Constitution, arguing they were irrelevant…

In 1997 a massacre in Madurai led to the arrest of 34 persons, many of whom were later released on bail. The victims' relatives sought the High Court's intervention to cancel the bail, but the State did not move the court. A group of 75 practising advocates filed petitions before the Chief Justice of the Madras High Co…

Chanda, a newly married woman, died from severe burns after a fire broke out in her in-laws' house; neighbours rescued her but she later succumbed to her injuries. Her parents alleged dowry harassment and filed a police report; the investigation led to a charge sheet under s.306 IPC read with s.34 against her brother D…

The dispute concerned three settlement deeds executed by the deceased parents in favour of their elder son, which the appellant, Dr. C.S. Prasad, claimed were obtained fraudulently by the respondents exploiting the parents' age and medical vulnerability. He filed a criminal complaint in 2020, leading to FIR No. 229 of …

The respondents challenged a batch of FIRs registered between 2016 and 2020 at the Anti‑Corruption Bureau’s Central Investigation Unit in Vijayawada, alleging that the office had not been notified as a police station under Section 2(s) of the Code of Criminal Procedure and therefore lacked jurisdiction. The High Court …

The complainant, Sumit Bansal, entered into a sale agreement with MGI Developers and its proprietor Manoj Goyal, paying the full consideration. When the sale deeds were not executed, the parties issued several cheques—both from the firm and personally by the proprietor—which were subsequently dishonoured and statutory …

The appellant, the brother‑in‑law of the deceased woman, was convicted under Sections 306 and 498‑A of the IPC and Section 4 of the Dowry Prohibition Act for abetment of suicide, while being acquitted of the dowry‑death charge under Section 304B. The deceased had set herself on fire after alleged harassment and dowry d…

The Inspector of the Railway Protection Force alleged that Mathew K. Cherian created numerous fraudulent IRCTC user IDs to procure and sell railway e‑tickets for profit, while Ramesh, an authorised railway ticketing agent, was accused of using multiple IDs to supply tickets. The central question was whether such conduc…

The appellant, Sadashiv Dhondiram Patil, was charged with murdering his wife Lata. The prosecution relied on an alleged extra‑judicial confession made to the village Police Patil, the discovery of an iron rod, motive, and the fact that the crime occurred inside the house. The trial court acquitted him, holding the conf…

The Supreme Court quashed the remission orders granted by the State of Gujarat to 11 convicts in the Bilkis Bano case, who were convicted for gangrape, murder, and rioting during the 2002 Gujarat riots. The Court held that the State of Gujarat was not the 'appropriate government' under Section 432(7) of the CrPC to gra…

The appellants, partners of a firm, issued numerous cheques to a retiring partner which were dishonoured, leading to 28 complaints under Section 138 of the Negotiable Instruments Act. They were convicted and sentenced, but the appellate court suspended the sentence on condition that they deposit 25% of the compensation…

The case concerned the murder of Dharam Chand, for which four persons were charged. Babu Lal and Devi Lal were convicted by the trial court and the High Court on the basis of three eyewitness testimonies and an extra‑judicial confession by Babu Lal, while the other two accused were acquitted. On appeal, the Supreme Cou…

Chander Bhan Singh filed a writ petition in 2002 alleging his son was killed by police and sought registration of a criminal case. The CBI investigated and filed a closure report, which the Chief Metropolitan Magistrate rejected, taking cognizance against 13 police officers. After a series of petitions, the High Court …

The deceased Meena Devi lived with her two children and her brother‑in‑law Raj Kumar in a joint family house. On the night of 23 August 2007, Raj Kumar, in a drunken state, assaulted Meena Devi, took her to another accused’s house, and she was later found dead, hanging from a tree. The trial court convicted Raj Kumar u…

The accused filed an application under Section 408 of the CrPC seeking transfer of a criminal trial from one Additional Sessions Judge to another after the trial had already commenced. The Principal Sessions Judge rejected the petition, holding that he lacked jurisdiction to transfer a case once trial began. The High C…

Vinod Kumar, a domestic servant, was accused of kidnapping his employer's 3‑year‑old son for ransom. The trial court acquitted him and co‑accused Joginder, but the High Court reversed the acquittal, convicting Vinod Kumar under IPC sections 363, 364A and 109. The Supreme Court examined whether the High Court was entitl…

The appellant, a food manufacturer, was charged under the Prevention of Food Adulteration Act after a complaint by the Local Health Authority and was acquitted by a Metropolitan Magistrate. The State sought to appeal the acquittal in the Sessions Court under Section 378(1)(a) of the Code of Criminal Procedure, 1973, wh…

The appellant Venkatesha (A‑2) and co‑accused G. Venkatesh Murthy (A‑1) were convicted under IPC sections 302, 307, 427 read with s.34 and under the Explosive Substances Act, s.3 read with s.34 for planting a bomb in a hair‑salon to kill Muniraju (PW‑14). The bomb, placed by approver Hanif (A‑3) on their instructions, …

Mani and another accused were charged with murdering Sivakumar under IPC s.302, s.34 and s.201. The prosecution alleged that Mani had taken the deceased to his house, where blood was later found and blood‑stained clothes and a koduval were recovered based on the accused’s own statement. The trial and High Courts convic…

The dispute arose between Sat Narain and the complainant party over a family quarrel. On the night of 17 June 1999, Sat Narain and his accomplices blocked the complainant's jeep, attacked them and Sat Narain fired three shots from a licensed gun, killing Chhotu Ram and injuring his wife Sakeela; a second shot aimed at …

The respondents applied for Constable‑Driver positions in the Haryana Police and answered "No" to the application queries whether they had ever been arrested or convicted. Verification later revealed that they had been arrested in connection with FIRs but were acquitted and released on bail without ever being taken int…

The appellant Alakh Ram was charged under Sections 8 and 20 of the NDPS Act for allegedly planting ganja in his agricultural field. The police seized 17 ganja plants from the field and the trial court convicted him, imposing three years’ imprisonment, a decision affirmed by the High Court. On appeal, the Supreme Court …

The State of Rajasthan prosecuted Hat Singh and others under the Rajasthan Sati (Prevention) Act, 1987 for "glorification of Sati" (Section 5) and for contravention of a prohibitory order issued by the Collector (Section 6(3)). The High Court held that once a prohibitory order was issued, Section 5 merged into Section …

The appellants Chittarmal and Moti were charged with murder and attempted murder for assaulting two sleeping men, resulting in their deaths, and grievously injuring a third witness, Lal Chand. The trial court convicted them under Sections 302 and 307 IPC and sentenced them to death, which was later commuted to life imp…

The appellant, a lecturer of a private college affiliated to Shivaji University, was accused of accepting Rs. 400 to inflate a student's exam marks. An FIR was lodged seven days after the alleged incident, no incriminating material was seized, and witness statements were recorded ten months later. He was charged under …

The appellants were charged under the IPC and Sections 3(1) and 3(2)(i) of the Terrorist and Disruptive Activities (Prevention) Act (TADA) for setting fire to a house during the 1993 Bombay riots, resulting in many deaths. The Designated Court denied bail, and the appellants contended that because TADA was a temporary …

Dr. B.S. Panchal was arrested under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act on 8 November 1993. Both the City Sessions Judge and the Gujarat High Court denied his bail applications, relying on Section 37 of the NDPS Act and the precedent set in Narcotics Control Bureau v. Kishan Lal. The appellant con…

The appellant, a widow, claimed possession of a house that had been sold at auction to the first respondent. After the second respondent, her son, entered the house, he was convicted of trespass and the High Court ordered the house restored to the first respondent. The appellant objected to this order in a civil procee…

The State of Rajasthan appealed the conviction of Gurbachan Singh for murder arising out of a land‑dispute in which Teja Singh was killed. The High Court had acquitted Singh of the murder charge, holding that he only struck the victim's feet with a lathi and therefore lacked common intention to cause death. The Supreme…

Mohd Zahid was convicted in two separate NDPS cases: for possession of 4 kg of heroin in Amritsar (12 years' rigorous imprisonment) and for 750 g of heroin in Delhi (15 years' rigorous imprisonment, enhanced under s.31(ii)). The Delhi trial court did not expressly order the two sentences to run concurrently, and the Hi…

The appellant, Parveen @ Sonu, was convicted along with other accused for offences including criminal conspiracy (s.120‑B IPC) and murder (s.302 IPC) arising from an alleged attempt to rescue four prisoners being escorted by police on a train. The prosecution’s case relied mainly on the eye‑witness constable’s depositi…

The petitioner, journalist Amish Devgan, hosted a televised debate on the Places of Worship (Special Provisions) Act and described the Sufi saint Pir Hazrat Moinuddin Chishti as an invader, terrorist and robber, leading to seven FIRs in different states under Sections 295A, 153A and 505(2) of the IPC. He sought quashin…

The Supreme Court considered an appeal where the accused, charged under IPC 376, sought a summons under CrPC s.91 for investigation material omitted from the charge‑sheet. The trial court dismissed the application, but the High Court allowed it, prompting the appeal. The Court examined whether, at the charge‑framing st…

The appellant filed a private complaint alleging offences under IPC sections 419, 420, 468, 471 and 120B against five respondents concerning a disputed land transaction. The Additional Chief Judicial Magistrate, after reviewing the complaint, oral evidence under sections 200 and 202 of the CrPC and documentary material…

The Supreme Court entertained a public‑interest writ under Article 32 on behalf of two Dalit sisters who were victims of a brutal acid attack in Bihar. The petitioners argued that the compensation of Rs 3 lakhs per victim prescribed in the earlier Laxmi judgment was grossly inadequate given the extensive physical, psyc…

The appellant was summoned by a Chief Judicial Magistrate to give a voice sample to aid the investigation of an alleged recruitment scam. He challenged the summons on the ground that it violated Article 20(3) of the Constitution and that no statutory provision empowered a magistrate to order a voice sample. The Supreme…

The Supreme Court examined whether the Punjab and Haryana High Court could entertain applications under Section 482 of the CrPC and direct a CBI investigation after a criminal appeal had been finally disposed of. It held that once a judgment is signed, the court becomes functus officio and, under Section 362 CrPC, cann…

The appellant was recorded as a witness under Section 161 of the CrPC in a police case concerning an assault, and later named as an accused in a separate complaint case arising from the same incident. He sought to invoke Article 20(3) of the Constitution to refuse to give testimony in the police case, claiming a blanke…

The appellant, the father of a deceased Army Major, alleged that his son was murdered because he had uncovered corruption, and sought a direction that the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) conduct a probe. The High Court dismissed the writ petition, and the appellant appealed. The Supreme Court held that a petition…

The appellant, a member of Ryot Seva Sahakari Bank, obtained a loan and issued a cheque that was later dishonoured, leading the bank to prosecute him under Section 138 of the Negotiable Instruments Act. The trial court convicted him, sentencing him to six months' imprisonment and ordering compensation; the conviction w…

The State of Orissa filed FIRs against Saroj Kumar Sahoo and Nalinikanta Muduli for alleged offences under the IPC and the Prevention of Corruption Act. While the investigation was still pending, a Single Judge of the Orissa High Court exercised its inherent power under Section 482 of the Code of Criminal Procedure to …

On 20 December 1980 a bomb attack injured Sriram Singh, who later died. His dying declaration, recorded by a magistrate in the presence of a doctor, implicated Panchdeo Singh as being present at the scene. The magistrate asserted the deceased was in a fit state of mind, but no medical certification or doctor's signatur…

The respondent, Ashraf Bhat, was arrested under the Terrorist and Disruptive Activities (Prevention) Act, 1987 in connection with two FIRs. In FIR No. 56 of 1991 he was arrested on 17‑April‑1992, but the prosecution filed the police report (challan) on 23‑December‑1992, after the one‑year period prescribed under the Ac…

The Punjab & Haryana High Court Bar Association filed a public‑interest writ petition seeking a judicial enquiry into the abduction and alleged murder of Advocate Kulwant Singh, his wife and child, which had triggered a prolonged strike by lawyers. The High Court admitted the petition but a five‑judge bench later dismi…

Partap Singh and his co-accused were charged under IPC sections 302 and 326 read with section 34. The charge‑sheet framed the appellant only vicariously under section 34, as the prosecution had no material linking him directly to the knife injuries. At trial, the prosecution led eye‑witness testimony that Partap actual…

The appellant, a food inspector, charged the respondents with adulterating food under s.16(1)(a) of the Prevention of Food Adulteration Act, 1954 as it stood in West Bengal after the 1973 State amendment, which prescribed life imprisonment and made the offence triable only by a Sessions Court. While the case was pendin…

V.C. Shukla was charged under the Special Courts Act, 1979 and the Special Judge ordered that a charge be framed against him. The State raised a preliminary objection, arguing that the order was merely an interlocutory one and that, under section 11(1) of the Act (which contains a non‑obstante clause), no appeal lies f…

The case arose from an FIR lodged under the IPC, POCSO Act and SC/ST Act against a school teacher for allegedly rubbing the breast of a 16‑year‑old girl, a sexual assault under Section 7 of the POCSO Act. The teacher and the victim's father later entered into a compromise, and the teacher sought quashment of the FIR un…

The appellant, Hariprasad, was convicted under Section 302 IPC for allegedly poisoning Bisahu Singh by mixing a herb in liquor, based largely on the deceased's dying declaration and a forensic report that arrived a year later. The Supreme Court examined whether the more than one‑year delay in filing the FIR was fatal t…

The appellant P. Ponnusamy and eight co‑accused were convicted by a Sessions Court for offences under s.120B, 109, 341, 302 read with s.34 IPC, with some sentenced to death and others to life imprisonment. The Sessions Court referred the death‑penalty confirmations to the Madras High Court, which repeatedly adjourned t…

The appellant Rahul and two co‑accused were convicted for kidnapping, rape and murder of a girl, and sentenced to death and other terms. The Supreme Court examined whether the prosecution had established the identity of the accused and proved guilt beyond reasonable doubt. It found that no identification parade was con…

The dealer, M/s R.M. Service Centre, held a retail licence for petrol, diesel, oil and grease. A joint inspection revealed a positive stock variation of High Speed Diesel beyond permissible limits and lack of reference density. Samples drawn were sent for testing; the first was dispatched five days after collection, ex…

Hardev Singh married Harpreet Kaur on 17 April 2010 without parental consent. The appellant was 17 years old at the time, while the wife was an adult. The Punjab & Haryana High Court initially granted police protection but later recalled its order and directed registration of an FIR under Section 9 of the Prohibition o…

The appellant, Kalu alias Laxminarayan, was convicted under Section 302 IPC for the death of his wife, who was found strangulated inside their home. The trial and High Courts held the death homicidal, though the High Court initially described it as hanging. The Supreme Court examined the forensic findings, the presence…

The State of Uttarakhand appealed the High Court's acquittal of five accused persons charged with murder and offences under sections 147, 148, 149 and 302 IPC. The prosecution alleged that the accused, armed with pistols and sharp‑edged weapons, ambushed the deceased while he was on a tractor, shot him and assaulted hi…

The petitioners were convicted for the abduction, rape, and murder of two children, based on a confessional statement, forensic evidence, and eyewitness testimony. They challenged the conviction and death sentence in a review petition, arguing that the confession was involuntary, the retraction should invalidate it, an…

The Supreme Court, recalling its earlier directions in Zorawar Singh v. Gurbax Singh Bains (2015) 2 SCC 572, noted that the State had filed a report under Section 173 of the CrPC after conducting a thorough investigation as directed, and that the Chief Secretary’s inquiry report showed compliance with the Court’s manda…

The appellant, Sami Ullaha, was arrested after heroin was seized from two co-accused who alleged the drugs were meant for him. No drugs were found on his person, but he made a statement under Section 67 of the NDPS Act, later retracting it, claiming it was obtained under duress. The first chemical analysis by the Gover…

The appellant, a landowner, alleged that nine coconut trees on his property were damaged on the advice of the respondent and filed a police complaint naming the respondent as a doubtful person. The police investigation was closed after six months under Section 167(5) of the CrPC. The respondent then lodged a private de…

The case arose from a violent incident in Patiala where several persons were charged under the IPC and Arms Act. Two of the accused, Vijay Preet Singh and Jagtar Singh, were initially discharged based on a police inquiry report that they were falsely implicated. During trial, prosecution witnesses identified them as pa…

Ratan Kumar Vishwas was convicted under Sections 27A and 29 of the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act for trafficking charas and sentenced to 14 years' rigorous imprisonment and a fine. He applied to the High Court for suspension of his sentence and bail under Section 37 of the NDPS Act, but the appl…

The State of Punjab appealed the trial court’s acquittal of Sukhchain Singh and others for murder and related offences, while an accused (Paramjit Singh) appealed his conviction. The Supreme Court examined the scope of appellate power under Section 378 of the Code of Criminal Procedure, 1973, which allows the State to …

The appellant Krishan was convicted by a trial court for murder (IPC s.302) after allegedly delivering a lathi blow that caused the death of Chandgi Ram. The High Court acquitted him, holding that the FIR was lodged after an unreasonable delay and that the ocular evidence conflicted with the medical evidence, rendering…

Eicher Tractor Ltd. and others filed a petition under Section 482 of the Code of Criminal Procedure seeking to quash a criminal complaint filed by Harihar Singh under IPC sections 420, 468 and 471, alleging forgery. The petitioners argued that the complaint was a retaliatory "counter‑blast" to an earlier complaint they…

The State of Uttar Pradesh appealed against the Allahabad High Court's acquittal of Atar Singh and six others who had been convicted for the murder of Ram Murti and assault of three others. The trial court had sentenced the accused under IPC sections 302, 323, 324 r/w 149, 147, 148 and 452, but the High Court set aside…

Shashikant, a railway employee, lodged an anonymous complaint with the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) alleging corruption by several officers. The CBI conducted a preliminary inquiry without registering a First Information Report (FIR) and recommended departmental action, which was carried out. Shashikant was la…

The State of Rajasthan charged Kashi Ram with the murder of his wife and two infant daughters, alleging that the victims were last seen alive with him on 3 February 1998 and that the house was found locked thereafter, with the bodies discovered on 6 February. The trial court convicted him based on medical evidence of s…

The appellant, a constable, killed three fellow police personnel with a sten‑gun after being reprimanded and having adverse entries made against him. He was convicted under Section 302 IPC and Section 27 of the Arms Act and sentenced to death. The Supreme Court upheld the conviction under Section 302 but set aside the …

During a raid on Gopal Sarkar's saw‑mill, forest officials seized illegally felled timber along with a band‑saw and related implements. The authorised officer, invoking Section 59A(3) of the Indian Forest Act, 1927 (West Bengal Amendment, 1988), ordered confiscation of both the timber (property of the State) and the to…

The Supreme Court examined applications filed by the Special Public Prosecutor (SPP) under Section 321 of the Criminal Procedure Code to withdraw TADA charges against accused linked to the forest brigand Veerappan, whose kidnapping of actor Rajkumar prompted the Karnataka government to concede to his demands. The SPP’s…

Sureendra Narain (Munna Pandey) was convicted of murder under IPC s.302 for shooting Shree Prakash in a rickshaw. The prosecution relied on three eye‑witnesses who named the accused in the FIR, and the accused surrendered later and sought a test identification parade, which was ordered by the Sessions Court but never c…

The petitioners, Chandraswami and another, were accused of cheating under Sections 120B and 420 of the IPC for allegedly obtaining US$1 lakh from a complainant in 1983. They were arrested in 1988, released on bail with conditions, and later permitted to travel abroad. After a Supreme Court‑ordered restraint on foreign …

Prabha Dutt, chief reporter of Hindustan Times, filed a writ petition under Article 32 seeking a direction to allow her to interview two death‑row convicts, Billa and Ranga, in Tihar Jail. The Court examined whether Article 19(1)(a) of the Constitution confers a press right to unrestricted access to information and hel…

The appellant, Nilesh Baburao Gitte, was convicted of murdering his mother, Sunanda Gitte, under Section 302 IPC. The prosecution's case relied on circumstantial evidence, including alleged recovery of a nylon rope, post‑mortem findings of strangulation marks, and a purported motive of property gain. The Supreme Court …

The case arose from a violent clash in Katihar district where a mob of 400‑500 armed persons assaulted several villagers, resulting in the deaths of two men and injuries to five others. The trial court convicted 21 accused under Section 302 read with Section 149 of the IPC; the High Court affirmed the convictions of 12…

The petitioners challenged the occupation of the Kalindi Kunj‑Shaheen Bagh stretch, including the Okhla underpass, by protesters opposing the Citizenship Amendment Act, arguing that it violated their right to protest under Articles 19(1)(a) and (b). The Delhi High Court dismissed the writ without specific directions, p…

The appellants, Gulam Sarbar and Dhiren Mahto, were convicted of murder under s.302 IPC and criminal conspiracy under s.120‑B IPC for the killing of Sant Kumar Sinha. The prosecution relied primarily on the testimony of a single eye‑witness (Dr. Gopal Prasad Sinha) and corroborative ocular and medical evidence to estab…

Surya Baksh Singh, a convicted offender, appealed his conviction before the High Court, which affirmed the conviction ex parte without his presence or counsel and rejected his request for remand. The Supreme Court examined the growing misuse of the appellate process whereby convicts obtain bail or exemption from surren…

The appellant issued a cheque of Rs.69,500 that was dishonoured and was convicted under Section 138 of the Negotiable Instruments Act, receiving a sentence of six months imprisonment and a compensation order of Rs.80,000 under Section 357(3) of the CrPC. The Calcutta High Court, on revision, set aside the imprisonment …

The appellant, Chanmuniya, claimed that after the death of her first husband she was married to her brother‑in‑law according to Kushwaha customs, with Katha and Sindur, and lived with him as husband and wife. The husband later deserted and stopped maintenance, prompting her to file a petition under Section 125 of the C…

The appellant, Samjuben Gordhanbhai Koli, was convicted by a trial court and the conviction was upheld by the Gujarat High Court. She appealed to the Supreme Court seeking remission of the remaining portion of her sentence. The Supreme Court held that remission or commutation of a sentence is a power vested exclusively…

The respondent Bharti filed a criminal complaint under IPC sections 406, 498A read with 114 against her husband Rajesh, his parents Neelu and Krishan Sarup Chopra, and a sister‑in‑law, alleging dowry demands, retention of jewellery and physical assault. The Judicial Magistrate took cognizance of the offences; the accus…

Arulvelu and his father were charged under IPC s.304B and s.498A for allegedly forcing their wife Mangayarkarasi to commit suicide by demanding dowry. The trial court, after a detailed examination of the evidence and noting that the suicide note did not implicate any accused, acquitted them. The Madras High Court rever…

The State of Karnataka, represented by the CBI, charged C. Nagarajaswamy under the Prevention of Corruption Act for demanding illegal gratification and later for misappropriation of funds. In both cases the trial courts took cognizance and conducted full trials, but discharged the accused on the ground that the sanctio…

Purnandu Biswas, a surveyor in the Mercantile Marine Department, was alleged to have demanded Rs 50,000 as illegal gratification from a sub‑agent (PW‑3) for issuing a clearance certificate for the vessel M.V. Lilly. After the vessel's defects were rectified, the CBI set up a trap on 17 July 1992, during which PW‑3 hand…

The State appealed the acquittal of K. Narasimhachary, a former Mandal Revenue Inspector, who had been convicted under the Prevention of Corruption Act for taking a bribe of Rs.600. The High Court set aside the conviction on the ground that the order of sanction issued by the Governor was not proved in accordance with …

N.K. Sharma, a Class‑I officer of the Haryana Government, was deputed as Managing Director of the Haryana State Cooperative Land Development Bank Ltd. A criminal complaint for defamation (IPC s.500) was filed against him after he sent a letter alleging false implication of a colleague. Sharma was summoned and applied t…

The case concerns the murder of Nawal Kishore Jha on 9 April 1980, for which fifteen persons were originally charged. The trial court convicted several of them under sections of the IPC and the Arms Act, but the Patna High Court later acquitted all the convicted persons. The informant appealed, challenging the High Cou…

The appellant, Sarwan Singh, was convicted by a Designated Court under Sections 302, 307, 34 of the IPC and Section 3 of the Terrorist and Disruptive Activities (Prevention) Act, 1985 for the murder of Piara Singh. He appealed, claiming false implication, lack of independent witnesses, absence of a test identification …

The Insecticide Inspector collected samples of a monochrotophos insecticide and, after a quality‑control laboratory report declared them misbranded, issued notices to the shop‑keeper and the manufacturer, Unique Farmaid Pvt. Ltd. The manufacturer requested that the samples be re‑analysed by the Central Insecticides Lab…

The Central Bank of India sued Saxons Farms for issuing three cheques that were returned unpaid due to insufficient funds. The bank sent two written notices within fifteen days, each demanding payment and warning of criminal action if the cheques were again dishonoured. After the cheques were re-presented and still bou…

The petition under Article 32 sought Supreme Court directions to ensure that investigations by the CBI and other agencies into alleged crimes by public functionaries were completed and charge‑sheets filed. The Court noted that charge‑sheets had already been filed in three cases (St. Kitts forgery, Lakhubhai Pathak chea…

Ram Kumar and three co‑accused were charged with murder and attempt to murder arising from a land‑dispute. The trial court acquitted all, holding that the FIR was ante‑timed, that there was an unexplained delay in filing the FIR and in sending the special report to the magistrate, and that the eye‑witnesses (the victim…

The State of Maharashtra raided a brewery and registered offences under the Bombay Prohibition Act in 1985. After a year, five charge‑sheets were filed on 21 November 1986 before the Chief Judicial Magistrate (CJM), along with two applications: one seeking condonation of any delay in filing the charge‑sheet and another…

The Supreme Court Legal Aid Committee filed a writ petition on behalf of undertrial prisoners detained under the NDPS Act, alleging that delays in constituting special courts and stringent bail provisions violated Articles 14, 19 and 21. The petition sought quashing of the prosecutions and release of the undertrials. T…

The widowed appellant challenged the Allahabad High Court's order that released four accused murderers on bail pending appeal against their life‑sentence convictions under IPC sections 302, 149, 201 r/w 120B. The Supreme Court observed that the High Court's order lacked clarity on submissions, findings and reasoning, f…

The State of Maharashtra filed a criminal appeal against Avinash, who had been arrested in connection with a fraud involving Rs 2.74 crore. While on bail, Avinash’s bank accounts were attached under Section 102 of the CrPC. He first sought to quash the FIR and have his accounts de‑frozen before a Division Bench, but wi…

The State, represented by the CBI, appealed against the High Court's acquittal of two police officers, accused No.2 (Inspector) and accused No.5 (Constable), who were convicted for a custodial death under Section 304 Part II read with Section 34 of the IPC. The trial court had rejected the defendants' alibi, noting ser…

The appellant, founder and managing trustee of a technical education society, was accused by a charity trust of forging lease deeds and submitting false information to obtain permission for running a school. The trust alleged that the appellant altered documents, forged a lease for 87 years, and misrepresented facts to…

The case concerns a 1978 incident in which seven accused, including Shyam Babu, were alleged to have fired on a group of villagers, resulting in five deaths and one injury. The trial court acquitted all seven, but the High Court set aside the acquittal and convicted three of the accused; four had died during the penden…

Mala Gupta filed a criminal complaint under Sections 406 and 498A IPC against her parents‑in‑law before the Judicial Magistrate, Patiala. The magistrate issued process, prompting the petitioners to seek a revision and later a quashing of the proceedings under Section 482 CrPC, arguing that the Patiala court lacked juri…

The appellant was charged with trespassing into Prakashi Devi's house and assaulting her with intent to outrage her modesty under IPC sections 452 and 354. Evidence showed that the assault was actually on Prakashi Devi's daughter‑in‑law, Sheela Devi, and not on Prakashi Devi. The trial court convicted the appellant on …

Des Raj, a retired police constable, got drunk and, after a quarrel between his wife and his neighbour's wife, opened fire with a licensed double‑barrel gun, killing three neighbours and injuring three others including a child. He was convicted under sections 302 and 307 of the IPC and sentenced to death by the Session…

The case arose from the killing of Chakku Mondal by Kulesh Mondal during a quarrel in which the victim was dragged and struck on the neck with a sharp‑edged weapon. The trial court and the Calcutta High Court convicted the accused under Section 302 read with Section 34 IPC, relying on eyewitness testimony of relatives …

In Civil Appeal No. 4110 of 2007, the Supreme Court examined the High Court's order allowing a transfer petition under Section 24 of the Code of Civil Procedure, 1908, moving a suit from the District Court, Kanyakumari to the Family Court, Chennai. The appellant contended that the transfer was improper because the "cau…

The appellant alleged that the respondent borrowed Rs. 2 lakh and issued a cheque as security, which later bounced for insufficient funds, leading to a complaint under Section 138 of the Negotiable Instruments Act. The trial court acquitted the respondent, finding contradictions in the appellant's testimony, lack of ev…

The Supreme Court examined two criminal appeals challenging High Court orders that quashed criminal complaints and set aside committal orders against police officers accused of custodial deaths. The appellants alleged that the deceased were killed in police custody and that the High Court relied solely on CID and CBI r…

The Supreme Court granted the petitioner absolute interim anticipatory bail on 8 December 2023, ordering his release on bail if arrested. Despite this, the police remanded him to custody on 13 December 2023, and the magistrate failed to release him after the remand period, resulting in an illegal detention of about 48 …

The deceased Hoshiyar Singh was found dead at his home, and the prosecution alleged that his son Prem Singh, who had a property dispute with him, fled the scene and later implicated Kamal Kishore and Manoj as accomplices. The trial court and the Delhi High Court convicted the three accused under Section 302 read with S…

The Supreme Court, hearing a Special Leave Petition arising from sectarian violence in Manipur that included widespread sexual violence against women, directed the State and Union governments to restore law and order and ensure justice for victims. It ordered the formation of a three‑member committee of former female j…

The appellant, a cabinet minister, was arrested under Section 19 of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act, 2002 (PMLA) on 14 June 2023 and produced before a magistrate, after which a judicial remand was ordered. His wife filed a writ of habeas corpus challenging the arrest, while the respondents sought police custody …

The appellant Bhagwan was convicted for murdering his wife by setting her ablaze after pouring kerosene, while his two sons also suffered burns. The prosecution's case hinged on the victim's dying declaration, recorded by a Naib Tehsildar, and a medical officer's certificate that she was conscious throughout. The defen…

The complainant sought permission under Section 302 of the Code of Criminal Procedure, 1973 to conduct the prosecution for offences under Sections 498A, 406 and 34 of the Indian Penal Code. The magistrate declined the request without giving reasons, but the Bombay High Court granted the permission merely on the basis t…

Ram Narain was convicted under Section 302 IPC and sentenced to life imprisonment in 1978. After serving more than ten years, he applied before the Juvenile Justice Board, presenting a school transfer certificate that showed he was 15 years, 11 months old at the time of the 1976 murder. The Board declared him a juvenil…

The appellant, Ramaiah, was charged with dowry‑related offences (IPC 498‑A, 304‑B, 201, 176) and violations of the Dowry Prohibition Act (ss.3,4) after his wife Laxmi died an unnatural death within six months of marriage. The trial court acquitted him, finding no evidence of dowry demand, harassment, or that the presum…

The complainant, Nasiruddin, alleged that he was shot in the legs by respondents 2‑4 during a family dispute, leading to a FIR under Section 326 IPC. The respondents sought anticipatory bail under Section 438 of the CrPC, and the Additional Sessions Judge granted it, stating that the injury was simple and the elements …

The appellants were convicted of gang rape under s.376(2)(g) IPC based solely on the prosecutrix's testimony. The Supreme Court examined contradictions between the FIR, the prosecutrix's statements, and the accounts of her niece and nephew, who denied any intrusion. Forensic evidence showed no semen on the alleged clea…

The appellants were arrested after a police patrol, acting on an informer's tip, searched them and seized morphine. The search was conducted by the Station House Officer (SHO) without a gazetted officer present, using consent letters that were allegedly prepared after arrest and without proper authority. The FIR, witne…

The case concerned the discounting and rediscounting of two bills of exchange by UCO Bank, allegedly to provide funds to stock‑broker Harshad Mehta for securities transactions. The Supreme Court examined whether the Special Court (Trial of Offences Relating to Transactions in Securities) Act, 1992 had jurisdiction over…

The appellant, a mother‑in‑law, threw a burning wick onto her daughter‑in‑law who was wearing terylene clothing, causing severe burns. The victim was hospitalized with about 60% burns and died after eight days due to septicemia, a complication of the injuries. The trial court convicted the appellant under Section 304 P…

The case concerned a massive "call money" scam in which Rs 40 crore of National Housing Bank funds were diverted to broker Harshad Mehta’s account through officials of UCO Bank and NHB. The appellants – senior officials of UCO Bank and NHB – were convicted by a Special Court under the Special Court (Trial of Offences R…

The appellant, an Indian citizen, married a US citizen and had a daughter. A US probate court granted temporary custody of the child to the mother, but the appellant allegedly forged documents and took the child to India, violating the custody order. The US court issued arrest warrants which were transmitted to India v…

The Assistant Collector of Central Excise appealed after a Special Judge acquitted Duncan Agro Industries Ltd. and its directors of offences under the Central Excise Act and IPC 120‑B. The acquittal was challenged on the ground that confessional statements recorded by customs officers under Section 108 of the Customs A…

The case involved a politically motivated murder of Nalluri Thirupathaiah in the office of a revenue officer on 26 February 1988. Seven appellants were alleged to have formed an unlawful assembly, entered the office armed, and killed the deceased with axes and knives. The trial court acquitted them, relying on the alle…

Tulsi Singh was convicted by a Special Court for the murder of his wife based solely on a confession he gave before a Judicial Magistrate. The appellant contended that the confession was not recorded in accordance with Section 164(2) of the Criminal Procedure Code, which requires the magistrate to caution the accused a…

The accused were charged under the Terrorist and Disruptive Activities (Prevention) Act, 1987 (TADA) and the Indian Penal Code for the murder of Raju and injury to Keshav. They contended that TADA was wrongly invoked, arguing that the motive was inter‑gang rivalry, not terror. The Designated Court held that the stateme…

N. Madhavan was charged under Section 302 IPC for killing a person with his licensed 12‑bore gun. He successfully pleaded self‑defence, invoking Section 96 IPC, and the Sessions Judge acquitted him. However, the judge ordered the gun to be confiscated to the Government without giving any reasons or hearing the accused.…

The appellants, senior citizens who owned a 15 Kanal 2 Marla plot in Gurugram, alleged that the accused (Respondent No.2) forged a 1996 power of attorney and a 2022 sale deed to illegally transfer the land. An FIR was filed under sections 406, 420, 467, 468, 471 and 120‑B IPC. The accused sought anticipatory bail; the …

The appellant filed an FIR alleging assault and the police investigation concluded with a final report exonerating the accused. The Chief Judicial Magistrate, after a protest petition, directed "reinvestigation" of the case by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBCID). The Madras High Court set aside that order, hold…

The appellants were convicted of murder under Section 302 read with Section 34 of the IPC for the death of Narendra Singh. The prosecution's case relied on the testimony of five ocular witnesses, two of whom were declared hostile and the remaining three were relatives of the deceased whose statements were recorded only…

The petitioner, Anil Gupta, the Managing Director of Star India Pvt Ltd, appealed against a Delhi High Court order that quashed the summons issued to the company but allowed proceedings against him under Sections 138 and 141 of the Negotiable Instruments Act, 1881. The complaint alleged dishonour of cheques issued by t…

The appellant Dinesh Tiwari was charged under IPC sections 323, 504 and 506, but the charge-sheet did not include section 302. The Sessions Court, after committal, framed an additional charge under section 302 and the appellant sought quashing of this order under CrPC section 482. The High Court dismissed the petition …

The case involved three accused—Dharambir (D), Prem Prakash (P) and Herchand (H)—charged under IPC sections 366 and 376(2)(g) for kidnapping and gang‑rape of Kumari Sudesh. The trial court convicted all three, a decision affirmed by the High Court. On appeal before the Supreme Court, D's appeal was dismissed in limine …

Om Prakash was convicted along with co‑accused Jai Prakash for kidnapping and raping a 14‑year‑old girl. The prosecution alleged that after kidnapping the girl, Jai Prakash took her to Om Prakash's house, where the girl was raped while Om Prakash allegedly failed to help her. The Supreme Court examined whether the elem…

The State of Rajasthan appealed the acquittal of Abdul Mannan, Afzal and Abdul Zabbar for the murder of two persons during a communal riot, where a mob of 50‑60 entered a house and 8‑10 armed assailants inflicted fatal injuries. The trial court convicted them under IPC sections 302/149, 148, 324/149 and 449, but the Hi…

The State of Maharashtra prosecuted Goraksha Ambaji Adsul for the murder of his father, step‑mother and step‑sister, alleging that he poisoned the family with sedative‑laden sweets and later strangulated them, disposing of the bodies in railway trunks. The trial court convicted him under Sections 302 and 201 IPC and se…

Northern Mineral Ltd., a manufacturer of insecticides, was served with a report from the Regional Pesticides Testing Laboratory stating that a sample of its product did not meet specifications. The company notified the Insecticide Inspector, within 28 days, of its intention to adduce evidence in controversion of the re…

The appellants were acquitted by the Sessions Court for murder and related offences under IPC ss. 148, 302, 504 r/w 149. The High Court set aside the acquittal, convicting four of the accused based on the testimony of a child witness (PW‑7) and other corroborative evidence, despite the trial court’s doubts about the wi…

K. Ramachandran was acquitted by a Sessions Court of murder and related offences. The victim's father filed a criminal revision, while the State later filed an appeal against the acquittal but sought condonation of an 801‑day delay, which the High Court Division Bench rejected, effectively dismissing the appeal. A Sing…

The appellant, Rajinder (Raju), was convicted under IPC sections 366 and 376 for forcibly kidnapping and raping an 18‑year‑old girl after misrepresenting that he would take her to a doctor. The girl testified that he dragged her to a secluded spot, gagged her, untied her clothing and committed sexual intercourse, causi…

The appellants entered into a sale agreement for agricultural land, received an advance and further payment, but later executed a deed of sale in favour of third parties and returned only part of the advance. The second respondent filed an FIR alleging cheating and criminal breach of trust, and the appellants sought to…

The appellants, medical practitioners, were charged under the Indian Penal Code and the Transplantation of Human Organs Act (TOHO) for alleged illegal organ removal. The initial FIR was lodged with the Gurgaon police, but investigation was transferred to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), which filed a complain…

Balbir Kaur was found sitting on two bags containing 61 kg of poppy husk and admitted the contents when questioned by police. She was searched before a gazetted officer and a lady constable, as she requested, and the bags were seized, leading to her conviction under Section 15 of the NDPS Act. On appeal she alleged lac…

The appellant Jaswinder Singh was convicted for murder and attempt to murder under Sections 302, 307 and 34 of the IPC. He argued that he was not named in the FIR, that no test identification parade (TIP) was held, and that the evidence against him was unreliable. The sole eyewitness, the complainant PW‑1, testified th…

The appellants, a group of seven men, attacked D-1 and D-2 who had come to harvest a crop on land the appellants claimed to own. Armed with ballams, gadasas and lathis, the accused inflicted multiple fatal injuries, causing the victims to die on the spot. Eye‑witnesses, the victims' son and nephew, testified that the a…

Ganesh Gogoi was convicted by a Designated Court under Section 3(2)(i) of the Terrorist and Disruptive Activities (Prevention) Act (TADA) for the 1991 killing of Dinanath Agarwalla and sentenced to life imprisonment. The Supreme Court held that the prosecution offered no direct or material circumstantial evidence linki…

Kusuma Ankama Rao was convicted for murdering Gottapu Adilakshmi after the prosecution presented circumstantial evidence that the accused and the deceased were last seen together and the body was found the next day. The accused also made an extra‑judicial confession before a Village Administrative Officer admitting to …

Lata Singh, a 27‑year‑old graduate, married a man of a different caste of her own free will. Her brothers filed false missing‑person and kidnapping reports, leading police to arrest her husband’s relatives. Despite a police final report and a medical opinion that Lata was mentally fit, the magistrate recorded her state…

The case arose from the Bofors scandal where the CBI filed charge‑sheets against Prakash P. Hinduja and others for offences under the IPC and the Prevention of Corruption Act. The accused contended that the charge‑sheets were illegal because the CBI had not placed the investigation report before the Central Vigilance C…

The case involved the murder of Nanji, for which five persons were charged. The Sessions Court convicted two accused (K and M) under Section 302 IPC and acquitted the remaining three, including Dhanna, due to insufficient evidence linking Dhanna to the crime. The Madhya Pradesh High Court reversed Dhanna's acquittal, i…

The case concerned three Maharashtra civil servants who, while under suspension, were convicted under the Prevention of Corruption Act and sentenced to imprisonment but remained on bail and were never actually incarcerated. Under Rule 151 of the Bombay Civil Service Rules, 1959, a second proviso reduced their subsisten…

The case arose from the double murder of Aarushi Talwar and her domestic servant Hemraj in Noida in May 2008, for which a First Information Report was filed by the victim's father, Dr. Rajesh Talwar. The investigation was taken over by the CBI, which later submitted a closure report citing insufficient evidence. Dr. Ra…

The appeal was filed by a child in conflict with law (CCL) challenging a High Court order that set aside a Juvenile Justice Board's order directing his trial as an adult in a Children’s Court. The key issues were whether the three‑month period for completing a preliminary assessment under s.14(3) of the Juvenile Justic…

The appellant, Amanatullah Khan, challenged the inclusion of his minor children and wife in a police "History Sheet" that alleged his bad character, arguing that there was no adverse material against them. The Delhi High Court dismissed his writ petition under Article 226 and Section 482 of the CrPC, prompting an appea…

The appellant Sukhpal Singh was convicted of murdering his wife Usha under Section 302 IPC. The prosecution relied heavily on the sworn statement of the complainant, Ashok Kumar Pathak, recorded under Section 299 of the CrPC, as well as a confession note and handwriting expert report. The appellant challenged the admis…

The case concerned the death of Jayamma, who suffered extensive burns and allegedly named four accused in a dying declaration. The trial court acquitted the accused, finding the prosecution failed to prove the homicide beyond reasonable doubt, especially given doubts about the victim’s fitness to make a statement and t…

The appellants, Achhar Singh and Budhi Singh, were acquitted by the trial court of charges including murder, grievous hurt and rioting, but the Himachal Pradesh High Court set aside the acquittal and convicted them based on eye‑witness testimony and medical evidence. The Supreme Court examined whether the High Court co…

The appellant, Sanjay Kumar Rai, was charged under Sections 504 and 506 IPC for allegedly threatening a journalist and sought discharge under Section 239 CrPC, claiming the investigation was biased and the complainant’s testimony unreliable. The Chief Judicial Magistrate rejected the discharge application, and the High…

The CBI filed an FIR under the Prevention of Corruption Act against an Income Tax Officer and submitted a charge‑sheet in 2005, but failed to file the authorisation order for investigation with the charge‑sheet. Applications under Section 242 CrPC (2008) and Section 173(2)(5)(a) CrPC (2013) to bring the authorisation o…

The appellants, including a former Rajya Sabha MP, filed anticipatory bail applications in a sexual harassment case and submitted a vakalatnama that purportedly bore their signatures dated 17 August 2016 in Madurai, although they were abroad at that time. The Madurai High Court held the vakalatnama to be forged, deemed…

The appellants challenged the validity of Section 32‑A of the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act, 1985, which bars suspension, remission or commutation of any sentence awarded under the Act. The High Court had upheld the provision, denying the appellants any remission. The Supreme Court examined whether the…

The case involved a violent land dispute in which twenty‑four accused, including the appellants, attacked a group working on disputed land, resulting in two deaths and several injuries. The trial court convicted twenty‑one accused under Sections 302, 149, 148 and 323 of the IPC, a decision affirmed by the High Court. O…

The appellant, Neel Kumar (also known as Anil Kumar), was convicted of raping and murdering his four‑year‑old daughter. The trial court and High Court relied on the victim’s custody, the appellant’s silence, blood‑stained clothing recovered from his disclosure statement, and the absence of any explanation for these inc…

The victim, a married woman with two children, was intercepted while traveling by rickshaw, taken to a house under construction and forcibly raped by the two appellants, Utpal Das and Haradhan Sutradar. She was later rescued, identified the accused, and lodged an FIR. The trial court acquitted the appellants, but the C…

The appellant, Taraknath Kar, a court employee, was alleged to have married twice—first to Chandana and later to Lipika, who filed a maintenance suit under Section 125 of the CrPC. The trial court granted maintenance to Lipika, but the High Court set aside that order and directed a fresh hearing. While exercising its r…

The complainant filed a murder complaint in which the respondents were initially named in the FIR but were later omitted from the array of accused by a Special Investigating Officer after an alibi investigation and were not included in the charge‑sheet. The complainant later moved the trial court under Section 319 of t…

The deceased Heeralal was attacked at night while sleeping; Sunder Lal struck him on the head with a gandasi and Laxmi Narain injured his legs. He died a few hours later and gave a dying declaration identifying the assailants. The trial court convicted both under Section 302 IPC, a conviction affirmed by the High Court…

The State of Gujarat and an accused, Tulsibhai Bhikhabhai Tadvi, filed applications seeking modification of a Supreme Court judgment that ordered a fresh trial of the Zahira Habibullah Sheikh case outside Gujarat. They contended that such a transfer was unlawful, alleging lack of a specific prayer, violation of Section…

The case arose from the 1993 bomb blasts in Bombay, after which the CBI took over investigation and sought non‑bailable warrants under Section 73 of the Criminal Procedure Code (CrPC) and Section 8(3)(a) of the Terrorist and Disruptive Activities (Prevention) Act (TADA) to apprehend several absconding accused. The Desi…

Pawan Kumar was appointed on an ad‑hoc basis as a Class IV field worker in Haryana. While in service he was convicted in a summary trial under Section 294 of the Indian Penal Code for an obscene act, pleading guilty and paying a fine of Rs 20. When his regularisation was considered, the authorities, relying on the conv…

The Supreme Court examined criminal prosecutions under Sections 7 and 16 of the Prevention of Food Adulteration Act, 1954 against manufacturers of pan masala and mouth freshener whose products contained saccharin at 2000 ppm and 2450 ppm, exceeding the limits prescribed by Rule 47 of the 1955 Food Adulteration Rules. T…

The Supreme Court upheld the convictions and death sentences of Sevaka Perumal and Isakkimuthu for the pre‑meditated murder of four young boys, committed for cash and jewellery. The Court held that the dead bodies were positively identified by the victims' mother and forensic evidence, so corpus delicti was established…

The appellant, Gautam Satnami, was convicted of murder under Section 302 IPC based largely on a 'last‑seen' testimony, recovery of a blood‑stained axe and his driving licence, and alleged motive. The High Court affirmed the conviction, but the Supreme Court examined whether the circumstantial evidence formed a complete…

The State of Karnataka appealed a Karnataka High Court order that had quashed an FIR registered against Sri Channakeshava H.D., an executive engineer, for alleged disproportionate assets under Sections 13(1)(b) and 13(2) of the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988. The High Court had held that the Superintendent of Polic…

The State of Maharashtra prosecuted Nisar Ramzan Sayyed for the murder of his pregnant wife and their three‑year‑old son, alleging that he poured kerosene on his wife and set her on fire after demanding Rs.50,000 as dowry. The trial court convicted him under Sections 302 and 498‑A of the IPC and sentenced him to death,…

The appellant, GOPAKUMAR B. Nair, sought to have criminal proceedings quashed under Section 482 of the CrPC, arguing that a private settlement with the bank had extinguished the dispute. The High Court of Kerala declined to quash the case, where the appellant was charged with criminal conspiracy under the Prevention of…

The appellants, purchasers, issued post‑dated cheques as advance payment for aircraft parts ordered from the respondent supplier. The supplier cancelled the orders and returned the cheques, but the cheques were later presented and dishonoured, leading to a complaint under Section 138 of the Negotiable Instruments Act, …

A complaint under Section 19 of the Standards of Weights and Measures Act, 1976 alleged violations of Rules 2, 4, 6, 8, 9 and 23 of the Packaged Commodities Rules, but failed to identify the individual(s) responsible for the day‑to‑day affairs of the company. The appellant, then Deputy General Manager, and the company …

The case involves the murder of Mahender Sarpanch on 15 July 1996, for which several accused, including Shamsher Singh, Balwant, Ladh Ram and Suresh (alias Hakla), were charged. The trial court convicted all accused under sections 302, 307 r/w 149 and 148 of the IPC, a decision upheld by the High Court. Two appeals rea…

The father filed a petition under Section 125 of the CrPC for maintenance against his son in the Siwan court. The son, who was practicing and residing in Patna, applied for transfer of the case, arguing that Siwan lacked jurisdiction because the maintenance respondent lived elsewhere. The High Court rejected the transf…

The case concerned six accused, including Kapildeo Singh, charged with the murder of Shyamdeo Singh and grievous injuries to Rajmani Devi. The trial court acquitted them, the High Court reversed the acquittal, and the Supreme Court examined the appeal. The Court evaluated the admissibility of a post‑FIR statement, the …

The Supreme Court examined the constitutionality of Section 303 of the Indian Penal Code, which mandates death for a murder committed by a person already serving a life sentence. The petitioners argued that the provision was arbitrary, discriminatory and denied the accused a fair procedure under Articles 14 and 21 of t…

The State of Punjab filed criminal proceedings under Section 7(i) of the Prevention of Food Adulteration Act, 1954 against a vendor, a dealer and a manufacturer of vanaspati after a food inspector took a 1.5 kg sample by opening one sealed tin of 16.5 kg and found the product adulterated. The Punjab & Haryana High Cour…

The appellants, doctors running a hospital, purchased land and filed a civil suit to confirm their ownership, while the respondent filed an FIR alleging forgery and fraud. The High Court refused to quash the FIR, holding that the alleged offences were made out. The appellants contended that the dispute was essentially …

The appellant, convicted of murder under IPC s.302, appealed his conviction and sentence. While the appeal was pending, he died in prison after about twelve years. Section 394 of the Cr.P.C. provides that an appeal abates on the death of the appellant unless a near relative applies within thirty days for continuance. N…

On 18 January 2007, eleven accused formed an unlawful assembly and attacked a vehicle, resulting in the death of Rajasekhar Reddy and injuries to several others. The trial court convicted accused Nos. 1‑3 under Sections 148 and 302 of the IPC and acquitted accused Nos. 4‑11. The High Court reversed the conviction of No…

The wife filed an application under Section 125 of the Code of Criminal Procedure, 1973, seeking maintenance for herself and her minor daughter. The trial court awarded Rs.2,000 per month for the daughter but rejected the wife's claim, holding she was not the legally married wife of the husband. The wife appealed to th…