Indian Evidence Act, 1872

Vinod Katara, convicted to life imprisonment for murder in 1982, later claimed he was a juvenile at the time of the offence based on a medical board report and a Family Register showing a birth year of 1968. He filed a writ petition under Article 32 seeking relief under Section 7A of the Juvenile Justice (Care and Prot…

The appellant, Kala (Chandrakala), was convicted along with her father for the murder of her husband Murugesan, alleged to have been strangled with a saree and his body disposed under a canal bridge. The prosecution's case rested on circumstantial evidence, an extra‑judicial confession made by the appellant to the dece…

The appellant, a teacher in a private aided school, refused to contribute to a tax demand and was suspended and later terminated without proper approval or a fair inquiry, violating the Maharashtra Employees of Private Schools (Conditions of Service) Act, 1977 and principles of natural justice. The School Tribunal quas…

The dispute arose from two agreements to sell the same parcel of land, leading to parallel civil suits for specific performance. The appellant's father, after losing the civil suit, filed an FIR alleging forgery of the earlier agreement and the respondents obtained a quashing order from the High Court, which relied on …

The appellant was convicted under the NDPS Act for alleged possession of poppy straw, based largely on police testimony and a seizure that was never physically produced in court. The trial and appellate courts accepted the prosecution's case despite several procedural lapses, including the non‑compliance with Section 5…

The case arose from a complaint that the General Manager of Punjab Roadways, in collusion with conductors, was selling and using illegally printed tickets, causing massive loss to the depot. An enquiry was conducted, tickets were seized, and an FIR was filed; fifteen persons were charged, of whom three conductors (Jarn…

The appellant, Sadhna Chaudhary, alleged that a police officer (respondent No.2) drugged and sexually exploited her, threatened to release obscene videos, and continued to harass her for two years, culminating in a violent assault in June 2020 for which she lodged an FIR under Sections 376, 323, 341, 354 and 379 IPC. T…

Kodikkunnil Suresh was elected from the Mavelikkara Lok Sabha seat reserved for Scheduled Castes. His election was challenged on the ground that he was a Christian and therefore not a member of any Scheduled Caste under the Constitution (Scheduled Castes) Order, 1950. The High Court declared his election void, holding …

Pearl Beverages' Porsche, insured with IFFCO Tokio, was destroyed in a high‑speed crash on 22 December 2007. The driver, Aman Bangia, was reported to have smelled of alcohol and was later convicted under IPC 279 for rash driving, but no breath or blood test was conducted. IFFCO Tokio denied the claim invoking an exclus…

The appellant, Tanuku Taluk Village Officers’ Association, filed two civil suits against the respondents concerning a piece of land, both of which were decreed on 14 August 1996. It also obtained a decree from the Rent Controller ordering the handover of the land, but subsequent applications and appeals led to the Seni…

The case involved six in‑laws accused of murdering Asha Devi, who died from extensive burns. The prosecution's case rested solely on Asha Devi's dying declaration implicating all six accused. Two of the accused, Prem Nath and Raj Bala, raised an alibi, presenting multiple witnesses showing they were at work and elsewhe…

The case concerned the alleged dowry death of Surinder Kaur, who was burnt to death allegedly by her husband Bakshish Ram and his parents. The prosecution relied primarily on the testimony of the deceased's mother, who recounted hearsay statements made by the deceased's father about dowry harassment. The trial court an…

The appellant, father of a murder victim, challenged a High Court order that the accused (Respondent No.1) be tried as a juvenile under the Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Act, 2000. The accused had filed an application under Section 49 of the Act claiming he was under 18 on the date of the alleged o…

The case involved a murder where three accused were convicted based largely on circumstantial evidence, including a "last seen" theory and alleged recoveries of the victim's body, ornaments, and a spade. The prosecution relied on a disclosure statement allegedly made by accused No.3 (Boby) to claim the body was recover…

The appellant, Prakash Nayi, was convicted under Section 302 IPC for murdering a shop employee and appealed on the ground of insanity under Section 84 IPC. Medical evidence, including two doctors' reports, indicated that he suffered from chronic schizophrenia, a condition that rendered him incapable of understanding th…

The appellants were convicted for murder and related offences under Sections 148, 302/149, 324/149 and 304 Part‑II of the IPC based largely on a statement recorded by the investigating officer (PW‑20) from the deceased Hukum Singh, thumb‑impression evidence, and eye‑witness testimony. The Supreme Court examined the cre…

The appellant was convicted for the rape and murder of a five‑year‑old girl and for causing disappearance of evidence, based primarily on circumstantial evidence. The prosecution proved that the appellant was seen fleeing the scene, that blood‑stained clothes of the victim were recovered from his sister's house followi…

The landlord filed a suit in the Small Causes Court for recovery of rent and eviction of the tenant, claiming a rent of Rs.1500 per month. The trial court upheld this claim and decreed eviction, but the tenant obtained a revision from the High Court under Section 25 of the Provincial Small Cause Courts Act, 1887, which…

The marriage between U. Sree and U. Srinivas broke down, leading the wife to file a petition for restitution of conjugal rights and the husband to file for divorce on the ground of mental cruelty under Section 13(1)(ia) of the Hindu Marriage Act. The Family Court and the Madras High Court granted the divorce, held the …

The appellants were convicted under IPC sections 395, 396 and 397 for a burglary‑murder that occurred in 1995. Both were arrested ten years later; an identification parade was held only for A1, who later died, while no parade was conducted for A2. The trial court sentenced both to death under section 396, which the Hig…

The appellant, KUKAPALLI MOHAN RAO, was convicted of murder under Section 302 IPC for allegedly hacking the deceased with an axe, motivated by a suspicion of an illicit relationship between the deceased and the appellant's wife. The prosecution relied on the eyewitness testimony of the deceased's wife (PW2) and brother…

Surendra Koli, a former domestic help at the Nithari residence, was convicted for the murder, rape and related offences of a minor based on a Section 164 confession and alleged discoveries under Section 27 of the Evidence Act. The Supreme Court had earlier affirmed his conviction and death sentence in 2011, and a revie…

The appellants were convicted for rioting, destruction of public property and related offences based largely on the testimony of eyewitnesses identified through two Test Identification Parades (TIPs). The witnesses had earlier seen the accused while they were in police custody, and the TIPs were conducted after a signi…

Bhupendra was married to Geeta Bai in 1993. After repeated dowry demands, Geeta consumed wheat tablets on 20 August 1996 and died of suspected poisoning. The trial court convicted Bhupendra and his father under sections 498‑A, 304‑B and 306 IPC; the High Court upheld Bhupendra's conviction but acquitted his father. On …

The appellant Bhola Ram was convicted under Sections 304‑B and 498‑A IPC for the alleged dowry death of his sister‑in‑law Janki Devi, who committed suicide by poison. The prosecution alleged that Bhola Ram, along with his brother Darshan Ram and mother Vidya Devi, demanded additional dowry and subjected the victim to c…

Suresh Kumar was convicted under Sections 304‑B (dowry death) and 498‑A IPC for the death of his wife Sulochana within seven years of marriage. The trial court acquitted him, deeming the death accidental, but the High Court reversed the acquittal, holding that the death occurred under non‑normal circumstances, that dow…

The petitioners, who are Judges of Family Courts in Maharashtra, sought elevation to the Bombay High Court, arguing that they hold a "judicial office" under Article 217(2)(a) of the Constitution. The Supreme Court examined whether Family Courts qualify as courts in the constitutional sense, whether their judges are par…

The deceased, Neeru Gupta, committed suicide in 1985 and her brother filed a complaint alleging dowry demand and ill‑treatment by her husband and in‑laws. The trial court acquitted the accused, finding no proof of dowry demand or cruelty and noting the deceased suffered from mental illness. The High Court reversed the …

The appellant, a 17‑year‑old who was assaulted during communal riots in Akola on 13 May 2023, claimed that the police failed to register a First Information Report (FIR) despite his written complaint and hospital statement. He alleged that the assailants also murdered a man mistakenly identified as a Muslim, and that h…

Religare Finvest Ltd. sued the erstwhile Lakshmi Vilas Bank (LVB) for alleged misappropriation of fixed deposits used as security for loans, leading to a criminal complaint and FIR under IPC sections 409 and 120B. LVB was placed under moratorium by the RBI and subsequently amalgamated into DBS Bank India Ltd. under a s…

The appellant, Raja Ram, claimed that his elderly father, aged over 80, was physically infirm and that the respondents, who cared for him, exercised undue influence to obtain a sale deed in their favour in 1970. The plaintiff alleged that the father's age, cataract, and limited mobility rendered him incapable of free c…

The case concerned the convictions of Manoj Kumar Soni under Section 411 IPC for dishonestly receiving stolen property and Kallu (Habib) under Section 120‑B IPC for criminal conspiracy in a robbery of a complainant’s house. Both convictions were based primarily on disclosure statements made by the accused and co‑accuse…

Ram Niwas was convicted by the Sessions Court and the High Court for the murder of Dalip Singh under Sections 302 and 201 IPC, based primarily on an alleged extra‑judicial confession to two witnesses and the recovery of ash from his memorandum. The defence argued that the dead body could not be positively identified, t…

The victim, Saraswati Guchhait, was allegedly raped by Purnendu Kumar Patra and later, while the rape case was pending, Patra and Rabin Jana threw acid on her. She was taken to a hospital, where she could not file a police complaint herself; a neighbour (PW‑7) wrote her statement and mailed it, resulting in a 23‑day de…

The Supreme Court examined whether a confession or statement recorded under Section 32 of the Prevention of Terrorism Act, 2002 (POTA) can be used as substantive evidence against co‑accused. The Bombay High Court Full Bench had held that such a confession could not be substantive evidence against co‑accused but could b…

The appellant, Md. Rahim Ali, was declared a foreigner by the Foreigners Tribunal, Nalbari, on the basis that he failed to prove his Indian citizenship under Section 9 of the Foreigners Act, 1946. He challenged the Tribunal's order, arguing that the authorities had no material basis for the allegation of illegal migrat…

The appellant claimed that 26 pieces of suit jewellery kept in the temple's Kudavarai were his personal inheritance as the adopted son of Muthuthandapani Chettiar and sought exclusive possession. The respondent temple argued that the jewellery had been donated by the ancestors of Muthuthandapani as a specific endowment…

The deceased was found dead on 30 May 2011 and an FIR was lodged; the father (PW‑1) and brother (PW‑2) of the deceased gave statements that eventually pointed suspicion at the appellant, a friend of the deceased. A firearm and related items were recovered under Section 27 of the Indian Evidence Act, but the recovery wa…

The appellants A1 and A3 were convicted under Section 302 read with Section 34 of the IPC for the murder of a man in a liquor‑store queue, based primarily on the testimony of a single eye‑witness (PW3) and the prosecution’s claim of a common intention. Both the trial court and the Delhi High Court relied on an adverse …

The mother of two children filed a complaint alleging that her son Rahul murdered her daughter Kavita and son Gaurang. The trial court convicted Rahul under Section 302 IPC, sentencing him to life imprisonment. On appeal, the High Court acquitted him, holding that the prosecution failed to establish a complete chain of…

The appellants Amrik Singh and Subhash Chander were convicted of murder and robbery under IPC s.302 r/w s.34 and s.392 based primarily on the eye‑witness PW1’s identification of them in the courtroom and the recovery of Rs.1 lakh each from them. No Test Identification Parade (TIP) had been conducted, and the FIR did no…

The appellant Virendra was convicted for the murder of Main Babu, allegedly committed over a property dispute, along with co-accused Suresh; Baijnath, the third accused, died during trial. The prosecution's case hinged on the testimony of a star eyewitness, PW15, who claimed to have seen Suresh firing the weapon, and o…

Rekhaben, the wife of the accused, died from severe burn injuries and gave dying declarations to a police officer, an executive magistrate, and orally to her father. In the statements to the police and magistrate she identified an unknown outsider as the assailant and did not name her husband, whereas her father’s oral…

The State of West Bengal prosecuted eight accused for the murder of Archideb Bhattacharjee, alleging they demanded money, strangulated him, dismembered his body and disposed of it in gunny bags. The trial court sentenced all to death, which was reduced to life imprisonment by the High Court, except for the theft charge…

The appellants Nanhar and others were convicted for the murder of Vijay under Sections 302 and 149 of the IPC, primarily on the basis of a note recovered from the deceased's pocket that the trial court treated as a dying declaration, and on circumstantial evidence. The Supreme Court held that the prosecution failed to …

The appellant (defendant) sought to enforce a maintenance decree against her husband, during which the husband executed a sale deed of the disputed property to the plaintiff. The decree was later executed by a court auction, where the decree‑holder purchased the property, and the sale was confirmed after the plaintiff'…

The accused Sandeep and Shashi Bhushan were apprehended by police after a girl, Jyoti, reported that they had assaulted her, poured acid on her and attempted to abort her foetus. The victim later died, and the trial court convicted both under Sections 302 and 316 IPC, sentencing them to death. The High Court confirmed …

The Madras Bar Association challenged the constitutional validity of the National Tax Tribunal Act, 2005 and the provisions of Article 323B (and Article 3238) of the Constitution, arguing that the Act undermines the basic structure by creating a parallel tribunal system under executive control. The petition also contes…

The Supreme Court upheld the conviction of three accused (A-1, A-2 and A-4) for cruelty to a woman under IPC s.498‑A read with s.34 and murder under s.302 read with s.34. The deceased, Renuka, was burned after the accused poured kerosene on her and set her alight. Her dying declaration was recorded by a taluk magistrat…

The appellant, Dharam Deo Yadav, was convicted for the murder of a New Zealand tourist, Diana Clare Routley, based largely on circumstantial evidence, including eyewitnesses who saw the accused with the victim, the accused's confession leading police to a skeleton recovered from his house, and DNA testing that matched …

The State of Rajasthan appealed against the Rajasthan High Court’s judgment that acquitted two accused (Hemant Kumar and Manoj Kumar) and convicted Raju (Raj Kumar) for the death of Anirudh Mishra arising out of a property dispute. The accused claimed the right of private defence. The Supreme Court examined whether the…

Four accused were convicted for kidnapping and raping a girl who was 13 years and 9 months old at the time of the offence. The appellant, Lillu @ Rajesh, challenged the conviction on the ground that the victim was older, that her statement was uncorroborated, and that the two‑finger test and alleged habitual sexual act…

The appellants, teachers including Mohan Lal, were convicted for gang rape and kidnapping of a minor student under Sections 376(2)(g) and 366 IPC and sentenced to ten years' rigorous imprisonment. The Supreme Court examined whether the fiduciary relationship between teachers and a student attracted Section 376(2)(b) an…

Ram Deo Prasad was convicted under IPC sections 376 and 302 for raping and causing the death of his 4‑year‑old daughter, Laila Khatoon. The prosecution relied on witness statements, a post‑mortem report and the fact that the accused was seen carrying the child after the alleged abuse. The Court held that the first part…

The case involved the alleged arson and murder of an elderly couple whose shanty was set ablaze, resulting in the death of the husband and later his wife. The prosecution alleged that the younger son and his wife committed the crime, relying primarily on several dying declarations, motive stemming from a property dispu…

The case concerns the murder of Manjunath, a sales officer of Indian Oil Corporation, who was killed after inspecting the petrol pump owned by Pawan Kumar (Monu Mittal). The prosecution relied heavily on confessional statements made by accused Nos. 4 and 7 to police officers, as well as a series of circumstantial evide…

The case concerned several writ petitions filed under Article 226 of the Constitution challenging orders of the Armed Forces Tribunal (AFT). The Union of India argued that Sections 30 and 31 of the Armed Forces Tribunal Act, 2007, together with Articles 136(2) and 227(4) of the Constitution, bar High Court jurisdiction…

The appellant, Ashok, was convicted for the murder of his wife and two daughters based on the "last seen together" doctrine, with the trial court shifting the burden of proof to him under Section 106 of the Evidence Act. The prosecution relied on circumstantial evidence, a purported motive of obtaining Rs.2 lakh from t…

Varinder Kumar was seized on his scooter with two gunny bags containing charas. The trial court acquitted him, citing non‑production of the seizure seal and alleged violations of CrPC s.100(4) and NDNDPS Act ss.50, 52, 57. The Himachal High Court reversed the acquittal, convicting him under s.20(ii)(c) NDPS and imposin…

The Supreme Court examined the death of Prema Devi, who died within five months of marriage with extensive burn injuries and traces of poison. The prosecution alleged that she was subjected to cruelty and harassment by her husband Bhim Singh and his brothers in connection with dowry demands, invoking Sections 304‑B of …

The appellant, Dasin Bai, was convicted of murder under Section 302 IPC for setting the deceased, Raju Rajak, on fire after pouring kerosene on him. The prosecution relied on the victim's oral dying declaration recorded in hospital, which was corroborated by two eyewitnesses present at the time. The defence argued that…

The appellant was apprehended while carrying a bag that contained 1.75 kg of opium and was convicted under Section 18 of the NDPS Act. He challenged the conviction on several grounds, including non‑compliance with Section 50 of the NDPS Act, the admissibility of his consent statement under Section 25 of the Evidence Ac…

The Supreme Court entertained a miscellaneous application seeking implementation of guidelines for recording evidence of vulnerable witnesses in criminal matters, following earlier pronouncements in Sakshi and Bandu @ Daulat. The Court examined the need for special centres to provide a barrier‑free environment for vuln…

The State of Madhya Pradesh appealed the High Court's judgment that set aside the convictions of Jogendra (husband) and Badri Prasad (father‑in‑law) under Sections 304‑B and 498‑A of the IPC for the death of their wife/ daughter‑in‑law Geeta Bai, who immolated herself while five months pregnant. The trial court had con…

The petitioners, Common Cause and others, sought a court‑ordered Special Investigation Team to probe alleged hawala transactions and cash seizures involving the Aditya Birla and Sahara groups, relying on documents seized in raids such as loose sheets, pen‑drives and laptop data. The respondents opposed, contending that…

The appellant, Debapriya Pal, was convicted along with his alleged accomplice A I for the double murder of Anusha Sarkar and her mother Maya Sarkar, based primarily on circumstantial evidence. The prosecution's case rested on the appellant's alleged friendship with A I, recovery of blood‑stained clothes, a laptop belon…

The petitioner, son of a murdered Superintending Engineer, filed a transfer petition under Section 406 of the CrPC seeking to move the murder trial from Haridwar to Delhi, alleging that witnesses were being threatened by the accused's powerful gang and that the investigating and prosecuting agencies had failed to prote…

The Supreme Court examined the special provisions introduced by the 2002 amendment to the Negotiable Instruments Act, 1881, particularly section 145 which allows the complainant to give evidence on affidavit and permits the court to summon such deponents for examination. The Court clarified that under s.145(2) the accu…

The deceased E. Srinivasa Pillai executed a will bequeathing his house to his only son S. Damodaran, excluding his daughters. The will was produced fifteen years after the testator's death by the son’s widow, C. Saradambal, who sought Letters of Administration, while the daughters contested its validity alleging fabric…

The appellant, a qualified Chartered Accountant, was appointed Manager (Finance) and later Deputy Chief (Finance) at Manganese Ore (India) Ltd. He was suspended and subsequently dismissed following a series of show-cause notices after reporting late to work due to his father's death. The High Court reinstated him but d…

The appellant, mother of a deceased woman, alleged that her daughter was murdered by her son‑in‑law (the second respondent) rather than having committed suicide. During the trial of a friend of the second respondent for abetment of suicide under IPC s.306, the trial court, on the basis of the appellant’s testimony and …

The case concerned a perpetual leasehold Nazul plot in Allahabad that had been transferred to the Maharaja of Maihar and later bequeathed by the Maharaja to his second wife’s son. The appellant purchased the plot from the elder son, while the respondents claimed title as members of the joint Hindu family asserting copa…

The case involved seven accused of a dacoity during which five eye‑witnesses were seriously injured. All six of the accused (Nos.1‑6) were identified by the injured witnesses in a Test Identification Parade (TIP) and were convicted under Sections 394, 395, 396 and 449 of the IPC; accused No.7 was acquitted. On appeal, …

The appellant, Google India Private Limited, was summoned under a criminal complaint alleging defamation (IPC ss.120B, 500, 501 r/w s.34) for articles posted in a Google Group hosted by it. It filed a petition under CrPC s.482 seeking to quash the summons, arguing it was not an intermediary and that Section 79 of the I…

The respondents‑plaintiffs claimed ownership of a house adjoining the Sri Ram Mandir in Jagtial, relying on municipal permissions, tax receipts and an entry in the Endowments Department's book of endowments that demarcated the temple boundaries. The appellant‑defendant, the Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the temp…

The plaintiff filed a suit seeking a declaration that she owned one‑third of a suit‑schedule property (land registration No. 16413) and the cancellation of the defendants' registration. The defendants denied her claim, alleging prescription and asserting that the property had been transferred to them by auction. The tr…

The appellants Veer Singh and others were convicted for the murder of twelve persons and the attempted murder of a family member, based primarily on the testimony of a severely injured eye‑witness, Harshan Kaur, supported by medical reports, a hostile witness, and forensic material. The appellants challenged the reliab…

The appellant, a doctor, was alleged to have had an extramarital affair with respondent No.1, resulting in the birth of a child in 2007 while she was married to Abdul Latheef. Respondent No.1 filed criminal complaints for cheating and harassment and sought a DNA test to establish the appellant as the biological father,…

The appellants Kamal Prasad, Shersingh and Bhavdas were convicted for murder, attempted murder and offences under the Explosive Substance Act based on the testimony of three eyewitnesses who identified them at the scene where bombs and weapons were used, resulting in the deaths of Chetram and his son Kapildeo. The appe…

The appellant, Pradeep BisoI, was convicted under Section 304 Part II IPC for causing the death of Bhaskar Sahu through a bomb and acid attack. The victim had given a detailed statement to the investigating officer on 5 December 1990 under Section 161 of the CrPC, but died on 25 March 1991, more than three months later…

The appellant A. Tajudeen was prosecuted under the Foreign Exchange Regulation Act, 1973 for allegedly receiving foreign exchange without an authorized dealer. The Enforcement Directorate relied on a purported statement made on 20‑April‑1989, statements recorded during a raid on 25‑Oct‑1989 and while in custody on 26‑O…

The Supreme Court examined appeals by Mohd. Imran Khan and Jamal Ahmed against their conviction for rape under Section 376 IPC. The Court held that the prosecutrix, Monika, was a minor (under 16) at the time of the offence, based on her birth certificate and the acknowledged margin of error in radiological age estimate…

The appellant, a bank cashier, was examined as a witness in 2016 and admitted altering the tenure of a fixed deposit, a statement recorded at the pre‑summoning stage. During the trial, another witness (PW‑1) testified in 2022 that the appellant had made the interpolations, leading the bank to move an application under …

Pravin Kumar, a CISF Sub‑Inspector, was accused of fabricating a General Diary entry, intimidating a subordinate to give false testimony, and collecting bribes from BPCL contractors. An enquiry under CISF Rules found him guilty and recommended dismissal; the disciplinary authority dismissed him, and the appellate autho…

The Supreme Court considered two criminal appeals filed by the Attorney General against the High Court’s order allowing the recall of all prosecution witnesses in a rape trial after the accused’s statement under Section 313 CrPC had been recorded. The accused argued that his earlier counsel was incompetent and that the…

The appellant, Sangili, was convicted of murdering a schoolboy, Muthuramaligam, on the basis of circumstantial evidence that included a phone call, alleged motive, and the recovery of a bicycle and knives. The prosecution failed to produce any eyewitnesses, did not establish a motive, and could not prove the last seen …

The appellants were convicted for murder, attempted murder and rioting under Sections 302, 307 and 148 of the IPC based primarily on the testimonies of two relatives of the deceased, one an alleged eye‑witness (PW‑1) and the other an injured witness (PW‑2). The Supreme Court examined the credibility of these witnesses,…

Parubai, the second wife of Gulab, was convicted under Sections 302 and 436 of the IPC for allegedly setting fire to the house that killed her husband's first wife Mandabai and two children. The prosecution's case relied on the fact that Parubai emerged uninjured, kerosene residues on a child's frock, and a motive infe…

The appellant, a Pakistani national and member of Lashkar‑e‑Toiba, was convicted for planning and executing a terrorist attack on the Red Fort on 22 December 2000, which killed three Indian Army soldiers. The prosecution proved the conspiracy and the murders through extensive circumstantial evidence, forensic links bet…

The New Okhla Industrial Development Authority (NOIDA) sought to acquire 83.761 hectares of land for industrial development, issuing a Section 4 notification in 2013. Several landowners filed objections under Section 5A, claiming their lands were "abadi" and should be exempt, but the Collector dismissed the objections …

The State of Punjab claimed that a 2176.6 sq. yard parcel of land had been donated by Shri Inder Singh in 1958 for a veterinary hospital, which the State built and has occupied ever since. The plaintiff, Bhagwantpal Singh, son of the donor, filed a suit for possession in 2001, alleging that the State had no title. The …

The plaintiffs, as legal heirs of the deceased Ponnangatti Gounder and his predeceased wife, sued for declaration and injunction over two properties (Schedule A – ancestral, Schedule B – self‑acquired). The trial court decreed in their favour for both properties. The first appellate court reversed the decree concerning…

The case concerned the murder of a District Magistrate during a funeral procession of a political leader, where 36 persons were charged. The trial court convicted A‑1 (Anand Mohan) and six others under sections 147, 302/149, 307/149 and 302/109, sentencing A‑1, A‑3 and A‑4 to death. The High Court acquitted A‑2 to A‑7 …

Shriram Chits (India) Private Ltd, a chit‑fund company, sued to set aside a consumer‑forum order that ordered it to refund Rs.18,750 with interest to Raghachand Associates, the complainant, for alleged deficiency in service after the chit business was terminated. The service provider contended that the complaint was no…

The appellant, Veena Singh, alleged that she was forced to sign a sale deed for land and that the deed was fraudulent, undervalued and included her residential house. The Sub‑Registrar refused registration under Section 35(3)(a) of the Registration Act because the appellant denied execution of the deed, although she ad…

The appellant Gurnaib Singh was convicted for the death of his young wife Amarjeet Kaur, who allegedly committed suicide after being harassed for a dowry demand of Rs 50,000. The trial court and the Punjab High Court upheld a conviction under Section 3048 IPC (dowry death) and sentenced him to seven years' rigorous imp…

The Supreme Court examined the murder of Ms. Renu, who was burnt to death after her husband, brother‑in‑law and mother‑in‑law allegedly poured kerosene on her for refusing to meet dowry demands for a refrigerator, television and cooler. The trial and High Courts had convicted all three accused under Section 304B of the…

The appellant, Salim Gulab Pathan, was convicted under Section 302 IPC for allegedly setting his wife on fire. The prosecution's case rested on the victim's dying declaration, recorded by a police constable after being certified by a doctor as conscious and fit, and corroborated by eyewitnesses who heard the victim imp…

The appellants were convicted for murder under Sections 302, 34, 120B and 201 of the IPC based largely on their statements recorded under Section 27 of the Evidence Act and the subsequent recovery of the victim's body from a pond. The Supreme Court examined whether the prosecution had proved beyond reasonable doubt tha…

The appellant, daughter and nominee of a deceased insured, claimed death benefits under two life insurance policies, which the insurer repudiated alleging that the insured had concealed multiple other policies. The insurer relied on an unauthenticated tabulation of fifteen alleged policies without producing any documen…

The petitioners challenged the CBI's reliance on three documents that were allegedly taken without authorization from the Ministry of Defence and marked secret under the Official Secrets Act. The respondents argued that the review petition was untenable because the documents violated Sections 3 and 5 of the Official Se…

The plaintiffs, sisters and co‑owners of ancestral land, alleged that their brothers fraudulently executed a registered sale deed in 1996, forging their signatures and thumb impressions, and transferred the property without their knowledge. Upon discovering the fraud in late 2012, they filed a suit for declaration and …

The case concerns the murder of Gadadharanandji, the newly elected Chairman of the Vadtal Temple Board of Trustees, who was allegedly kidnapped, strangled and his body burnt and dumped in Rajasthan by a group of temple functionaries. The prosecution proved the accused's motive—fear of losing control over temple finance…

The appellant Raja Rajinder was convicted of murder and culpable homicide not amounting to murder under IPC sections 302, 201 and 34, based primarily on circumstantial evidence. The prosecution established that the deceased was last seen with the appellant, that a knife, blood‑stained clothes and burnt blanket were rec…

The appellant Pooranmal was convicted along with co‑accused Ladu Lal for the murder of Ladu Lal’s wife, Aruna, under Sections 302/34 and 201 of the IPC. The prosecution’s case against Pooranmal rested solely on three pieces of circumstantial evidence: call detail records showing frequent communication with Ladu Lal, a …

The CBI laid a trap after a complaint that Income Tax Inspector Baljeet Singh (A2) demanded a bribe of Rs 5 lakhs on behalf of Assessing Officer Arun Kumar Gurjar (A1). During the trap, marked notes smeared with phenolphthalein were recovered from A2's coat pocket and his hands turned pink in a sodium carbonate test, c…

The appellants were convicted by the trial court and the Allahabad High Court for kidnapping and rape under IPC sections 363, 366 and 376 based largely on the testimony of the prosecutrix and her mother. The FIR was lodged eleven days after the alleged kidnapping, and the mother failed to file a missing report, raising…

The case involved two excise officers, a superintendent (Accused 1) and his subordinate (Accused 2), who demanded bribes from a manufacturer after issuing an illegal show‑cause notice. The complainant reported the demand, and a police‑led trap was set up; the bribe money was handed to Accused 2, who was caught and the …

The deceased Geetha was allegedly set on fire by her mother‑in‑law, leading to her death. The trial court acquitted both the husband (appellant No.1) and the mother‑in‑law (appellant No.2) for offences under Sections 498A, 302, 504 r/w 34 IPC and Sections 3 and 4 of the Dowry Prohibition Act. The High Court reversed th…

The appellants, brothers residing in the UK, sought recovery of Rs.1.20 crore from their maternal uncle (appellant No.3) after the uncle advanced the sum for a land sale and later demanded repayment. The uncle issued four cheques, two of which were dishonoured; a criminal complaint under Section 138 of the Negotiable I…

Pratima Chowdhury, a member of a West Bengal cooperative housing society, sought to transfer her flat and membership to Kalpana Mukherjee, claiming the transfer was a gift without consideration. The arbitrator found the transfer invalid, noting that the letters effecting the transfer were likely drafted by Partha Mukhe…

The Supreme Court examined the scope of Section 319 of the Code of Criminal Procedure, 1973, which empowers a court to proceed against persons not originally accused if evidence shows their involvement. It held that the power can be exercised at any time after the charge‑sheet is filed and before judgment, provided the…

The plaintiffs filed a suit for specific performance of a sale agreement dated 1 September 2019. The defendants, while admitting the existence of the agreement, denied its validity, calling it a sham, and denied other material facts. The plaintiffs sought an order under Order XVIII Rule 1 of the CPC that the defendants…

The appellant Bhagchandra was convicted of murdering his two brothers and a nephew during a property dispute, with the prosecution relying on the ocular testimony of several rustic village witnesses who identified him as the assailant wielding an axe. The trial court sentenced him to death under IPC sections 302, 201 a…

Saritha S. Nair filed nominations from two Lok Sabha seats but her nominations were rejected because she had been convicted in two criminal cases, each carrying a three‑year imprisonment, invoking disqualification under Section 8(3) of the Representation of the People Act, 1951. She challenged the rejection through ele…

The case concerned the conviction of two accused, Sajeev (A10) and Roy (A11), for their role in a conspiracy to mix methyl alcohol with spirit and sell it as illicit liquor, which caused seven deaths, eleven cases of blindness and injuries to over forty persons. The trial court and Kerala High Court convicted them unde…

The instant appeals arose from five suits between 1950 and 1989 over a 1500 sq yard land in Ayodhya, claimed by Hindus as the birthplace of Lord Ram (Ram Janmabhumi) and by Muslims as the site of the Babri Masjid. The Allahabad High Court had directed a three-way partition of the disputed site, which the Supreme Court …

Monica Bedi and four co‑accused were convicted under the Indian Penal Code (sections 120‑B, 419, 420) and the Prevention of Corruption Act for a conspiracy to obtain a passport in an assumed name. Bedi argued that her conviction violated Article 20(2) of the Constitution because she had already been tried and sentenced…

The appellants were convicted under Section 302 read with Section 149 of the IPC for the murder of Ajay based primarily on the testimony of PW‑9, a cousin of the deceased, and a CCTV video. The Supreme Court examined the reliability of the eyewitness, finding his statements riddled with inconsistencies, no prior identi…

Rajesh Jain alleged that he had advanced loans to Ajay Singh, who later issued a post‑dated cheque for repayment that was dishonoured for insufficient funds. Jain filed a complaint under Section 138 of the Negotiable Instruments Act, 1881; the trial court acquitted Singh and the High Court upheld the acquittal. The Sup…

The dispute involved a settlement recorded on a bond paper of Rs.100 filed with the Assistant Commissioner, Yadgiri. The accused, Rajesh Kumar C.K. Jain, was alleged to have taken the bond paper from the court file on 16 July 2010, leading to an FIR and his conviction under Section 379 IPC by the trial court. On appeal…

The Supreme Court examined whether video conferencing could be used in matrimonial disputes under the Family Courts Act, 1984, particularly in transfer petitions. It held that Section 11 of the Act obliges the court to hold proceedings in camera if either party desires, and that allowing video conferencing on the conse…

The Supreme Court examined a dispute over a property in Purulia that had been purchased by Jagannath Joshi with his funds but registered in his wife Moni Debi's name. The Court held that such a purchase, made for the wife's security, is a benami transaction where the wife is the real owner. The plaintiff's claim that h…

The case involved three interconnected suits concerning a lease of property owned by a private trust: O.S.5/78 filed by the tenants challenging the trust's ownership, and O.S.6/78 and O.S.7/78 filed by the trust for arrears of rent. All three suits were tried together, resulting in a common judgment but separate decree…

The Enforcement Directorate (ED) issued multiple summons under Section 50 of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) requiring the appellants, Abhishek Banerjee and Rujira Banerjee, to appear in Delhi and produce documents related to a coal theft and money‑laundering investigation. The appellants challenged the s…

The appellants challenged two second appeals decided by the Karnataka High Court, which had reversed a trial court's decree in favour of the respondent concerning ownership of certain parcels of land. The High Court, invoking its power under Section 103 of the Code of Civil Procedure, re‑examined documentary evidence (…

The appellant Pankaj was convicted under Section 302 read with Section 34 of the IPC and Section 3 read with Section 25 of the Arms Act for allegedly shooting his brother-in-law Raj Kumar, who later died. The prosecution's case rested on the sole eye‑witness testimony of the victim's brother (PW‑8) and corroboration by…

The State of Rajasthan prosecuted Chandgi Ram and others for the murder of Surender, alleging that the accused beat him to death with iron rods, pipes and lathis, constituting offences under IPC s.302 read with s.34 and s.452. The trial court convicted the accused based on the testimony of the deceased's wife, two mino…

The appellant, Pinakin Mahipatray Rawal, was convicted under Sections 498A and 306 IPC for allegedly causing his wife's suicide through an extra‑marital relationship with his colleague (A‑2). The Supreme Court examined whether the alleged relationship amounted to cruelty within the meaning of Section 498A and whether i…

The appellant, Lakhan, was convicted under Section 302 IPC for allegedly burning his wife, Savita. Two dying declarations were recorded: the first by an Executive Magistrate stating the death was accidental, and the second by a police ASI accusing the appellant of pouring kerosene and setting her alight. The trial and …

The appellants Atbir and Ashok were convicted for the murder of three members of their step‑mother's family, based solely on the dying declaration of the surviving victim, Sonu (Savita), recorded by a police officer in the presence of a doctor. The Supreme Court held that the declaration was reliable, made in a fit sta…

The appellants were convicted for kidnapping a minor for ransom, robbery and criminal conspiracy under IPC sections 364A, 392 and 120B. The prosecution's case relied on the statements of the victim and his father, but the victim's family never reported the incident to police and the key witness, the grandfather, was ne…

The Supreme Court examined an appeal against the conviction of two police officers for the death of Jeeva, who allegedly died from custodial torture at Amraiwadi police station. The trial and High Court had upheld the conviction, later reducing the charge from murder (Sec. 302 IPC) to culpable homicide not amounting to…

The case concerned a registered agreement for sale of 2.90 acres of land executed in 1981, which the plaintiffs sought to enforce by specific performance. The defendants argued that the agreement was a sham, forged, and that they were bona‑fide purchasers without notice of the agreement. The Supreme Court held that Sec…

The appellant, Ratnu Yadav, was convicted by the Sessions Court and upheld by the High Court for murder of his step‑mother under Section 302 IPC, based primarily on an alleged extra‑judicial confession before a village officer (PW‑1) and the testimony of the deceased’s brother (PW‑5) that the appellant dragged the vict…

The appellant was convicted of murder and dowry death under Sections 302 and 498A IPC. During trial, the prosecution sought to record the testimony of the appellant's two minor children, aged eight and six, but the trial judge excluded their evidence, deeming them incompetent because they did not know the judge or lawy…

In 1980 a hooch tragedy in Kalanwali, Haryana, caused 36 deaths and 44 permanent blindings after victims consumed liquor adulterated with methyl alcohol. Krishan and Som Nath, licensees of the liquor vend, were convicted by the trial court under IPC sections 302, 328 and 120B. The High Court acquitted them, holding tha…

The appellant Manoj and his relatives were convicted for the dowry death of Meena Devi, who died from burns after being allegedly doused with kerosene and set alight at the behest of her husband, mother‑in‑law and sister‑in‑law. The prosecution relied heavily on a dying declaration recorded by Dr. Rajinder Rai, which w…

The appellants, P. Nagesh and another, were convicted by a Fast Track Court for murder and related offences under Sections 302, 364, 379, 201 read with 34 of the IPC, based on circumstantial evidence. The Karnataka High Court upheld the conviction, relying on a presumption under Section 106 of the Evidence Act that the…

The appellant, Amlesh Kumar, was charged with multiple offences including dowry harassment and murder after his wife went missing. While seeking regular bail, the High Court of Patna accepted the Sub‑Divisional Police Officer's proposal to conduct narco‑analysis tests on all accused and witnesses. The Supreme Court hel…

Satish Nirankari and his lover Pooja, whose inter‑caste marriage was opposed by her family, went to a vacant house, performed a makeshift marriage, and each consumed copper sulphate. Pooja ingested a larger dose, later hanged herself; Nirankari survived, raised alarm, and sought medical help. He was convicted under IPC…

The case arose from public interest litigation challenging the clinical trials of the Human Papilloma Virus (HPV) vaccine on adolescent girls in Gujarat and Andhra Pradesh, alleging irregularities and health risks. The petitioners relied on reports of the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Health and Family Welfare (7…

On 26 January 1996 a bomb exploded at the SMS Stadium in Jaipur, leading to the arrest of six accused, including Chandra Prakash, Abdul Mateen and others. The prosecution relied on the testimony of an approver (PW‑1) who implicated the accused, on material recovered from the accused’s premises (ammonium nitrate, dynami…

Bhagwan Dass was convicted for the murder of his daughter, who had left her husband and was living in an incestuous relationship with his cousin. The prosecution proved the case on circumstantial evidence, establishing motive, opportunity, the victim's post‑mortem findings of strangulation, the appellant’s failure to r…

The case concerned a suit for partition of a property claimed by a son born of a widow’s second marriage, who sought his share through his mother, the widow. The widow had remarried after the death of her first husband, and the plaintiff relied on a series of lease and assignment deeds executed in 1910 and 1925 to esta…

The prosecution alleged that secret information received by an intelligence officer indicated that Accused No.4 would transport narcotics in an auto‑rickshaw, leading to a raid in which 1.45 kg of charas was seized from the vehicle and, subsequently, 2.098 kg was recovered from the house of Accused No.4 where Accused N…

The respondents-plaintiffs filed a suit for declaration of title and possession of several khasra lands, alleging that their fathers were lessees under a patta-lease. The appellants-defendants contended that the land had been auctioned in 1929 to their grandfather Gaya Din, who obtained a valid patta-lease (Ex.D‑20) an…

The appellant, Mudibasappa, issued a cheque for Rs.6,00,000 that was returned for insufficient funds, leading the complainant, Basalingappa, to file a complaint under Section 138 of the Negotiable Instruments Act. The trial court acquitted the accused, holding that the complainant failed to prove his financial capacity…

The appellant, Anurag Soni, had a romantic relationship with the prosecutrix and promised to marry her, while already being engaged to another woman. He lured the prosecutrix to his residence, engaged in sexual intercourse after she initially resisted, and later reneged on the marriage promise, marrying the other woman…

The appellant, Sumeti Vij, ordered non‑woven fabric from the respondent, received the goods and issued two cheques to pay the invoices. Both cheques were returned by the bank for insufficient funds; legal notices were served but the appellant neither responded nor paid within the statutory period, leading to two compla…

The appellant, Nilesh Dinkar Paradkar, was convicted under the Maharashtra Control of Organized Crime Act (MCOCA) and the IPC based largely on voice identification of a recorded telephone conversation. The High Court upheld his conviction while acquitting the other accused, relying on the officer's identification of th…

The appellant Ravi was convicted of murdering his first wife Jamni by strangulation based largely on circumstantial evidence and hostile witness testimony. The prosecution's case relied on a Zero FIR, a post‑mortem report indicating asphyxia, and the recovery of a rope, while key eyewitnesses turned hostile. The Suprem…

The appellant, Pappu, lured a seven‑year‑old girl under the pretext of picking lychees, raped and murdered her, and later disclosed the location of her body to the police. He was convicted by the trial court and the High Court of offences under IPC sections 376, 302 and 201 and POCSO sections 5 and 6, and sentenced to …

The husband, Dinesh Kumar Mahto, obtained a decree for restitution of conjugal rights against his wife, Reena, in 2022, yet she continued to live apart, alleging mental cruelty, dowry demands, and a miscarriage. Reena filed a maintenance suit under Section 125 of the CrPC in 2019 and was awarded ₹10,000 per month. The …

The trial court convicted two brothers, Goverdhan and Rajendra, and their father Chintaram for the murder of Suraj under Section 302 read with Section 34 IPC, based primarily on the testimony of Suraj's mother, Lata Bai, who was the sole eye‑witness. The High Court upheld the convictions of the brothers but acquitted t…

The appellant, Sher Singh, was convicted under Sections 3048 and 498A IPC for the alleged dowry‑related suicide of his wife, Harjinder Kaur, who had reportedly complained of dowry harassment two months before her death. The prosecution alleged that the husband and his family demanded a motorcycle and a fridge, leading …

The appellant Govind Mandavi was convicted for murder under IPC s.302 r/w s.34 and for an offence under the SC/ST Act based on the testimony of the deceased's wife (PW‑2) and her father‑in‑law (PW‑1), who identified the accused after a delayed statement and a Test Identification Parade (TIP). The Supreme Court examined…

The trial court convicted Nathiya and Suresh under Section 302 read with Section 34 of the IPC for the murder of Gurunathan, relying on circumstantial evidence and alleged confessional statements. The High Court upheld the conviction, but on appeal the Supreme Court examined the evidence and found no eye‑witness, an in…

The appellant, Aymubkhan Noorkhan Pathan, was appointed as a senior clerk in the Aurangabad Municipal Corporation under a Scheduled Tribe reservation based on a caste certificate that declared him a member of the Bhil Tadvi tribe. Respondent No.5, a general‑category citizen, alleged that the appellant, being a Muslim, …

Anita Malhotra, a former non‑executive director of Lapareil Exports (P) Ltd., resigned on 31‑08‑1998. In 2004 the company issued cheques that were later dishonoured, and the Apparel Export Promotion Council filed a complaint under Section 138 of the Negotiable Instruments Act, naming Malhotra as accused director. Malho…

Dr. Rajesh Talwar and Nupur Talwar, accused of murdering their daughter Arushi and domestic help Hemraj, sought under CrPC s.233 read with s.91 the production of narco‑analysis, brain‑mapping, polygraph and other scientific test reports of three persons who had earlier been suspected in the case, as well as other docum…

The appellant, Sushil Sharma, was convicted of murdering his wife Naina Sahni and conspiring with an employee, A2, to burn her body in the tandoor of his restaurant. The prosecution proved the murder and the disposal of the body through a chain of circumstantial evidence, forensic analysis, and the recovery of the appe…

Tofan Singh was convicted under Sections 8(c) r/w 21(c) and 29 of the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act for allegedly trafficking 5.250 kg of heroin. The conviction rested primarily on a statement recorded by an investigating officer under Section 67 of the NDPS Act, which the appellant claimed was …

The appellants were convicted for murder under Sections 302 and 120B of the IPC based on the testimony of two alleged eyewitnesses – a police constable (PW‑12) and the first informant (PW‑11). The Supreme Court found that PW‑12, who had actually brought the weapons to the police station, never lodged a formal complaint…

The appellants were convicted under Sections 201, 300 and 302 IPC read with Section 34 for the murder of Devinder based largely on circumstantial evidence, including a disputed 'last seen' theory, an alleged extra‑judicial confession, a claimed motive, and the recovery of a chunni as the murder weapon. The Supreme Cour…

The case arose from the murder of an advocate, for which several accused were tried. During trial the prosecution sought the production of decoding registers of cellular companies to link the accused’s location with cell towers, and to summon the nodal officers as witnesses under Sections 91 and 311 of the CrPC. The tr…

The State of Andhra Pradesh filed a suit for eviction against D. Raghukul Pershad and others, alleging that the appellants had failed to pay rent since 1986 and that the lease had not been renewed. The appellants contended that the lease deed and rent payments were made by mistake of fact and that they were the true ow…

The appellant, Dharmendra Kumar, was convicted for murder under s.302 read with s.34 IPC for stabbing Tillu during a dispute over a wall construction, with additional convictions under s.147, 148 and 149 later set aside. The Supreme Court examined whether alleged contradictions in witness testimonies, the inconclusive …

The appellant was convicted of murder under Section 302 IPC based on eyewitness testimony, an alleged extra‑judicial confession to his employer (PW‑19), and a dying declaration by the victim (PW‑24). The Supreme Court examined the credibility of the extra‑judicial confession, noting that the appellant had worked for th…

The State of Maharashtra appealed the acquittal of six accused under Sections 498‑A, 304‑B and 306 of the IPC. The Supreme Court examined whether the prosecution had established the essential ingredients of a dowry death and the presumption under Section 113‑B of the Evidence Act. It held that the prosecution proved, b…

The appellants Maqbool, Zubir and Shahnawaz were convicted for murder (Sec. 302 IPC) and conspiracy (Sec. 120B IPC) based on eyewitness testimony, medical evidence and entries from a diary recovered during investigation. They challenged the convictions alleging that the witnesses were interested, the identification par…

The case involved the murder of Phool Guha and robbery of her house, for which Sanatan Naskar and another accused were arrested after they allegedly led police to stolen wrist watches and a camera. The trial court and the High Court convicted them under Sections 302, 34, 392 and 411 IPC, relying on a chain of circumsta…

The Supreme Court upheld the conviction of Uday Chakraborty and his relatives for dowry death under Sec. 304B IPC read with Sec. 498A IPC. Although the FIR did not explicitly mention a dowry demand, the Court held that the cumulative documentary and oral evidence, including the execution of a "Chuktiparta" at the time …

The appellants were convicted for the murders of Bahadur Singh and his father Pyare Lal. The prosecution proved that four accused, armed with guns and a spear, killed Bahadur Singh, after which all five accused, including Dharnidhar, proceeded to kill Pyare Lal with guns and a kulhari. The defence argued that the key e…

The insured's factory suffered a fire and the insurer, New India Assurance Co., appointed a surveyor, joint surveyors, and later an investigator who alleged arson, before seeking the opinion of former Chief Justice Y.V. Chandrachud who concluded the fire was accidental. The National Consumer Disputes Redressal Commissi…

The appellant State of Jharkhand sought to uphold the dismissal of Constable Ranjan Kumar, who was found to have obtained dual appointments in Jharkhand and Bihar police forces using forged documents and assumed a false identity. The respondent contested the dismissal, alleging lack of evidence, procedural irregulariti…

The case concerns the murder of Ramkrishna, allegedly orchestrated by his son A1 and associates over a sibling rivalry concerning assets. The trial court acquitted six accused (A1‑A6) because the majority of the 87 witnesses turned hostile and the prosecution failed to prove motive, conspiracy, preparation, or identifi…

Alagupandi was convicted for murdering his step‑mother Tamilarasi. The prosecution relied on the testimony of the deceased's brother (PW‑1), corroborative statements of other witnesses, forensic evidence linking the accused's blood to the crime scene, and a confession that led to the recovery of the knife. The appellan…

The Supreme Court examined the murder conviction of three accused, two of whom appealed while the third did not. The prosecution's case relied heavily on an extra‑judicial confession and the theory that the accused were last seen with the deceased, but the confession was found unreliable, contradictory, and uncorrobora…

The case concerned the murder of Indra, who was strangulated to death by her father‑in‑law, brother‑in‑law and others. Five accused were tried; four were convicted under s.120‑B, s.302 and s.34 IPC and one (Jitender Kumar) under s.120‑8 IPC. The appellants challenged the convictions on several grounds, including that J…

The appellant, Munna Kumar Upadhyaya, was convicted for the murder of a railway official and his family, based on a complex web of circumstantial evidence, forensic findings, fingerprint matches, and extra‑judicial confessions. The prosecution proved the chain of events through 49 witnesses, forensic reports, recovered…

The dispute concerned a property inherited by Phoolbasa Bai after her husband's death and a subsequent sale of a portion of that property to Mukesh Kumar Chourasia. The plaintiff, Ganeshram, challenged both the validity of a 1977 will favouring Phoolbasa Bai's brothers and the 1987 sale deed, alleging that Phoolbasa Ba…

The deceased Karamjit Kaur died of phosphorus poisoning within two and a half years of her marriage, and the prosecution alleged that her husband and in‑laws harassed her over a dowry demand for a scooter. The trial court convicted the husband, father‑in‑law and mother‑in‑law under Section 304B (referred to as 3048) IP…

The appellants, Krishna Lal Chawla and others, challenged a private complaint filed in 2018 by their neighbour (Respondent No.2) under Section 200 CrPC, which alleged offences arising from a 2012 altercation. The complaint was filed six years after the incident, despite a charge‑sheet already being filed against the co…

The appellant's wife was admitted to Nikhil Super Speciality Hospital with intermittent fever; the hospital failed to diagnose malaria and treated her for typhoid, leading to her death after being transferred to another hospital. The District Consumer Forum held the hospital negligent and awarded Rs. 2 lakh compensatio…

The appellant, Atmaram, was convicted under Sections 306 and 498A of the IPC for the alleged suicide of his second wife, Purnabai, based on the presumption of abetment under Section 113A of the Evidence Act. The trial court and High Court held that the appellant had subjected the deceased to cruelty, relying on a writt…

The Supreme Court examined an appeal by Bachni Devi and her son, convicted under Section 304B of the IPC for the dowry death of the son’s wife, Kanta, who died by hanging within three months of marriage. The prosecution proved that Kanta’s death was unnatural, occurred within seven years of marriage, and that she was s…

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 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, 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 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 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…

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…

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 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, …

Rishipal was convicted by the trial court of murder (Sec. 302 IPC) and several offences under Sections 171, 201, 364, 420 IPC based largely on circumstantial evidence, with the victim's body never recovered. The High Court acquitted him of the murder charge while upholding the other convictions and altered the 364 conv…

The appellants sought probate of a Will dated 10‑Nov‑1992 executed by their mother, Cecelia Gertrude Lobo, which was contested by one brother (defendant No.5) on grounds of alleged suspicious circumstances. The trial court found that the Will was duly executed, satisfying Section 63 of the Indian Succession Act and Sec…

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 Supreme Court examined the appeal of Maya Devi and others convicted under Sections 3048 and 498A of the IPC for the death of their daughter-in‑law, Kavita. The Court reiterated that to establish a dowry death, the prosecution must prove (i) death within seven years of marriage, (ii) death caused by burns, bodily in…