Indian Evidence Act, 1872

The deceased Sunita, married to Raj Kumar, was allegedly set on fire by her mother‑in‑law amid dowry disputes. While on her death‑bed she gave a dying declaration identifying her husband and his parents as the assailants; the statement was recorded by police and a magistrate. The trial court convicted all accused under…

The Supreme Court examined the appeal of Karnel Singh, convicted under Section 376 IPC for raping a female labourer, Panchbai, at a factory on 28 August 1987. The prosecution presented the victim's testimony, medical evidence of semen stains on her petticoat and in her vagina, and noted the absence of physical injuries…

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 entered the deceased's house at night, broke the door and assaulted the deceased and his family with lathis, resulting in the deceased's death. They claimed the right of private defence, arguing they were protecting their property from the deceased's alleged complaint. The trial court convicted them unde…

The landlords filed a suit for possession of a Delhi flat against the tenant. After years of adjournments, the tenant’s counsel recorded on oath a statement that the tenant would vacate the premises by 22‑Jan‑2002 and pay rent until then; the landlord’s counsel accepted the terms. The trial court entered a consent decr…

Hiten P. Dalal (appellant) issued four cheques to Standard Chartered Bank between December 1991 and March 1992 for securities transactions. The cheques were dishonoured for insufficient funds and the bank served notices under Section 138 of the Negotiable Instruments Act. Dalal was convicted by a Special Court establis…

The appellant, S. Gopal Reddy, was convicted under Section 4 of the Dowry Prohibition Act, 1961 for demanding dowry in connection with a proposed marriage. He appealed, arguing that a demand made during pre‑marriage negotiations does not fall within the statutory definition of "dowry" and that the prosecution’s evidenc…

The appellants Chand Khan and Shabbu were charged with murder, assault and related offences arising from a night‑time attack on Shah Alam and others on 26 May 1977. The trial court acquitted all nine accused, disbelieving the testimony of four eye‑witnesses, but the Allahabad High Court set aside the acquittal and conv…

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…

Jayendra Vishnu Thakur was charged under the Terrorist and Disruptive Activities (Prevention) Act (TADA) for the murder of Suresh Narsinh Dube. He was declared a proclaimed offender under Section 82 of the CrPC, later arrested several times, and the prosecution sought to record the testimony of ten witnesses in his abs…

The deceased, Maniben, was allegedly burnt by her mother‑in‑law and brother‑in‑law after a domestic dispute. She gave a dying declaration to the police and later to a magistrate, identifying both accused as responsible. Both were convicted on the basis of that declaration, which the High Court upheld. On appeal, the ac…

The appellant Om Prakash was convicted of raping a married woman (the prosecutrix) in the veranda of a Zila Parishad near a court, after having come to the premises to help her husband obtain bail. The victim’s testimony, corroborated by an eye‑witness (her brother‑in‑law) and medical examination, led the trial court t…

Smt. Kanti Devi and her husband Poshi Ram were married in 1975 and a child was born to her in 1989 after fifteen years of childlessness. The husband filed a suit seeking a declaration that he was not the father, alleging that he had no access to his wife at the time of conception, thereby attempting to rebut the conclu…

The case concerns the assassination of former Indian Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi by a human bomb at Sriperumbudur on May 21, 1991, orchestrated by the LTTE. The Supreme Court heard appeals from 26 accused convicted by a Designated Court under TADA and IPC, along with a death reference. The Court held that the prosecuti…

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…

In 1984 a communal riot in Calcutta led to the murder of two police officers. Four persons were initially sentenced to death, but on retrial only Lokeman Shah and Nasim @ Naso were convicted; the High Court altered Shah's sentence to life imprisonment and upheld Naso's death sentence. Both appellants challenged their c…

The State prosecuted Babu Ram for the murder of his parents and brother, relying on circumstantial evidence such as his own statements, recovery of spades and a blood‑stained cloth, and his pointing to the burial site. The trial court convicted him and imposed the death penalty, but the Allahabad High Court acquitted h…

The appellant, A. Neelalohithadasan Nadar, was declared elected from the Kovalam Assembly seat, but the first respondent, George Mascrene, filed an election petition alleging double voting and void votes under Section 62(4) of the Representation of People Act, 1951. The Kerala High Court inspected ballot papers and ele…

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…

The Supreme Court considered a batch of writ petitions and appeals challenging the constitutional validity of the Terrorist Affected Areas (Special Courts) Act, 1984, the Terrorist and Disruptive Activities (Prevention) Act, 1985, and the Terrorist and Disruptive Activities (Prevention) Act, 1987 (TADA), along with a c…

This landmark judgment concerns the scope of Article 356 of the Constitution of India, which empowers the President to impose President's Rule in states upon failure of constitutional machinery. The case consolidated challenges to proclamations dissolving legislative assemblies in Karnataka, Meghalaya, Nagaland, Madhya…

Earabhadrappa, alias Krishnappa, was employed as a domestic servant in Karnataka and on the night of 21-22 March 1979 strangulated his employer's wife, Bachamma, and robbed her of gold ornaments and silk sarees. He absconded and was apprehended a year later, after which he made a statement that led police to recover th…

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…

Suneta Aggarwal applied for a Hindi lecturer post in a government‑aided college. The Selection Committee recommended her, but the Vice‑Chancellor disapproved the recommendation and ordered the post to be re‑advertised. Aggarwal applied again after the re‑advertisement, appeared before the new Selection Committee withou…

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 appellant, Vashu Deo, was a sub‑tenant of Bal Kishan who had leased a shop from the Sarvjanik Sampati Trust under the Rajasthan Premises (Control of Rent and Eviction) Act, 1950. The appellant fell into rent arrears and Bal Kishan sued him for recovery of rent and eviction, while the Trust simultaneously sued Bal K…

The appellant, a security guard, was transferred after complaints of teasing a young girl living in an apartment. Ignoring the transfer, he went to the girl’s flat under the pretext of making a telephone call, raped and murdered her, and stole her wrist‑watch. The prosecution relied on a chain of circumstantial evidenc…

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 tenant occupied a shop in the landlord's building and fell into arrears of rent, prompting the landlord to file an eviction suit under Section 13 of the Rajasthan Premises (Control of Rent and Eviction) Act, 1950. The tenant had previously deposited rent in court under Section 19A, and again attempted to do so afte…

The State of Maharashtra charged Suresh with the rape and murder of a four‑year‑old girl, Sneha, alleging that he abducted her, sexually assaulted her and concealed her body in a farm. The trial court convicted him on the basis of circumstantial evidence, including eyewitnesses who saw the accused with the child, a tes…

The appellant, father of Kiran Devi, alleged that his daughter was subjected to continuous cruelty by her husband, mother‑in‑law and brother‑in‑law, culminating in her suicide by jumping into a well. The trial court acquitted the accused of murder (Sec. 302) and the High Court upheld that acquittal. On appeal, the Supr…

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 appellant Gajula Surya Prakasa Rao was convicted under Sections 302 and 307 IPC for murdering a farmer and attempting to kill his wife, based primarily on the testimony of the deceased’s wife (PW‑3) and daughter (PW‑4). The Supreme Court examined the credibility of these eye‑witnesses, noting that their statements …

The appellant Rajan Rai was convicted of murder under Section 302 read with Section 34 of the IPC and under Sections 3 and 5 of the Explosive Substances Act for allegedly throwing a bomb that killed his brother. Four co‑accused were earlier acquitted by the High Court, while a fifth co‑accused had died before trial. Th…

The appellant Chaudhary Ramji Narsang and two co‑accused were alleged to have assaulted the appellant's father and brothers in an agricultural field, resulting in the father's death. The trial court acquitted them, finding contradictions among witnesses and questioning the medical evidence. The Gujarat High Court set a…

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 respondent advanced a total of Rs. 3,16,000 to the appellant, who later issued a cheque that was dishonoured, leading to a complaint under Section 138 of the Negotiable Instruments Act. The trial court acquitted the appellant, holding that he had discharged the burden of proof on a pre‑ponderance basis despite not …

The appellants, six convicted accused, appealed against their life sentences for murder under Sections 302, 149, 148 and 506 IPC, arguing that the prosecution's case relied on partisan eyewitnesses, lacked independent witnesses, showed no dragging injuries, and suffered an alleged delay in forwarding the FIR to the mag…

The case arose from a violent clash over the construction of a shed that resulted in the death of a man. The prosecution alleged that a group of accused formed an unlawful assembly, assaulted the victims and caused the murder. The trial court convicted fifteen accused under Sections 302, 148, 149 and 307 IPC; the High …

The Supreme Court upheld the conviction of Munshi Prasad and others for murder, finding the prosecution’s evidence trustworthy and the defence’s alibi unsubstantiated because the alleged distance of 400‑500 yards did not render the accused’s presence at the crime scene impossible. The Court held that discrepancies betw…

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 appellant, M. Srinivasulu, was convicted under Sections 304B (dowry death) and 498A (cruelty) of the IPC for the self‑immolation death of his wife. The prosecution relied on three letters written by the deceased, alleging they demonstrated a dowry demand and cruelty. The Supreme Court examined whether the letters a…

A long-standing land dispute led to a violent confrontation on 10 June 1984 when the deceased Mohan Singh and his relatives were ploughing the contested field. The respondents, claiming ownership, assaulted them with sticks, causing Mohan Singh's death. The trial court held the land was in the complainants' possession,…

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 employee R.B. Sharma, a manager of State Bank of India, was suspended and faced both a departmental inquiry under the SBI Officers Service Rules and a criminal prosecution under the IPC for alleged fraud involving large sums. The employee obtained a stay of the departmental proceedings from the Delhi High Court, wh…

The Supreme Court examined an appeal by Dhian Singh and his paternal uncle against convictions for dowry death and concealment of evidence. The first appellant was found guilty under Sections 304‑B and 201 of the IPC for causing the death of his wife, Shinder Kaur, by burning her after demanding dowry, with the court a…

The appellant, a watchman, was convicted of murder under Sections 302 and 34 of the IPC and sentenced to death, but the High Court acquitted him on the ground that his judicial confession was retracted and that victim's articles were recovered before the confession. The Supreme Court held that a retracted confession is…

The landlady sought eviction of the tenant for non‑payment of rent, relying on a demand notice that was allegedly served by post. The tenant denied receipt of the notice, claiming the postman was on leave and therefore no refusal occurred. The Rent Controller, after examining the postman, found that the tenant had refu…

The plaintiff sought a share in a property based on a registered settlement deed dated 26 March 1915 executed by the deceased Muthuswamy Pillai. The defendant claimed that a subsequent oral family arrangement in 1941 had modified the deed, allocating the property exclusively to him and giving cash to the other sons. Th…

The Marwari Kumhar community, which used a dharamshala for religious functions, sued the heirs of a former pujaris (the respondents) for a declaration of title to the property in 1945. The trial court and later the High Court affirmed the community's title, holding the respondents were merely pujaris. After the decree …

Amrutlal Someshwar Joshi, a domestic servant, was convicted of murdering three members of his employer's family and an infant in their Bombay flat and stealing valuables. The prosecution relied on a series of circumstantial facts, including eyewitness testimony that Joshi was present in the flat until early afternoon, …

The parties to a family arbitration agreement divided joint family property among six branches, with a retired district judge acting as arbitrator. After the award was registered, objections were filed, and later amended to include new allegations of arbitrator misconduct. The High Court set aside the award on grounds …

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 …

The State of Gujarat appealed the acquittal of Anirudhsing Mahipatsingh Jadeja (Accused No.1) and Nilesh Kumar (Accused No.2) for the murder of MLA Popatbhai Sorathiya during an Independence Day ceremony. The trial court had held that the prosecution failed to prove the accused's presence, the weapon used, and the conf…

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…

Shri Bhagwan, a 20‑year‑old apprentice goldsmith, was convicted of murdering five members of Shiv Pratap's family and committing robbery and dacoity. The conviction was based on circumstantial evidence: he was seen with one of the deceased, sustained injuries, possessed blood‑stained clothing and stolen jewellery, and …

The Supreme Court considered a review petition filed by R.D. Chauhan, who claimed he was a juvenile at the time of committing murder under Section 302 IPC and therefore could not be sentenced to death. The petition argued that the trial and appellate courts failed to apply the Juvenile Justice Act, 1986, and that the c…

The case arose from the abduction and alleged murder of Advocate Kulwant Singh, his wife and their two‑year‑old child, for which the Punjab and Haryana High Court Bar Association sought an independent inquiry. The High Court declined to intervene, prompting a civil appeal before the Supreme Court. The Supreme Court dir…

The appellant, Cycle Corporation of India Ltd., sought rectification of the trade mark ‘Raleigh’ owned by the respondent, T.I. Raleigh Industries Pvt. Ltd., alleging that the proprietor had not used the mark bonafide for a continuous period of five years and that neither the respondent nor any registered user was using…

The wife of Iqbal Singh set herself and her three children on fire on 7 June 1983 after prolonged dowry harassment by her husband, his mother and sister. She had previously complained to police and written letters detailing the abuse and her fear for her life. The husband, his mother and sister were charged under Secti…

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…

Mauri Yeast India Pvt. Ltd., a manufacturer of yeast, had long classified its product as a "chemical" under Entry 21 of the Uttar Pradesh Sales Tax Notification and paid tax accordingly. In 2005 the assessing officer re‑classified yeast as an "unclassified item" and imposed a higher tax, a decision upheld by the appell…

The appellant, Ponnusamy, was married to Selvi and after a dispute over land she disappeared. He made extra‑judicial confessions to several villagers, admitting that he had murdered her and thrown her body into a canal. Following his confession, the police recovered the decomposed body, which was identified by jeweller…

On 27 November 1990, the appellant Magan and four others attacked Indar Singh in Theka Kund village, with Magan shooting an arrow that pierced Indar's chest, leading to his death; Indar's brother Hari Singh was also injured. The trial court convicted all five accused under Sections 148, 302/149 and 323/149 of the IPC, …

Ukaram was convicted for the murder of his wife and minor daughter based solely on the wife's dying declaration. The wife, Parveena, was alleged to have suffered from mental illness, raising doubts about her capacity to make a reliable statement. The Supreme Court examined whether the prosecution had proved beyond reas…

The appellant, Ram Nath Mahato, was alleged to have participated in a night robbery on a train, during which a passenger was killed and others injured. A witness (PW 6) identified Mahato in a test identification parade conducted by Judicial Magistrate PW 7, but at trial PW 6 refused to recognize him, claiming fear. The…

The appellant Ganeshlal was charged, along with his parents, sister, maternal uncle and the uncle's daughter, for the murder of his wife Kanchana, whose body was found severely burnt on the third floor of their house. The trial court acquitted all accused, but the Bombay High Court (Nagpur Bench) convicted Ganeshlal al…

The case concerned the murder of four liquor‑shop workers and the attempted murder of a fifth person. The prosecution relied mainly on the ocular testimony of two injured witnesses (PW‑3 and PW‑4), ballistic evidence linking a rifle owned by the accused A‑1, and circumstantial evidence. The appellants challenged the ad…

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 appellant sought to set aside a Kerala High Court order that granted police protection to the first respondent, who claimed to be the head of a religious trust. The High Court had determined the respondent's entitlement to the office, a question that was already pending before a civil court. The Supreme Court held …

The appellants, Dhanaj Singh @ Shera and others, were convicted for murder under Section 302 read with Section 34 of the IPC. They contended that the police investigation was defective – forensic samples were not sent for chemical or ballistic analysis and several potential witnesses were not examined – and that the ey…

Mukand Ltd. entered into several settlements with the Mukand Staff and Officers' Association, asserting that many of its employees were not "workmen" under the Industrial Disputes Act, 1947. A dispute was referred to an Industrial Tribunal, which awarded wage increases and other benefits to both workmen and non‑workmen…

The petitioners, undertrials, alleged that police blinded them while in custody and sought compensation under Article 21. They requested CID reports and related documents, which the State refused to produce citing protection under Sections 162 and 172 of the Criminal Procedure Code. The Supreme Court held that the repo…

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 appellants were convicted of rape under Section 376(2)(g) IPC based largely on the testimony of the prosecutrix, a minor girl, while other witnesses turned hostile. On appeal, the Supreme Court examined whether a prosecutrix's testimony can be relied upon without corroboration and whether the evidence established t…

The father of the deceased filed a complaint alleging that the appellants demanded additional dowry, tortured the victim and caused her death. A magistrate conducted an inquiry under Section 202 CrPC, during which an eye‑witness (PW 1) gave a statement that was later recorded. At trial PW 1 was declared hostile and the…

The appellant owned agricultural land that was leased to the first respondent. In 1943 a document titled "Otti and Kuzhikanam" was executed in favour of the respondent, which the appellant claimed was a usufructuary mortgage. The trial court held the document to be a mortgage, declared the respondent a mortgagee and de…

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 petitioner, Jayendra Saraswati Swamigal, the Shankaracharya of Kanchi Mutt, was arrested on charges of conspiring to murder Sankararaman, an administrative manager. The prosecution alleged that the deceased had lodged complaints against the petitioner and that the petitioner offered Rs 50 lakhs to hired men to kill…

Pal Singh occupied three rooms and a courtyard in an evacuee property that was later jointly purchased by Sunder Singh and the late Smt. Sham Kaur. In 1975 Sunder Singh filed an eviction suit under section 14(1)(e) of the Delhi Rent Control Act, 1958, claiming a bona‑fide requirement, but the other co‑owner (the heirs …

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 employee, Sarvesh Berry, was found by the CBI to possess assets disproportionate to his known sources of income, leading to a criminal case under the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988 and a departmental enquiry under Hindustan Petroleum's conduct and discipline rules. Berry filed a writ petition seeking a stay of …

The Supreme Court examined two Special Leave Petitions arising from a writ petition that alleged tampering of MD (Gynaecology) examination grade sheets to favour the daughter of the then Chief Minister of Maharashtra. The trial judge had held that the tampering was done by Dr. Rawal at the behest of the Chief Minister …

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 State of Kerala appealed the Kerala High Court’s acquittal of Kurissum Moottil Antony, who had been convicted under Sections 377 and 451 IPC for committing an unnatural offence on a ten‑year‑old girl. The High Court set aside the conviction on the ground that the victim’s testimony was not corroborated and that a r…

Balwinder Singh was convicted by a Special Court under Sections 302 and 201 of the IPC for the murder of his daughter Rozy, based solely on circumstantial evidence comprising alleged "last seen together" testimony, an extra‑judicial confession, recovery of a dead body, and a disclosure statement leading to the recovery…

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 appellant, Mohtesham Mohd. Ismail, was served with a show‑cause notice under the Foreign Exchange Regulation Act, 1973 (FERA) for allegedly remitting funds from the UAE through unauthorized persons and was penalised by the Special Director of Enforcement under section 9(3). He appealed to the Foreign Exchange Regul…

Kailash was convicted under Sections 304B (dowry death) and 498A (dowry harassment) of the IPC for the death of his wife, whose body was found in a well, indicating death "otherwise than under normal circumstances." The trial court sentenced him to ten years for the 304B offence, with no separate sentence for 498A, and…

The landlord (respondent) filed an eviction suit under the Andhra Pradesh Rent Control Act, seeking possession and mesne profits. The tenant (appellant) contended that the City Civil Court lacked jurisdiction, asserting that the matter fell within the exclusive jurisdiction of the Rent Controller under Section 3 of the…

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 appellants claimed possession of a property based on a registered deed of settlement allegedly executed by an elderly, paralytic executor on 11 July 1970. The respondents filed a suit for declaration and permanent injunction, alleging the executor was over 100 years old, physically and mentally unfit, and that the …

The appellant was convicted of murdering two sisters and committing house trespass under Sections 302 and 449 IPC based largely on circumstantial evidence, including alleged motive, sightings, and recovered items. He appealed, contending that the prosecution had not proved a continuous chain of circumstances, had suppr…

The appellant, T.C. Bhadrachalam Paper Boards Ltd., claimed exemption from non‑agricultural land assessment on the basis of G.O. No. 201 (1976) issued under Section 11 of the Andhra Pradesh Non‑Agricultural Lands Assessment Act, 1963. The order was not published in the Official Gazette nor laid before the Legislature a…

The petitioners, accused in the 1993 Bombay blast case, were charged under Section 5 of the Terrorist and Disruptive Activities (Prevention) Act (TADA) for knowingly possessing an AK‑56 rifle and ammunition. They argued that the possession was for self‑defence, not for terrorist purposes, and sought bail. The Supreme C…

The case concerned a joint Hindu family property acquired in 1928 by Govindaswamy and his brother Srinivasa. Govindaswamy disappeared after August 1930 and was not heard of thereafter. His wife, Kasambu Ammal, executed a sale deed in 1970 in favour of Nataraja Iyer, while Srinivasa executed a separate sale deed the sam…

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 appellant filed a suit for partition of property claiming a two‑fifths share based on a custom that sons and daughters inherit equally among Roman Catholic Christians of the Latin rite. The appellant also contested the validity of a gift deed (Exhibit B‑1) and a settlement deed (Exhibit B‑2), alleging they were for…

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, an Afghan national, was seized at Raja Sansi Airport with 22 packets of heroin and later arrested after a 15‑hour delay. He initially confessed to customs officials but later retracted, and was convicted under Sections 22 and 23 of the NDPS Act, a judgment affirmed by the High Court. On appeal, the Supre…

The appellants, Genoa Singh and others, were convicted for the murder of the complainant's father and uncle after a dispute over a field boundary. They claimed the violence was in exercise of the right of private defence. The Supreme Court examined the scope of Sections 96‑106 of the IPC, the burden of proof under Sect…

Ramchandra Sakharm Mahajan filed a suit for declaration of joint title with defendants 10‑13 and for recovery of possession of a portion of land against defendants 1‑9, relying on a lease deed dated 21‑July‑1875. The trial court dismissed the suit, refusing to allow a belated amendment of the plaint to give better part…

The case involved the death of Janak Kumari, who suffered extensive burn injuries and allegedly made five dying declarations implicating her husband, mother‑in‑law and sister‑in‑law. The trial court acquitted the accused, holding that none of the statements were reliable. On appeal, the Supreme Court examined the admis…

The Supreme Court examined an appeal against the acquittal of twelve students charged under the Terrorist and Disruptive Activities (Prevention) Act for the murder of Jasbir Singh and grievous hurt to Sumer Singh during a campus political clash. The Court held that a four‑hour delay in lodging the FIR, the recording of…

Harish Kumar and Ram Sharan were convicted by the Madhya Pradesh High Court for murder (Sec. 302 IPC) and attempt to murder (Sec. 307 IPC) after a trial court had acquitted them. They pleaded private defence of person, claiming that earlier hostile incidents and injuries to their father and themselves created a genuine…

The first appellant, married under Hindu law, obtained a divorce decree from a Missouri court on the ground of "irretrievable breakdown" after claiming a 90‑day residence in Missouri, while the parties had actually last lived together in Louisiana. The respondent contested the decree, arguing lack of jurisdiction and t…

The appellants forcibly took a teenage girl to a remote house, intoxicated her, undressed her and sexually assaulted her, after which she escaped from a truck and sought help. The trial court convicted them of rape under IPC s.376(2)(g) relying on the victim's uncontroverted testimony and the presumption of lack of con…

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…

Hanumanthappa, suffering from cancer, executed a Will two weeks before his death bequeathing his sole agricultural land to his niece (Respondent No.1). The wife and children (appellants) were unaware of the Will, claimed it was fabricated, and sought a declaration that the land was joint family property. The trial cour…

The appellant, Thimmappa Raj, son of the late Narayana Rai, sought to enforce a lease granted to him under the Madras Cultivating Tenants Protection Act, 1955 and claimed exclusive ownership of the Schedule B lease‑hold property, while the respondents (Ramanna Raj and others) filed a suit for partition of properties li…

The appellants Murlidhar, Chhaju Ram and Babu Lal were convicted of abduction under Section 364 IPC and of murder under Section 302 read with Section 34 IPC. The Supreme Court examined the evidence of eye‑witnesses, circumstantial facts and the applicability of Section 106 of the Evidence Act. It held that the testimon…

The trial court (Additional Sessions Judge, Muzaffarpur) acquitted the accused in a murder case under Sections 302 and 34 IPC. The aggrieved party filed a revision under Section 401 of the CrPC before the Patna High Court, alleging that the trial court had wrongly discarded eye‑witness testimony. The High Court set asi…

The State of Tamil Nadu alleged that former Chief Minister J. Jayalalitha conspired with ten others to import coal at inflated prices, causing a loss of about Rs 6.5 crore. The Special Judge discharged her, finding the record insufficient to frame a charge, and the Madras High Court affirmed that order. On appeal, the …

The tenant Tej Bhan, who had attorned his tenancy to Gopinath Agrawal and later to Chhaya Gupta, refused to attorn again and challenged the landlord's title, alleging defects in the original sale to Gopinath. The Supreme Court examined whether such a denial amounted to a denial of the landlord's title under Section 3(1…

The appellant entered into a 1951 deed of exchange with the State of Rajasthan for a plot swap, but the State failed to deliver the exchanged plot. The appellant sued for possession and compensation; interrogatories revealed the exchanged plot had been transferred to a third party and his original plot was in the Mahar…