Arms Act

Jangir Singh shot dead his colleague Jaswant Singh after a 15‑minute altercation during which the deceased pointed a rifle at him. The trial court acquitted Singh on the ground of private defence, but the High Court convicted him under Section 302 IPC and Section 27 of the Arms Act. On appeal, the Supreme Court examine…

Mani Ram and his brother Hari Ram had a dispute with Hazur Singh. On the day of the incident Singh went to his field, ate a meal brought by his wife Surjeet Kaur and son Jaskaran, and was subsequently shot by Mani Ram with a licensed pistol; Hari Ram allegedly encouraged the act. The trial court acquitted both accused …

The case arose from a quarrel in which accused No.1 (Devraj) fired a pistol at PW‑6, inflicting a chest wound capable of causing death, and also shot PW‑7 in the knee, while accused Nos.2 and 3 assaulted the victims with sticks and fists. The trial court convicted all three under Section 307 IPC read with Section 34 an…

The appellants Suresh Rai, Pradeep Rai and Jitendra Prasad Rai were convicted for the murder of Shambhu Rai under IPC sections 302, 34, 109 and the Arms Act, and sentenced to life imprisonment. They appealed, contending that the three alleged eye‑witnesses were not present at the scene, that the investigation was taint…

On December 10, 2006, six accused assaulted Vitthal Hingane and his brother Jagdish, resulting in Jagdish's death. The trial court and High Court convicted all six under sections 302 and 307 IPC, among other charges. On appeal, the Supreme Court examined whether the prosecution proved the guilt of each accused beyond r…

The deceased Ramanand Mahto was attacked by a mob of 10‑15 persons who pulled him from his scooter, severed his head with sharp weapons and dragged his trunk to a pond. Police arrived within fifteen minutes and recorded statements of eye‑witnesses, including the nephew of the deceased, whose FIR named some but not all …

Daulat Ram, a Punjab police constable, was convicted of murdering a 25‑year‑old man, Narinder Singh, under Section 302 IPC read with Section 27 of the Arms Act. The prosecution relied on two alleged eyewitnesses, the victim's uncle and a companion, and asserted that the killing occurred at 2 p.m., supported by a post‑m…

The case arose from a long‑standing feud between the families of Bhagwan Ram and Krishan Lal. On the night of 21‑22 August 1992 the accused entered Bhagwan Ram's house and fired indiscriminately, killing Bhagwan Ram, his son Sunder Ram and his mother Chando Devi, and injuring Subhash Chander (PW2) and his sister Raj Ku…

The Supreme Court examined two murder cases in which the accused, Jayrajsinh Temubha Jadeja, had been granted regular bail by the Gujarat High Court on the grounds of prolonged judicial custody, non‑commencement of trial and prior compliance with temporary bail conditions. The State of Gujarat contended that the High C…

Sudesh Kumar was convicted under IPC s.392 r/w s.34 and the Arms Act for a robbery committed on 7 March 1981 and sentenced to five years' rigorous imprisonment. He appealed, claiming benefit under Section 6 of the Probation of Offenders Act, 1958, asserting that he was under 21 years of age at the time of the offence b…

Sankar Ghosh, a Sepoy of the Kolkata Armed Police, was arrested and charged under IPC sections 392, 395 and 412 and Arms Act sections 25 and 27 for alleged involvement in a dacoity. A departmental inquiry found him guilty and he was dismissed from service. The Sessions Court later acquitted him on the ground that the p…

Wassan Singh and two co‑accused attacked a gathering at Hazara Singh's house; during the fray Singh was injured multiple times and, fearing grievous hurt, fired his gun, inadvertently killing an innocent woman, Bholan. He was convicted by the Sessions Court under Section 304 Part I IPC and under Section 27 of the Arms …

The appellants, doctors Hardeep Singh Sohal and Surinder Singh Sandhu, were convicted for the murder of Dr. Megh Raj Goel based largely on a confession recorded from the alleged conspirator Balwinder Singh under Section 15 of the Terrorist and Disruptive Activities (Prevention) Act (TADA) and extra‑judicial confessions…

Mohan Singh and Kailash Singh were convicted of murder under Section 302 read with Section 34 of the IPC, with Mohan Singh also convicted under the Arms Act. They appealed, challenging the post‑mortem finding of blackening under the wound, the reliability of eyewitness identification in low light, the lack of detail in…

Ishwar Prasad Arya, a practising advocate, was convicted under Section 307 of the Indian Penal Code for assaulting an opponent with a knife in a courtroom and sentenced to three years' rigorous imprisonment. The State Bar Council suspended him from practice for three years under Section 35 of the Advocates Act, 1961. H…

The appellant was charged with murder and related offences and first sought anticipatory bail under Section 438 of the CrPC, which was rejected. The High Court later ordered him to surrender and apply for regular bail, but the Sessions Judge, misreading that order, granted bail under Section 439 without applying the st…

The appellant Munna was convicted under the IPC, TADA and the Arms Act for participating in a robbery in which a lady’s gold bangles were taken. The prosecution’s case rested on the testimony of three eye‑witnesses who identified Munna for the first time in court, as no prior test identification parade (TIP) had been h…

The appellant, Dilbagh Singh, was convicted for the murder of his brother's sibling, Jagmail Singh, who was shot dead on 9 May 1992 during a dispute over extremist activities. The prosecution proved that Dilbagh Singh, along with Jasbir Singh and an unknown accomplice, opened fire with government‑issued rifles, killing…

The appellants were convicted under the Terrorist and Disruptive Activities (Prevention) Act (TADA) and IPC for the murder of a Hindu leader. The Supreme Court examined whether the required prior sanction under Section 20‑A of TADA had been validly obtained. It found that the sanctioning authority had granted approval …

The case arose from a complaint alleging that a police encounter on 1 July 2004 was fabricated and resulted in the death of the complainant's son. The police contended that the encounter was genuine, a fact supported by FIRs, a CID inquiry, and an NHRC report. The High Court quashed the criminal proceeding against a po…

Balbir Singh was arrested in a notified area while in possession of an unauthorised rifle (bearing No. 516275) and 161 live cartridges. He was convicted under section 5 of the Terrorist and Disruptive Activities (Prevention) Act, 1987 and sentenced to eight years’ rigorous imprisonment. On appeal he argued that the wea…

Guiram Mondal, the tenth accused in a double murder case, appealed his conviction under Sections 302 and 148 of the IPC. The trial court had acquitted all accused except one, relying heavily on the absence of the accused's names in the inquest report. The High Court reversed this, holding that the trial court overlooke…

The Supreme Court examined a series of writ petitions filed under Article 32 seeking protection and relief for victims of the September 2013 Muzaffarnagar communal riots, including compensation for rape victims and accountability for the State's failure to prevent the violence. The Court found the State government negl…

The case concerns the murder of Debo! Kumar Ghosh on 16 June 2000, for which Anjan Dasgupta and Biswanath Paul were alleged to have directed shooters. The trial court acquitted them, citing alleged ante‑dating and ante‑timing of the FIR and discarding eye‑witness testimony. The Calcutta High Court reversed the acquitta…

The petitioner, Rajan, was convicted of multiple offences including dacoity, murder, and illegal possession of arms, receiving seven years' rigorous imprisonment for IPC 395, five years' rigorous imprisonment under the Arms Act, and life imprisonment for three counts of IPC 302 and four counts of IPC 307. He sought pre…

The appellants Budhan Singh and others were convicted under Section 201 of the Indian Penal Code for causing the disappearance of evidence after allegedly snatching away the injured deceased’s body from a cot at the scene of a shooting. The prosecution alleged that the accused, armed and present, assisted in removing t…

The appellant, Pavan Vasudeo Sharma, was arrested during a raid on a kidnapping case and a 9 mm service pistol, live cartridges and two mobile phones were seized from him. The prosecution alleged that the pistol, originally belonging to a police Naik, was used to murder Bhima Waghmare and that the seized mobile phone w…

The father of a slain environmental activist filed a writ petition seeking transfer of the investigation into his son’s murder from the Gujarat police to an independent agency, alleging bias and protection of the accused, who was a sitting MP. The Gujarat High Court, after finding the state investigation unfair, partia…

The appellant Manmeet Singh (alias Goldie) was convicted under Section 396 of the Indian Penal Code for dacoity with murder, based on an alleged robbery of a large sum of money and the killing of Mohinder Singh. The prosecution alleged that five or more persons participated in the dacoity, but only the appellant was id…

The case involved a murder at Sadar Hospital where Hare Krishna Singh and six others were alleged to have fired upon the deceased Jitendra Choudhary, resulting in his death. The appellants challenged their convictions on several grounds, including the prosecution’s failure to explain injuries sustained by Hare Krishna …

The case concerns the murder of MP Magunta Subbarama Reddy, his gunman, and injuries to two witnesses. Accused No.1, Pantangi Balarama Venkata Ganesh, a member of the Peoples War Group, was arrested on the day of the incident with a pistol, cartridges and a pink shirt bearing his blood. Eye‑witnesses, DNA profiling lin…

The case arose from a violent incident that followed a marriage ceremony in Vaishali district, where six accused formed an unlawful assembly and opened fire, killing Shankar Rai and injuring his brother Dineshwar Rai. The prosecution proved that the accused slapped and fisted the bride's brother-in-law, after which the…

Saurabh Kumar was arrested in connection with a land‑dispute case and was produced before the Additional Chief Judicial Magistrate, who remanded him to judicial custody under an order dated 1 July 2013. The petitioner filed a writ of habeas corpus under Article 32, alleging illegal detention, police brutality and claim…

The case arose from a violent incident in which the nephew of a first informant, Rajesh, was shot dead and others injured after a dispute over goods. The appellant, Daya Kishan, was convicted under Sections 302, 307, 323 and 148 read with Section 149 of the IPC, the first conviction being based on alleged participation…

Umesh Singh was convicted for the murder of Shailendra Kumar, who was shot with a revolver and rifle by Singh and several co‑accused. The prosecution relied on the eye‑witness testimony of the victim’s cousin (PW2) and corroborating statements of other witnesses, while the defence challenged the validity of the FIR (ar…

The State of Madhya Pradesh appealed against two orders of the Madhya Pradesh High Court that quashed FIRs relating to serious offences including IPC sections 307, 294, 34, 394 and Arms Act sections 25 and 27 on the ground that the complainant had reached a compromise with the accused. The Supreme Court examined whethe…

The dispute arose over a proposed drain through the fields of the complainant, Baghel Singh, leading to a violent clash between his party and that of Swaran Singh and his brothers. During the altercation, Swaran Singh, armed with a rifle, fired two shots that killed Kandhara Singh and Darbara Singh, while his brothers …

The Supreme Court upheld the convictions of Harpal Singh @ Chhota and co‑accused for kidnapping, abduction for ransom and conspiracy under IPC §§ 364A, 395, 412, 471, 1208 and Arms Act § 25. The Court found the victim’s testimony – recorded under §§ 161 and 164 Cr.P.C. and reiterated at trial – to be truthful and suffi…

The case involved a mass murder in which 24 persons were accused of killing five members of a family, including the brutal decapitation of three victims and the burning alive of a ten‑year‑old boy, allegedly as revenge for the earlier murder of A‑1's brother. The prosecution relied on two eye‑witnesses who were close r…

The case arose from an altercation between two families in Jahangir Puri, Delhi, after which Babu Ram (non‑appellant) fetched a licensed gun and fired indiscriminately from a roof, killing two persons and injuring twenty‑six others. The appellants – Sunil, Shri Krishan and Ravinder – were convicted under Sections 302 a…

The case involved Dalbir Singh, a constable of the CRPF, who was convicted in a criminal trial for firing his service weapon, leading to his dismissal from service. He was later acquitted by the High Court, reinstated, and subsequently faced a fresh departmental charge sheet alleging misuse of his service rifle in 1993…

The case arose from the killing of nine persons and injuries to many villagers in Netai, West Bengal, where the CBI investigated and filed a charge sheet against 21 accused, some of whom were absconders. After the charge sheet, several proclaimed offenders were arrested and the CBI sought police remand under Section 16…

Narinder Kumar was charged with murdering Kola Ram after a heated exchange during a Baisakhi procession, where he allegedly returned with a 12‑bore gun and shot the victim. The prosecution relied on consistent testimony of four eye‑witnesses, corroborated by medical and forensic evidence linking the appellant to the sh…

The State of Uttar Pradesh charged Om Pal and two others with murder under Sections 302 and 34 IPC for the death of Mahipal on 25‑03‑1993. The trial court convicted them based primarily on the testimony of the complainant (PW‑1) and two eyewitnesses (PW‑2 and PW‑3). On appeal, the Allahabad High Court acquitted the acc…

The case involved three Yadav appellants convicted for rioting, arson and murder during communal violence in Bihar in 1985. The appellants challenged the High Court’s transfer of the trial from the 10th to the 5th Sessions Court, arguing that the transfer was beyond its jurisdiction and amounted to a de novo trial viol…

In a village in Gujarat, two rival groups clashed, resulting in a free fight in which appellant No.1 Pathubha Govindji Rathod was stabbed with a knife and subsequently fired a revolver, killing Natha Nagabhai. Both appellant No.1 and appellant No.2 Hemubha Govindji were convicted under Section 302/304 read with Section…

Ramesh Chilwal was convicted of murder under IPC s.302, offences under the Gangsters Act s.213 and the Arms Act s.27, and sentenced to life imprisonment, ten years rigorous imprisonment, and seven years rigorous imprisonment respectively, along with fines and compensation. The High Court affirmed these convictions and …

The State of Gujarat alleged that several accused, including Gadhvi Rambhai Nathabhai, were involved in large‑scale smuggling and distribution of foreign‑origin arms, ammunition and cash, and were charged under the Arms Act, the Terrorist and Disruptive Activities (Prevention) Act, 1987 (TADA) and the Customs Act. The …

The Supreme Court examined six bail orders granted by the Gujarat High Court to accused involved in a violent incident that resulted in five homicides. The Court held that the High Court failed to consider the seriousness and gravity of the offences, the role of each accused, and the material evidence contained in the …

Ms. X, a confirmed rape victim, filed a writ petition under Article 32 seeking rehabilitation, including free education for her minor children, housing accommodation, police protection, and legal aid. The Court noted that she had been convicted of rape in 2002 and had already received compensation under the Jharkhand V…

The State of Madhya Pradesh, represented by the CBI, appealed against the High Court's acquittal of nine accused, including Paltan Mallah, for the murder of trade‑union leader Shankar Guha Niyogi. The trial court had convicted them under Section 302 read with Section 120B IPC based on circumstantial evidence, but the H…

The appellant Netraj was arrested after a silver todal, allegedly stolen during a dacoity that also involved the murder of a woman, was recovered from him two days after the incident. He was convicted under Section 396 of the Indian Penal Code for dacoity with murder and sentenced to death, later reduced to life impris…

The case involves a double murder in which accused Prabhunath Singh, a sitting MP, was originally acquitted along with other co‑accused. The Supreme Court, on appeal, took judicial notice of the Patna High Court's Habeas Corpus judgment, treating it as a public document, and considered the accused's subsequent conduct …

The case arose from twin bomb blasts in Surat in 1993 for which several accused were convicted under the Indian Penal Code, the Explosives Substances Act and the Terrorist and Disruptive Activities (Prevention) Act (TADA). The trial court recorded the offences under TADA after obtaining approvals from the Additional Ch…

The appellant, Vijay Kumar Baldev Mishra, was charged under the Terrorist and Disruptive Activities (Prevention) Act (TADA) and IPC for a gang‑related murder. A Review Committee, set up under the Kartar Singh guidelines, recommended that the TADA provisions were inapplicable because the offence was motivated by persona…

The appellant, Surajsinh alias Sonu Surajsinh, was convicted for kidnapping a seven‑year‑old boy from Ahmedabad and demanding a ransom of Rs 10 lakh, leading to the child's recovery in Dausa, Rajasthan. The trial court found the child’s testimony reliable and corroborated by police officers, other witnesses and call‑de…

The appellant, a public servant appointed as a duty magistrate, ordered open firing to disperse a mob at an encroachment site, resulting in one death and injuries. A private complaint was filed alleging multiple offences under the IPC and the Arms Act, and the Chief Judicial Magistrate took cognizance and issued non‑ba…

The respondent, a union secretary, allegedly fired a pistol at a company manager outside an industrial tribunal, killing him. Three eye‑witnesses (PWs 5, 6 and 7) testified that they saw the shooting and that the accused was seized by them and the police. A cryptic telephonic message about the firing was sent to the po…

The appellants, accused under the Terrorist and Disruptive Activities (Prevention) Act (TADA) for allegedly undergoing terrorist training in Pakistan, providing monetary assistance and possessing a large quantity of arms, appealed to the Supreme Court against the denial of bail. They contended that no overt act was pro…

The respondents, convicted of murdering the complainant’s two sons and attempting to murder other family members, were released on bail by the High Court of Patna through non‑speaking orders that failed to consider the seriousness of the offences, the risk of evidence tampering and witness intimidation. The Supreme Cou…

The case involved the double murder of Kashi Nath Tiwary and Lallan Tiwary, allegedly committed by a group of accused including Rajesh Singh and four Tiwary brothers. The trial court convicted all six accused and sentenced them to life imprisonment, but the High Court acquitted Rajesh Singh on the ground that he was ne…

The Supreme Court examined an appeal against a High Court order that granted bail to Mitthan Yadav, a history‑sheeter accused of multiple serious offences including murder, under several IPC sections. The High Court had relied on the principle of parity, noting that a co‑accused, Ashok Kumar, had previously been releas…

Kiriti Pal was accused of murdering Anjali Goswami, a widow who was last seen alive with him on the evening of 11 November 2008 before being found dead the next morning in a jungle 25 km away. The trial court convicted Pal and three co‑accused (Siddique Mia, Mustaque Mia, and Durga Sutradhar) under sections 302, 120B, …

Bimal Gurung, president of the Gorkha Janmukti Morcha, filed a writ petition under Article 32 seeking the transfer of investigation of all FIRs (over 100 cases) lodged against him and other GJM members to an independent agency such as the CBI or NIA, alleging political bias and threat to life. The State of West Bengal …

The State of Uttar Pradesh appealed the Allahabad High Court's acquittal of Ashok Dixit and Chaman Lal, who had been convicted by a Sessions Court for murder (IPC s.302), attempt to murder (IPC s.307) and illegal possession of arms (Arms Act s.25). The prosecution relied on eyewitnesses, a child witness, ballistic and …

Six members of a family were murdered in a house on 23 January 2014. The prosecution relied primarily on the ocular testimony of two interested witnesses, PW‑1 (Ali Sher Khan) and PW‑2 (Jaan Mohammad), who were closely related to both the deceased and the accused. The Supreme Court held that because the witnesses were …

On 23 July 1994 a mob of 300‑400 persons armed with guns and petrol bombs attacked the house of informant Ganesh Singh in Amarpur, Bihar, killing six members of his family. The informant identified 19 persons, including the appellants Chandra Bihari Gautam and others, and the prosecution charged them under IPC Section …

An FIR was lodged against Fakhrey Alam under several IPC sections, the Arms Act and Section 18 of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA). The police filed a charge sheet for the IPC and Arms offences within the 180‑day period but delayed the UAPA charge sheet beyond that period, filing it after 211 days. The a…

A news report of a security breach at Sanganer Airport led the Rajasthan High Court to take suo moto cognizance and register a public interest writ under Art. 226. While the case was pending, the Bureau of Civil Aviation Security (BCAS) issued a circular exempting certain VVIPs from pre‑embarkation security checks; sub…

The case involved a violent incident in which Raghunath Pandey shot Kanhaiya Pandey, resulting in his death, and other accused fired indiscriminately causing injuries to villagers. The appellants Parshuram, Bishram and Somaru Pandey were convicted under Sections 302 read with 149 IPC, 307 IPC, 324 read with 34 IPC, and…

The appellants, Usmanbhai Menon and others, were arrested after an armed clash and produced before a Designated Court under the Terrorist & Disruptive Activities (Prevention) Act, 1987 (TADA). Their bail applications were rejected by the Designated Court, and they sought bail from the Gujarat High Court under s.439 of …

On 23 October 1989, two nephews of Hardip Singh were shot dead by Jugraj Singh and his accomplices who were armed with guns and a gandasa. The prosecution presented the two surviving relatives as eye‑witnesses, supported by a post‑mortem report that identified gun‑shot injuries, and the trial court convicted the accuse…

Salman Salim Khan was convicted under Section 51 of the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972 and sentenced to five years' imprisonment. The Rajasthan High Court suspended his conviction, allowing him to travel abroad for his acting profession, but the UK denied his visa on the basis of the conviction. The State of Rajasthan…

The appellants were accused of kidnapping and murdering a nine‑year‑old boy in February 2001. The prosecution's case rested on an extra‑judicial confession by Accused No.1, the testimony of two witnesses (PW‑28 and PW‑29) to establish a "last seen" theory, and circumstantial evidence linking the accused to the recovere…

The case involved the murder of Kirori, where Mahesh and Kanhaiyalal were initially acquitted by the trial court but later convicted by the High Court under Section 302 read with Section 34 of the IPC. The appellants argued that the FIR did not mention their role, that eyewitness statements were recorded after an eight…

The Supreme Court examined two writ petitions challenging orders of preventive detention under the National Security Act, 1980 issued against Alijan Mian and Jadunandan Sah, who were already in jail and likely to be released on bail. The detaining authority justified the detention on the ground that, if released, the p…

The case concerned an appeal by Meena Devi, the wife of a murder victim, against the Allahabad High Court’s order granting bail to the convicted accused, Shivraj Singh alias Lalla Babu, under Section 439 of the Cr.P.C. The Supreme Court examined whether the High Court had exercised its discretionary power judiciously, …

The Supreme Court examined an incident where the Coast Guard vessel CGS Vivek and the Indian Navy ship INS Kirpan intercepted the merchant vessel MV Yahata on the high seas because it was not flying any national flag and was emitting "Not under Command" lights. The master, V. Jayachandra, gave a false name, threatened …

The State of Uttar Pradesh prosecuted a group of 35 accused for the brutal murder of five villagers and grievous injuries to several others during a Holi celebration, allegedly as revenge for an electoral defeat of the accused's wife. The trial court convicted all accused under Sections 302, 149, 148, 307, 506 IPC and …

The State of Rajasthan charged Ajit Singh and 18 others under the Terrorist and Disruptive Activities (Prevention) Act, 1987 (TADA) for allegedly smuggling arms from Pakistan to Punjab for terrorist purposes. Seven of the accused made confessions before a Superintendent of Police under Section 15 of TADA, but the confe…

The petitioner, a police officer, was charged with several offences including murder and grievous hurt arising from a raid. He argued that under Section 196 of the Criminal Procedure Code the court could not take cognizance or proceed with trial without a sanction under Section 197, which protects public servants actin…

The Supreme Court upheld the convictions of six accused in a gang‑murder case at Radhika Gymkhana, Ahmedabad, where nine persons were killed on 3 August 1992. The trial court had relied heavily on confessional statements recorded under Section 15 of the TADA Act, along with a dying declaration, witness testimony, and f…

The Supreme Court examined the murder of Suresh Dube and the subsequent terrorist‑related conspiracy involving gangs of Bhai Thakur and Manik Patil. The trial court had excluded confessions recorded under Section 15 of the Terrorist and Disruptive Activities (Prevention) Act (TADA) on the ground of procedural irregular…

The case arose from a firearm clash on 8 May 2020 in Pratapgarh, Uttar Pradesh, leading to two FIRs: FIR No.406 filed by Laxman Prasad Pandey alleging his brother was killed by the rival group, and FIR No.407 filed by the rival group alleging Pandey's party were the aggressors. The High Court granted regular bail to th…

The appellant (A‑5) was tried with seven others for the murder of Venkatesan Seshastripuram. A‑4 entered the deceased's house and shot him, resulting in death. The trial court convicted A‑4 under s.302 IPC and A‑5 under s.398 and s.457(1) IPC, acquitting A‑5 of s.302 read with s.34 IPC. The Madras High Court reversed t…

Mahmud Rajasa Saiyed was arrested in a POTA case for alleged offences under the IPC, Arms Act and POTA, and was found in possession of a country‑made revolver, a foreign‑made pistol and ten live cartridges recovered from a co‑accused. He applied for bail under Sections 49(6) and 49(7) of the Prevention of Terrorism Act…

The case involved the murder of Kamini Verma and her uncle Rakesh Kumar by accused Dheeraj Verma and Deepak Verma, who allegedly fired a double‑barrel gun after a rejected marriage proposal. The prosecution relied on the victim’s dying declaration, corroborated by three eyewitnesses, and on evidence that the second acc…

The murder of Jayantilal Vadodaria led to the arrest of four assailants and two villagers, Anirudhsinh Jadeja (Sarpanch) and Digubha Jadeja, who had concealed the murder weapons on the latter's field. The State invoked the Terrorist and Disruptive Activities (Prevention) Act, 1987 (TADA) against the two villagers and a…

The appellant, Hajabhai Rajashibhai Odedara, together with his co‑accused Jagrutiben, conspired to kill members of Jagrutiben’s family to facilitate their marriage. They strangulated Jagrutiben’s mother Simbhiben and brother Mukesh, and attempted to kill another brother Rajdeep, who survived and became the sole eye‑wit…

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…

The appellant, Shabir Ahmed Teli, was convicted of murder under section 302 of the Ranbir Penal Code for shooting his neighbour, Gani Shah, allegedly because Shah refused to give his daughter in marriage to the appellant. The trial and High Courts upheld the conviction despite a slow, shoddy police investigation that o…

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…

In 1981, Kishore Bhagat was shot dead after a series of altercations involving several accused. Akaloo Ahir, the appellant, fired a shot that missed the victim, while another co-accused fired the fatal shot. All were charged under Sections 302, 307 and 34 of the IPC and Section 27 of the Arms Act. The Supreme Court exa…

Four accused entered the complainant's house, threatened the occupants with a pistol and knives, and stole cash, a gold chain and a Sten gun. The victims identified the accused in court, but no test identification parade was conducted. The trial court convicted them under Sections 452, 392 and 397 IPC read with Section…

Karan Singh was arrested in 1988 for possessing an unauthorised country‑made pistol and three live cartridges within a TADA‑notified area. The case was initially filed under the Arms Act, but the Metropolitan Magistrate transferred it to a Designated Court under the Terrorist and Disruptive Activities (Prevention) Act,…

On 10 February 1994, a group of accused assembled unlawfully in Ramanathapuram, Tamil Nadu, and attacked the family of the deceased Rajendran, killing eight persons including a one‑year‑old child. The trial court convicted the accused under various provisions of the IPC and sentenced them to life imprisonment for each …

The case concerned the murder of Mangalanand Pandey in Bihar, for which eight persons were charged. Dinesh Pandey, who fired the fatal shots, was convicted under Sections 302, 341 IPC and the Arms Act. The remaining accused were convicted under Section 302 read with Sections 149 and 341 IPC. On appeal, the Supreme Cour…

Mahendra Singh, a police constable, shot and killed Janardhan Pathak, a forest gate‑keeper, claiming the incident occurred during a scuffle in which he was attacked. The trial court convicted him of murder under IPC s.302 and sentenced him under the Arms Act; the High Court affirmed. On appeal, the Supreme Court examin…

Bhaiya Bahadur Singh, a government school teacher, drove his tractor onto a disputed boundary and allegedly trampled a portion of the victim's wheat field. Angered, he fetched a licensed single‑barrel gun, returned, and fired two shots, injuring two persons and killing a third. He pleaded that the shooting was in self‑…

During a TADA investigation, the police attached seven ships under Section 7A of the Terrorist and Disruptive Activities (Prevention) Act, alleging the vessels were purchased with proceeds of terrorist activity. The owners challenged the attachment, arguing that the ships were bought before the Act came into force and …

The appellant, Salim Akhtar (Mota), was convicted under the Terrorist and Disruptive Activities Prevention Act (TADA) for allegedly possessing a pistol, cartridges, a bomb and RDX that were recovered after he led police to a polythene bag in an open area. The pistol was not sealed at the time of recovery and its make a…

The Supreme Court examined appeals by four accused convicted of murder, rioting and related offences under the IPC and Arms Act. The prosecution case rested on eye‑witness testimony of close relatives of the deceased, who were present at the scene when the accused allegedly assaulted the victim and, after being urged b…

The case involved the murder of four members of a matrimonial family and the attempted murder of the sole eye‑witness, Rajvinder Kaur, who had secretly married a man of a lower caste. The prosecution relied on her testimony, which was given only after eight days due to trauma, and on the recovery of weapons and identit…

The Supreme Court examined two sets of review petitions filed under Article 137 and Order XL of the Supreme Court Rules: one by four convicts sentenced to death for offences under the Terrorist and Disruptive Activities (Prevention) Act (TADA) and the Indian Penal Code, and another by the State challenging the finding …

The Government of NCT of Delhi appealed the Delhi High Court’s acquittal of Jaspal Singh (A4) for offences under the Official Secrets Act, 1923 and Section 120B IPC. The Supreme Court held that the High Court had misapplied the law, especially the evidentiary value of a co‑accused’s confession and the statutory presump…

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

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

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

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

An incident on 23 September 1989 outside a Munsif court led to cross‑fire between two rival groups, resulting in one death and several injuries. The trial court convicted Amarjit Singh under IPC 307 and the Arms Act, sentencing him to five years rigorous imprisonment and a fine, while Jagsir Singh was convicted under t…

The appellants Sanjay, Nawabuddin and Vinod were convicted for murder and robbery after the police recovered a weapon, blood‑stained clothes and stolen jewellery based on their disclosure statements made under Section 27 of the Evidence Act. The defence argued that the statements were inadmissible because they containe…

The appellants were convicted for the murder of Saikat Saha under Section 302 read with Section 34 of the IPC, based primarily on the testimony of a single eyewitness, PW‑6, who described how the accused acted in concert to kill the victim. The appellants challenged the conviction, arguing that the sole witness's evide…

The victim Laxman was shot and killed inside his shop on 26 November 2002, with six accused alleged to have entered the shop armed and assaulted him. Five other accused (A2, A4, A7, A8, A11) were alleged to have been standing outside the shop, preventing people from entering or moving along the street. The prosecution …

The accused Om Prakash was charged under Section 302 IPC and Section 27 of the Arms Act for shooting Maman Ram during a village dispute. The trial court convicted him based on eye‑witness testimony, ballistic evidence and the post‑mortem report, sentencing him to life imprisonment. The Punjab & Haryana High Court acqui…

The Supreme Court examined appeals by several accused convicted of murder and offences under the Arms Act. It addressed whether the two‑year delay by the Patna High Court in pronouncing its judgment violated the right to speedy justice under Article 21 and the right of appeal. The Court held that such unexplained delay…

The appellants Rakesh and another were convicted under Section 302 read with Section 34 of the Indian Penal Code for the murder of Bhishampal Singh, based primarily on the eye‑witness testimony of PW1 and PW2 and medical evidence. The appellants challenged the conviction, arguing that the ballistic report showed a mism…

The State of Madhya Pradesh appealed a High Court order that quashed an FIR for offences under IPC sections 307, 294, 34 and Arms Act sections 25, 27 on the ground that the victim and accused had settled the dispute out of court. The issue was whether the High Court could invoke its inherent power under Section 482 of …

Suba Singh and his son Shingara Singh were convicted of murder and related offences for the killing of Surinder Singh. The widow of the deceased and her minor daughter filed a civil suit under the Fatal Accidents Act, 1855 seeking Rs. 3 lakh as compensation. The trial court awarded the amount with 12% interest, which w…

The appellant Shivjee Singh filed a protest petition that was converted into a complaint alleging that four persons killed his son. The Judicial Magistrate, after examining the appellant and only two of the four witnesses he named, took cognizance of offences under Sections 302, 1208 IPC and Section 27 Arms Act and iss…

Three criminal appeals under the Terrorist and Disruptive Activities (Prevention) Act, 1987 (TADA) sought bail for appellants – Izharl Haq Abdul Hamid Shaikh, Amir Gulam Husein Bandukwala and labourer Jivan Raghu Varli – who had been denied bail by Designated TADA Courts. The appellants argued that the FIRs were lodged…

M.B. Suresh and his father were charged with murder, attempt to murder and offences under the Arms Act arising from a shooting incident over a land dispute. The trial court acquitted them, but the Karnataka High Court convicted Suresh under Section 302 IPC and sentenced him to life imprisonment. On appeal, the Supreme …

The appellant was summoned as an additional accused under Section 319 of the Criminal Procedure Code after the trial of the original co‑accused had concluded with a conviction and sentence on the same day. The Supreme Court examined whether the power to summon under s.319 could be exercised after a judgment of convicti…

The accused were charged with offences under IPC sections 114 and 302 and the Arms Act. Their applications for anticipatory bail were rejected by the Sessions Court and the Gujarat High Court. While the bail matter was pending, two police officers (the appellants) filed a report under Section 169 of the Criminal Proced…

The State of Madhya Pradesh appealed against two orders of the Madhya Pradesh High Court that quashed FIRs relating to offences of attempt to murder (Sec. 307 IPC) and other offences (Secs. 323, 294, 308, 34 IPC) on the ground that the complainant had reached a compromise with the accused. The Supreme Court held that t…

The appellant Munna @ Puran Yadav and two co‑accused were tried for the murder of Chhota, the son of Gariba (PW‑4). Gariba, the father and sole eye‑witness, testified that the three accused entered his house, the co‑accused held the victim and the appellant fired the fatal shot. The trial court convicted the appellant …

The case arose from a violent clash over disputed agricultural land in Patiala, where a mob allegedly armed with firearms and sharp‑edged weapons fired on the complainant party, killing Amrik Singh and his son Vikramjit Singh. The trial court convicted eight accused under Sections 302 and 307 IPC and the Arms Act, and …

In Village Sakhni, Uttar Pradesh, a factional clash erupted during a funeral procession, resulting in the death of ten members of the prosecution party. The accused, led by Shamshul Kanwar, were found to have entered the scene armed and fired indiscriminately, constituting an unlawful assembly under Sections 302 and 14…

The case involved the murder of Kulwant Singh and Bidhi Shankar by a group of nine accused who formed an armed unlawful assembly to avenge a prior killing. The trial court convicted all accused under Sections 302 and related provisions, but the High Court acquitted several of them, holding that their participation was …

A dispute over land allotment between the Vankar community and Harijans in Gujarat escalated into a riot involving a mob of 100‑150 persons, during which four Vankars were killed and thirteen injured. The mob also ransacked and set fire to several houses. The accused A‑34, A‑35 and A‑36 were convicted under Sections 30…

The Supreme Court considered the appeals of Narayan Ghosh and Sankar Adeya, accused of murder, criminal conspiracy and offences under the Arms Act in the killing of councilor Tapas Mitra at Puri. After being released on interim bail by the Calcutta High Court, they surrendered and applied for regular bail, which was re…

Bheru Singh was convicted of murdering his wife and five children. He lodged a first information report (FIR) admitting motive and describing the killings, and later gave a judicial confession under Section 164 Cr.P.C., which he later retracted. The Supreme Court examined whether the FIR could be used as evidence despi…

The case arises from the assassination of Prime Minister Indira Gandhi on October 31, 1984, by her security guards Beant Singh and Satwant Singh. The trial was held in Tihar Jail pursuant to a High Court notification. The Supreme Court considered whether the trial in jail violated the right to open public trial, whethe…

During interrogation in a dacoity case, the appellant disclosed the location of a pistol and two cartridges, which were subsequently recovered. The armourer's report confirmed the pistol was functional but said nothing about the cartridges, which were not sealed. The Designated Court convicted the appellant under Secti…

The appellant, Babubhai Bhimabhai Bokhiria, was summoned as an accused under Section 319 of the CrPC after the trial court relied on a letter written by the deceased a year earlier, in which the deceased alleged the appellant intended to kill him. The Supreme Court examined whether the letter qualified as a dying decla…

The appellants, four brothers who ran the shop M.F. Maniyar & Sons, were convicted under Section 5 of the Explosive Substances Act, Section 120B of the Indian Penal Code and related provisions for possessing and selling large quantities of potassium cyanide, potassium chlorate, detonators and other explosives without a…

Susanta Ghosh, a sitting MLA, was named in a fourth FIR lodged nine years after a 2002 incident in which seven persons were killed. The earlier three FIRs and charge‑sheets did not mention him. He had earlier been granted anticipatory bail, but the trial court denied regular bail, prompting an appeal to the Calcutta Hi…

Phool Singh, a constable in the Rajasthan Police, was convicted in 1994 under IPC s.392 and the Arms Act for robbery, assault and illegal possession of a firearm, but the conviction was later set aside by a Sessions Court on a "benefit of doubt" basis. He had earlier been dismissed from service after a departmental enq…

The incident involved Pussu (alias Ram Kishore) and his associate Sheo Rakhan firing on Bankey Lal and his companions, resulting in Bankey Lal's death and injuries to witnesses. The trial court convicted Pussu under Section 302 IPC (murder) and related offences, sentencing him to death, later commuted to life imprisonm…

On 23 November 1997, while ploughing a disputed piece of land, accused No.1 (Ashok Singh) and accused No.2 (Kalusinh) allegedly fired three shots, killing Somiben (wife of PW‑5) and injuring PW‑6 and PW‑7. The trial court convicted both accused under Section 302 read with Section 34 of the IPC and sentenced them to lif…

In 1997 a police party, led by ACP Satyavir Singh Rathi, mistakenly identified two civilians as a notorious criminal and opened fire on their car, killing both occupants and grievously injuring a third. The father of one victim filed a complaint, leading to a CBI investigation and the conviction of ten police officials…

The State of Uttar Pradesh appealed to the Supreme Court against the High Court's order acquitting 24 of the 41 accused in a mass‑murder case that left 13 victims dead. The prosecution alleged a conspiracy by the accused to murder the victims during a sugar‑cane cutting, relying heavily on the testimony of several ocul…

The case concerns the murder of Tarkeshwar Prasad Singh on 13 January 1983, when accused Prem Kumar (Accused No.1) and Ramesh Singh (Accused No.2) entered a bus and fired rifles at the victim, killing him instantly. The trial court convicted the two accused under Section 302 IPC and also under Section 307 IPC; the High…

The appellants Sukhbir Singh and others were initially charged under the Terrorist and Disruptive Activities (Prevention) Act (TADA) and tried by a designated TADA court. The designated judge held that no offence under TADA was made out and, relying on a Punjab and Haryana High Court decision, ordered the case transfer…

The case involved the murder of Sanjay Kumar, a union leader, who was shot with his own licensed pistol after being taken to a hotel by four accused Union members. The trial court convicted all four under Section 302 read with Section 34 of the IPC, but the High Court upheld the conviction of only two appellants, Santo…

Shashi Bhushan Prasad, a constable of the Central Industrial Security Force, was charged criminally under Section 25(1) of the Arms Act for allegedly supplying an unlicensed revolver used in a murder, and was acquitted when prosecution witnesses turned hostile. Simultaneously, a departmental inquiry under Rule 34 of th…

The case arose from a politically motivated attack on a Congress Sewa Dal president who was campaigning against the removal of a mayoral candidate. Four accused, including the nephew of one accused, arrived together in a car; one accused (A‑2) fired a revolver at the deceased while the others provided cover and later f…

The National Investigation Agency (NIA) investigated the murder of Rudresh and charged Asim Shariff, the Bengaluru unit president of the Popular Front of India, along with four others under multiple provisions of the IPC, Arms Act and the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act. Shariff filed an application for discharge …

The appellant, Pradeep Ram, was granted bail in 2016 for offences under the IPC, Arms Act and Criminal Law Amendment Act. Subsequent addition of serious offences under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act led the investigating agency to seek his arrest and the Special NIA Judge remanded him to judicial custody. The…

Thirteen residents of Kusi village were prosecuted after three men from the neighbouring Malpura village cut open a bund, diverting water during a drought. The Kusi villagers attempted to restore the bund, were resisted, and four of them shot the three intruders, causing their deaths. The trial court convicted the four…

The Supreme Court entertained a public‑interest writ under Article 32 filed by the registered society "Common Cause" seeking relief for under‑trial prisoners and accused persons in pending criminal matters. The Court observed that prolonged pendency of criminal cases infringes the right to life and liberty guaranteed b…

The appellant was arrested in 2007 in connection with a bomb‑defusing case and, while in police custody, gave a confessional statement that was recorded by a Superintendent of Police under Section 15 of the Terrorist and Disruptive Activities (Prevention) Act, 1987. The appellant contended that the confession was not v…