Code of Criminal Procedure, 1973

The case arose from an India Today article titled “Mission Misconduct” that alleged sexual misconduct and other improprieties by an Indian Foreign Service officer. The officer, after disciplinary action, filed a criminal complaint against the magazine’s Editor‑in‑Chief (A‑1), the article’s author (A‑2) and several publ…

The appellant Kamil was convicted of murder under Section 302 read with Section 34 of the IPC. He contended that the charge under Section 302 was not formally framed, rendering the conviction invalid. The Supreme Court examined Section 464 of the CrPC, which states that a conviction is not void for omission or error in…

The appellant, Reena Hazarika, was convicted under Section 302 IPC for allegedly killing her husband, based largely on circumstantial evidence and the "last seen" theory. On appeal, the Supreme Court examined whether the prosecution had established a continuous chain of circumstances that left no reasonable hypothesis …

Six accused were convicted for murder and related offences; three (1,2,4) received death sentences while the other three (3,5,6) were sentenced to life imprisonment. The State appealed for enhancement of the sentences of 3,5,6, and the Supreme Court bench dismissed the appeals of 1,2,4 and imposed death on 3,5,6. Revie…

The case concerns the murder of three members of the Singh family in Bhaismudi village, Chhattisgarh, by a group of accused who formed an unlawful assembly armed with lathis, battle‑axes, swords and rods. Two close relatives of the victims, Madhubala Bai (PW‑1) and Saraswati Bai (PW‑3), witnessed the killings and ident…

The State of Rajasthan appealed the acquittal of Balveer and Ram Niwas for rape (IPC 376(2)(g)) and murder (IPC 302 r/w 34). The sole eyewitness, Rajesh, was granted pardon under Section 306 CrPC and testified as an approver. The Supreme Court held that an approver need not incriminate himself or be privy to the crime;…

The appellant Rajeev Kumar was convicted for dowry death (s.304B IPC) after his wife Vandana gave two dying declarations alleging dowry harassment and set herself on fire. The Supreme Court examined whether the dying declarations were admissible despite the post‑mortem finding that her larynx and trachea were charred. …

The Supreme Court examined the murder of Harnek Singh by four of his brothers, who attacked him with gandasas and a dang, leading to his death. The appellant, Mithu Singh, challenged his conviction under Section 302 read with Section 34 of the IPC, arguing that his injuries were not fatal, that there was an unreasonabl…

The appellant Ganesh Lal was convicted for raping, murdering and stealing from an 11‑year‑old girl. The prosecution relied on a series of circumstantial facts: the recovery of the victim's silver ornaments (kuralias) and a blood‑stained axe at the accused's direction, possession of blood‑ and semen‑stained clothes hidd…

The case arose from a 1980 massacre in Paras Bigha, Bihar, where 13 people were killed and many injured. The appellants were convicted under Sections 302 and 149 of the IPC for participation in an unlawful assembly. They challenged the conviction on several grounds, including that the FIR should have been based on an e…

The State of Tamil Nadu appealed the acquittal of nine accused, members of the LTTE, for alleged possession of explosives and conspiracy under the Terrorist and Disruptive Activities (Prevention) Act (TADA) and the Explosive Substances Act. The trial court had excluded two typewritten confessional statements on the gro…

Sukhdev Singh and his uncle Teja Singh were tried for the murder of Socha Singh under IPC sections 302 and 34. The trial court acquitted Teja Singh but convicted Sukhdev Singh, sentencing him to life imprisonment. On appeal, the Punjab & Haryana High Court re‑examined the evidence, held that the acquittal of Teja Singh…

The Forest Range Officer seized teak timber worth Rs.1,71,000 from G.V. Sudhakar Rao and produced it before the Divisional Forest Officer, the Authorized Officer under s.44(2A) of the Andhra Pradesh Forest Act, 1967, seeking confiscation. While confiscation proceedings were pending, a criminal complaint was also filed …

The wife, Bhawna, filed a FIR in 2013 alleging dowry harassment by her mother‑in‑law and brothers‑in‑law under Section 498A IPC and Sections 3 and 4 of the Dowry Prohibition Act. The accused filed petitions under Section 482 of the CrPC to quash the FIR, but the High Court dismissed them even after a charge‑sheet was f…

The appellant and the first respondent were partners in a firm and later fell into a dispute involving alleged forgery of partnership documents and non‑payment of dues, leading to an FIR under Sections 405, 420, 465, 467, 468 and 471 IPC. The first respondent moved the Gujarat High Court under Section 482 CrPC to quash…

Mukesh Singh challenged his conviction under the NDPS Act on the ground that the police officer who lodged the FIR was also the investigating officer, alleging that this dual role vitiated the trial. The Supreme Court examined the statutory scheme of the CrPC (ss.154, 156, 157) and the NDPS Act (ss.41‑44, 50‑53, 58, 35…

The petitioners, who were the actor, producer and director of the film "Oru Adaar Love", sought to quash FIR No.34 of 2018 filed under Section 295A IPC alleging that the picturisation of the song "Manikya Malaraya Poovi" offended Muslim sentiments. They argued that the song is a traditional Mappila folk song in the pub…

The Assistant Provident Fund Commissioner lodged a complaint under Section 228 of the Indian Penal Code alleging that the respondent, Suresh, assaulted the presiding officer during an adjudication proceeding under Section 7A of the Employees Provident Funds & Miscellaneous Provisions Act, 1952. The magistrate convicted…

The appellant Kadamanian @ Manikandan and his co‑accused were charged under IPC sections 201, 302, 376 and 404 for the murder of M. Jayalakshmi, whose body was later recovered. The appellant made an extra‑judicial confession to the village administrative officer (PW‑12) detailing the crime and the removal of the victim…

The appellants, a husband‑wife duo, were searched under the Income Tax Act at their residences in Bhopal and Aurangabad. During the search they denied possessing a safe‑deposit locker, which was later discovered at Aurangabad, leading the Deputy Director of Income Tax (Investigation) Bhopal to lodge a complaint under C…

Mohd. Hussain @ Julfikar Ali was convicted and sentenced to death for planting a bomb on a public bus in 1997, causing four deaths and twenty‑four injuries. The trial court denied him the assistance of counsel, violating his right to legal aid and due process. The Delhi High Court upheld the conviction, but the Supreme…

The appellant, Lavesh, elder brother of the husband of a woman who allegedly committed suicide due to dowry harassment, was declared a proclaimed offender under Section 82 of the Criminal Procedure Code after failing to cooperate with the investigation. He sought anticipatory bail under Section 438 of the CrPC, but his…

The State of NCT of Delhi and Ajay Kumar Tyagi were simultaneously facing criminal prosecution under Sections 7 and 13 of the Prevention of Corruption Act and a departmental inquiry for the same alleged bribe. The departmental enquiry officer found the charge not proved, but the disciplinary authority had not yet rende…

The police intercepted a car on a highway in Himachal Pradesh and, after a mechanic opened concealed compartments, recovered 27.8 kg of charas. Two 50‑gram samples were sent to the forensic laboratory where they weighed 65.5606 grams, leading the accused to argue that the weight discrepancy undermined the prosecution's…

The appellants, two sisters, were convicted of a series of kidnappings and murders of children between 1990 and 1996, based largely on the testimony of an approver who had been granted pardon under CrPC s.306. The trial court sentenced them to death under IPC s.302 read with s.120B, a sentence affirmed by the High Cour…

The State of Andhra Pradesh appealed a High Court order that quashed criminal proceedings and ordered the release of a seized tanker carrying molasses, which had been detained under the Andhra Pradesh Excise Act, 1968 and Prohibition Act, 1995 on suspicion of being used for illicit spirit manufacture. The High Court ha…

The appellant, husband of a murder victim, challenged the Allahabad High Court's order granting bail to Respondent No.2, a life‑convicted prisoner who, while on bail pending appeal, allegedly murdered the appellant's wife. The High Court had granted bail despite Section 437(2) of the Code of Criminal Procedure, 1973, w…

The appellants, Ravinder Kumar and Surinder Kumar, were convicted of murder under Section 302 IPC for killing broker Amar Kumar Gupta, concealing the body in a wooden parcel, and were sentenced to life imprisonment. They appealed, contending that the FIR was filed two days after the crime, that the rickshaw‑puller’s te…

The Gujarat police seized sheep and goats belonging to C.M. Nat for alleged violations of the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act, 1960 and related statutes. A Judicial Magistrate initially ordered that the animals be placed under the custody of the appellant Pinjrapole, but the Additional Sessions Judge later directe…

Mohd. Akhtar Hussain was first convicted under the Gold (Control) Act, 1968 for possession of 7,000 tolas of foreign‑marked gold and sentenced to seven years' rigorous imprisonment with a fine. While serving that sentence, he was later convicted under the Customs Act, 1962 for smuggling gold worth Rs.12.5 crore and exp…

The appellants, owners of a Bangalore property, entered into an Agreement to Sell (ATS) with the complainant, who later alleged they cheated him and filed a private complaint that led to an FIR charging them under multiple IPC sections. The High Court dismissed the appellants' petition to quash the FIR, but the Supreme…

The appellants, daughters‑in‑law of a deceased landowner, obtained a mutation order based on an unregistered will and later secured an ex‑parte injunction against the complainant who had purchased a share of the land from the testator's third son. The complainant subsequently filed a criminal complaint alleging conspir…

The appellants, Manchu Mohan Babu and his son, organized a rally and dharna on 22 March 2019 to protest the state government's refusal to reimburse student fees, despite a Model Code of Conduct prohibiting such gatherings without permission. The police registered FIR No.102 of 2019 alleging offences under IPC sections …

The original appellant, Khem Singh, had filed special leave petitions challenging the acquittal of three accused in a 1992 murder case. While the petitions were pending, Khem Singh died and his son, Raj Kumar, applied to set aside the abatement of the appeals and to be substituted as appellant. The Supreme Court examin…

The appellant and co-accused were alleged to have attacked four youths with knives and lathis on a night in May 1994, leading to an FIR filed by the victims' father who was not an eye‑witness. The trial court acquitted all accused due to lack of clear evidence of who inflicted the stab injuries and the absence of a mot…

The appellant, Md Asfak Alam, was married to the respondent wife and faced an FIR under Sections 498A, 323, 504, 506 IPC and Sections 3 and 4 of the Dowry Prohibition Act. Anticipating arrest, he applied for anticipatory bail under Section 438 of the CrPC; the application was initially dismissed, but the High Court lat…

The appellants, Chilakamarthi Venkateswarlu and others, were accused by a close relative (the de facto complainant) in a criminal complaint (PRC No.2 of 2018) for offences under IPC sections 307, 323, 427, 447 and 506(2) read with 34. The appellants claimed the complaint was a retaliatory false allegation arising from …

The appellant, Sub‑Inspector Bairam Muralidhar, was charged under the Prevention of Corruption Act for demanding bribes. The public prosecutor filed an application under Section 321 of the CrPC to withdraw the prosecution, relying solely on a Government order directing withdrawal. Both the trial court and the High Cour…

The deceased Bhimappa Biradar was attacked and murdered by a group of armed men who had a long-standing feud with his family. The trial court convicted three accused (A13, A14, A17) under Section 302 read with Section 149 IPC and acquitted four others (A1, A15, A16, A21) who were alleged to have only dragged the victim…

The NGO GURIA, SWAYAM SEVI SANSTHAN rescued over thirty girls from a red‑light area in Varanasi and filed a complaint, leading to charge‑sheets against 23 persons under the Immoral Traffic (Prevention) Act, 1956 and several IPC provisions. The accused applied for bail; the Sessions Judge rejected the applications, but …

The Supreme Court heard an appeal by Champaben Govindbhai, mother of the deceased, against the Gujarat High Court's order affirming the acquittal of three accused of murder. The Court examined whether the medical post‑mortem report establishing fatal chest injuries, the credibility of eye‑witnesses who were relatives o…

The respondent, a Block Development and Panchayat Officer, faced an FIR under the Prevention of Corruption Act. The State, through the Minister, initially refused sanction for prosecution on 15‑12‑2002/2003. After a change of government, the same authority granted sanction on 14‑9‑2004 without any new material being pl…

The State of Madhya Pradesh appealed after a Special Judge convicted Jiyalal under Sections 7 and 13(1)(d)(ii) of the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988. The High Court set aside the conviction, holding that the sanction order from the District Magistrate was given mechanically, lacked reasons, and was not proved becau…

Girishbhai Dahyabhai Shah was prosecuted under Section 16(1)(a)(i) of the Prevention of Food Adulteration Act, 1954 for allegedly selling adulterated curd. The sample was taken on 8 April 1988 and the Public Analyst’s report indicating adulteration was filed on 4 May 1988 but was only served to the accused on 17 July 1…

The State of Rajasthan prosecuted Bhawani, Hari Singh and others for murder, grievous hurt and unlawful assembly after they allegedly fired firearms into a village Nohara, killing two persons and injuring several others. The trial court convicted the accused based on the testimony of eleven eye‑witnesses, five of whom …

The Supreme Court upheld the conviction of Sucha Singh and five co‑accused for murder under Section 302 read with Section 34 IPC and for abetment of suicide under Section 201 IPC. The Court examined whether the relationship of prosecution witnesses to the deceased affected their credibility, and held that a familial re…

The Central Bureau of Investigation filed a criminal case before the Special Court (Trial of Offences Relating to Transactions in Securities) alleging conspiracy by Dhy An Investments and Trading Co. Ltd. The company sought transfer of the case from one Special Court judge to another, invoking Section 407 of the Crimin…

K. Ponnuswamy, a former lecturer who became Minister of Education in Tamil Nadu (May 1993‑May 1996), was charged under Sections 13(1)(e) and 13(2) of the Prevention of Corruption Act for possessing assets disproportionate to his known income. The prosecution proved that large sums were transferred to his wife and daugh…

Satish Mehra appealed against the Delhi Sessions Court’s decision to frame charges under IPC sections 354 and 376 read with 511 for alleged incestuous sexual abuse of his daughter Nikita. The allegations originated from a complaint filed by his estranged wife Anita Mehra, who had previously made a false accusation in t…

Rohtas was charged with murder under IPC s.302. The Sessions Judge, after evidence, realized Rohtas fell within the Haryana Children Act, 1974, and remitted the case to a magistrate to try him under that Act. The brother of the deceased filed a revision, and the Punjab and Haryana High Court held that the Criminal Proc…

A Judicial Magistrate complained that a police officer had used unwarranted language in his courtroom and sent the complaint to the Inspector General of Police, who directed a departmental inquiry. The Sub‑Divisional Police Officer (the appellant) conducted the inquiry, recorded statements of several witnesses and subm…

Satbir Singh, an army serviceman, was stabbed and assaulted by Mukesh and several others during a volleyball match dispute. He filed an application under Section 319 of the CrPC to summon Rajesh Kumar, Neeraj, Sagar @ Bittoo and Ankit as additional accused. The Sessions Judge allowed the application, but the High Court…

The appellants, Vineet Kumar and others, had loaned money to the complainant’s family and later filed complaints under Section 138 of the Negotiable Instruments Act for dishonoured cheques. The complainant subsequently alleged that the appellants had raped her and filed an application under Section 156(3) CrPC, leading…

The appellant lent Rs.2,20,000 to the respondent, who issued a post‑dated cheque that later bounced, leading to a complaint under Section 138 of the Negotiable Instruments Act. The respondent filed a petition under Section 482 of the CrPC seeking to quash the criminal proceedings, alleging that the loan was actually ta…

The petitioners challenged a bail warrant issued by a Judicial Magistrate First Class, Srinagar, after the magistrate took cognizance of a complaint under Section 500 of the Ranbir Penal Code and issued process under Section 204 of the CrPC. The High Court rejected the petition to quash the proceedings, holding that th…

The State of Bihar appealed against two orders of the Patna High Court that had stayed criminal prosecutions of public servants on the ground that the Law Department, rather than the parent department, had granted the required sanction under the Prevention of Corruption Act and the Code of Criminal Procedure. The Supre…

Balbir Kaur died from severe burns allegedly after her mother‑in‑law and sister‑in‑law demanded additional dowry. Two dying declarations were recorded by an ASI and a magistrate, but the trial court rejected them as unreliable because the victim had 100% burn injuries. The High Court, relying on the victim's father's s…

The petitioner, a well‑known cine artist, was convicted by a Special Judge under Sections 3 and 7 read with Sections 25(1A) and 25(1B) of the Arms Act and sentenced to six years’ rigorous imprisonment. While his appeal against the conviction was pending before the Supreme Court, he sought bail and filed several crimina…

The appellants, the husband and in‑laws of a married woman who committed suicide, were charged under Sections 306 and 498A IPC for alleged dowry harassment. The trial court acquitted them, holding that the complainant‑investigating officer’s involvement did not taint the prosecution and that the evidence was insufficie…

Krishna Ghosh was convicted under Sections 498‑A (cruelty) and 302 read with Section 34 of the Indian Penal Code for the murder of his wife Yogmaya, who was found dead in their matrimonial home within one year and four months of marriage. The prosecution relied on circumstantial evidence: multiple witnesses saw the bod…

The case involved Sadhu Singh and two accomplices who were convicted for the murder of Jagdev Singh after Sadhu Singh fired a shot while confronting the deceased on a tractor. The accused claimed the shooting was in exercise of the right of private defence under Sections 96‑106 of the IPC. The Supreme Court examined th…

The appellants purchased a plot of land through a General Power of Attorney (GPA) that was later cancelled, but the GPA holder concealed this and executed sale deeds in their favour. The complainant filed a suit and later a criminal complaint alleging conspiracy, cheating and criminal breach of trust, leading to charge…

The appellants were charged with murder under Sections 302, 148 and 149 of the IPC for allegedly assaulting Shrishail Shivappa Jagadale, resulting in his death with twenty injuries. The trial court acquitted them, relying on discrepancies between medical evidence on time of death and eyewitness accounts, and on the del…

The State of Madhya Pradesh appealed the acquittal of Badri Yadav, who had been convicted for murder under IPC s.302 read with s.34. Two key witnesses, PW‑8 (Mohd. Amin) and PW‑9 (Zakir Ali), originally testified as eye‑witnesses under s.164 CrPC and were cross‑examined as prosecution witnesses in 1990. In 1994 they fi…

The Additional District Magistrate (ADM) of Dakshina Kannada issued an order under Section 144 of the Criminal Procedure Code restraining Dr. P.B. Thogadia from entering the district for 15 days, fearing his inflammatory speeches would reignite communal tensions. Dr. Thogadia challenged the order, arguing the ADM lacke…

The three Verma brothers sold land to a cooperative society, received part payment, and later the society's cheques bounced. The society filed a criminal complaint alleging cheating and related offences, claiming the brothers concealed a pending partition suit. The brothers filed a petition under Section 482 of the CrP…

Ten persons were tried for forming an unlawful assembly and murdering Mahipal. The trial court convicted six, of whom the High Court upheld convictions of Suresh Singh and Mohinder Singh under s.302 IPC and of Chander Pal under s.304(1) IPC. The appellants argued that they acted in private defence as Mahipal was chasin…

The appellant, T.C. Mathai, held a power of attorney for a couple who were respondents in a criminal revision petition before the Trivandrum Sessions Court and sought the court's permission to appear and plead on their behalf. The Sessions Judge refused, stating that the request did not come from the couple, and the Hi…

The Supreme Court examined the murder case of five persons and injuries to three others in Kaila village, where ten accused were tried under sections 302, 120B and 149 of the IPC. The prosecution relied on three eye‑witnesses, a dying declaration of Sohan Singh, and firearms recovered from the accused, while the FIR fi…

The appellant, Karan Singh, was convicted under Sections 304-B and 498-A of the IPC for the alleged dowry death of his wife, Asha Rani, who committed suicide within two years of marriage. The prosecution's case relied on the testimonies of three witnesses, whose statements about dowry demands were found to contain sign…

The appellant Karuppudayar was charged under Sections 294(b) and 353 IPC read with Sections 3(1)(r) and 3(1)(s) of the SC‑ST Act for allegedly insulting a revenue inspector in his office. The High Court dismissed the appellant's petitions under Section 482 CrPC seeking quash of the proceedings, holding that the trial w…

The appellant, Kuldeep Singh, was charged under Sections 366, 376 and 506 IPC for alleged abduction and rape of his wife, Respondent No.3, after she filed a statement alleging forced marriage. The appellant contended that the marriage was solemnised voluntarily under Sikh rites and that, under Exception 2 to Section 37…

The marriage between Sau. Jiya and Kuldeep was dissolved by a family court on the ground of cruelty, a decree later affirmed by the High Court. After the husband remarried in 2019, the parties disputed a permanent alimony settlement, with the wife seeking a lump‑sum amount and the husband contesting his income and asse…

The appellant, Bharat Sher Singh Kalsia, purchased a portion of land from a Power of Attorney (PoA) holder who had been authorized by the landowners to manage, sell, and register their property. A FIR was lodged alleging criminal offences under Sections 409, 467, 468, 471 and 420 IPC, claiming the sale deed was fraudul…

The Union of India filed a miscellaneous application seeking clarification of the Supreme Court’s decision in Joseph Shine v. Union of India, which struck down Section 497 of the IPC, asking whether the judgment also affects the applicability of Sections 45, 63 of the Army Act, 1950 and analogous provisions in the Air …

On 7 March 2000 Vikas Kumar Singh was shot by Pappu Tiwari and subsequently stabbed by five others, resulting in his death. All six accused were convicted under IPC sections 302 and 34 and, in Pappu Tiwari's case, also under Section 27 of the Arms Act. The appellants challenged the convictions on several grounds, inclu…

The appellants, the Managing Director and Director of SPML Infra Ltd, were charged under IPC sections 420 and 120B for allegedly supplying sub‑standard turbines for the Nurang Hydel Power Project of Arunachal Pradesh. The FIR was lodged in 2000, a chargesheet filed in 2004, but summons were only served in 2017. The Hig…

The case concerned the alleged murder of D2 and D1 in December 1990, for which eight accused were convicted under sections 120B, 302 and 34 of the IPC. The prosecution relied on circumstantial evidence – a lorry purchase, broken glass, alleged iron‑rod attacks and a purported conspiracy at a hotel – but failed to prove…

The respondent applied for a constable position in the Odisha State Police, declaring that he was not involved in any criminal case. Verification later revealed his involvement in a case under multiple IPC sections, leading to his discharge and an Original Application (OA) before the Odisha Administrative Tribunal, whi…

The State of Madhya Pradesh filed a criminal appeal against Yogendra Singh Jadon and Harshvardhan Singh Jadon, alleging that they obtained cash credit facilities from District Cooperative Kendriya Bank through their father, the former President of the bank, without proper documentation, constituting fraud and conspirac…

In 1998 a complaint was lodged alleging that a group of accused assaulted the complainant, leading to charges under Sections 143, 147, 323 r/w 149, 325 IPC and Section 135 of the Bombay Police Act. The trial court acquitted all accused, and the State of Maharashtra applied for leave to appeal under Section 378(3) of th…

Rambeer Shokeen was arrested on 1 December 2016 in connection with offences under the Maharashtra Control of Organized Crime Act, 1999 (MCOCA) and the Arms Act. The prosecution filed an application on 28 February 2017 for an extension of time to file the charge‑sheet, which was pending when the appellant filed a statut…

The appellants were convicted for a dowry death and related offences under the IPC and the Dowry Prohibition Act. The High Court, noting certain procedural lapses, set aside the conviction and ordered a de novo retrial under Section 386(b)(i) of the Code of Criminal Procedure. The Supreme Court examined whether such la…

The appellant, Hiraman, was convicted of murdering his wife Chandrakala, who died from 91% burn injuries after allegedly being doused with kerosene. The conviction was based primarily on two dying declarations recorded at the hospital shortly after the incident. The appellant challenged the conviction, arguing that unc…

Yograj Infra Ltd. furnished bank guarantees under a construction contract with Ssang Yong Engineering & Construction Co. Ltd. After the contract was terminated for alleged non‑performance and over‑payment, the respondent invoked the guarantees. Yograj filed a Section 9 application under the Arbitration and Conciliation…

Dr. Subramanian Swamy filed a representation with the Prime Minister seeking sanction to prosecute the then Minister of Communications, A. Raja, for alleged corruption in the 2G spectrum allocation. After repeated reminders and a CBI FIR was registered 16 months later, the Delhi High Court dismissed his writ petition, …

The appellant, Sandhya Manoj Wankhade, filed a complaint under the Protection of Women from Domestic Violence Act, 2005 against her husband and his mother‑in‑law and sister‑in‑law. The trial court and the Nagpur Bench of the Bombay High Court deleted the mother‑in‑law and sister‑in‑law from the proceedings on the groun…

The complainant alleged that his son was murdered by the accused through a conspiracy, with the body allegedly cremated after a false death certificate. The police investigation culminated in a final report which the Chief Judicial Magistrate accepted, and later, on 12 April 2005, the magistrate took cognizance of the …

The Supreme Court reviewed the conviction of Sellappan for beating the deceased Periasamy, who later died from head injuries. The key issue was whether the injury satisfied the test for murder under Section 300(3) of the IPC – i.e., being sufficient in the ordinary course of nature to cause death – or only "likely to c…

The case arose from a shooting incident in which the complainant Amar Singh and his family were injured and his son Lakha Singh died. The trial court convicted Balwinder Singh and three others under Sections 302, 34 and 307 IPC based largely on the testimony of three injured eye‑witnesses and medical evidence. The Punj…

The petitioners, who were direct recruits to the Delhi Higher Judicial Service (DHJS) in 1988, challenged a gradation list prepared by the Delhi High Court that included five promotee respondents appointed as Chief Metropolitan Magistrates in 1986. The respondents argued that their appointments, though labelled "fortui…

A first information report (FIR) was lodged against the respondent alleging offences under several IPC sections. The respondent filed a petition under Section 482 of the Criminal Procedure Code seeking quashing of the FIR. The Madras High Court quashed the FIR, relying on evidence collected by the investigating agency …

The Directorate of Enforcement arrested Deepak Mahajan under Section 35 of the Foreign Exchange Regulation Act (FERA) and produced him before a magistrate, who ordered his judicial remand under Section 167(2) of the Criminal Procedure Code (CrPC). Mahajan challenged the magistrate's jurisdiction, relying on the earlier…

Surinder Pal Singh, a Deputy Superintendent of Police, was accused of misappropriating twenty gold bricks recovered during an investigation and was charged under several IPC sections, the Prevention of Corruption Act and the Treasure‑Trove Act. The investigation was carried out by an Inspector of the Crime Branch, whic…

The respondent filed a criminal complaint under IPC sections 193, 420 and 120‑B alleging that the appellants made false statements before the Rent Controller. The Rent Controller, a statutory quasi‑judicial body, had earlier disposed of a related application, holding the complaint pending. A Judicial Magistrate later i…

The appellants, Rajesh Ranjanyadav and Pappuyadav, had been in custody for over seven years facing serious charges and filed multiple bail applications in the High Court and Supreme Court. They sought bail on grounds of exemplary conduct, the death of their father, lack of incriminating evidence, trial delays, and a me…

The police seized a truck owned by Kailash Chandra that was found carrying foreign liquor. The driver was convicted under Section 34 of the Madhya Pradesh Excise Act, 1915 and the trial court ordered confiscation of the truck under Section 46, holding that the owner had knowledge of the offence. The appellant argued th…

Padam Singh was convicted by a Sessions Court and upheld by a two‑judge High Court bench for murder and related offences under Sections 302, 307, 148, 452, 324 and 149 of the IPC, based largely on the testimony of four eyewitnesses who were hostile to the accused. The prosecution failed to explain how three members of …

The respondent, a senior police officer, was investigated under the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1947 for possessing assets disproportionate to his known income. After a FIR was lodged, the Maharashtra government granted sanction under Section 197 of the CrPC and a charge‑sheet was filed. The Bombay High Court, invoki…

The Special Court convicted Mukhtar Singh and several relatives under IPC sections 302 and 201 for the death of Pritam Kaur, relying mainly on the testimony of the deceased's cousin (PW‑3) and alleged extra‑judicial confessions. The Supreme Court examined the reliability of PW‑3, noting his failure to report the incide…

The accused five men were convicted for the murder of Amar Pal after the prosecution proved that they attacked him with knives, causing sixteen injuries and his death. The prosecution relied on three eye‑witnesses – PW2, PW3 and Dr. Rajveer Singh (PW6) – whose statements were recorded three weeks and 56 days after the …

The State of Himachal Pradesh charged Shri Pirthi Chand under Section 20 of the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act, 1985 after police seized 1.015 kg of charas following a raid based on secret information. The Sessions Judge discharged the accused, holding that the mandatory safeguards of Section 50 of the …

The appellant was convicted under Section 6 of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act, 2012 and, on appeal, the High Court suspended his sentence and released him on bail under Section 389(1) of the CrPC. When the appeal was listed for hearing, the appellant's counsel sought a four‑week adjournment, and th…

The petitioner, a project director, was charged under several IPC offences and the Prevention of Corruption Act. After the government sanctioned prosecution, a charge sheet was filed and the trial court took cognizance. In 2018 the petitioner filed a Section 482 CrPC petition challenging only the sanction order, which …

The case arose from an armed assault on Birbal Nath's uncle and aunt in a Rajasthan field, resulting in the uncle's death and injuries to the aunt, an injured eye‑witness. The trial court convicted the six accused under Sections 302, 307 and related offences, but the Rajasthan High Court acquitted them of the murder an…

Manish Sisodia, former Deputy Chief Minister of Delhi, appealed to the Supreme Court seeking bail in prosecutions under the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988, the Indian Penal Code and an enforcement case under the Prevention of Money‑Laundering Act, 2002. The Court examined the scope of bail under s.45 of the PMLA, h…

The State of Kerala prosecuted eight accused, including Rasheed, for the murder of Satheesan. During trial, the defence counsel for accused No.2 sought to defer the cross‑examination of five prosecution witnesses under Section 231(2) of the Cr.P.C., arguing that it would reveal its strategy. The trial court dismissed t…

The State of Mizoram filed a case under the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988 alleging that Dr. C. Sangnghina had misappropriated public funds. The Special Court discharged him in 2013 because the prosecution sanction was issued by an authority not competent to grant it. The Governor later issued a valid sanction in D…

The State prosecuted Pankaj Chaudhary and three others for gang‑rape of a woman on 28 July 1997. The trial court convicted them under Section 376(2)(g) IPC based on the victim’s testimony, corroborated by her mother’s evidence, medical examination, and forensic DNA findings. The Delhi High Court set aside the convictio…

The murder of environmental activist Amit Jethwa, who had filed a PIL against illegal mining near Gir Forest, led to the arrest of Dinubhai Boghabhai Solanki and his nephew. After a lackluster police investigation, the case was transferred to the CBI, which filed a charge‑sheet. During trial, 105 of 195 witnesses turne…

The appellants, college officials, were charged under Sections 406 and 1208 IPC for criminal breach of trust after allegedly withholding a bill amount of Rs 34,505 owed to a contractor. The contractor had pursued civil remedies, but the second respondent filed a criminal complaint alleging misappropriation of the funds…

The petitioner bought a vehicle on hire‑purchase and alleged that the financier forcibly repossessed it, filing a criminal complaint. The Judicial Magistrate ordered interim custody to the petitioner, but the High Court of Assam quashed the criminal proceedings. The Supreme Court examined whether a financier’s reposses…

The dispute concerned a 3.27‑gunta parcel in Khairatabad village, originally granted to Smt. Prameela Modi by a supplementary Sethwar issued by the Nizam government in 1947 and subsequently confirmed by various revenue authorities. The State of Andhra Pradesh later claimed the land as Government property (Survey No. 11…

The appellants were convicted for the murder of a lorry driver and cleaner based solely on circumstantial evidence, including their alleged involvement in a road accident, medical treatment for injuries, recovery of a wrist‑watch belonging to the deceased, fertilizer bags and a blood‑stained wooden weapon, and their fa…

Special Courts were created under the Essential Commodities (Special Provisions) Act, 1981 to try offences under the Essential Commodities Act, 1955, and later were also empowered to try NDPS offences. The EC (Special Provisions) Act lapsed in 1998, causing those courts to lose jurisdiction over EC cases, although they…

The appellant, Thanedar Singh, was convicted for murder by the Madhya Pradesh High Court after the trial court had acquitted him. The Supreme Court examined whether the High Court erred in overturning the acquittal, focusing on the credibility of the eye‑witness (the victim's father), the correctness and timing of the …

Ganeshlal Jashraj was charged under section 16(1)(a)(i) of the Prevention of Food Adulteration Act, 1954 for selling adulterated turmeric powder to a food inspector. He pleaded not guilty, but after the prosecution evidence closed he was examined under section 313 of the CrPC and, via plea‑bargaining, submitted an appl…

The appellant K. Vadivel was convicted of murder based on a charge‑sheet filed in 2013. After the trial concluded in 2019, the victim's wife filed a Section 311 application seeking additional witnesses, which was dismissed by the trial court and upheld by the High Court. She later filed a Section 173(8) application in …

A truck transporting eighteen cattle was intercepted for lacking proper permits, leading to seizure of the animals and registration of FIRs under the Maharashtra Animal Preservation Act and related statutes. The private respondents, claiming ownership, applied under CrPC sections 451 and 457 for interim custody, which …

The State prosecuted four appellants for the murder of a 72‑year‑old man in Ulsoor, alleging they confessed to the crime while in police custody and led investigators to a knife and stolen gold. The trial court and the Karnataka High Court convicted them under IPC s.302 r.w. s.34 and sentenced them to life imprisonment…

The State of Uttar Pradesh appealed against the Allahabad High Court's order granting bail to respondent No.2, who is charged with murder (IPC s.302) and criminal conspiracy (IPC s.120B). The Supreme Court observed that the High Court failed to consider the gravity of the offences, the charge‑sheet details, the earlier…

The appellant was charged in a FIR for the murder of two sons of the complainant, along with several other offences. Although not named in the FIR, his involvement emerged during investigation and he was later added to the charge‑sheet under Section 161 of the CrPC. The trial court denied bail, but the Allahabad High C…

The petitioners, Satish and Vikky, were convicted of kidnapping for ransom and sentenced to life imprisonment. They applied for premature release on probation under Section 2 of the Uttar Pradesh Prisoners Release on Probation Act, 1938, but the State repeatedly rejected their pleas without applying the statutory three…

Ganga Bai was tried and convicted for the murder of her daughter‑in‑law and two children under IPC s.302 read with s.34 and for destroying evidence under s.201, along with co‑accused Udai Lal and Daulat Ram. The trial court and the Rajasthan High Court upheld her conviction while acquitting the co‑accused. She appealed…

The appellant was kidnapped, as alleged in FIR No.115 of 2009 under IPC s.365, and the police investigated, recording statements under s.161 and s.164 CrPC. The charge‑sheet filed later named only two private respondents for offences under IPC s.323, s.343 read with s.34, omitting the kidnapping charge. The two accused…

The appellant Gudda (also known as Dwarikendra) was convicted of murdering three persons – a man, his pregnant wife and their five‑year‑old son – after inviting them to his rented house for lunch. The prosecution proved that the killings were pre‑planned and motivated by the appellant's suspicion about his wife's relat…

The petitioners, accused of possessing assets disproportionate to their known income under the Prevention of Corruption Act, had their trial transferred to Karnataka where the Supreme Court directed the appointment of a Special Public Prosecutor (SPP). After a seven‑month tenure, the Karnataka Government withdrew the a…

Sham @ Kishor Bhaskarrao Matkari was convicted for murdering his brother Manohar, sister‑in‑law Meena and nephew Akhilesh, and for attempting to murder two other children, arising from a land‑dispute quarrel. The trial court sentenced him to life imprisonment and seven years rigorous imprisonment, but the High Court en…

The Union of India appealed against the Bombay High Court's order granting bail to Hassan Ali Khan, who was accused under Section 4 of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) for handling billions of dollars allegedly derived from criminal activity and for obtaining multiple passports fraudulently. The Supreme Co…

The Supreme Court examined whether offences under the Central Excise Act, 1944 and the Customs Act, 1962 are non‑cognizable and, if so, whether they are bailable. It held that Section 9A of the Excise Act and Section 104(4) of the Customs Act expressly deem the offences non‑cognizable, and that the statutes themselves,…

The case involved the death of Biswajit, alleged to be a murder committed by his wife Sonali Mukherjee (A‑1) and her alleged lover Assadid Poddar (A‑2) through gardenal poisoning. The trial court convicted both under s.302 IPC; the Madras High Court acquitted A‑2 and reduced A‑1's conviction to s.304(Part I) IPC. On ap…

The appellants were convicted under IPC s.307 for a violent assault on two witnesses, after the trial court had acquitted them. The State appealed the acquittal under CrPC s.378, and the Madras High Court set aside the acquittal, finding the trial court's reasons untenable. The appellants contended that an appellate co…

The Labour Enforcement Officer issued a show‑cause notice under Section 7 of the Contract Labour (Regulation and Abolition) Act, 1970, alleging that the Reserve Bank of India’s College of Agricultural Banking had violated the Act. The principal of the college filed an application to quash the proceedings, contending th…

The State of Bihar prosecuted three accused—Amit Das, Sidharth and Rohan Prakash—for the murder of a student named Abhishek, alleging a conspiracy in which Amit Das shot the victim with a country‑made pistol supplied by Sidharth. Amit Das made a detailed confession before a Judicial Magistrate (recorded under Section 1…

Vishwa Mitter, a dealer and constituted attorney of the owners of a registered trademark for beedies, filed a criminal complaint before a Sub‑Divisional Magistrate alleging offences under Sections 78 and 79 of the Trade and Merchandise Marks Act, 1958 and Section 420 of the IPC against several respondents. The magistra…

The appellants were convicted under IPC sections 323, 324 and 325 read with section 34 for an assault incident that occurred between close relatives. They later executed a compromise deed on 29 January 2024, seeking the Court’s permission to compound the offences. The Supreme Court examined whether the conviction for t…

The appellants Dibakar and Babul were convicted for murder under Sections 302 and 34 of the IPC based primarily on the testimony of the deceased's parents, who claimed to have witnessed the assault. The trial and High Courts accepted this testimony despite inconsistencies, such as the parents allegedly returning home, …

The appellant filed a complaint under Section 138 of the Negotiable Instruments Act alleging that a cheque drawn on the account of Dakshin Granites Pvt Ltd was dishonoured. The trial court, and later the High Court, allowed an application under Section 319 CrPC to implead the company as an accused, effectively bypassin…

The petitioner, Ashiq Hussain Faktoo, was convicted by the Supreme Court in 2003 under TADA and the IPC for murder and sentenced to life imprisonment. Review and curative petitions filed earlier were dismissed. He subsequently filed a writ petition under Article 32 seeking release on the ground of the doctrine of ex de…

The Supreme Court examined the convictions of thirty‑one accused arising from a "Rasta Roko" agitation during which a university bus carrying 47 female students was set ablaze, killing three girls and injuring many others. The Court upheld the death sentences of the three principal accused (Nedu, Madhu and Muniappan) f…

R. Balakrishna Pillai, a former Kerala minister, was convicted under Sections 5(1)(d) and 5(2) of the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1947 for abusing his office to supply electricity to a private firm in Karnataka. He filed a criminal appeal before the Kerala High Court and subsequently moved a transfer petition in the …

In 1997 a raid at the residence of Ram Samujh recovered five kilograms of opium. The Sessions Judge denied his bail application, but the Allahabad High Court later granted bail without addressing the mandatory conditions of Section 37 of the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act, 1985. The Union of India appea…

Shiv Kumar filed a criminal case against Hukum Chand for the death of his sister. During the Sessions trial, Kumar sought to have his private counsel, R.C. Gugnani, conduct the prosecution under the direction of the Public Prosecutor, who gave consent. The Sessions Court permitted this, but the High Court set aside the…

The deceased Roshani was married in 1985 and, five to six months later, her husband, mother‑in‑law and sister‑in‑law allegedly demanded additional dowry items such as a television, fan and buffalo. The mother‑in‑law allegedly inflicted a wound with a sickle; the deceased later ingested naphthalene balls and died of poi…

The marriage between Madduri Venkateswara Rao and Madduri Sunanda was dissolved by a California divorce decree in 2007. After returning to India, Sunanda filed a matrimonial suit, a domestic violence case, and an FIR under sections 494 and 498A IPC against her husband and his relatives. The parties later resolved all d…

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 appellant was charged under Section 138 of the Negotiable Instruments Act for two dishonoured cheques filed as a complaint on 4 November 2016. After the 2018 amendment inserting Section 143A, the trial court ordered the appellant to pay interim compensation of 20% of the cheque amounts, which the High Court reduced…

The complainant, Bharatbhai Bhimabhai Bharwad, filed a criminal complaint alleging that respondents No.2 and No.3 attacked him and his brother with swords, causing serious injuries. The trial court granted bail to the accused with conditions, after noting the prima facie case and the accused's lack of criminal antecede…

The appeal arose from a Section 34 petition challenging an arbitral award where the filing party had not issued the prior notice or filed the required affidavit under Section 34(5) of the Arbitration and Conciliation Act, 1996. The Patna High Court had held the provision mandatory and dismissed the petition, but the Su…

The accused fired multiple gunshots at complainants, causing lacerated wounds that did not involve vital organs. They were convicted under Section 307 read with Section 34 of the IPC and sentenced to three years' rigorous imprisonment by the trial court. The High Court reduced the sentence to the time already served, h…

SEPCO filed a criminal complaint alleging that SSVG misappropriated advance money, invoking sections of the IPC for fraud and cheating. The Chief Judicial Magistrate, Korba, after a bare reading of the complaint, exercised his power under CrPC s.156(3) to order the police to register an FIR and investigate, without fir…

The petitioners, convicted under Section 326 of the Indian Penal Code for voluntarily causing grievous hurt, sought relief on the ground that they had reached an amicable settlement with the victims. The Court examined whether such a settlement could lead to their acquittal despite the offence being non‑compoundable un…

The appellant, Arul Raja, was accused of murdering Aladi Aruna and of conspiring with co‑accused to commit the crime. The High Court convicted him on the basis of a post‑arrest statement by co‑accused A1, treating it as a dying declaration and a confession, and on alleged motive stemming from a rivalry over college aff…

The State of NCT of Delhi prosecuted Rajiv Khurana under Section 33 of the Insecticides Act, 1968, alleging that the product of his company failed to meet ISI specifications and that he, as Regional Technical Director, was responsible for quality control. The trial court issued summons, but the Delhi High Court quashed…

The Supreme Court examined an appeal by the State of Maharashtra challenging a Bombay High Court order that directed the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) to register a case and investigate the 1993 Hari Masjid incident, where police fire caused six deaths. The State argued that the High Court should not have exerc…

Mohammad Yasin appealed against the Delhi High Court order that dismissed his petition seeking a CBI investigation and a FIR under s.302 IPC into the death of his brother Yunus (alias Anees) while in police custody. Yunus, a proclaimed offender with a history of multiple criminal cases, was arrested on 4 August 1999, s…

Ghurey Lal was tried for murder under IPC s.302 and related offences. The trial court acquitted him, finding that the prosecution's version of a single shot causing both a bullet wound to the deceased and pellet injuries to a witness was implausible, based on medical and ballistic expert testimony that two different fi…

Godrej Pacific Tech Ltd. applied to the trial court for re‑examination of certain witnesses under Section 311 of the Code of Criminal Procedure, 1973. The trial court rejected the application, and the Punjab and Haryana High Court upheld that rejection. On appeal, the Supreme Court examined the scope and object of Sect…

N.P. Jharia, a Sales Tax Officer, was convicted under Section 5(1)(e) read with Section 5(2) of the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1947 for possessing assets disproportionate to his known sources of income. The trial court sentenced him to three years' imprisonment and a fine; the High Court upheld the conviction but re…

The accused Subash Chandra Panda, Kunja Ramana, Narayan Mazumdar and Kalpana Mazumdar were convicted for kidnapping and murdering a four‑year‑old boy allegedly as a human sacrifice. The prosecution’s case rested mainly on the testimony of PW‑14, an employee of Panda, who claimed to have witnessed the entire crime, and …

The appellant, Mohan Singh, was accused of causing the disappearance of evidence under Section 201 of the Indian Penal Code after a murder was committed on 4 March 1978. The prosecution alleged that his car, used to transport the victim's body, was washed on 8 March 1978, and on that basis the Sessions Judge framed a c…

The appellant, Santosh Bakshi, filed a complaint under the Protection of Women from Domestic Violence Act, 2005 against her in‑laws alleging dowry harassment. After a compromise was reached, her brother‑in‑law filed an affidavit claiming the complaint was false and sought action under Section 182 of the Indian Penal Co…

The accused, Nirala Yadav, was arrested for offences under the IPC, Arms Act and POTA. After the statutory 90‑day period for filing a charge‑sheet elapsed without a charge‑sheet or an extension application, he filed an application under s.167(2) CrPC for bail. The CBI then filed an application for a 30‑day extension, a…

The father of the complainant filed a murder complaint against five persons, including Bal Manohar Jalan, who was listed as accused No.4 in the FIR. The investigating magistrate later took cognizance only against accused No.1 and discharged the remaining accused, also rejecting the complainant's protest‑cum‑complaint p…

The appellant was convicted of murder (IPC s.302), misappropriation of property (IPC s.404), and unlawful possession and use of a firearm (Arms Act s.3, s.5) based largely on circumstantial evidence, including the last‑seen theory, forensic ballistics, and his subsequent abscondence. The Supreme Court examined whether …

The appellants, including the deceased's wife, were charged under Section 306 IPC for abetment of suicide after the husband Dinesh died by suicide on 09‑12‑2013. The prosecution relied on a torn diary page alleged to be a suicide note claiming continuous harassment by the accused from 10‑11‑2013 onward. The Supreme Cou…

The appellants, members of the family of Nayan Chopra, were summoned under IPC sections 323, 504, 506 and 498A, and the Dowry Prohibition Act, after a complaint was filed by the victim's father following a divorce proceeding in the United States. The Allahabad High Court refused to quash the complaint under Section 482…

The appellant, a manager in Bank of Baroda, was charged with forgery and related offences for opening a fictitious savings account to encash a refund cheque. He filed an application under Section 197 of the CrPC seeking discharge on the ground that prosecution sanction was required, arguing that he was a public servant…

The appellants, a police driver and a singer, were convicted of gang rape of a 16‑year‑old girl and of criminal conspiracy under Sections 376(2)(g) and 120‑B IPC, receiving fifteen years and ten years rigorous imprisonment respectively, to run concurrently. They challenged the conviction on the ground that no charge wa…

Deepak Khichi, a trader of explosive and inflammable substances, was implicated in a fire that killed 14 people and injured many others. The Sessions Court initially discharged him of charges under the Explosive Substances Act (ESA) on the ground that no sanction under Section 7 of the Act had been produced. The Distri…

The case arose from a labour dispute at BPL Engineering Ltd., where a bus carrying loyal employees was attacked, set on fire and several persons were injured and two women died. A charge sheet was filed against 49 accused; the trial court convicted seven of them. The High Court upheld those convictions and additionally…

The case involved six accused who were charged with dacoity, murder and gang rape of a minor girl and her family members. The trial court convicted all of them under Sections 302, 376(2)(g), 307, 34, 397, 395 and 396 of the IPC and sentenced each to death; the High Court confirmed death for three and reduced the senten…

The Supreme Court examined appeals by six accused, including Anil Sharma, convicted of murder and other offences under Sections 302, 307, 147, 148, 149, 326 and 452 read with Section 34 of the IPC. The appellants challenged the refusal to allow a fresh examination of a key eyewitness (PW‑6) and contended that Section 3…

The case arose from a violent incident on 12 January 2000 in which a group of accused intercepted a bus, entered it armed with firearms and indiscriminately shot eight passengers, later chasing two survivors to a house where they were also killed. The trial court convicted five of the accused under Section 302 read wit…

Ravinder Singh was convicted under the Terrorist and Disruptive Activities (Prevention) Act, 1987, the IPC, the Explosive Substances Act and the Arms Act for robbery, killing police officers and a train bomb blast that killed 12 and injured 65. The conviction rested on his voluntary confessional statement recorded unde…

The State of Haryana filed a complaint alleging that two batches of sodium chloride injections purchased by a district inspector were adulterated, as reported by the Government Analyst under the Drugs and Cosmetics Act. The manufacturers, Mis Mittal Pharmaceutical Pvt. Ltd., were served with the analyst's report but fa…

Smt. Sujata Mukherjee filed a criminal complaint under Sections 498A, 506 and 323 IPC alleging dowry demand, maltreatment and assault by her husband and his family. The alleged offences occurred at Raigarh (in‑laws' residence) and also at Raipur where the husband allegedly assaulted her. The husband and other responden…

The petitioners claimed ownership of 4,922 square yards of land (Survey No. 202) in Lallaguda, Secunderabad and obtained injunction orders under sections 145 and 146 of the Code of Criminal Procedure. They alleged that the police were not providing assistance despite the injunctions. The Andhra Pradesh High Court quash…

The appellant, Usha Pillai, was appointed guardian of her granddaughter Nivedita after the child's mother committed suicide. The child's father, R.K. Srinivas, abducted the child and took her to the United States, leading the appellant to file a kidnapping complaint. During the criminal trial, the father obtained exemp…

Manish Jain filed for divorce against his wife Akanksha Jain, who subsequently sought interim maintenance under Section 24 of the Hindu Marriage Act, claiming she had no independent income. The trial court dismissed her application, but the Delhi High Court later ordered the husband to pay Rs.60,000 per month in additi…

The case arose from a 1993 political clash in Kerala where the deceased, Suresh Babu, was stabbed and beaten to death by members of an unlawful assembly. The trial court convicted several accused under Section 302 read with Section 149 IPC and sentenced them to life imprisonment, also convicting others under Section 32…

During a hearing of Criminal Appeal No.400/2006, Senior Counsel Mr. R. Basant highlighted several common inadequacies in criminal trial procedures, such as lack of standardized witness and exhibit lists, poor recording of depositions, and inconsistent referencing of parties and evidence. He urged the Supreme Court to i…

The appellants, Ganesh and Avinash Andekar, were convicted of murder under Section 302 read with Section 34 of the IPC for the killing of their neighbour Raghunath, based on the testimony of the victim's daughter and wife who claimed to have witnessed the assault. The trial court had acquitted all accused, finding the …

The SaveLife Foundation filed a public‑interest writ petition seeking a legal framework to protect by‑standers who assist victims of road accidents, arguing that fear of police harassment deters timely help. The Supreme Court examined whether it could, under Articles 32, 141 and 142 of the Constitution, issue binding g…

The appellant, Hardei, a Block Pramukh, was summoned under Section 319 of the CrPC to face trial for alleged embezzlement under the MNREGA scheme, although she was not named in the original FIR or charge‑sheet. The prosecution, after examining witnesses, filed an application under Section 319, alleging that evidence re…

The Supreme Court examined whether the Punjab and Haryana governments could be challenged for appointing law officers without a transparent, merit‑based process, alleging arbitrariness violative of Art.14 of the Constitution. The petitioners, who were law officers on contract, claimed that the States had no realistic a…

The respondent, Saurabh Bakshi, was convicted under Section 304A of the IPC for causing the deaths of two persons by rash and negligent driving. The trial magistrate sentenced him to one year of rigorous imprisonment and a fine; the High Court reduced the sentence to the 24 days already served, relying on the fact that…

The appellant, an academic expert appointed to the Jharkhand Public Service Commission interview board, was named in an FIR alleging large‑scale manipulation of marks and conspiracy with JPSC officials. He applied for anticipatory bail under Section 438 of the Code of Criminal Procedure, which was rejected by both the …

The Supreme Court examined the appeal of Chandra Sonia, convicted of double murder under IPC s.302 and sentenced to life imprisonment on two counts. The prosecution's case rested on an extra‑judicial confession made by the accused to a neighbor (PW 7) on the day of the murders and on the recovery of the alleged murder …

The Supreme Court examined the murder of Vikramaditya Singh, in which the appellants Patai @ Krishna Kumar and Brij Kishore were accused of accosting the victim with pistols, dragging him to a spot under a peepal tree and facilitating his killing by co‑accused who fired the fatal shots. The appellants contended they me…

The appellants, who were public servants, were charged with offences under the IPC and the Prevention of Corruption Act and contended that the Special Judge could not take cognizance without the prior sanction required by Section 197 of the Code of Criminal Procedure, 1973. The High Court held that the appellants had f…

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…

The appellant, an army personnel, was convicted of murdering four persons and attempting to murder twelve others under IPC sections 302 and 307 and Arms Act sections 25 and 27. Prior to his arrest, a magistrate recorded statements of 27 witnesses under Section 299 of the Criminal Procedure Code (CPC). By the time of tr…

The State of Rajasthan appealed the acquittal of N.K., who had been convicted of rape under Section 376 IPC. The trial court had found the prosecutrix’s testimony reliable, corroborated by her father’s statement and medical evidence showing a ruptured hymen, and had accepted the five‑day delay in lodging the FIR as sat…

The petitioners, tenants of four shops, alleged that the third respondent fraudulently obtained two court decrees from Gauhati and Gaya to evict them from their premises, purchasing the decrees and powers of attorney for a sum of rupees twenty thousand each. They sought a writ under Article 32 directing the CBI to inve…

The State of Andhra Pradesh alleged that INOX Air Products Ltd. (now INOX Air Products Private Ltd.) sold Nitrous Oxide I.P. to a third‑party firm that allegedly lacked a Form 20B licence, thereby violating s.18(a)(vi) of the Drugs and Cosmetics Act, 1940 and attracting punishment under s.27(d). The High Court dismisse…

The appellants, M/s JM Laboratories and its partners, were summoned by a Judicial Magistrate in Kurnool to appear in a case filed under the Drugs and Cosmetics Act alleging manufacture of sub‑standard drugs. They filed a petition under Section 482 of the CrPC seeking to quash the criminal proceedings, which the High Co…

The appellant, Smt. N. Usha Rani, married her first husband in 1999, separated and executed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) in 2005, and subsequently married the respondent twice, the second marriage being registered. The respondent obtained a decree declaring the first marriage void and later filed a criminal revi…

The appellant, Ashok Saxena, entered the complainant's house armed with a knife during an altercation and stabbed the complainant's wife, who later died. The trial court acquitted him, but the High Court convicted him under Section 302 IPC for murder. The appellant challenged the conviction, arguing lack of intent to k…