Code of Criminal Procedure, 1973

The case arose from a series of power‑tariff rebate notifications issued by the Government of Goa, some of which were allegedly promulgated without Cabinet approval. The appellant‑Minister of Power, the Chief Electrical Engineer and senior officials of two private companies were accused of conspiring to grant a 25% reb…

Anil Kumar was first convicted under Section 22 of the NDPS Act and sentenced to ten years' rigorous imprisonment with a fine of Rs.1 lakh and a default two‑year term. He was later convicted under Sections 27(b)(ii) and 28 of the Drugs and Cosmetics Act and sentenced to one year' rigorous imprisonment with a fine of Rs…

The appellant, a Block Development Officer, was accused by a contractor of demanding a bribe in connection with a road contract. The Lokayukta investigated, found the complaint to be false, and submitted a closure report to the Special Judge. The Special Judge rejected the closure report twice, directing the police to …

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…

Maliyakkal Abdul Azeez was convicted under Section 135(1) of the Customs Act for smuggling gold and sentenced to three years' rigorous imprisonment, later reduced to two years. He had earlier been detained for two years under the Conservation of Foreign Exchange and Prevention of Smuggling Activities Act (COFEPOSA), a …

The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) filed a charge sheet against Subodh Kumar Dutta under the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1947 for allegedly accepting a bribe of Rs. 700. A Special Judge, appointed under the West Bengal Special Courts Act, 1949, took cognizance of the offence on 9 July 1988. The 1947 Act was re…

The case involved ten accused who were charged with conspiracy to supply spurious liquor that caused 70 deaths and permanent loss of sight to 24 persons. The High Court convicted five of them under sections 326, 328 and 272 of the IPC and sentenced them to rigorous imprisonment. The appellants filed appeals under Artic…

Prithi Chand, an 18‑year‑old, was convicted of raping a girl aged 11‑12 years. The prosecution relied on the victim’s testimony, a medical certificate showing a torn hymen and profuse bleeding, and forensic analysis that found blood but no spermatozoa. The defence challenged the admissibility of a carbon copy of the me…

The appellant, a small‑time tradesman, was convicted under the Prevention of Food Adulteration Act, 1954 for selling "Kesari coloured sweet supari sali" adulterated with a yellow basic coal‑tar dye. He argued that "supari" (betel nut) should be treated as a "fruit‑product" or a "flavouring agent" under Rules 23, 28 and…

The petitioner was arrested in Punjab for alleged NDNDPS offences and was granted bail, which was later cancelled by the High Court after the National Investigation Agency (NIA) took over the investigation of related scheduled offences under the UAPA. The Central Government, invoking Section 6(5) and Section 8 of the N…

The appellants, owners of a chemical trading company, were accused of contravening the Drugs and Cosmetics Act by purchasing and allegedly repackaging pyridoxal‑5‑phosphate, a bulk food substance, for sale to drug manufacturers. The complaint was filed more than four years after the initial inspection, and the investig…

The appellant was convicted in nine separate sessions trials for theft of electricity equipment, each resulting in a two‑year simple imprisonment under Section 136 of the Electricity Act. The trial judge ordered that time spent as an under‑trial be set off against each sentence and that sentences for offences under Sec…

The appellant, Sanjai Tiwari, was charged under several IPC offences and the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988. A third‑party advocate, calling himself a social activist, filed an application under Section 482 of the Criminal Procedure Code seeking a High Court order directing the Special Judge to expedite the trial. …

The appellant, accused No.3 in a CBI case involving offences under Sections 120‑B, 420, 409 IPC and the Prevention of Corruption Act, was required to appear before the trial court in Hyderabad every Friday despite residing in Delhi. He applied under Section 205 of the CrPC to be exempted from personal appearance, citin…

The accused, Mangusinh, was convicted by the trial court for murder of his wife and daughter under IPC s.302 and Arms Act s.25, based on a confessional FIR, a second FIR lodged by the victims' father (PW1), and the testimony of an alleged eye‑witness (PW4). The High Court acquitted him, holding that both FIRs were ante…

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 appellant Rajiv Singh was convicted under Sections 304B, 201 and 498A for the alleged murder of his wife Archana during a honeymoon train journey, based on a dead body found near the railway tracks. The Supreme Court examined whether the body was indeed Archana's, whether the prosecution proved a homicidal death, a…

The petitioner, Mohd. Feroz Khan, was convicted of murder and sentenced to life imprisonment for a crime committed on 2 August 1999. He contended that he was 17 years old at the time of the offence and therefore fell within the ambit of the Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Act, 2000. The Supreme Court…

Gautam Kundu, chairman of Rose Valley, was arrested for alleged money‑laundering offences under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act, 2002 (PMLA) and related violations of the SEBI Act. He sought bail under Section 439 of the Code of Criminal Procedure, but the Calcutta High Court rejected the application, holding th…

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…

The case involves the death of Saroj, a married woman, within four months of her marriage. Her father alleged that the husband, his father, brother and brother‑in‑law demanded dowry, threatened her and subsequently murdered her and attempted to burn the body. The trial court acquitted all accused, but the High Court co…

The appellants, medical students, alleged that they were brutally assaulted by police officers while serving a dasti summons issued by the Supreme Court to the SHO of Sector 39 Police Station, Noida. The High Court dismissed their petition for a CBI inquiry on the ground that no FIR had been registered and directed the…

Advocate A was attacked by four armed men on 3 April 1979; he was shot from behind and later died. The prosecution relied on three dying declarations—one forming the FIR, one recorded under Section 161 CrPC by a Sub‑Inspector, and a third recorded by the Tahsildar after a doctor certified the victim fit to speak—while …

The appellant Subhash was convicted under Sections 306 and 498A IPC for the death of his wife Anuradha, who suffered severe burns. The prosecution's case relied primarily on a dying declaration recorded by Sub‑Divisional Magistrate Ravi Malik, which alleged that the victim attempted suicide due to dowry harassment. The…

Hari Singh and his brother Mohar Singh, who ran a brick kiln, had a business rivalry with Guiab Singh, the deceased, over nearby kilns. On a moonless night, the brothers entered Guiab Singh's house; Mohar fired a country-made pistol at close range, killing him. The victim's son Prem Pal and two other villagers identifi…

The appellant Sanjay Kumar Jain was convicted of murder under Section 302 IPC for the death of his wife within fourteen months of marriage, based on circumstantial evidence and a post‑mortem indicating strangulation. The Supreme Court found serious inconsistencies in the prosecution’s version, including uncertain acces…

The case involved a violent attack on a farming family in Haryana, resulting in the death of the husband (Urned Singh) and injuries to his wife and son. The accused were charged under Sections 302, 149, 323 and 148 of the IPC. The High Court reduced the murder conviction to culpable homicide not amounting to murder (Se…

The HDFC Bank alleged that its Managing Director, J.J. Mannan, defrauded the bank of Rs.2.04 crore by obtaining a loan through fictitious transactions and colluding with other firms. An FIR was filed and the accused applied for anticipatory bail under Section 438 of the CrPC, which the Madras High Court granted in a bl…

The respondent alleged that it sold woolen carpets to the appellant and that the appellant issued two cheques which were later dishonoured, leading to a complaint under Section 138 of the Negotiable Instruments Act. The appellant contended that the cheques were advances for a purchase that never materialised and that n…

The appellants, a partner and an employee of a manufacturing firm, were charged under Sections 417 and 420 IPC for allegedly cheating a client who had paid an advance for a custom‑made machine that allegedly did not meet specifications. The client filed a criminal complaint, and the trial court took cognizance. The app…

The appellant, a doctor who advertised himself as a child specialist, treated a seven‑year‑old girl for tuberculosis. The child’s condition worsened and was later diagnosed as advanced leukemia; she died. The consumer commission held the doctor negligent and awarded damages. A criminal complaint under Section 200 CrPC …

The Supreme Court examined a batch of writ petitions challenging the constitutional validity of the Prevention of Terrorist Act, 2002 (POTA). The petitioners argued that Parliament lacked legislative competence and that several provisions violated fundamental rights, including the right to privacy, freedom of speech, a…

The appellants were tried before the Special Judge (Vigilance), Patna, for alleged fraud in obtaining a Rs. 2 crore compensation under the Bihar Land Reforms Act, 1950. They contended that the offences were committed in respect of a document produced before the Compensation Officer and that, under Section 195(1)(b) of …

Associated Cement Company Ltd. filed a complaint under Section 138 of the Negotiable Instruments Act against Kesvanand. The magistrate examined the company’s authorized representative, Puneet Aggarwal, on oath, but on two consecutive dates the representative was absent and the magistrate acquitted the accused under Sec…

In M.C. Mehta v. Union of India (Writ Petition (C) No.13029 of 1985), the Supreme Court issued comprehensive directions under the Motor Vehicles Act, 1988 and the Motor Vehicles Rules, 1993 to improve road safety and curb environmental pollution. The Court ordered verification of all commercial licences issued between …

Sundaramurthi (A‑2) was charged with murder, robbery and house‑trespass under Sections 302/34, 392 and 449 IPC. The prosecution relied entirely on circumstantial evidence: four eyewitnesses saw A‑2 and co‑accused A‑1 enter a car shed at the mill and emerge two hours later; fingerprints matched A‑1; bags of cash and a b…

The petitioners, members of the Uttar Pradesh Civil Service (Judicial Branch), challenged two 1975 notifications issued by the Governor under Article 237 of the Constitution which transformed the Uttar Pradesh Judicial Officers Service into a separate judicial service and made its members eligible for promotion only to…

Hindalco Industries Ltd. complained that the Indian Railways continued to levy freight charges based on an inflated distance of 714 km even after a new line reduced the actual distance to 568 km. The company filed a complaint under Section 36(b) of the Railways Act, 1989 seeking a declaration that the rates were unreas…

The case involved an armed robbery and dacoity at night in a village where four persons were killed. Six accused were arrested after an encounter and, within 24 hours, a test identification was conducted before a Judicial Magistrate, resulting in eleven eyewitnesses positively identifying the appellants. The trial cour…

Bhalinder Singh was convicted of murder, kidnapping and abetment of suicide based solely on circumstantial evidence, including a claim that he was last seen with the deceased, the recovery of the victim's shoes, an extra‑judicial confession to the village sarpanch, and a false explanation to the victim's father. The Su…

In May 1985 a series of bomb explosions led to FIR No. 238 of 1985 in Delhi, where Jagjit Singh and another accused were granted pardon under Section 306 of the Criminal Procedure Code and turned approvers. Both gave statements in the committal proceedings but later withdrew them, and the same accused were also charged…

The Supreme Court examined the detention of J.S. Talwandi under Section 3 of the National Security Act, 1980. The respondent argued that the detaining authority failed to provide sufficient particulars of the first ground of detention, violating Article 22(5) of the Constitution, and that the District Magistrate’s fail…

The Supreme Court examined the withdrawal of a criminal case against the former Chief Minister of Bihar and others under Section 321 of the Code of Criminal Procedure, 1973. The State had appointed a new special public prosecutor, L.P. Sinha, who applied to the Special Judge for permission to withdraw, citing lack of p…

The case arose from a family dispute over a partition fence that led to a violent altercation in 1994, resulting in cross‑cases and convictions under IPC sections 307, 323 and 325 with accompanying fines. The appellants, who were related to the complainant, sought to have the offences compounded on the basis of an amic…

Rajesh Ranjan Yadav, a four‑time Member of Parliament, was charged with a triple murder under IPC sections 302, 34 and 120B, and under Section 27 of the Arms Act. After being in judicial custody for more than six years, he repeatedly applied for bail, arguing that continued detention violated his fundamental right to l…

The case concerned the custodial death of Shambhu Tyagi after alleged police beating at Shahjahanabad police station, leading to the conviction of five police officers under Sections 304 Part I, 330 and 201 IPC. On appeal, the Supreme Court examined whether the lack of a test identification parade invalidated the eyewi…

The appellant, Lalu Yadav, was charged under Sections 376 and 313 of the IPC for alleged rape on a false promise of marriage, based on an FIR filed in 2018 for incidents allegedly occurring between 2013 and 2018. The complainant claimed that Yadav had deceived her, established a physical relationship without consent, a…

The appellant, Ambalal Parihar, challenged eight FIRs registered against the second to fourth respondents. After two petitions under Section 482 of the CrPC were dismissed without interim relief, the respondents filed a civil writ petition seeking to club the eight FIRs and obtain a direction that no coercive action be…

The appellants were stopped by police in Gujarat and found in possession of prohibited firearms, leading to an FIR under the Arms Act and a concurrent charge under the Terrorist and Disruptive Activities (Prevention) Act, 1987 (TADA). The prosecution sought to add a TADA offence after obtaining sanction from the Distri…

An FIR alleging land‑grab and extortion was filed in 2009, leading to a police investigation and a charge‑sheet. After the magistrate took cognizance and issued summons, the accused applied under s.173(8) CrPC for further investigation and for the magistrate to order a fresh FIR; the magistrate rejected these applicati…

The Supreme Court examined the Central Bureau of Investigation's (CBI) request to limit its investigation of numerous chit‑fund scam cases on the ground of alleged manpower shortage. The Court noted that the CBI had already taken over investigations of major scams, including the Saradha case, and that the right to a fa…

The appellants were convicted under Section 138 of the Negotiable Instruments Act for issuing dishonoured cheques. The trial magistrate recorded evidence and a successor magistrate delivered the judgment, leading the Gujarat High Court to order a de novo trial on the ground that the case was a summary trial and Section…

The appellant, brother of the murder victim, challenged the Rajasthan High Court’s order granting bail to the accused, Khushi Ram Meena, in a case involving murder and related offences (IPC ss.147,148,149,364,302). The Supreme Court examined the principles governing bail under Section 439(2) of the CrPC, emphasizing th…

The appellant, a driver of an APSRTC bus, was convicted under Section 304-A of the Indian Penal Code for allegedly driving rashly and fatally striking a boy on 9 November 1994. The prosecution's case relied on the testimony of three eyewitnesses (PW‑4, PW‑5, and PW‑11) who gave conflicting accounts regarding the bus nu…

In Transfer Petition (C) No. 25 of 2008, Saira sought transfer of a matrimonial dispute involving criminal and civil proceedings against Athar Abbas. The Supreme Court directed the matter to be listed before its Lok Adalat, where mediators facilitated a settlement. The parties agreed to withdraw all pending complaints,…

Manoj Sharma was charged in an FIR for offences including cheating, forgery and fraud under Sections 420, 468, 471, 34 and 120‑B IPC. The complainant and the accused later reached an amicable settlement and the complainant withdrew the allegations. The Delhi High Court refused to quash the FIR, prompting an appeal to t…

On 31 December 1998, a Border Security Force (BSF) Assistant Commandant intercepted a jeep near the Indo‑Bangladesh border carrying 44 bags of sugar and arrested the driver for failing to produce transport documents. The seized sugar was handed to the customs inspector and the driver was produced before a Sub‑Divisiona…

Subhash Chand was convicted by the trial court of murder and rape of a five‑year‑old girl and sentenced to death, a decision later modified to life imprisonment by the Rajasthan High Court. The prosecution's case rested entirely on circumstantial evidence: alleged "last seen together" testimony, the accused's abnormal …

A Shillong-based company lodged an FIR alleging that a Mumbai-based company had cheated it of Rs 9 crore. The investigation stalled, and the Guwahati High Court directed the complainant to deposit funds for the police investigation, a direction upheld by the division bench. The State of Meghalaya appealed, arguing that…

The appellant Kashiram and six others were charged with murder and related offences for allegedly forming an unlawful assembly and shooting Gorelal on 29 December 1986, also injuring four witnesses. The trial court acquitted all accused, but the Madhya Pradesh High Court reversed the acquittal of Kashiram, convicting h…

Three advocates appointed as Additional District Government Counsel (Criminal) in Uttar Pradesh had their term renewed repeatedly until the State Government denied further renewal on 1 October 1992. The Allahabad High Court quashed the denial as an arbitrary action, holding that the reason given—lack of a district reco…

The appellant, S.P. Mani and Mohan Dairy, filed a complaint under Section 138 of the Negotiable Instruments Act against a partnership firm and its partners for a dishonoured cheque. The High Court, on a petition under Section 482 of the CrPC, quashed the criminal proceedings against one partner, Dr. Snehalatha Elangova…

Neetu Kumar Nagaich, the mother of a 21‑year‑old law student who died under suspicious circumstances, filed a writ petition under Article 32 seeking a de novo investigation of the homicide after alleging serious deficiencies in the Rajasthan police investigation and the filing of a closure report. The Supreme Court not…

The appellant, Tattu Lodhi, was convicted of kidnapping, rape, and murder of a seven‑year‑old girl. The trial court relied on circumstantial evidence, including the victim's last seen with the accused, forensic evidence of blood on a gunny bag and clothing, and a post‑mortem report showing injuries consistent with sexu…

The respondent, a senior assistant of State Bank of India, was alleged to have caused a loss of over Rs.44 lakh by facilitating fraudulent credit and misplacing clearing instruments in May 2006. A criminal case under Sections 409 and 34 of the IPC was filed in 2007, but the trial progressed slowly, with only three of e…

The State of NCT of Delhi appealed against the High Court's acquittal of Nitin Shah and Om Prakash Srivastava in the murder of Lalit Suneja (2 August 1992). The prosecution alleged that Shah, as Suneja's employer, conspired with Srivastava and others to kill Suneja, basing its case on a complaint (Ext. PW15/A1) purport…

The case concerned the procurement of Damp Proof Cement by North Eastern Hill University (NEHU) where the Chief Engineer (A‑1) and other officials were alleged to have colluded to obtain the material at an inflated price of Rs.42.75 per kg, far above the market rate of Rs.5‑10 per kg. The prosecution proved that A‑1, a…

The petitioners, leaders of a human‑rights NGO, filed a writ of mandamus under Article 32 seeking a CBI or SIT investigation into the violent clash between Dalit and Thevar students at Dr. Ambedkar Government Law College, Chennai on 12 November 2008, alleging police inaction and subsequent harassment. They also complai…

The case involved the murder of Narinder Singh, for which nine persons were charged under Sections 302, 149 and 148 of the IPC. The prosecution's case hinged on the testimony of the victim's father (PW‑6) and his brother (PW‑7), who identified Dilawar Singh (A‑1), Yash Pal (A‑3) and Shamsher Singh (A‑7) as the assailan…

The appellant Sunder Singh was convicted for the murder of six members of his cousin's family by setting their house on fire with petrol, closing the door, and slashing one victim with a sword. The prosecution relied on the surviving victim's eyewitness testimony, the dying declarations of two victims, and forensic evi…

The appellants, who had earlier demanded a compromise in a kidnapping case, allegedly opened fire with country‑made pistols and a rifle, killing three members of the victim's family and injuring three others. The first informant, PW‑1, lodged an FIR within five hours of the incident and identified the accused in both m…

The petitioners were accused of murdering a woman’s husband; although the FIR named 19 persons, only a few were initially charge‑sheeted, allegedly due to the influence of a local MLA who provided alibis. The High Court, invoking its inherent powers under Article 226, directed the police to file charge‑sheets against a…

The respondents were charged with theft for allegedly taking possession of a complainant's land while executing a warrant of possession. They filed an application under Section 482 of the Code of Criminal Procedure, 1973, seeking quashment of the FIR. The Punjab and Haryana High Court, without detailed reasoning, quash…

The petitioner Md. Munna, convicted of murder and sentenced to imprisonment for life, filed a writ petition under Article 32 seeking a writ of habeas corpus, claiming that having served more than 21 years he should be released, contending that life imprisonment is equivalent to a term of 20 years under the West Bengal …

Three men were tried for murder under IPC sections 302 and 34. The trial court acquitted all of them, relying on the claim of self‑defence and the prosecution’s failure to explain minor injuries on the accused. The State appealed; during the pendency two accused died and the High Court re‑appreciated the evidence, conv…

Surendra Pal Shivbalakpal, a migrant labourer, was accused of kidnapping, raping and murdering a minor girl named Savitri (Sanju). The prosecution relied on eyewitness testimony that the accused was seen carrying a child at night, forensic analysis showing blood and semen stains on his clothing, and the recovery of the…

The case involved the murder of Kanhaiyalal, a member of a rival Gawli faction, for which Ramesh (senior) and others were convicted under IPC sections 302 and 34. The prosecution relied on eye‑witnesses PW1, PW2 and PW4, whose testimonies were corroborated by a doctor’s post‑mortem report. The appellant challenged the …

Tapas D. Neogy, a town planner, was accused of corruptly altering zoning maps to benefit landowners, leading to charges under the IPC and the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988. During investigation, the police sealed lockers and instructed banks not to allow operation of Neogy's bank account, citing Section 102 of the…

In the General Vaidya murder case two accused were convicted of murder and sentenced to death. The convicts did not appeal, and the Supreme Court was hearing a reference for confirmation of the death sentence. Simranjit Singh Mann, President of a political party, filed a writ petition under Article 32 alleging violatio…

The appellant Makhan Singh was convicted under Section 304‑B IPC for the death of his wife Manjit Kaur based on two dying declarations. The first declaration, recorded by Judicial Magistrate Vani Gopal Sharma, was made after a medical officer certified the deceased was fit and conscious, and the magistrate satisfied he…

Sandeep alias Kala was acquitted of murder in the trial court, but the High Court reversed the acquittal and sentenced him to life imprisonment. He appealed to the Supreme Court under Section 2(a) of the Supreme Court (Enlargement of Criminal Appellate Jurisdiction) Act, 1970 and Section 379 of the CrPC, and the appeal…

The Oriental Bank of Commerce filed a criminal complaint under Section 138 of the Negotiable Instruments Act alleging that a cheque issued by the respondent, Prabodh Kumar Tewari, bounced due to insufficient funds. The respondent admitted signing a blank cheque and argued that the details filled in later were not in hi…

The State of Karnataka appealed the acquittal of accused No.2 (P. Ravi Kumar) and accused No.3 (D.B. Savitha) in a murder case where the deceased, Mohan Kumar, was allegedly killed by a conspiracy involving accused No.1, accused No.2, and accused No.3, who were said to have an illicit relationship. The trial court had …

The appellant was convicted under Section 18 of the NDPS Act for possession of 4 kg of opium seized by a police Sub‑Inspector (PW‑1) who also acted as the informant. The investigation was riddled with irregularities: the informant‑officer retained the seized narcotics in private custody, failed to deposit them in the p…

Rakesh Kumar Paul was arrested under the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988 and remained in custody for more than 60 days without a charge‑sheet. The State argued that because the offence could attract imprisonment of up to ten years, the 90‑day period under clause (i) of proviso (a) to Section 167(2) CrPC applied, den…

The appellant, Vikash, was implicated in an abduction case where a girl was allegedly kidnapped by several accused. The trial court, after taking cognizance under sections 363, 366(A), 1208 and 376 of the IPC, issued a non‑bailable warrant to secure his attendance under section 319 of the CrPC. Vikash applied to have t…

The appellant Ravi Kapur was charged under IPC sections 279, 337, 338 and 304A for a bus accident that caused multiple deaths and injuries. The trial court acquitted him, holding that the prosecution failed to prove his identity as the driver and that procedural lapses, such as the absence of a test identification para…

Harjinder Singh was convicted under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act and sentenced to ten years' rigorous imprisonment and a fine of Rs. 1 lakh. He appealed to the High Court, but his counsel was absent on the hearing date and no one appeared on his behalf; the High Court nevertheless affirmed the con…

The deceased Harijana Ayyanna was attacked and stabbed by a group of accused (A1‑A7) who were armed with daggers and a stick. The FIR was lodged promptly and named all the accused. Eye‑witnesses, the deceased's son (PW‑1) and wife (PW‑2), testified that the accused surrounded and stabbed the victim, and their statement…

Virender Prasad Singh filed a petition under Section 482 of the Cr.P.C. seeking re‑investigation of offences (IPC ss. 302, 201, 120‑B) alleged against Rajesh Bhardwaj after a charge‑sheet had already been filed. The Patna High Court, instead of examining the charge‑sheet, directed that a Director General of Police exam…

The State of Andhra Pradesh filed a criminal complaint against Farmers Service Cooperative Society and others under Section 7(1) of the Essential Commodities Act for allegedly supplying sub‑standard zinc sulphate. The charge‑sheet was filed about two years after the alleged offence, and the respondents moved a petition…

The appellant State of U.P. challenged the Allahabad High Court's order granting bail to respondent No.2, who was accused of murdering a money‑lender under Sections 302 and 120B IPC. The High Court had granted bail on the ground that the accused's name was not mentioned in the FIR, without recording any reasons. The Su…

The appellant, Jasbir Singh, was tried for offences under the NDPS Act alongside co‑accused Vipin Kumar Jaggi (Respondent No. I). Jaggi applied for a pardon under Section 307 CrPC, which the Sessions Judge rejected, after which the Narcotics Control Bureau granted him immunity under Section 64 of the NDPS Act. The Sess…

Baljinder Kumar, accused of murdering his wife, two children and sister‑in‑law, was convicted by the Trial Court and sentenced to death under Sections 302, 308 and 325 IPC. The High Court upheld the conviction, relying mainly on the testimonies of three witnesses despite contradictions and lack of forensic linkage. On …

The State of Haryana filed an application seeking modification of a Supreme Court order that required police to serve notices under Section 35 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS), 2023, only through the mode prescribed in the Code of Criminal Procedure, 1973, and not via electronic means such as WhatsApp. …

The appellant, Byluru Thippaiah, brutally murdered his wife, sister‑in‑law and three children on 25 February 2017, alleging that his wife and the children were not his and accusing them of promiscuity. He was tried under Section 302 of the Indian Penal Code, convicted and sentenced to death by the trial court, a senten…

The appellant Shiv Baran filed a criminal appeal against the High Court's order quashing a summons issued under Section 319 of the CrPC against Rajendra Prasad Yadav, who was not charge-sheeted but named in the FIR. The trial court had earlier summoned Rajendra based on eyewitness statements that he was present at the …

The appellant, Jai Prakash, was convicted of raping and murdering a 10‑year‑old girl. Evidence included the victim’s body recovered from his hut, the last‑seen testimony of child witnesses, and DNA matches linking the appellant to the victim’s underwear and hair. The trial and High Courts affirmed conviction under IPC …

The State of Meghalaya challenged two bail orders granted by the High Court to Smt. X, an HIV‑positive accused charged under Sections 21(c) and 29 of the NDPS Act for possession of heroin, including a commercial quantity of 1.040 kg. The High Court had released her on bail solely on the ground of her HIV status, withou…

The complainant filed a complaint under Section 138 of the Negotiable Instruments Act alleging that a cheque issued by the respondent bounced and that a demand notice had been sent by registered post. The High Court quashed the complaint on the ground that the complaint did not specifically state that the notice had be…

Arathi Sandi and Sandi Jagadrakshaka Rao, a married couple residing in the United States, fought a divorce and child‑custody dispute. The US Superior Court initially granted primary custody of their US‑citizen son to the mother, later modifying the order to make the father the custodial parent and issuing a writ of hab…

The Supreme Court considered a batch of writ petitions challenging preventive detention orders issued under the Conservation of Foreign Exchange and Prevention of Smuggling Activities Act, 1974 (COFEPOSA) and the National Security Act, 1980. The petitioners, many of whom had absconded or evaded execution of the orders,…

The appellants were charged under Sections 420, 468, 471, 477-A and 120-B IPC for alleged offences. During the trial before the Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate, one co‑accused turned approver and was granted pardon under Section 306 CrPC, after which the magistrate committed the case to the Court of Sessions. …

The State of Punjab prosecuted Kulwant Singh (alias Kanta) for three murders and one attempt to murder that occurred in a marriage palace, leading the trial court to convict him under IPC s.302 and s.307 and award death. The High Court acquitted him, citing irregularities such as a month-long delay in recording the sol…

The appellant‑accused filed a petition under Section 482 of the CrPC seeking to quash a criminal complaint that alleged violations of Sections 60, 63, 68 and 68‑A of the Companies Act, 1956, involving the alleged siphoning of funds from Non‑Resident Indians into offshore entities. The High Court refused to quash the co…

Pon Adithan was convicted for possession of heroin under Sections 8(c) and 21 of the NDPS Act. The prosecution relied on the oral testimony of an Intelligence Officer who conducted the search, a confessional statement made by the accused while in the officer's custody, and forensic analysis of sealed samples prepared i…

Gurmej Singh, Gian Singh and Bur Singh were convicted of murdering Harnam Singh, a neighbour, based on the testimony of two close relatives who identified the accused under the light of a tubewell lamp. The defence argued that a third eye‑witness, Narain Singh, who was sleeping near the victim, was not examined and tha…

Khujji @ Surendra Tiwari was convicted of murder under Section 302 IPC and sentenced to life imprisonment. The prosecution relied on three eye‑witnesses, discovery of a blood‑stained weapon and the appellant's blood‑stained pant. Two witnesses (PW‑3 and PW‑4) were declared hostile because they could not identify the as…

Ms. P (appellant) alleged that her fiancé, respondent No.2, raped her in Delhi in February‑March 2016 (IPC s.376) and later, in November 2016, threatened and abused her over telephone in Chamoli (IPC s.504, s.506). The Sessions Judge, Chamoli, discharged the accused of the rape charge for lack of territorial jurisdicti…

Major Singh, the appellant, struck his uncle Makhan Singh with a wooden cot leg ("bahi") after a quarrel the previous day, causing a head injury that led to the uncle's death a day later. The trial court acquitted Singh, but the Punjab and Haryana High Court set aside the acquittal and convicted him under Section 302 I…

The appellants filed criminal appeals under Section 10 of the Special Courts (Trial of Offences Relating to Transaction in Securities) Act, 1992, but had not surrendered to their sentences. The Court examined whether Order XXI Rule 13A of the Supreme Court Rules, 1966, which requires surrender before an appeal can be p…

Hari Singh filed a writ petition under Article 32 of the Constitution seeking a direction to the Central Bureau of Investigation to probe the murder of his son, Yashvir Singh, alleging that the police had ignored the FIR due to pressure from influential persons. The Supreme Court examined whether such a petition is mai…

The petitioners, former public servants, were charged in a large‑scale corruption case involving alleged manipulation of liquor allocations and kickbacks. They applied for anticipatory bail, but the Andhra Pradesh High Court denied relief, relying on confessional statements recorded from co‑accused under Section 161 of…

The appellants entered into a series of sale agreements and a compromise deed, after which an FIR (No.432/2014) for offences under Sections 406 and 420 IPC was filed. The High Court, invoking its inherent powers under Section 482 of the CrPC, quashed the FIR on the basis of the compromise. The complainant later applied…

The appellant, Baljinder Singh, alleged that the respondents, Mandeep Singh and Narinder Kumar, attacked him and his driver with wooden sticks, leading to the driver’s death. The respondents were charged under Sections 302, 323, 34, 427, 120B (with 148 and 149 later deleted) of the IPC and sought regular bail under Sec…

The appellants were accused under complaints filed under section 44(1)(b) of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act, 2002 and the Special Court took cognizance of the offence under section 4 of the Act without the Enforcement Directorate having arrested them. The Court examined whether the procedural provisions of the …

The Supreme Court examined a large jobs‑for‑cash scam in Tamil Nadu where public servants allegedly accepted bribes for appointments, triggering investigations under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act, 2002 (PMLA) and the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988. The Court held that the bribe money itself constitutes "pr…

The case concerned an attack in which three persons were killed and five injured, allegedly committed by a group of seventeen accused. The Sessions Court convicted four accused and acquitted the rest, but the charges were found to be improperly framed under CrPC sections 211‑213, lacking specific allegations for each d…

The Supreme Court examined the convictions of six accused in the 2002 Akshardham temple terrorist attack, which were based largely on confessional statements recorded under the Prevention of Terrorism Act (POTA), testimony of accomplices, and two Urdu letters allegedly recovered from the terrorists' pockets. The Court …

The appellant was convicted under Sections 376 and 506 of the Indian Penal Code for raping and intimidating the prosecutrix. The trial court and the High Court upheld the conviction based on medical testimony that semen was found on the victim's underwear and that the accused sustained injuries consistent with a strugg…

The appellant lodged an FIR and later informed the magistrate that another person, Prem Prakash, had not been made an accused. The Additional Chief Judicial Magistrate took cognizance under Section 190(1)(b) CrPC and summoned the accused, leading to charges being framed by the Sessions Judge. Prem Prakash challenged th…

The State prosecuted eleven accused, including Latu Mahto, for the murder of Budhu Mahto and related assaults, alleging they formed an unlawful assembly under Section 149 IPC. The trial court convicted all accused under Sections 302/149 IPC and sentenced them to life imprisonment. On appeal, the accused contended that …

The appellant A2 was convicted under Section 302 IPC for the murder of Rajendran based largely on the testimony of witnesses who claimed to have seen the deceased with the accused on a Tuesday, without specifying the exact date. The trial court and the Madras High Court upheld the conviction despite the long gap betwee…

Mohan Anna Chavan was convicted of kidnapping, raping and murdering two minor girls aged five and ten. The prosecution relied on a chain of circumstantial evidence, including the victims' last seen with the accused, his extra‑judicial confession, forensic matches of blood on his clothes and nail clippings, and recovery…

The respondent, a truck driver, was intercepted with 163 kg of ganja and arrested under the NDPS Act. He was released on bail by a Special Judge and the High Court upheld the bail, despite the bail application being filed under Section 437 of the CrPC and Section 37(b)(ii) of the NDPS Act. The appellant contended that …

Tata Finance Ltd filed a complaint under Section 138 of the Negotiable Instruments Act alleging that two cheques issued by a company were dishonoured. Notice was served on the company, its Chairman (Paresh P. Rajda) and a director. The Chairman moved an application under Section 395 CrPC to quash the proceedings, conte…

The respondent, a partner of a dissolved firm, filed a criminal complaint alleging that the appellants, partners of another firm, conspired to deprive him of his share by cancelling the partnership deed without following proper dissolution procedures, invoking sections 405 and 420 of the Indian Penal Code. The partners…

The case involved an armed clash between two village groups in Kantharia, Madhya Pradesh, where Prem Singh was killed and several others injured. The trial court convicted eighteen accused under Sections 302, 149, 147, 148, 307, 323 and 324 IPC, but the High Court altered some findings, especially regarding the plea of…

The appellant filed a complaint under IPC sections 323, 406, 498A and the Dowry Prohibition Act. Several witnesses could not be examined during the trial, and the complainant later filed a supplementary list of five witnesses under Section 244(2) Cr.P.C. after the charge was framed. The Sub‑Divisional Judicial Magistra…

The appellants, Rikhab Birani and Sadhna Birani, entered into an oral agreement to sell a godown for Rs 1.35 crore, which the buyer, Shilpi Gupta, failed to fully pay, leading the sellers to re‑sell the property at a lower price. The buyer subsequently approached the Metropolitan Magistrate to register an FIR alleging …

The appellants, comprising a husband and his parents-in-law, sought to quash an FIR filed by the wife shortly after divorce proceedings were initiated, alleging offences under Sections 498-A and 114 of the IPC. The High Court dismissed the petition, holding that the allegations, however vague, would be tested at trial.…

The Supreme Court, acting suo motu under Article 32, examined the massive backlog of cases filed under Section 138 of the Negotiable Instruments Act, 1881, which was impeding the disposal of other criminal matters. After hearing the Amicus Curiae, the Solicitor General, the Reserve Bank of India and various state repre…

The appellant, mother of a woman who died in Nigeria, sought to summon Dr. I. Yusuf, the pathologist who performed the first post‑mortem, under Section 311 of the CrPC, either through the Nigerian High Commission or by video‑conferencing. The trial court rejected the application, citing the case's long pendency, and th…

The appellant was charged under Sections 420, 468 and 471 IPC based on an FIR lodged in 2007. After the police filed a charge‑sheet, the Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate discharged the accused on 5 February 2013 but, in the same order, suo moto directed the police to conduct further investigation and submit a f…

The appellants were convicted for the murder of a driver, John Bosco, and his companion Madhan, based largely on circumstantial evidence, including the testimony of a taxi driver who claimed to have last seen the accused with the victims, a retracted confession by one accused, and the recovery of a mobile phone and cam…

The case involved the murder and kidnapping of Jaswinder Kaur (Jassi) and the assault on her husband Sukhwinder Singh. The prosecution alleged that Ashwani Kumar, Anil Kumar, Joginder Singh, and others conspired to kill Jassi because her marriage was opposed by her family. The trial court convicted seven accused, inclu…

The appellants were convicted for the murder of Ajit Nath during a dispute over land excavation, with the trial court finding them guilty under Section 302 read with Section 149 of the IPC. The Supreme Court examined whether an unlawful assembly of at least five persons existed, given that 27 co‑accused were acquitted,…

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, …

The appellants, brothers of the complainant, were convicted for assaulting the complainant and his associates with sickles and talwars, causing grievous injuries. The trial court sentenced them under Sections 307 and 427 IPC read with Section 34, which the High Court modified to Section 326 IPC with reduced imprisonmen…

Shamim Bano, a Muslim wife, filed an application under Section 125 of the Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPC) for maintenance before her divorce. While the application was pending, the divorce was finalized on 5 May 1997, after which she also filed an application under Section 3 of the Muslim Women (Protection of Rights …

The Supreme Court examined the conviction of seven accused under Sections 148 and 302 read with Section 149 of the Indian Penal Code for the murder of Prabhu Dayal. The appellants argued that the FIR was unduly delayed, that there was no proof that Om Prakash ran over the victim with a tractor, and that no specific ove…

The appellant was convicted for raping a girl who was later found to be 14 years old at the time of the offence. The trial court had acquitted him on the basis that the girl was not below 16 years and had allegedly consented, but the High Court reversed this finding and sentenced him to seven years imprisonment. On app…

The Supreme Court heard an appeal by the State of Maharashtra against a Bombay High Court order that had set aside the appointment of a Special Public Prosecutor (SPP) in Sessions Case No.41 of 2006. The petitioner, who was related to one of the accused, claimed that the appointment violated Section 24(8) of the Code o…

The appellant, Gamparai Hrudayaraju, was convicted under IPC sections 302 and 203 for the death of a woman with whom he had an illicit relationship. The trial court and the Andhra Pradesh High Court upheld the conviction based solely on circumstantial evidence, primarily the testimony of witnesses PW‑5 and PW‑6. On app…

The State of Rajasthan appealed the acquittal of Mohan Lal, who was charged under the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988 (ss 7, 13(1)(d) r/w 13(2)) for demanding a bribe that was allegedly hidden in his almirah. The trial court found the prosecution’s case uncredible and acquitted him; the High Court affirmed the acqui…

The Supreme Court, acting suo motu under Article 32, examined the widespread destruction of public and private property during agitations, bandhs and hartals. It appointed two expert committees—one chaired by Justice K.T. Thomas and the other by senior lawyer F.S. Nariman—to recommend measures for prevention, investiga…

Bombay Gas Co. leased a flat to its director N.K. Jalan, who later died. The company later purchased the flat, but Jalan’s son Ashok Kumar Jalan, his wife Lalita Jalan and grandson Siddharth Jalan continued to occupy it and refused to vacate. The company filed a criminal complaint under Section 630 of the Companies Act…

The Karnataka Forest Act, 1963 authorized officers seized a lorry carrying sandalwood oil and later ordered its confiscation and that of the vehicle, publishing the order in the official gazette. The vehicle's owner applied to a Judicial Magistrate for interim custody, which was dismissed on the ground that only the au…

The petitioners, accused of corruption under the Prevention of Corruption Act, were acquitted by special courts after two years of delay, relying on time‑limit directions from the Common Cause and Raj Deo Sharma cases. The Karnataka High Court set aside the acquittals and entertained appeals without giving notice to th…

Babu Singh, a life‑convicted prisoner who had served eleven and a half years, applied to the Punjab & Haryana High Court for premature release. The High Court, after noting that his mercy petition to the Governor had not been decided within the three‑month period it had ordered, directed his release on bail, stating th…

The appellants, Bhagirath and others, sentenced to life imprisonment for murder, sought to have the 14 years they had already spent in jail as under‑trial prisoners set off against their life sentences, invoking Section 428 of the Code of Criminal Procedure, 1973. The Delhi High Court had rejected the claim, relying on…

Bhola Mahto was convicted of murder under Section 302 IPC in 2002 and appealed the conviction in 2003. The appeal remained pending for over two decades while he was on bail, and when it was finally listed, no counsel appeared on his behalf, prompting the High Court to appoint an amicus curiae without informing the appe…

The appellant, a retired IAS officer, challenged the registration of multiple FIRs relating to alleged land allotment irregularities during his tenure as Collector of Kachchh. He sought a writ of mandamus directing the police to conduct a preliminary inquiry before registering any further FIRs, relying on Lalita Kumari…

The appellant, a former director of a corporate debtor, was served a notice under Section 138 of the Negotiable Instruments Act for dishonoured cheques drawn before the commencement of insolvency proceedings. While the insolvency process and a moratorium under Section 14 of the IBC were imposed on 25 July 2018, the dem…

The appellant, a former collector, was charged under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act, 2002 (PMLA) for alleged financial transactions involving proceeds of crime arising from land allotments, bribery and hawala. He sought discharge at the pre‑trial stage, arguing that the PMLA could not be applied retrospectively…

The victim of a rape alleged that, besides the two persons named in the FIR, a third individual, Nahar Singh, participated in the offence; his name appeared only in the victim's statement recorded under Section 164 of the CrPC. The Chief Judicial Magistrate, taking cognizance of the offence under Section 190(1)(b) of t…

The second respondent lodged a complaint under Section 498A IPC and Section 4 of the Dowry Prohibition Act against her husband and his parents. The accused filed an application under Section 205 of the Code of Criminal Procedure seeking exemption from personal appearance, citing the 1,750 km distance between their resi…

The appellant, Taramani Parakh, filed a criminal complaint under Sections 498A and 34 IPC alleging dowry harassment and cruelty by her husband and his parents. The husband and his parents moved the High Court under Section 482 of the CrPC to quash the proceedings, claiming the allegations were vague, omnibus and amount…

The appellant, Ramdev Food Products, complained that accused partners had forged partnership documents and sought a direction under CrPC s.156(3) for police investigation. The magistrate instead ordered a report under s.202(1), deeming the matter primarily civil and lacking clear material for a cognizable offence. The …

The appellant, one of seven accused in a murder case, sought to have PW64, a prosecution witness who had earlier given statements implicating himself in the conspiracy, summoned as an additional accused under Section 319 of the Cr.P.C. The High Court dismissed the petition, holding that PW64’s testimony was protected b…

Ahmed Noormohmed Bhatti challenged the criminal proceedings initiated against him on complaints of private respondents and sought a declaration that Section 151 of the Criminal Procedure Code (CrPC) was unconstitutional. The Gujarat High Court dismissed his petition, holding that the provision was limited to a 24‑hour …

The State of Maharashtra appealed against a Bombay High Court Single Judge's ex‑parte order that stayed a trial judge’s permission for Dr. Budhikot Subharao to travel abroad and awarded him Rs.25,000 compensation, alleging that the State had acted in mala fides and engaged in sharp practice. The Supreme Court examined …

The appellant State of Maharashtra sought to uphold the conviction of Dr. Budhikota Subharao, an ex‑Naval Captain who had voluntarily retired in 1987, for alleged violations of the Official Secrets Act, 1923 and the Atomic Energy Act, 1962. The accused was arrested in May 1988 and material seized from his possession wa…

The State of Maharashtra charged Dr. Budhikota Subharao with leaking atomic energy secrets under the Atomic Energy Act and the Official Secrets Act. He was discharged because the State failed to obtain the sanction required under Section 197 of the Criminal Procedure Code. The accused then applied to have the charge sh…

The appellant, a German tourist, was arrested in Goa with two cylindrical pieces of charas weighing 7 g and 5 g. Only the piece weighing less than 5 g was sent for chemical analysis, which confirmed it contained charas; the other piece was not tested. The trial court convicted him under Section 20(b)(ii) of the NDPS Ac…

The complainant filed an application under Sections 216 and 319 of the CrPC seeking the summoning and impleadment of two appellants as accused in a case involving offences under Sections 452, 294(b), 323 and 506(1) IPC. The trial court rejected the application, finding no sufficient evidence against the appellants, but…

The Supreme Court examined the murder of Venkatarama, where Krishnamurthy, Gopala and Thimmappa were convicted under Section 302 read with Section 34 IPC. Evidence showed Krishnamurthy brutally assaulted the victim after he fell, causing fatal injuries, establishing his liability for murder. The Court held that Gopala …

The appellant, an advocate, was charged by his client for failing to return a cheque handed over for filing a criminal complaint under Section 138 of the Negotiable Instruments Act and for not obtaining an acknowledgment of its return. The Disciplinary Committee of the Bar Council of India found him guilty of gross neg…

Ajay Kumar Choudhary, a Defence Estate Officer, was suspended on 30 September 2011 for allegedly issuing incorrect NOCs on land records. The suspension was extended four times, totalling several years, without a charge sheet for most of the period. The Central Administrative Tribunal (CAT) directed that the suspension …

The accused were apprehended while sitting on gunny bags containing poppy husk and were convicted under Section 15 of the NDPS Act for possession of contraband. The High Court acquitted them, holding that there was no evidence of conscious possession and that no question on possession was put to them under Section 313 …

The appellant was accused of cheating under Section 420 IPC for allegedly failing to honour a 1988 agreement to sell a house and retain an advance payment. The complainant sent a legal notice in 1996, which the appellant denied, and only filed a private complaint under Section 200 CrPC in 1999, more than eleven years a…

The State of Himachal Pradesh prosecuted Narendra Kumar (accused No.1) and a vendor (accused No.2) under Section 16(1)(a)(i) of the Prevention of Food Adulteration Act for selling adulterated sugar. A food inspector sealed a sample and sent it, along with a memorandum and seal impression, to a public analyst. The analy…

Alpic Finance Ltd., a non‑banking financial company, financed Rs 92.5 million for the purchase of 100 dental chairs for a trust run by the respondents under a lease‑hire purchase agreement. The respondents defaulted on rental instalments and some chairs were found missing, prompting Alpic to file a private criminal com…

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 …

The State of Karnataka appealed against the Karnataka High Court's order quashing the conviction of Kuppuswamy Gounder for murder and assault. The High Court had set aside the conviction on the ground that the case had been transferred among Sessions Judges without a formal order under s.407 CrPC and that the trial was…

The respondents, convicted under IPC sections 148, 302 and 149, appealed to the Calcutta High Court. The High Court admitted the appeal but, without receiving the Sessions Court records or fixing a hearing date, acquitted the respondents based on an alleged concession by the public prosecutor. The complainant filed a S…

The appellant, a police officer, was ordered by a Judicial Magistrate to register an FIR under Sections 323, 294, 500, 504 and 506 IPC after a complainant filed an application under Section 156(3) CrPC alleging humiliation and assault. The Magistrate, relying on the complainant’s narrative, directed police investigatio…

The appellants Irfan and Asif Mevati were convicted of kidnapping, rape, and related offences and sentenced to death based largely on a DNA profiling report (Exhibit‑157). The trial court and the High Court relied on the report without examining any of the scientific experts who prepared it, and the appellants were giv…

The appellant, Rakesh Kumar Raghuvanshi, was intercepted on a train carrying three cartons later found to contain 50 kg of opium poppy husk. He claimed he was unaware of the cartons and had only complied with police directions to exit the coach. The trial court, relying on the seizure and the appellant's inability to e…

The appellant Vijayakumar, together with friends, was returning from a movie late at night when they encountered the deceased, who was allegedly drunk and slapped the appellant. In a sudden altercation, the appellant picked up a cement brick and struck the deceased on the head, causing death, and later set the body on …

The former Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh, N. Chandrababu Naidu, was added as accused No.37 in FIR No.29/2021 alleging massive misappropriation of funds related to skill development projects, invoking offences under the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988 and the IPC. He sought quashing of the FIR and the remand order…

The petitioners, Bimla Tiwari (informant), challenged a Patna High Court order that granted pre‑arrest bail to the accused in a dowry‑related case (IPC §§406, 420; Dowry Act §§3, 4) subject to the accused’s payment of Rs 75,000. The Supreme Court examined whether bail can be conditioned on monetary payment and whether …

The State, represented by the CBI, sought cancellation of the default bail granted to T. Gangi Reddy under Section 167(2) of the Cr.P.C. after the CBI filed a chargesheet for the murder of former MLA Y.S. Vivekananda Reddy. The High Court dismissed the application, holding that bail granted on default could not be canc…

The case involved an alleged bribe demand recorded during a police‑run trap under the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988. The investigating officer submitted a closure report under Section 173(2) of the CrPC, which the magistrate accepted, finding no case against the appellant, Sanjaysinh Ramrao Chavan. The High Court,…

The appellant, a postal sorting assistant, was convicted of theft of a registered insured parcel containing a gold chain under Section 381 IPC and of a breach of duty under Section 52 of the Indian Post Office Act. Both offences arose from the same incident and were tried together, resulting in separate six‑month simpl…

The appellant, KM Hema Mishra, was named in an FIR under Sections 419 and 420 IPC and sought quashing of the FIR and pre‑arrest protection by filing a writ petition under Article 226 of the Constitution. The High Court dismissed the petition, refusing to grant anticipatory bail because Section 438 of the CrPC, which pr…

The appellant, a visitor to a central prison in Punjab, was searched and found carrying a mobile phone and charger, leading to an FIR under Sections 42 and 45 of the Prisons Act, 1894. The High Court dismissed his petition under Section 482 of the CrPC to quash the FIR, holding that the possession of the phone indicate…

The appellants, children and legal representatives of the deceased landlord, filed a contempt petition under Section 11(2) of the Contempt of Courts Act, 1971, alleging that the respondents had abused the process of the court by filing a second application in execution proceedings. The High Court Division Bench on 9 Ju…

Hawa Singh and several co‑accused entered the house of Man Singh armed with swords and other weapons with the intention of teaching him a lesson. Hawa Singh struck Man Singh on the head with a sword, causing fatal injuries. The trial court convicted the accused under Section 302 IPC read with Section 34 and Section 452…

The appellant, a British journalist, alleged that she was forcibly raped by the operator of the guest house where she was staying in Udaipur. The trial court convicted the accused under Section 376 of the IPC and sentenced him to life imprisonment. The Rajasthan High Court, however, suspended the sentence and granted b…

The appellants, Bishnu Prasad Sinha and a co‑accused, were convicted of raping and murdering a 7‑8‑year‑old girl who was staying overnight in a travel agency’s waiting room. The prosecution’s case rested on the night watchman’s voluntary confession recorded under Section 164 of the CrPC, corroborated by circumstantial …

Virendra Kumar was tried for the death of his wife, Pushpa, and was initially convicted under Section 302 IPC for murder. The Allahabad High Court set aside that conviction and convicted him under Section 306 IPC for abetment of suicide, relying on a presumption under Section 113A of the Evidence Act despite no specifi…

Samareendra Das, appointed as Assistant Public Prosecutor (APP) by the Governor of West Bengal, was terminated from service in 1979. He filed a writ petition under Article 226 of the Constitution in the Calcutta High Court, which was initially allowed by a Single Judge. On appeal, the Division Bench held that the APP i…

Mehboob Dawood Shaikh was accused of instigating a mob assault and murder during a communal riot in Solapur. After being denied bail by the Sessions Judge, the Bombay High Court granted him bail. The State later moved an application under Section 439(2) of the CrPC to cancel the bail, alleging that Shaikh threatened a …

The State of Karnataka charged M. Devendarappa and another with forging bank guarantees and impersonating a bank manager, invoking IPC sections 465, 468, 471, 420 and 120‑B. The Karnataka High Court, exercising its inherent power under Section 482 of the CrPC, quashed the proceedings on the ground that there was no def…

The State of Punjab appealed against the Punjab and Haryana High Court’s order quashing an FIR that alleged offences under Sections 419, 420, 467 and 468 IPC committed during civil proceedings. The High Court had held that Section 195(1)(b)(ii) of the Criminal Procedure Code barred police investigation into such offenc…

The State of Punjab appealed the acquittal of Gurmit Singh and two others for abduction, wrongful confinement and rape of a minor girl. The trial court had disbelieved the prosecutrix, citing her ignorance of car details, alleged delay in filing the FIR, and alleged family enmity. The Supreme Court held that the girl’s…

The respondent, A.C. Dighe, a district chief of the Shiv Sena party, was arrested for the murder of a corporator and charged under the Terrorist and Disruptive Activities (Prevention) Act, 1987 (TADA) and several sections of the Indian Penal Code. The designated court in Pune granted him bail while the investigation wa…

The State of Gujarat appealed against the High Court’s order granting bail to Sandip Omprakash Gupta under the Gujarat Control of Terrorism and Organised Crime Act, 2015 (the 2015 Act). The key issue was whether an FIR under the 2015 Act could be maintained when no FIR had been registered against the accused after the …

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 …