Code of Criminal Procedure, 1973

The husband and his in‑laws were initially acquitted after a compromise before a Lok Adalat, but the complainant‑wife later withdrew her consent and the trial court re‑opened the case by issuing a docket order on 20 July 2021, charging them under sections 420, 498A, 506 IPC and sections 3 and 4 of the Dowry Prohibition…

The State of Gujarat filed a criminal appeal challenging a Gujarat High Court order that set aside a magistrate’s cognizance and issuance of summons against Afroz Mohammed Hasanfatta in a complex economic offence involving alleged hawala transfers of foreign exchange to Dubai and Hong Kong. The prosecution’s charge‑she…

The Supreme Court entertained Writ Petition (Civil) No. 406 of 2013 concerning inhuman conditions in 1,382 Indian prisons. Relying on earlier decisions, the Court affirmed that prisoners are persons entitled to fundamental rights, including dignity under Article 21 of the Constitution. It examined the persistent proble…

The case arose from an FIR filed by Sonia Gupta under IPC §§498A, 506 and the Dowry Prohibition Act §§3,4, alleging harassment by her parents‑in‑law and other relatives. Four police investigations produced three closure reports, after which a fourth investigating officer filed a charge‑sheet despite a stay order, and t…

The appellant, V.L.S. Finance Ltd., challenged a series of orders that allowed the withdrawal of prosecution under Section 321 of the Code of Criminal Procedure (Cr.P.C.) and permitted the accused to contest that withdrawal by filing applications under Section 91 Cr.P.C. The Court examined whether the Assistant Public …

The Supreme Court examined two appeals concerning the jurisdiction of Special Judges appointed under the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988 (PC Act). In the first appeal, a public servant died after the Special Judge had framed charges under the PC Act and IPC against him and several private persons. The Court held tha…

The appellant, Masood Ali Khan, challenged a Division Bench of the Allahabad High Court that had granted bail and suspended the life sentences of three convicted murderers (respondents 2‑4) under Section 389 of the Code of Criminal Procedure while their appeal was pending. The Supreme Court held that the High Court fai…

The State of Kerala filed a revision petition challenging an order passed under Section 340 of the Criminal Procedure Code (CrPC) that was initiated suo motu by the High Court. The High Court held that while the State could not appeal under Section 341 because it had not filed a complaint, the revision petition was mai…

Four accused abducted the deceased, who later died en route to the hospital. The prosecution relied solely on a statement recorded under Section 161 CrPC, treated as a dying declaration, to secure convictions. The trial court convicted all four; the High Court acquitted two on the ground that the dying declaration was …

The appellant Dharma challenged the acquittal of Nirmal Singh for the rape and murder of Ravinder Jit Kaur. The Supreme Court examined whether its power under Article 136 (and 142) of the Constitution is limited by Section 401(3) of the CrPC when hearing an appeal against an acquittal. It also evaluated the evidence – …

The Supreme Court examined bail applications of several accused in the 2020 Delhi riots case under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, 1967. It balanced the constitutional right to liberty under Article 21 against the statutory bail restriction in Section 43D(5) of the UAPA, considering the length of pre‑trial de…

The appellant Pradeep Kumar was convicted under Sections 302 and 34 of the Indian Penal Code for the murder of Shamsher Singh, based solely on circumstantial evidence and an alleged extra‑judicial confession. The prosecution relied on the testimonies of three key witnesses (PW‑10, PW‑11, PW‑12) and forensic reports tha…

The appellant, an Inspector, was summoned along with three other police officials under Section 319 of the CrPC following allegations that they demanded money and tortured the accused and his family in a misappropriation case. The trial court allowed the summoning, the High Court upheld that order, and the appellant ch…

The appellants Murali and Rajavelu were convicted for assaulting a victim during a volleyball match, with Murali found guilty under IPC s.324 and s.341 and Rajavelu under s.307 and s.341, receiving three months and five years of rigorous imprisonment respectively. Both appealed their convictions, and later sought to im…

Six persons, including Hari Om, Sanjay and Saurabh, were tried for murder (IPC s.396), dacoity (IPC s.412), offences under the SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act and the Arms Act. The trial court convicted all of them for murder, sentencing Hari Om to death and the others to life imprisonment; the High Court affirmed…

Srei Equipment Finance Ltd. entered into a hire‑purchase agreement for a JCB machine with Amarnath Yadav, the original owner, and the vehicle was registered with a hypothecation entry in favour of the financier. After the owner defaulted, an arbitrator awarded the loan amount to the financier, but the owner later filed…

The complainants, members of a Rathore family, alleged that Dineshbhai Patel and others fraudulently obtained bogus powers of attorney and transferred their jointly owned land in Surat. Three separate complaints led to the registration of an FIR on 6 June 2016, charging offences under the IPC and the Scheduled Castes a…

The respondents filed a suit under Section 92 of the Code of Civil Procedure seeking removal of the trustees of the Sri Aurobindo Ashram Trust, alleging that the trustees failed to act against an objectionable biography of Sri Aurobindo. The High Court held the suit within the ambit of Section 92 and refused to revoke …

The case concerned Havildar Purushottam, who was tried by a Summary Court Martial (SCM) for extortion and other misconduct, pleaded guilty, and was sentenced to reduction in rank. The SCM proceedings were later set aside by a Deputy Judge‑Advocate General acting as a reviewing authority under Section 162 of the Army Ac…

The wife of Narwinder Singh, who was pregnant, committed suicide within four years of marriage. The trial court convicted the husband and his parents under Section 304‑B IPC for dowry death, but the High Court, finding no dowry demand at the time of death, converted the husband's conviction to Section 306 IPC (abetment…

M. Nageshwar Rao was charged with murdering his wife Laxmi Kumari by allegedly mixing cyanide into a Limca bottle and giving it to her. The prosecution relied on a confessional statement, forensic reports indicating cyanide in the victim’s organs and in an empty Limca bottle recovered from the accused’s residence, and …

Appasaheb and his mother-in-law were convicted under IPC Section 304‑B (dowry death) for the suicide of their wife, Bhimabai, who allegedly took poison after being harassed for dowry. The prosecution alleged that the accused demanded money for domestic expenses and for purchasing manure, which the wife could not provid…

The case arose from a robbery‑murder where the victim’s shop‑assistant (PW‑1) and other eyewitnesses identified four accused persons, including the appellant, after a test identification parade (TIP) and a confession obtained under Section 27 of the Evidence Act. The appellant challenged the conviction on three grounds…

The appellants challenged the appointment of two Additional Advocate Generals by the Government of Andhra Pradesh, arguing that Article 165 of the Constitution permits only a single Advocate General and that the additional appointments were unconstitutional. The State contended that the appointments were necessary due …

Mangilal was convicted of murder and other offences and sentenced to life imprisonment. The Madhya Pradesh High Court, exercising its revisional powers, ordered him and the other accused to pay Rs.30,000 as compensation under Section 357(3) and (4) of the Cr.P.C. without hearing them on the quantum of compensation. The…

Inspector Dharamveer of the Border Security Force was murdered on 26 October 1990 by the accused, Nazir Ahmed Sheikh. The accused was arrested on 8 March 1991 and a charge‑sheet was filed on 6 March 1992. The issue before the Court was whether the charge‑sheet was filed within the one‑year limitation prescribed under S…

The appellant filed an FIR alleging his sister was shot by her husband, based on a nine‑year‑old niece’s information. The deceased gave two statements to police under Section 161 CrPC, first naming the husband and later implicating the husband’s mother, brother and brother‑in‑law as instigators; she later died. The pro…

The High Court, exercising its powers under Section 125 CrPC, fixed interim maintenance for the appellant-wife. Dissatisfied with the amount, she filed a petition under Section 482 CrPC seeking enhancement, which the High Court dismissed on the ground that she should have invoked a revision under Section 397 CrPC. The …

The Union Finance Minister P. Chidambaram was implicated in a CBI‑filed FIR and a subsequent Enforcement Directorate money‑laundering case, though he was not named as an accused. After his arrest, he sought regular bail under CrPC s.439, which the Delhi High Court denied on grounds of alleged seriousness, flight‑risk, …

The appellants Surendra Singh and Ram Singh were convicted for the murder of shopkeeper Rajendra Kumar based on a series of circumstantial facts, including motive, being the last persons seen with the victim, recovery of stolen items and blood‑stained clothing at their homes, identification of those items, discovery of…

The respondent, owner of the Kannada daily "Jaya Kirana", was charged under Sections 500, 501 and 502 of the Indian Penal Code for publishing a news item that the appellant claimed was defamatory. The appellant filed a private complaint, which led to criminal proceedings; the respondent sought quash of the case under S…

The appellants were convicted under Sections 147 and 327/149 of the IPC and sentenced to three months and three years rigorous imprisonment respectively. In the High Court appeal they did not contest the conviction but sought a reduced sentence, which the High Court partially granted by lowering the term for the Sectio…

The case involved the murder of Gour Chandra Sarkar, for which six persons, including Surajit Sarkar, were charged. The trial court convicted Surajit under Section 302 IPC, while acquitting the other accused, and the High Court upheld this conviction. On appeal, the Supreme Court examined whether a cryptic telephonic c…

The appellants and a third accused were caught with two cans containing 40 litres of arrack in an auto‑rickshaw and were convicted under Section 8(1) read with 8(2) of the Kerala Abkari Act. The trial court sentenced them to three years' rigorous imprisonment, a fine of Rs 1,00,000 and a default year of imprisonment fo…

Gudu Ram was accused of assaulting his cousin Dalip Singh and another resident, Jai Pal Singh, with a wooden stick (thapi), resulting in Dalip Singh's death. The sole eyewitness, Jai Pal Singh, turned hostile during trial, yet the trial court and High Court convicted the appellant for murder under IPC s.302. On appeal,…

The State of Uttar Pradesh prosecuted eighteen accused Thakurs for dacoity, abduction, and the murder of seven Harijan victims, of whom only two bodies were recovered and one survivor gave a dying declaration. The trial court convicted all accused under IPC ss.302, 149, 364 and 201, sentencing them to life imprisonment…

Shabana Bano, a Muslim woman, filed a petition under Section 125 of the Criminal Procedure Code for maintenance against her husband, Imran Khan, after being divorced and left with a newborn child. The husband contended that under the Muslim Women (Protection of Rights on Divorce) Act, 1986, she was not entitled to main…

The Managing Director of Team Finance Company filed a criminal complaint under IPC sections 406, 420, 294, 506 and 34 alleging breach of trust because Mahindra & Mahindra Financial Services presented post‑dated cheques despite the debt being discharged by demand drafts as per a tripartite agreement. The appellant had e…

The Gujarat Pollution Control Board (GPCB) had granted M/s Nicosulf Industries permission to discharge effluent subject to conditions. It alleged a breach of condition No.4 after a water sample taken on 22‑June‑1989 was found non‑conforming, and filed a complaint through an Assistant Environmental Engineer. The trial c…

The appellant Rajendra was accused of raping his six‑year‑old neighbour’s daughter Sonia on 14 October 2003. The victim’s mother heard her cries, rescued her, and the child was medically examined, revealing bruises and evidence of recent penetration despite an intact hymen. The trial court acquitted Rajendra, but the H…

The respondent, Constable Ram Saran of the CRPF, was convicted by an Assistant Commandant exercising the powers of a Judicial Magistrate under Section 10(m) of the Central Reserve Police Force Act for unauthorised absence and sentenced to three months' imprisonment. The Sessions Court and the Himachal Pradesh High Cour…

Mahesh Chand filed an FIR alleging forged sale deeds and trespass. The police investigation concluded the matter was a civil dispute and filed a case‑disposal report, which the magistrate accepted, leading to the dismissal of Chand's criminal complaint. After a protest petition was also dismissed, Chand filed a second …

The respondent, Ayesha Khan (also known as Bharati Chandmal Varma), was arrested on 1 April 2001 for several IPC offences and remanded on 2 April. During investigation, authorities discovered organised crime offences under the Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act, 1999 (MCOC) and obtained approval under Section 2…

In 1993 Excise Inspectors, acting under the then‑unamended Section 31 of the Kerala Abkari Act, seized liquor samples from the petitioners' licensed shops and alleged adulteration, filing complaints under Section 57A and Section 56(b). The petitioners moved the High Court to quash the proceedings under Cr.P.C. Section …

The State of West Bengal filed a Special Leave Petition under Article 136 challenging a Calcutta High Court order that granted bail to the accused Sudhir Dey and others and appointed the Deputy Inspector General of the CBI as a Special Officer to investigate murder allegations. The Supreme Court noted that the petition…

Two young boys were found dead under mysterious circumstances in Barrackpore, West Bengal, prompting letters to the Calcutta High Court alleging police negligence and demanding an independent investigation by the CBI. The High Court, without giving notice to the State, issued a rule directing the Deputy Inspector Gener…

The complainant, Sadiq B. Hanchinmani, filed a private criminal complaint alleging that the accused had forged an e‑stamp rent agreement to illegally occupy his property and had committed offences under Sections 120B, 201, 419, 471, 468 and 420 IPC. The Judicial Magistrate First Class (JMFC) referred the matter to the …

The case involves the murder of five members of the Shukla family in Hamirpur, Uttar Pradesh, where seven accused were initially acquitted by the trial court. The State appealed, and the Allahabad High Court convicted all accused under Sections 148, 149, 302 and 307 IPC, rejecting the trial court's findings on motive, …

B.A. Umesh was convicted for rape and murder and sentenced to death in 2006. He filed a mercy petition in 2011, which was disposed of after a two‑year‑three‑month period by the Governor and the President, while a stay of execution was in force. The appellant also alleged that he was kept in solitary confinement from 20…

The Supreme Court entertained a writ petition under Article 32 seeking implementation of the Srikrishna Commission's recommendations on the 1992-93 Mumbai riots, including compensation for victims, tracing of missing persons, and police reforms. The Court observed that while the Commission's report is not binding, the …

The husband appealed against a Family Court order granting interim maintenance of Rs 15,000 per month to his wife and Rs 10,000 per month to his son under Section 125 of the Cr.P.C., which was affirmed by the Bombay High Court. The Supreme Court upheld the lower courts' orders, directed the husband to pay the full arre…

On 19 June 2004, Daud Khan allegedly shot Nand Singh at a restaurant in Nimbahera, Rajasthan, leading to Singh's death. The trial court convicted Khan under Section 302 IPC and Sections 3 and 25 of the Arms Act, but the High Court reduced the murder conviction to Section 304(1) IPC while upholding the Arms Act convicti…

The Supreme Court considered appeals by five police officials convicted for the abduction, illegal detention and murder of human‑rights activist Jaswant Singh Khalra. The trial court and High Court had found the appellants guilty based on the testimony of several witnesses, including an accomplice, despite the absence …

The Supreme Court examined an appeal by animal‑right activist Bharat Kothari against a Gujarat High Court order that quashed an FIR alleging cruelty to nearly 2,000 goats and sheep and simultaneously convicted six livestock owners (respondents) under the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act, 1960, despite them not bein…

A complaint under Sections 18(c) and 27(b)(ii) of the Drugs and Cosmetics Act, 1940 alleged that the accused were manufacturing, selling and storing drugs defined under Section 3(b) without a licence. The accused contended that the seized items were Ayurvedic drugs, governed by Section 3(a), and therefore the complaint…

The case involved two complaint proceedings under Section 138 of the Negotiable Instruments Act where the complainant died during trial, leaving heirs who had executed general powers of attorney. The heirs' attorneys filed applications under Section 302 of the Code of Criminal Procedure seeking permission to continue t…

Banti (Guddu) and Teekaram were convicted for the murder of Pravin Pathak under IPC s.302 r/w s.34. The prosecution relied on two eye‑witnesses, PW‑I (the deceased’s brother) and PW‑II (a friend), who identified the accused. The defence presented DW‑1, who initially corroborated the eye‑witnesses but later recanted, cl…

The Supreme Court examined a violent incident in which three accused, armed with deadly weapons, attacked the deceased Pyara Singh, causing his death and grievous injuries to three others. The accused claimed they acted in self‑defence and sought relief under Exception (4) to Section 300 IPC. The Court rejected the sel…

The consumer complained that a bottle of "Lehar Pepsi" he purchased was adulterated with fungus, leading to a complaint under the Prevention of Food Adulteration Act, 1954. The Special Judicial Magistrate summoned Pepsi Foods Ltd. and others, but the appellants challenged the summons in the High Court, which dismissed …

The appellant, an armed constable of the Special Reserve Police, shot and killed his immediate superior, a Head Constable, at the Khampla Dam site, claiming he was discharging his patrol duties and feared a miscreant would set fire to a tower. The trial court acquitted him on the basis of reasonable doubt, but the Guja…

The appellants, including Fainul Khan, were convicted under IPC sections 302/149, 323/149 and 147 for participating in an unlawful assembly that resulted in the murder of a deceased and injuries to two eyewitnesses. They challenged the conviction on three grounds: the charge under section 147 was framed against only fo…

The appellant was convicted under the Prevention of Food Adulteration Act, 1954 for selling milk whose Milk Solid Non‑Fat (MSNF) content was 7.7%, below the statutory standard of 8.5%. He argued that the delay in analysis caused a marginal shortfall, that he was denied the right under Section 13(2) to have a second sam…

The appellants were charged under Sections 384, 467, 468, 471, 120‑B and 506(2) of the Indian Penal Code for allegedly conspiring to forge documents and extort land from the complainant. They filed a petition under Section 482 of the Code of Criminal Procedure seeking to quash the FIR on the ground that the dispute had…

The appellants, landlords of a commercial premises, were not named in the charge sheet filed under Sections 379, 427, 341 r/w 34 IPC and Section 3(1) Tamil Nadu Property (Prevention of Damage and Loss) Act, 1992, although they were mentioned in the FIR. After the trial evidence was recorded, the complainant sought to s…

The case involved the murder of Bibhishan Vithoba Khadle and injuries to six others during a politically motivated assault by a group of accused. The trial court acquitted all accused, rejecting eye‑witness testimony on the ground of contradictions, alleged interest, and procedural defects. The High Court reversed the …

The appellant Munish Mubar was convicted for the murder of Ashok Jain based on a series of circumstantial evidences, including a love triangle, the appellant's car parked at Delhi airport at the time of the murder, phone call records placing him near the crime scene, hotel stays, and recovery of blood‑stained items and…

The case involved a dispute over irrigation water between Hafiz, his brothers Rafiq and Sharif, their cousin Lal Mohammad and the deceased Abdul Rahman. The accused assaulted the deceased with lathis, claiming they acted in private defence because the deceased allegedly threatened them with a sickle. The trial court co…

The deceased, Saista Khatoon, was the second wife of appellant No.1 (Usman Mian) and step‑daughter of appellants No.2 and No.3, who were hostile to the marriage. She was found dead on the verandah of the appellants' house with visible injuries; the appellants attempted to bury the body and fled when police arrived. The…

The State of Punjab prosecuted Rajesh Syal, former director of Golden Forest (India) Ltd, for fraudulently collecting public money and failing to return it, leading to multiple criminal cases in different courts under IPC sections 406, 420, 468, 471, 1208 and Punjab Reforms Act s.7(2). Syal filed applications under CrP…

The appellant, Kumbhar Dhirajlal Mohanlal, was charged with murdering his wife, Hansaben, by pouring kerosene on her and setting her on fire. The deceased gave three dying declarations—before a doctor, a head constable, and an executive magistrate—stating that her husband had set her ablaze. The trial court acquitted t…

The case arose from the 1981 Punalur liquor tragedy in Kerala where arrack adulterated with methyl alcohol caused several deaths. Joseph Kurian (A‑4) managed the Punalur depot and Philip Jose (A‑1) controlled it; both were convicted by the trial court under IPC sections 272 (adulteration) and 328 (causing hurt by poiso…

The appellant Nitya Nand was convicted along with others for the murder of his uncle Satya Narain under Sections 148 and 302/149 of the Indian Penal Code. The prosecution alleged that the accused, motivated by a property dispute, formed an unlawful assembly and that Nitya Nand, while carrying a country‑made pistol, fir…

The appellant Munna Pandey was convicted and sentenced to death for the rape and murder of a ten‑year‑old girl, based largely on circumstantial evidence and the testimony of witnesses whose statements to police were not properly confronted. The Supreme Court examined whether the High Court erred in confirming the convi…

The appellant challenged a detention order dated 24 March 2023 issued by the Hyderabad Police Commissioner under the Telangana Prevention of Dangerous Activities Act, 1986, which sought to detain her husband on the ground that his alleged offences threatened public order. The Court examined whether the offences, many o…

The appellant, Pramod Kumar Mishra, was convicted under Section 307 IPC for an assault that caused injuries to the complainant and was sentenced to five years of rigorous imprisonment by the Trial Court, a sentence upheld by the High Court. The Supreme Court was asked to consider whether the sentence was just and prope…

Jagbir Singh was convicted of murder (Sec. 302 IPC) and criminal intimidation (Sec. 506 IPC) for allegedly pouring kerosene on his wife and setting her ablaze. The victim gave three statements: two early statements (24‑01‑2008 and 25‑01‑2008) describing an accidental fire, and a later dying declaration on 27‑01‑2008 im…

The State of Uttar Pradesh filed criminal appeals against Aman Mittal and others for alleged short delivery of petrol and diesel, invoking offences under the Legal Metrology Act, 2009, the Essential Commodities Act, and the Indian Penal Code (IPC). The High Court had quashed the charge‑sheet under s.482 CrPC and issued…

The dispute concerned custody of a 17‑year‑old son and a 13‑year‑old daughter after the parents separated. The father had initially kept the children in boarding schools, where the son performed poorly, but after the mother took over their care their academic results improved markedly. The children, when interviewed by…

The wife filed an application under Section 12 of the Protection of Women from Domestic Violence Act, 2005 seeking maintenance, and a Metropolitan Magistrate granted interim maintenance of Rs.2,50,000 per month. The husband failed to comply, leading to execution proceedings and an appeal before the Additional Sessions …

The appellants Nizam and Shafique were convicted for the murder of Manoj under Sections 302 and 201 IPC based primarily on the "last seen theory" that Manoj was last seen alive with them. The Supreme Court examined the circumstantial evidence and held that the prosecution failed to establish a complete, unbroken chain …

The Supreme Court examined whether the Mines and Minerals (Development and Regulation) Act, 1957 (MMDR Act) bars prosecution under the Indian Penal Code (IPC) for theft of sand and gravels from riverbeds. The Court held that offences under Section 21 of the MMDR Act (contravention of mining lease conditions) are distin…

The Supreme Court examined complaints filed under Section 138 of the Negotiable Instruments Act in Delhi Metropolitan Magistrates, where cognizance was taken solely because statutory notices were issued from Delhi. The Delhi High Court had directed the return of such complaints, holding that the place of notice issuanc…

The case involved thirteen accused charged under IPC sections 302, 148, 149 and the Explosive Substances Act for the murder of Y. Ramachandra Reddy. The trial court convicted six of them (A‑1 to A‑6) while acquitting the rest; the High Court later reversed this, acquitting all six. On appeal, the Supreme Court examined…

The appellant, Babla @ Dinesh, was convicted by a trial court and sentenced to life imprisonment under Sections 302 and 149 of the IPC for a murder committed on 1‑12‑1991. He contended that he was a juvenile at the time of the offence, but the High Court rejected the plea on the ground that it was not raised before the…

The appellant, Rakhal Debnath, was charged with abetment of suicide under Section 306 IPC and cruelty under Section 498A IPC after his wife died from severe burns within 35 days of their marriage. The prosecution alleged that the husband demanded money from his father‑in‑law, pledged his wife's jewellery, and maintaine…

The appellants, three agricultural workers, trespassed onto the deceased's land, leading to a heated verbal altercation and an assault with axes and a wooden plough part, after which the victim fell and later died from grievous injuries. The trial court convicted the principal assailant under Section 302 IPC read with …

The complainant MD Ibrahim alleged that his land was sold by the first accused to the second accused and that the witness, scribe and stamp vendor colluded to forge the sale deeds, also assaulting him when confronted. The trial court framed charges under IPC sections 420, 467, 471, 504, 323 and 341 and the accused soug…

The appellants, Beena Philipose and her father, were convicted for forging university mark‑sheets to secure admission to a medical college, offences punishable under Sections 420, 471, 120B, 466 and 468 of the Indian Penal Code. The Sessions Judge sentenced them to one year and three years of imprisonment respectively;…

The appellants, General Finance Co. and another, received deposits in 1985 and were prosecuted in March 1989 under Section 276DD of the Income Tax Act for violating Section 269SS. Section 276DD was omitted from the Act by the Direct Tax Law (Amendment) Act, 1987, effective 1 April 1989. The High Court held the prosecut…

The petitioner, a life convict sentenced under Sections 302 and 34 IPC, filed a writ petition under Article 32 seeking premature release, claiming that he had served the equivalent of 20 years (the statutory period for life imprisonment) and earned remissions under the West Bengal Correctional Services Act, 1992. The S…

The petitioner, P.M. Hari Kumar, was arrested in March 1990 for allegedly smuggling silver and was granted bail with conditions. The Kerala government issued a preventive detention order under Section 3(1) of the Conservation of Foreign Exchange and Prevention of Smuggling Activities Act, 1974 (COFEPOSA) on July 11, 19…

The appellant was convicted under IPC sections 450 and 376(2) and POCSO Act section 4 for raping a 15‑year‑old girl after forcing her onto a cot in the porch of her house. The prosecution's case rested primarily on the victim's detailed testimony, corroborated by her brother, parents, and neighbours, while medical evid…

The appellant, Jai Prakash Tiwari, was convicted under IPC s.307 and Arms Act ss.25, 27 for allegedly firing a pistol at the complainant. The prosecution's case rested mainly on the testimony of the complainant and his mother, with no independent eyewitnesses and contradictory statements regarding the recovery of the a…

The appellant, Honnaiah T.H., was an injured victim and the informant whose statement led to the registration of an FIR on 26 December 2016 for multiple offences arising from a violent dispute in Thoppanahalli village, Karnataka. During trial, the prosecution sought to mark the appellant's recorded statement as an exhi…

The appellants, manufacturers of the insecticide Trizophos 40% EC, were charged with misbranding after laboratory analysis showed the active ingredient was only 34.70%. Samples were taken on 10 February 2011, sent to the Insecticide Testing Laboratory, Ludhiana, and the first analysis report was received on 14 March 20…

M/s Cheminova India Ltd, a pesticide manufacturer, and its former Managing Director were charged under the Insecticides Act, 1968 for misbranding insecticide products after laboratory tests showed lower active ingredient than labeled. The State of Punjab filed a complaint alleging offences under sections 3(k)(i), 17, 1…

The State of Bihar prosecuted Surajdeo Mahto (Appellant No.1) and Prakash Mahto (Appellant No.2) for the murder of Arun under sections 302 r/w 34 and 120B IPC, with Appellant No.1 also charged under section 364 IPC. The prosecution relied on circumstantial evidence, chiefly the "last seen" theory, motive stemming from …

The husband and wife lived together in Delhi for a month before the wife returned to her parents in Ambikapur. Two years later her father filed an FIR under Section 498A IPC alleging cruelty. The High Court held that the cruelty continued and that the Ambikapur court had jurisdiction. On appeal, the Supreme Court exami…

The appellant Rafiq Ahmed was charged with dacoity with murder under IPC s.396 (and s.201) but was convicted of murder under s.302. He argued that the lack of a specific charge under s.302 deprived him of a fair defence and caused prejudice. The Supreme Court examined the statutory relationship between s.396 and s.302,…

The appellant, a lawyer, was charged with murdering a married Scheduled Caste mid‑wife by setting her on fire after an alleged attempted rape. Three dying declarations were recorded: two (to a magistrate and to police) stated the burns were accidental, while a third (by the husband) alleged homicide. The High Court rej…

The Supreme Court examined the prosecution of several senior officials, including the former Water Resources Minister of Madhya Pradesh, for alleged criminal conspiracy and misconduct under the Prevention of Corruption Act in connection with the Hasdeo Bango dam project. The respondents were accused of sanctioning extr…

The State of Maharashtra appealed against the Bombay High Court’s order quashing a First Information Report (FIR) lodged by an investor who alleged cheating and misappropriation by City Limouzines Ltd. The High Court had held that the dispute was merely a civil matter concerning the interpretation of an investment agre…

The parents of Bal Reddy were murdered in their Hyderabad home on 3 December 1997. The prosecution charged the daughter‑in‑law (Swarnalatha) and five others under sections 120‑B, 302, 392 and 201 IPC, relying mainly on circumstantial evidence, an extra‑judicial confession recorded by the son‑in‑law of the deceased, the…

Shree Baidyanath Ayurved Bhawan Pvt. Ltd. filed a transfer petition under Section 406 of the Code of Criminal Procedure seeking to move a large number of criminal cases pending in Punjab and Haryana courts to the Delhi High Court or any other High Court, alleging that justice might not be done to the company. The petit…

Shree Baidyanath Ayurved Bhawan Pvt. Ltd. filed a FIR and the respondents applied for anticipatory bail. The Punjab & Haryana High Court, by an ex parte order dated 27‑12‑2005, directed the Chief Judicial Magistrate to release the respondents on bail, effectively making the interim order a final one. The Supreme Court …

The husband appealed against a magistrate's order granting maintenance to his wife and three children under Section 125 of the CrPC. The children, who were minors when the order was made, later attained majority or married, and the wife filed execution applications seeking arrears for periods after those events. The lo…

The appellant, a Member of the Legislative Assembly, was accused of obtaining large sums of public money through fabricated medical reimbursement claims. The matter was referred to the Legislature's Ethics Committee, which, after the appellant's apology and partial refund, recommended withdrawal of the criminal case. T…

Dinesh Kumar and four others were charged with murder, attempted murder and related offences under Sections 302, 307, 324, 148, 452, 323 read with 149 of the IPC. The trial court convicted all five, but the Rajasthan High Court acquitted four co‑accused while upholding Dinesh Kumar's conviction. The appellant argued th…

Pastor P. Raju was arrested and remanded to judicial custody after an FIR was lodged under Section 153B IPC for allegedly urging Hindus to convert to Christianity. He filed a petition under Section 482 of the CrPC seeking to quash the criminal proceedings, contending that a prior sanction under Section 196(1A) CrPC was…

Dr. Suresh Gupta, a plastic surgeon, was charged under Section 304A of the IPC for the death of a patient during a minor nasal surgery. He sought quashing of the criminal proceedings under Section 482 of the CrPC, which the High Court refused. The Supreme Court examined whether the complaint and accompanying medical re…

On 17 November 1974, Baijnath Singh was killed after the appellant thrust a spear into his abdomen during an altercation. The Sessions Court convicted the appellant and a co‑accused under Sections 302 and 34 of the IPC for murder; the High Court later acquitted the co‑accused and reduced the appellant's conviction to S…

Four persons, not parties to a criminal case, filed a writ petition seeking that their statements be recorded under Sections 161 and 164 of the Criminal Procedure Code. The Orissa High Court initially directed a magistrate to record their statements under Section 164, later reversed the order and dismissed the petition…

The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) registered a case under the Prevention of Corruption Act against Raj Kumar Jain, a junior engineer, but after investigation found no prima facie case and submitted a report under Section 173(2) of the CrPC seeking closure. The Special Judge refused to accept the report, directi…

Kalicharan Mahapatra, a retired IPS officer, was charged under Sections 13(2) and 13(1)(e) of the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988 for possession of cash and jewellery discovered during a raid. He argued that, having retired before the charge‑sheet was filed, he could not be prosecuted because the Act required a prio…

The case arose from a bomb attack on a police lock‑up in Mumbai where a detainee was killed. Police constable PW‑2 identified two accused, Vijay and Keshya, as miscreants, but his statement did not contain their surnames. The FIR later listed full names, and the accused were arrested, photographed while in lock‑up, and…

The appellant, a property owner, was accused in a cheating case for allegedly receiving Rs.17 lakh from complainants who had paid for a floor that was never delivered. Fearing arrest, he applied for anticipatory bail under Section 438 of the CrPC; the trial court dismissed the application, but the Delhi High Court gran…

Ramachandraiah was charged under IPC sections 409, 468 and 471 for misappropriating Rs. 6,57,355.90. He died in 1991 while the trial was pending; the trial court nevertheless recorded a finding that he alone had committed the offence, though he could not be convicted. The State then invoked Clause 3 of the Criminal Law…

The State (through CBI) appealed against a High Court order that released three accused—Sanjiv Bhalla, Major Purshotam Singh and R.P. Chopra—on probation of good conduct under the Probation of Offenders Act, 1958, after they were convicted of conspiracy to cheat under IPC sections 120‑B and 420. Only the fourth accused…

The case arose from the alleged torture and rape of a woman (PW‑3) by police officials after she was taken for interrogation on 9 February 1989. PW‑3 filed a petition to the Governor, a criminal complaint before a magistrate, and later testified in trial, alleging that she was detained overnight and raped, with her hus…

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

The appellant Rajaram Prasad Yadav was convicted for offences under Sections 324, 307 and 34 IPC. After the trial, the second respondent (the informant PW‑9) sought re‑examination under Section 311 of the Code of Criminal Procedure, alleging coercion. The trial court dismissed the application, but the High Court allowe…

The appellant Ganga Singh was charged with rape under Section 376 IPC for allegedly assaulting PW‑5, the prosecutrix, in a field. The trial court acquitted him, holding that the sexual intercourse was consensual, but the High Court convicted him based on the prosecutrix's testimony, corroborated by her mother‑in‑law’s …

Six accused, armed with deadly weapons, entered the complainant's house and killed two of his sons while seriously injuring his grandson. The trial court convicted three of them under Sections 302/34 and 307/34 IPC and acquitted the other three, but the High Court convicted all six under Sections 302/149 and 307/149 IP…

The three appellants, Sunil Rai (alias Paua), Sher Bahadur (alias Sheru) and Ram Lal, were convicted for the murder of Dile Ram under IPC s.302 read with s.34 based on four alleged circumstances: the deceased being chased, an extra‑judicial confession by Sunil Rai, a blood‑stained jacket recovered from a rickshaw, and …

During the 1993 Mumbai communal riots, miscreants fired from the rooftop of Suleman Bakery at a police picket. The Joint Commissioner of Police, R.D. Tyagi, led a Special Operations Squad (SOS) that broke open the bakery’s door after the occupants refused to open it, resulting in 12 injuries and eight deaths. An FIR wa…

The appellant, a Deputy Secretary in the Orissa Administrative Service, was found to possess assets disproportionate to his known income. The State Vigilance Department sought sanction for his prosecution under the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1947, but the State Government refused sanction while he was in service. Af…

The appellant Krishan Kumar Malik was convicted along with seven others for abduction (s.366 IPC) and gang rape (s.376(2)(g) IPC) based solely on the testimony of the prosecutrix PW‑9. The Supreme Court examined the credibility of her evidence, noting that she failed to name the appellant in the FIR, gave inconsistent …

The appellant, Joseph Salvaraj A., was charged under IPC sections 406, 420 and 506(1) for allegedly failing to pay Rs 10 lacs to a cable operator after promising to broadcast his channel "God TV" in Ahmedabad. The complainant, a mediator, lodged an FIR claiming the appellant had breached a contract, but no written agre…

The case arose from a long-running family dispute over a residential property where the appellants repeatedly filed suits and applications for over four decades, causing extensive delay and waste of judicial resources. The Supreme Court examined whether the trial courts should impose actual, realistic costs on parties …

The case arose from a 1992 murder where the charge sheet omitted two alleged participants, Popular Muthiah and Murugan, although eye‑witnesses identified them. Only Nallakannu (Muthu) was tried, convicted and sentenced to life imprisonment. On appeal, the Madras High Court, exercising its appellate jurisdiction, direct…

The State of Maharashtra issued a 1999 notification conferring on the Commissioner of Police, Brihan Bombay, the powers of a District Magistrate for purposes of sections 18 and 20 of the Immoral Traffic (Prevention) Act, 1956, to enable raids and evictions of brothels. The High Court struck down the notification as ult…

The father of the appellants filed a criminal complaint in 2007 alleging that while on Haj pilgrimage the accused forged his signature and created bogus partition and sale deeds to insert their names into revenue records. Despite multiple orders, the investigation stalled, case papers were lost, and a re‑investigation …

The appellant, Ghanshyam Soni, was accused under sections 498A, 34 and 406 IPC for alleged cruelty and dowry demands by his wife, a police officer, with incidents said to have occurred in 1999. The complainant filed a complaint on 3 July 2002, leading to an FIR on 19 December 2002 and a charge‑sheet in 2004, after whic…

The appellant, Bapu/Gajraj Singh, was convicted of murder under s.302 IPC for beheading his wife with a blood‑stained sickle. He claimed exemption under s.84 IPC, asserting that he was of unsound mind at the time of the offence. The trial court and the Rajasthan High Court rejected the plea, and the appellant appealed …

The complainant company alleged that the appellants forged documents to obtain a property measurement and sought registration of a FIR. After filing complaints with the Deputy Superintendent of Land Records, the authority declined coercive action and referred the matter to the police, which returned the case to the lan…

The victim‑complainant alleged that she was raped by three accused on 29 November 2018 and filed an application under Section 156(3) of the CrPC seeking a direction to the police to register an FIR. The Chief Judicial Magistrate dismissed the application, citing a two‑year delay and inconsistencies in the complainant's…

The appellant, Asset Reconstruction Company (India) Ltd., challenged the registration of a sale deed executed by S.P. Velayutham in favour of his son, arguing that the Sub‑Registrar had failed to verify that the power of attorney (PoA) presented did not authorize a sale. The High Court’s Division Bench set aside the Si…

The deceased, Tamkinat Ara, was allegedly burned to death by her husband and several in‑laws. The trial court convicted the husband, father‑in‑law, sister‑in‑law (Bibi Parwana Khatoon) and her husband (Md. Hasan) under IPC s.304B read with s.34, sentencing them to imprisonment. On appeal, the High Court upheld the conv…

The Supreme Court examined a criminal complaint filed by members of the All Kerala Chemists and Druggists Association alleging that the Association's former President, Secretary and Treasurer misappropriated its funds. After investigation, a charge‑sheet was filed under Sections 406, 408, 409, 477A and 120B IPC. The ac…

The Supreme Court examined whether the Copyright Board, under Section 31(1)(b) of the Copyright Act, 1957, could grant an interim compulsory licence while a complaint was pending. The Board had earlier held it lacked such power, but the Delhi High Court reversed that view and directed the Board to grant an interim lice…

The Supreme Court examined whether a High Court could, while refusing anticipatory bail under Section 438 of the Code of Criminal Procedure, direct that the accused would be released on bail by a magistrate upon surrender. The Court held that such a blanket direction is beyond the statutory mandate of Section 438, viol…

The State of Andhra Pradesh prosecuted V.V. Panduranga Rao for the murder of his wife under IPC s.302, alleging he also attempted suicide. The trial court convicted him, but the High Court acquitted, finding the mother’s testimony unreliable, the telephonic report to police not recorded in writing, no forensic blood‑gr…

Shaikh Maqsood was convicted under Section 302 IPC for allegedly pouring kerosene on his wife and setting her on fire, with the trial and High Courts relying on circumstantial evidence. The appellant appealed, contending that during his examination under Section 313 of the CrPC no question was put to him to explain the…

Vasanthi was arrested under the Andhra Pradesh Control of Organized Crime Act, 2001 and several IPC provisions for allegedly lending her car for a kidnapping. The High Court denied her bail, applying Section 21(4) of the Act and holding that there were reasonable grounds to believe she was guilty and might commit furth…

Arvind Mohan Johar and Anand Krishna Johari were granted bail by the Supreme Court on the basis that Rs. 17 crore and Rs. 13 crore respectively were lying in the credit of the Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE) and National Stock Exchange (NSE) and would be used to satisfy the claimants. The BSE and NSE later filed applicatio…

The appellant, Rajeev Chaudhary, was arrested for offences under IPC sections 386, 506 and 120B and was released on bail by a Metropolitan Magistrate under Section 167(2) of the Criminal Procedure Code because the charge‑sheet was not filed within 60 days. The Additional Sessions Judge set aside the bail, holding that …

The State of Karnataka prosecuted Manjan for raping a girl who was 15 years old at the time of the offence. The trial court convicted him based on the victim’s testimony, corroborative eyewitness accounts, medical findings of injuries and seminal stains on the victim’s clothing, and the victim’s stated date of birth. T…

The State of Rajasthan appealed against a decree granting title to a plot of land to the deceased Harphool Singh on the basis of adverse possession. The plaintiff claimed continuous, open and hostile possession since 1955, supported only by oral statements and electricity/water bills, and later introduced a claim of hi…

Surindra Nath Mohanty and another were convicted under Sections 307, 326, 325, 324 and 323 read with Section 34 of the IPC. The Orissa High Court set aside the conviction under Section 307 but upheld the others, rejecting the appellants' request to compound the offences on the ground that the dispute had been settled. …

In a Sessions trial, the accused sought to summon the police case diary of a different investigation (Cr. No.81/91) to confront a witness (PW‑5) with his earlier statement recorded under Section 161, and also prayed to recall the witness. The Sessions Judge allowed the application, but the State of Kerala and the victi…

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

The State initiated criminal proceedings under the Kerala Forest Act, 1961 against P. Mohammed Ali and others for manufacturing and possessing sandalwood oil. The accused contended that sandalwood oil is not "wood oil" as defined in Section 2(f)(i) of the Act and therefore the trial court lacked jurisdiction. The Supre…

The appellants were charged with various offences under the Indian Penal Code and the State of Maharashtra appointed Special Public Prosecutors and Assistant Public Prosecutors for their cases under CrPC sections 24(8) and 25(1) respectively, with the remuneration to be borne by the private complainants as per Rule 22 …

The appellants, who are relatives of the complainant, filed a petition under Section 482 of the CrPC seeking to quash FIR No. 21 of 2019 alleging offences under IPC sections 420, 342, 294(b) and 506(1). The complainant claimed he had invested Rs. 1.5 crore in a Nissan car dealership run by the appellants, was denied pa…

The appellants, Som Dutt and others, were convicted by three successive courts for theft under Section 379 read with Section 34 of the IPC and sentenced to three months' simple imprisonment and a fine. They challenged the High Court's dismissal of their revision petition, seeking release on probation under Section 361 …

The appellants were summoned by a Metropolitan Magistrate under Section 204 of the CrPC after a FIR under Section 420 IPC was lodged by Respondent No.2 in a property dispute concerning the assets of the late Gulshan Kumar. The appellants challenged the summoning order, arguing that the magistrate had not provided reaso…

The case involved a massive spurious liquor tragedy in Kerala where 31 people died and many were injured after consuming liquor adulterated with methyl alcohol. The accused, a group of brothers and their associates, were charged under the Abkari Act, particularly Section 57A, for mixing or permitting the mixing of a no…

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

The appellants, a gang led by A‑1 (Shankar @ Gauri Shankar) and his associates A‑2 to A‑6, were convicted of six murders committed in a brutal, organised manner involving a brothel and illicit arrack business. The prosecution's case rested on the testimony of an approver (P.W.1) and the retracted judicial confessions o…

The appellant was convicted of kidnapping, rape, and murder of a minor based entirely on circumstantial evidence, a confession narrated by a police officer, and DNA/FSL reports. The Supreme Court examined the reliability of the 'last seen' testimony, the admissibility of the confession under Sections 24, 25 and 26 of t…

The appellants were convicted under Sections 306 and 114 of the IPC for allegedly abetting the suicide of Dashrathbhai Karsanbhai Parmar by blackmailing him with compromising photographs. The prosecution's case hinged on a suicide note, alleged blackmail, and the recovery of money and ornaments, none of which were subs…

The appellant’s truck carrying 17 cow progeny was seized and the driver and others were arrested under the Madhya Pradesh Prohibition of Cow Slaughter Act, 2004 and the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act, 1960. The trial court acquitted all accused, finding no evidence of intent to slaughter, but the District Magistr…

The wife (informant) filed an FIR under Sections 498A, 323 and 34 IPC against her husband and mother‑in‑law. The charge‑sheet, however, named only the husband for offences under 498A and 323. While the trial was pending, she filed an application under Section 216 of the Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPC) seeking to add …

The Superintendent of a district jail was prosecuted under Section 16(1)(a) of the Prevention of Food Adulteration Act, 1954 after a food inspector found rice and turmeric stored for prisoners to be adulterated. The prosecution alleged that the jail official had "stored" adulterated food, which under the Act is punisha…

The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) sought to add charges of murder and other offences against Karimullah Osan Khan, an accused in the 1993 Bombay bomb blasts, under Section 216 of the Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPC). The Designated Court under the Terrorist and Disruptive Activities (Prevention) Act (TADA) rej…

In 1997 a group of 30‑35 extremists set fire to houses in Jarulbachai village, Tripura, killing 15 people and injuring several others. Ashok (Achak) Debbarma was charged under IPC sections 326, 436 and 302 read with section 34 and under section 27(3) of the Arms Act; the latter charge was later set aside as unconstitut…

The appellant Chetram was convicted along with Ganga Ram for the murder of Udairaj under IPC sections 302 and 34. The sole eye‑witness, the victim's brother (PW‑1), initially reported in the FIR and to the investigating officer that only Ganga Ram stabbed the victim, attributing no role to Chetram. At trial, PW‑1 alter…

The Supreme Court examined two procedural questions under the Andhra Pradesh Land Grabbing (Prohibition) Act, 1982: whether a Special Tribunal or Special Court must obtain a report from the Mandal Revenue Officer before taking cognizance of a land‑grabbing case, and whether they must publish a notice of cognizance in t…

On 22 September 1992, during an altercation, Pandit (A.4) stabbed the deceased while three co‑accused (A.1 Sripathi, A.2 Mallikarjun, A.3 Sanjaya) allegedly held the victim as instructed. The trial court acquitted all, but the Karnataka High Court convicted them under Section 304 Part II read with Section 34 of the IPC…

The appellant was convicted of murder under Section 302 IPC and assault under Section 324 IPC for striking the deceased with an axe during a verbal altercation, which also injured the deceased's wife. The appellant argued that the killing occurred in a sudden fight without pre‑meditation, undue advantage, or cruelty, i…

The appellant Jyoti Prakash Rai was convicted of murder under Section 302 IPC for killing a schoolmate on 12 May 2000. At the time of the offence the trial magistrate estimated his age to be about 17 years, but the Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Act, 2000 came into force on 1 April 2001, raising the…

The appellant, owner of a cinema theatre, entered into a sale agreement with the respondent for Rs. 94 lakh, of which Rs. 32.97 lakh was paid. The respondent filed a suit for specific performance, relying on a receipt (Ex A.15) for a further Rs. 4.03 lakh and claiming possession of the property. The trial court dismiss…

Ravi Kumar was accused of killing Hans Raj with a dhangu during a quarrel that escalated into a physical fight. The trial court convicted him under Section 302 IPC for murder and the High Court affirmed the conviction. On appeal, the appellant contended that there was unreasonable delay in lodging the FIR and sending t…

The plaintiffs claimed ownership of land by adverse possession, relying on an unstamped, unregistered sale deed dated 9 May 1931. The defendants denied the deed, asserted they had regained possession in 1957‑58, and pleaded that the plaintiffs were merely sub‑tenants (shikmi). The High Court, on appeal under Section 10…

The appellants, Shiv Prakash Pandey (A‑1) and Shobhit Chamar (A‑2), were convicted under IPC Sections 302, 149, 380 and 460 and under Section 27 of the Arms Act for the murder of six male members of a family, including two children, during a dacoity in Rohtas district, Bihar. They challenged the convictions on the grou…

The appellants were charged under sections 376D, 352, 504 and 506 IPC based on an FIR filed in 2013. After investigation, the police submitted a closure report in 2014 which was accepted by the Judicial Magistrate in 2015. Several years later, the NHRC prompted a fresh inquiry, and the State government directed the CBC…

The petition arose from a criminal trial under which the petitioner sought, under Section 311 of the CrPC, the summons of two individuals, Vinay Kumar Pathak and Kanak Lata Singh, as independent witnesses. The trial court partially granted the application, summoning only Pathak and later closed the opportunity to exami…

Shahjahan, married under Islamic customs in a second marriage, filed a maintenance petition under Section 125 of the Code of Criminal Procedure after her husband obtained a divorce through informal religious courts. The Family Court awarded maintenance only to the two children, rejecting the wife's claim on the basis t…

Sovaran Singh Prajapati was convicted of murdering his wife and daughter under Sections 302 and 201 IPC and sentenced to death by the Trial Court, a judgment affirmed by the Allahabad High Court. The appellant challenged the conviction on the ground that the trial was not a fair trial, citing numerous procedural irregu…

The deceased and the accused had an initial altercation at a mehendi ceremony which was broken up by villagers. Later, around midnight, the accused pursued the deceased to his house and repeatedly struck him on the head and other parts with a wooden stick (phakadiyat), causing severe skull fractures and brain injuries …

The appellants Rajesh Yadav and others were convicted for murder and for violating the Arms Act, with the High Court acquitting them of the attempt to murder charge under Section 307 IPC but confirming life imprisonment under Section 25 of the Arms Act. The Supreme Court examined whether the testimonies of related eye‑…

Sh. Narendra Kumar Srivastava, an engineering assistant at Doordarshan, sought relief regarding his pay scale and obtained a High Court order directing the Doordarshan officials to pass an appropriate order. After the officials filed a show‑cause affidavit indicating compliance, the contempt petition against them was d…

The petitioners, convicted under IPC 498‑A and the Dowry Prohibition Act, had their appeal dismissed and filed a revision petition under CrPC ss. 397 and 401 before the Jharkhand High Court. The High Court refused to register the revision because the petitioners had not surrendered to custody as mandated by Rule 159 of…

Dr. Vinod Bhandari, Managing Director of a medical institute, was alleged to have conspired with Vyapam officials and middlemen to secure illegal admissions for undeserving candidates into MBBS courses, involving large sums of money and fraud. He was arrested in January 2014 and his bail applications were rejected by t…

The appellant, Kanaklata, challenged a discharge order of the Additional Sessions Judge, Rohini, which dismissed the accused under the SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, 1989. The High Court set aside that order and directed a fresh consideration, expressly stating that the trial court should not be influenced by it…

The petitioners, two advocates, sought a writ of quo warranto to quash the appointment of a judge of the Andhra Pradesh High Court on the ground that a criminal case was pending against him and that the consultative process had failed to consider this. The Court examined the distinction between eligibility (objective) …

The appellant, a Deputy Superintendent of Police, was convicted for the murder of Praveen (the deceased) and for criminal conspiracy under IPC s.302 r.w. s.1208. The prosecution relied on circumstantial evidence, including DNA identification of the dismembered body parts, recovery of the weapon (a chopper) and a van at…

Jagatamba Devi, a Gram Panchayat Pradhan, filed a private complaint under IPC sections 332, 353 and 504/506 against Hem Ram and others for assaulting her while she was performing official duties. After the magistrate issued summons, an Executive Magistrate consigned the case file, deeming it time‑barred, and the accuse…

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

Mohannan filed a criminal complaint before a Judicial Magistrate alleging that Dr. Prabha G. Nair, a gynaecologist, was medically negligent, leading to the death of Mohannan's pregnant wife after delivery of a dead child. The magistrate took cognizance of an offence under Section 304-A of the Indian Penal Code. The doc…

The State of Orissa prosecuted Dhaniram Luhar for encroaching about five acres of reserved forest land under Section 27(1)(a) of the Orissa Forest Act, 1972. Although the accused admitted the encroachment in his statement under Section 313 of the Code of Criminal Procedure, the trial court acquitted him on the ground t…

The appellants, Sheikh Abdul Hamid and Ashiq Ali, were convicted under Sections 302 and 34 of the IPC for the murder of a woman, her daughter and infant son whose bodies were exhumed from a locked inner room of a dhaba where the accused lived. The prosecution relied solely on circumstantial evidence, including the lock…

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

The appellant, Darshan Singh, was convicted of murdering his wife, Amrik Kaur, under Sections 302 and 34 of the IPC, based on the prosecution's claim that he and his paramour Rani Kaur administered aluminium phosphide poison. The trial and High Courts relied primarily on circumstantial evidence, especially the testimon…

The case arose from a CBI investigation initiated in 1983 where the prosecution sought to examine a handwriting expert, H.S. Tuteja, as a material witness. Despite numerous summons and orders from the trial court and the Calcutta High Court over more than a decade, the expert never appeared, and the prosecution repeate…

The case concerned the murder of Badan Pal, a student, at a tube‑well shed where the deceased was shot. The prosecution proved that four accused, including Mahendra Singh and Vijendra Singh, were present in the shed; two were armed with pistols while Mahendra carried a lathi and Vijendra a ballam. The trial court convi…

The petitioners, representing families of alleged victims of extra‑judicial killings in Manipur, claimed that between 1979 and 2012 over 1,500 people were unlawfully killed by police or security forces, violating the right to life under Article 21. The State of Manipur and the Union of India contended that the killings…

The appellants, A-1 and A-2, were charged with murder of Ramaiah under Sections 302 and 34 of the IPC, alleged to have acted with a common intention motivated by personal enmity. The trial court acquitted them, but the Madurai Bench of the Madras High Court reversed the acquittal, relying on eye‑witness testimony, medi…