Code of Criminal Procedure, 1973

The case involves the murder of a BJP leader in Kerala, allegedly carried out by workers of the Communist Party of India (Marxist) as part of a political rivalry. The victim's wife, along with two other eyewitnesses, identified the assailants, and a dying declaration of the victim corroborated their testimony. The tria…

Ranvir Singh challenged two criminal complaints filed by Smt. Ved Wati under the Prevention of Corruption Act, alleging that the first complaint (1999) and a later complaint (2002) were dismissed because the complainant failed to pay the process fee. He argued that a second complaint on the same facts could not be ente…

The appellant Sushil Kumar was convicted of murdering his wife and two young children and was sentenced to death. The prosecution proved the murders through eyewitness testimony, forensic evidence, and the appellant's own disclosure memo, while the alibi he claimed was rejected as contradictory. The Supreme Court exami…

The appellant Dhanapal and co‑accused were acquitted by the Sessions Judge of offences under IPC ss.307, 302 read with s.34. The Madras High Court set aside the acquittal, convicted them and imposed life imprisonment and five years. On appeal, the Supreme Court examined whether the High Court was justified in overturni…

The appellant V.D. Chaudhary challenged a bail order granted by the Allahabad High Court to the accused (respondent No.2) for offences under Sections 304 and 338 IPC, alleging that the High Court had not given reasons and that the bail was being used to delay the trial. The case originated from a FIR alleging shooting …

The appellant, Nirmal Jeet Kaur, alleged dowry harassment and filed a criminal complaint against her husband (Respondent No.2) under Sections 498A, 506 IPC and the Dowry Prohibition Act. Respondent No.2 sought anticipatory bail under Section 438 CrPC, which the High Court disposed of, directing him to apply for regular…

Amrutlal Someshwar Joshi was convicted of murdering three persons, including a three‑year‑old child, during a robbery and was sentenced to death under IPC 302. He appealed, arguing that he was only 17 years old at the time of the offence and that age should be a mitigating factor, citing Hamam and Raisul as precedents.…

The National Housing Bank filed a criminal complaint under Section 200 CrPC alleging that Bherudan Dugar Housing Finance Ltd., its Managing Director, and five directors violated Section 29A(i) read with Section 50 of the National Housing Bank Act, 1987, an offence punishable under Section 49(2A). The High Court quashed…

The petitioners, who were independent, non‑executive directors of MBL Infrastructure Ltd., were impleaded as accused in a complaint under Sections 138 and 141 of the Negotiable Instruments Act for the dishonour of an account‑payee cheque signed by the company’s managing director. They filed a criminal revision under Se…

Manoharan was convicted for kidnapping, gang‑rape of a 10‑year‑old girl and the murder of the girl and her 7‑year‑old brother, who were thrown into a canal after a failed poisoning attempt. The prosecution proved the offences beyond reasonable doubt through extensive witness testimony, forensic DNA evidence linking Man…

The CBI filed a charge sheet alleging a false insurance claim and charged several persons, including advocate M. Sivamani, under IPC sections 182, 120‑B, 420, 468, 471 and the Prevention of Corruption Act. Sivamani moved a petition invoking CrPC s.195(1)(a)(i), contending that the court could not take cognizance of the…

The Supreme Court examined the proper territorial jurisdiction for criminal complaints filed under Section 138 of the Negotiable Instruments Act. It held that the offence is completed when a cheque is dishonoured by the drawee bank, and therefore the court having jurisdiction over the place where the cheque is dishonou…

The appellant was accused of raping an eight‑year‑old girl who later died of neurogenic shock. Although the initial FIR did not name him, the investigation recovered the child's shawl and recorded a voluntary confessional statement. The trial court convicted him under IPC sections 376, 302 and 201 and sentenced him to …

The case arose from the murder of Devi Lal, who was killed by Gajanand with an axe while a dispute over grazing goats escalated. The trial court convicted Gajanand under s.302 IPC and sentenced him to life imprisonment, but the Rajasthan High Court acquitted him, accepting his claim of exercising the right of private d…

The State of Kerala appealed a trial court acquittal of Valson and others for offences including murder (IPC s.302) and assault (s.324) read with s.34. The High Court reversed the acquittal, convicting two accused and sentencing them to life imprisonment. The Supreme Court examined the scope of appellate power under Cr…

The appellant had taken a loan and issued post‑dated cheques which were later dishonoured; a legal notice was sent on 17‑01‑2001 and a complaint under Section 138 of the Negotiable Instruments Act was filed on 20‑04‑2001, later amended to include Section 420 IPC. The High Court held that the amendment to Section 142(b)…

The appellants issued cheques for a Rs 2,00,000 loan which were dishonoured, leading to criminal proceedings under Sections 138 and 142 of the Negotiable Instruments Act. They were convicted, fined Rs 2,10,000 and the criminal court, invoking Section 357 of the CrPC, directed that Rs 2,00,000 be paid as compensation to…

The appellant, Veer Prakash Sharma, entered into a contract to purchase welding rods from the respondents but failed to pay the full price and issued two cheques that were later dishonoured. The respondents filed a criminal complaint alleging offences under Sections 402, 406, 409 and 417 of the IPC, and a Special Judic…

Gurdev Singh and Satnam Singh were part of a five‑person gang that opened fire on a wedding feast and later on another house, killing 15 people and injuring eight. They were tried separately after absconding, convicted under IPC s.302 r/w s.149 and sentenced to death, a judgment affirmed by the High Court. The Supreme …

The appellant, G. V. Rao, was convicted of murder under Section 302 IPC based solely on circumstantial evidence, including the identification of the deceased’s skeletal remains, a witness who last saw the victim with the accused, the accused’s extra‑judicial confession, and the recovery of clothing and other items purs…

The Supreme Court examined two criminal appeals arising from a 1980 incident in which a dispute over tubewell irrigation led to a lathi assault followed by simultaneous gunshots that killed the victim, Mangali. The Court held that the two accused who fired the guns (Ram Swarup and Raja Ram) shared a common intention to…

The appellants were charged with murder under Sections 302 and 34 of the IPC for allegedly tying a woman to a tree and beating her with heated weapons. The Sessions Court acquitted them, finding the sole eye‑witness, the husband of the deceased, unreliable due to contradictions, omissions and lack of corroboration. The…

Dharmesh @ Nanu Nitinbhai Shah was charged under several IPC and Arms Act offences and a charge‑sheet was filed before a Metropolitan Magistrate who committed the case to the Sessions Court without producing the sanction order required under Section 196 of the CrPC. The petitioner sought discharge on the ground of lack…

The appellant Neeraj Gupta filed a private complaint alleging that his father died after an altercation with the respondents, leading to a criminal proceeding under sections 302 IPC. The complaint was taken up by a Judicial Magistrate First Class under Section 156(3) CrPC, and the magistrate recorded some pre‑charge ev…

Chandrikaben Kishor Dafda appealed against the High Court's refusal to quash a criminal case initiated for allegedly suppressing her spouse's property in an election affidavit filed for the 2015 municipal councillor election. The trial magistrate had taken cognizance under Section 125A of the Representation of Peoples …

The appellant, Shaurya Sunil Kumar Singh, was arrested in connection with a cyber‑fraud case involving a mule company and was charged under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, the Prevention of Corruption Act and the IT Act. After being remanded, the investigating agency filed a charge‑sheet on 2 September 2025, but failed to…

Parveen Kumar was convicted of murder and sentenced to life imprisonment in 2009. In 2022 he applied for remission under the 2002 Haryana remission policy, which required the Governor’s approval under Article 161 of the Constitution, but his application was rejected on the ground that the later 2008 policy, issued unde…

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

The appellants, a group of Rotarians, were traveling from Jharkhand to Bihar in a private vehicle when they were stopped at a check post in Nawada. Although no liquor was found in the vehicle, a breath analyser indicated the presence of alcohol in some of the appellants, leading to charges under Section 53(a) of the Bi…

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

The Supreme Court examined whether the Petroleum and Natural Gas Regulatory Board (PNGRB) could, under the PNGRB Act, 2008, fix the maximum retail price of gas and determine network tariff and compression charges for a city or local natural gas distribution network owned by Indraprastha Gas Ltd. The Court held that Sec…

The police intercepted the vessel M.V. Seaman Guard Ohio within Indian territorial waters and seized a large quantity of unlicensed firearms and ammunition, leading to a charge sheet under the Arms Act, 1959 and other statutes. The accused challenged the charge sheet through revision (s.397) and a petition under the in…

Madan Lal was convicted by a Sessions Court for raping a seven‑year‑old girl under IPC Section 376(2)(f) read with Section 511 and sentenced to five years’ rigorous imprisonment. The High Court, relying on a compromise between the accused and the victim’s parents, set aside the rape conviction, reduced the charge to Se…

The appellant, Manohar Lal, was convicted under Section 3048 of the IPC for the alleged dowry death of his wife, who died from burn injuries within seven years of marriage. The prosecution alleged that the deceased was subjected to cruelty and harassment for dowry, culminating in her death, and charged the appellant un…

The Supreme Court examined the conviction of Umakant and his in‑laws for murder under Section 302 read with Section 34 IPC, which was based solely on the victim's dying declaration. The Court held that the dying declaration was unreliable, showing signs of tutoring and contradictions with other evidence, and therefore …

The case involved the abduction and murder of Mani alias Parai Mani, a quarry leaseholder, by accused Paramasivam and two others. The prosecution proved motive, the victim's last sighting with the accused, DNA identification of the exhumed body, and recovered incriminating items obtained through confessional statements…

The appellant Duryodhan Rout was convicted of rape, murder and concealment of evidence of a ten‑year‑old girl based solely on circumstantial evidence and his own confession recorded under Section 27 of the Evidence Act. The trial court sentenced him to death for murder, rigorous imprisonment for the rape and concealmen…

Harivadan Babubhai Patel (A‑1) and three others were tried for kidnapping, murder and conspiracy under Sections 342, 346, 302, 1208 and 201 IPC read with Section 34. The trial court convicted A‑1 and A‑2, acquitting A‑3 and A‑4; the High Court later acquitted A‑2 but upheld A‑1's conviction. On appeal, the Supreme Cour…

The appellant, a helmsman on the cargo ship "Lok Prem", was convicted under Section 302 IPC for allegedly murdering a fellow helmsman, L. Shivaraman, based primarily on circumstantial evidence and an alleged extra‑judicial confession to an engine officer. The prosecution relied on the appellant's fingerprints on a bloo…

The petitioners, including Essar Teleholdings Ltd., challenged the Delhi High Court's administrative order and the NCT of Delhi's notification appointing a Special Judge to try the 2G spectrum case, arguing that the Special Judge lacked jurisdiction to try IPC offences (420/120‑B) arising from the same transaction. The…

The case involved a Rs 65 crore investment in CANCIGO units of Canbank Mutual Fund (CMF) by four subscribers, where B. Raghuvir Acharya (Trustee/General Manager) and Hiten P. Dalal (approved broker) were alleged to have obtained a false brokerage of Rs 32.5 lakhs. The Special Court convicted Acharya and Dalal, but acqu…

The complainant, a resident of Bhiwani, presented a cheque drawn by the appellant on a Guwahati bank, which was stopped and returned unpaid. After sending a legal notice under Section 138 of the Negotiable Instruments Act, the complainant filed a complaint in the Judicial Magistrate Court at Bhiwani, which initially he…

The appellant, Mrs. Aparna A. Shah, challenged criminal proceedings initiated under Section 138 of the Negotiable Instruments Act for a cheque dishonoured due to insufficient funds. The cheque was issued by her husband from a joint account and was signed only by him. The Supreme Court examined whether a joint account h…

The appellant, Mohit alias Sonu, and another were not summoned under an application filed by the complainant under Section 319 CrPC, and the Sessions Court rejected the application twice. The complainant challenged the rejection in the High Court by invoking the inherent power under Section 482 CrPC, which led the High…

The appellant Karthick was convicted for rape and cheating after he forced sexual intercourse on the prosecutrix Poomari by gagging her and promising to marry her, thereby obtaining her consent through deceit. The first assault occurred when she was alone at home; subsequent intercourse continued for six months under t…

The appellant Jarnail Singh was convicted under IPC sections 366, 376(g) and 120‑B for kidnapping and raping a girl who was later found to be a minor. The Supreme Court examined the prosecution's evidence, including the victim's statements under Section 164 CrPC, forensic reports, and corroboration by her father, and r…

The appellants were charged under Section 420 IPC for allegedly cheating a complainant of Rs 30 lakhs and sought anticipatory bail, arguing that the offence fell within the jurisdiction of a Gram Panchayat under the Punjab Panchayati Raj Act, 1994. The High Court dismissed their bail applications and a subsequent writ …

Sarabjit Singh purchased land from Salamat Masih and later claimed that an agreement to sell additional land existed, for which he alleged he paid Rs.3,00,000. He filed an FIR under Sections 420, 379, 427, 506, 148 and 149 IPC alleging fraud by the vendor Ittefaq Singh and his brother, but the FIR contained no details …

Doliben Kantilal Patel, an American citizen of Indian origin, was arrested in connection with a land dispute and alleged that she was repeatedly raped during a five‑day police remand. She filed a complaint under Sections 376 and 1208 IPC, but no FIR was registered. She approached the High Court under Article 226 seekin…

The appellant, a proclaimed offender, was apprehended in a house where he allegedly assaulted a police constable, was grappled with, and then fired a country‑made pistol, killing the constable. The trial court convicted him under Sections 302, 332, 186 of the IPC and Sections 25, 27 of the Arms Act. On appeal, the accu…

The State of Rajasthan prosecuted Shiv Charan and others for the murder of Prahlad, alleging that five armed men, including the accused, formed an unlawful assembly and assaulted the victim, leading to his death. The trial court convicted them under Sections 302, 149 and 148 of the IPC and sentenced them to life impris…

The case involved four accused who, during a robbery on a train in 1994, stabbed one passenger to death and shot another. Eye‑witnesses, who were the victim’s siblings, identified the accused in court, leading to conviction by the trial court. The High Court acquitted them on the ground that no test identification para…

The appellant was convicted under Section 18 of the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act, 1985 and sentenced to ten years' imprisonment. He appealed, but the Punjab and Haryana High Court disposed of his appeal ex parte because his counsel was absent, despite uncertainty whether notice of non‑appearance had b…

The Supreme Court examined three criminal appeals arising from chargesheets filed in Uttar Pradesh that were alleged to lack sufficient factual detail and evidence under Section 173(2) of the CrPC. It considered whether a chargesheet must contain detailed facts and material evidence to enable a magistrate to take cogni…

The Constitution Bench examined the scope of Article 142(1) of the Constitution, holding that the Supreme Court may depart from statutory procedure and even substantive law to achieve "complete justice" provided the exercise is guided by fundamental public policy. It ruled that, in cases of settlement between parties, …

The appellants were arrested in 2019 for offences under the IPC, UAPA and the Explosive Substances Act and a chargesheet was filed within the 180‑day period prescribed under Section 167(2) of the CrPC. They applied for statutory/default bail on the ground that the chargesheet was filed without a sanction order, arguing…

The appellant and respondent were married in 1998 and later lived separately, leading the husband to file a suit for dissolution of marriage which was dismissed by the trial, district and high courts. While the appeal was pending before the Supreme Court, the parties reached an amicable settlement through mediation, ag…

The appellants were among ten persons named in an FIR for a violent incident but were not listed in the charge‑sheet after the investigating officer concluded they were not present at the scene. The investigating officer and the SHO later applied to a magistrate for their release from judicial custody, which the magist…

The State by Karnataka Lokayukta Police Station appealed against a High Court order that quashed criminal proceedings against M.R. Hiremath on the ground that a certificate under Section 65B(4) of the Evidence Act was not produced. The Court examined whether the certificate must be produced at the stage of filing the c…

The case involved the murder of Satyawati, who was allegedly killed by her in‑laws for refusing to pay dowry. Four family members were tried; Jwala Singh was acquitted while Tribhuwan Singh, Makoi Devi and Chandra Bhawan Singh were convicted by the trial court. The High Court upheld the convictions of Tribhuwan Singh a…

The petitioner, Dilawar, was arrested for alleged participation in mob violence, arson and looting of a cabinet minister's house. His bail applications were rejected by the Sessions Court and the High Court, and the Supreme Court directed that the trial be concluded within six months. The Central Bureau of Investigatio…

The appellant, son of the deceased, challenged the acquittal of four accused persons charged with murder, attempt to murder and rioting under Sections 302, 34, 201 and 307 IPC. The trial court had acquitted all accused despite the prosecution's evidence from 13 witnesses. The High Court dismissed the appeal without a d…

The appellant Savitri Pandey and Raju Pandey were named in an FIR filed in 2014 by their sister‑in‑law alleging fraudulent sale deeds executed in 1994 concerning joint family land. The High Court dismissed their writ petition under Article 226 seeking quashing of the FIR. The Supreme Court examined whether such a writ …

Guddi, a 19‑year‑old married woman, died from 99% burn injuries while in the custody of her father‑in‑law and husband. The prosecution relied on three alleged dying declarations: a Parcha Bayan recorded by an ASI, a magistrate‑signed declaration that was never produced, and a statement recorded under Section 161 CrPC b…

The CBI investigated a 2000 fake encounter at Pathribal in Jammu & Kashmir, where five alleged terrorists were killed by members of the 7 Rashtriya Rifles, and filed a charge‑sheet against several army officers. The officers invoked Section 7 of the Armed Forces (Jammu & Kashmir) Special Powers Act, 1990, claiming that…

The Supreme Court entertained petitions filed by the National Human Rights Commission seeking transfer of Gujarat riot trials and further investigation. The Court had earlier ordered the Gujarat Government to constitute a five‑member Special Investigation Team (SIT) to reinvestigate nine cases and submit a report. Afte…

The vehicle of C.A. Jabbar was seized under Section 55(a) of the Kerala Abkari Act and the Assistant Excise Commissioner ordered the respondent to furnish a bank guarantee equal to the vehicle's value for its release. The High Court, ignoring this direction, ordered the vehicle's release upon execution of a personal bo…

The case involved eight accused who were charged with the murder of three members of the Kolhe family in two related incidents. The prosecution relied on the testimony of two child eyewitnesses (aged 11 and 13), a dying declaration, medical reports, and blood‑group matches of recovered weapons. The trial court acquitte…

Sudhir Kumar Bhalla, a partner of a trading firm, issued six cheques to Jagdish Chand and his wife Ramesh Rani for payment of goods. Five of the cheques were dishonoured, leading the respondents to file complaints under Section 138 of the Negotiable Instruments Act and various provisions of the IPC. The trial court acq…

The deceased Sukhdeo Chikane was attacked and fatally injured with a iron instrument called a "sattur" by three accused brothers amid a long‑standing boundary dispute. The FIR named all three assailants and eyewitnesses (Vikram and Avinash Chikane) identified them as the perpetrators. Medical post‑mortem showed multipl…

The appellant, brother of the deceased's wife, was charged under Section 306 IPC for allegedly abetting the suicide of his brother‑in‑law, Chander Bhushan, by allegedly telling him to "go and die" during a quarrel on 25 July 1998. The deceased was found hanged on 27 July 1998 and left a suicide note indicating personal…

The State of Himachal Pradesh prosecuted Gian Chand for raping a 5‑year‑old girl, a distant relative, on 29 October 1991. The trial court convicted him under Section 376 IPC, sentencing him to ten years' imprisonment and a fine. The Himachal Pradesh High Court set aside the conviction, relying on alleged delay in filin…

The U.P. Shia Central Board of Wakf registered a mosque, its sehan and Imam Chowk as Shia Wakf property. The U.P. Sunni Central Board of Wakf challenged this registration and, under Section 8(1) of the Uttar Pradesh Muslim Wakfs Act, 1960, referred the dispute to the Wakf Tribunal seeking a declaration that the propert…

The Supreme Court examined a writ petition filed by the brother and widow of a murder victim challenging the Governor of Haryana’s order granting remission of the life sentence of Siriyans Kumar Jain, a convicted murderer. The High Court and Supreme Court had directed Jain to surrender and serve the remainder of his se…

The State of Maharashtra prosecuted four accused for abducting and murdering infant children as part of a superstitious ritual to uncover hidden treasure. The trial court relied on a voluntary confessional statement, corroborating circumstantial evidence, and the testimony of a child who escaped two abduction attempts,…

The State of Rajasthan filed a complaint under sections 27(d) and 27(b)(i) of the Drugs and Cosmetics Act, 1940 alleging that sub‑standard drugs were being sold. Samples were collected on 29‑Feb‑1988, but the Government Analyst’s report confirming the drugs were not of standard quality was received on 2‑July‑1988. The …

Smt. Swarnalata Sarkar filed a criminal complaint alleging bigamy under S. 494 r/w S. 109 IPC against her husband, who had married another woman with the collusion of several respondents. The trial magistrate issued process based on preliminary evidence under S. 200 CrPC. The accused filed a frivolous application under…

The appellant Raj Kishore Prasad was alleged by two witnesses to have urged his brother, the accused Avadh Kishore, to kill the victim, but the police filed a report only against Avadh Kishore. The Chief Judicial Magistrate (CJM) dismissed the informant's application to summon the appellant, but the Sessions Court, on …

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

The Narcotics Control Bureau seized a consignment of hashish and arrested three persons under the NDPS Act. The complaint was not filed within the 90‑day period prescribed in the proviso to Section 167(2) of the CrPC, and the accused claimed an automatic right to bail. The High Court allowed the bail, holding that the …

Sewakram Sobhani, a former detainee, sued the editor of the Blitz weekly for defamation after the newspaper published a story alleging he impregnated a female detainee, based on a confidential government enquiry report. The magistrate ordered the plea to be recorded under CrPC s.251 without producing the report, which …

The complainant, wife of a deceased, filed a criminal complaint against three police officials—Assistant Commissioner Sankaran Moitra and two subordinate officers, S.M. Kundu and Sudhir Sikdar—alleging that the latter two murdered her husband on the direction of Moitra. The trial court took cognizance and the accused w…

The appellant, Vinay Aggarwal, was charged under several IPC offences for allegedly impersonating an IB officer and extorting money. The complainant filed a petition under Section 482 of the CrPC seeking transfer of the investigation from the Haryana police to the CBI, which the Punjab and Haryana High Court allowed, d…

The State of Uttar Pradesh appealed against the High Court's acquittal of Subhash @ Pappu for offences under Sections 302 and 148 of the IPC. The facts involved six to seven persons attacking a shop servant, Bengali, with a knife and a hockey stick, resulting in a stab wound; the victim died thirty days later of septic…

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

The case arose from a violent incident on 28 September 2005 near Rosy School, Chozhiyamkod, where the appellant Mani stabbed a victim, Soman, who later died, and eight persons were injured. The trial court convicted Mani under Section 302 IPC and the other three accused under Sections 324 and 341 read with Section 34, …

The Supreme Court examined whether the State of Bihar could file an appeal under Section 378(1) of the Code of Criminal Procedure, 1973 against an acquittal rendered by a Special CBI Judge when the offence was investigated by the Delhi Special Police Establishment (CBI). The Court held that the opening words "save as o…

The case involved four accused (A‑1 to A‑4) charged with murder under Section 302 read with Section 34 of the IPC, along with offences under Sections 201/34 and 506 IPC. The prosecution relied on a motive stemming from a land dispute, the testimony of two eye‑witnesses (PW‑1 and PW‑2) who were relatives of the deceased…

The appellant State of Rajasthan prosecuted Champar Lal for murder under Section 302 IPC, relying primarily on the victim's dying declaration recorded by a police officer in the presence of a doctor. The trial court convicted based on that declaration, but the Rajasthan High Court acquitted, holding that the declaratio…

Fourteen persons were alleged to have formed an unlawful assembly and assaulted a victim with deadly weapons, causing grievous injuries that led to his death. The trial court acquitted eleven accused and convicted three under Section 326 of the Indian Penal Code. The High Court upheld the conviction, reasoning that the…

The State of Nagaland filed an application for leave to appeal under Section 378(3) of the CrPC against the acquittal of Lipok AO and others. Because the application was filed 57 days after the limitation period, the State sought condonation of delay under Section 5 of the Limitation Act, 1963. The Gauhati High Court r…

The State of Maharashtra filed a criminal complaint under IPC sections 338, 109 and 114 alleging medical negligence by Dr. Praful B. Desai and Dr. A.K. Mukherjee, leading to the death of the complainant's wife. The trial court permitted the testimony of a US doctor, Dr. Greenberg, via video‑conferencing; the High Court…

Two recognised workers' unions and a third union (respondent No.2) that was not recognised under the Maharashtra Recognition of Trade Unions and Prevention of Unfair Labour Practices Act, 1971, challenged a circular issued by the Maharashtra State Road Transport Corporation regarding payment of interim relief. The unre…

Four men were tried for murder and attempt to cause hurt under Sections 302, 34 and 323, 34 of the IPC. The Sessions Court acquitted them, finding the delay in reporting, lack of motive, and the unreliability of two eyewitnesses (PW2 and PW6) sufficient to raise doubt. The Punjab and Haryana High Court set aside the ac…

The appellants were charged under Section 8(c) read with Section 20(b)(ii)(c) of the NDPS Act for allegedly transporting about 80 kg of ganja seized from a vehicle. The prosecution relied on a seizure panchnama, samples sent to the Forensic Science Laboratory, and confessions recorded by police officers, but failed to …

The appellant lodged an FIR in 1999 alleging assault, abduction and other offences under Sections 147, 148, 149, 323 and 364 IPC against three accused. During trial, the accused entered into a settlement agreement with one victim (Respondent No.5) but the original complainant (the appellant) was neither a party to nor …

The State of Chhattisgarh filed criminal appeals against the Chhattisgarh High Court’s order quashing FIR No. 9/2020, which alleged that Aman Kumar Singh (AS) and his wife Yasmin Singh (YS) had amassed assets disproportionate to their known sources of income under the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988. The High Court …

The appellants kidnapped a 14-year-old boy for ransom. The trial court and High Court convicted them under Section 364A IPC (kidnapping for ransom) with life imprisonment. The Supreme Court examined the ingredients of Section 364A, particularly the requirement of a threat to cause death or hurt. The Court found that th…

The appellant, BLS Infrastructure Ltd., filed eight complaints under Section 138 of the Negotiable Instruments Act against the respondents. The complainant’s statement and cross‑examination were recorded, and the trial court closed the complainant’s evidence, directing the case to proceed to defence evidence and an app…

The appellant, Vikas Rathi, owned a tool manufacturing firm where the deceased, Bachchu Prasad, worked. After Prasad's murder, an FIR was lodged against unknown persons, and later the deceased's wife alleged Rathi's involvement, leading to his being listed as a prosecution witness. The complainant filed an application …

The appellant company failed to honour multiple cheques, leading the respondent to issue statutory notices under Sections 138 and 141 of the Negotiable Instruments Act and file criminal complaints. While the corporate debtor was placed under a moratorium under Section 14 of the Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code (IBC), the…

The appellant, Sonu, was charged under Section 376 IPC after the second respondent lodged an FIR alleging that he had promised to marry her, maintained a consensual sexual relationship for one and a half years, and later refused to marry, leading to the complaint. The appellant sought to quash the charge‑sheet under Se…

The dispute arose from a terminated distributorship agreement between Varun Beverages Ltd. and the complainant, who alleged non‑payment of commissions and issued a cheque that later bounced. The complainant filed a criminal complaint under Section 138 of the Negotiable Instruments Act and later a Section 156(3) Cr.P.C.…

In 2010 an FIR under the Prevention of Corruption Act was lodged against T. N. Seenivasagan, a chief engineer of TANGEDCO, for allegedly demanding a bribe. The sanction to prosecute was issued by the Chairman of TANGEDCO, purportedly on behalf of the Board, and the trial proceeded with witnesses PW‑1 (Chairman) and PW‑…

The deceased Kamatchi committed suicide by hanging herself four days after being denied the use of a family car, an incident for which her husband and sister‑in‑law were initially charged under Sections 304‑B, 498‑A and 306 IPC. The appellants – the husband’s brothers and mother‑in‑law – were also charged under the sam…

Rizwanur Rahman married Priyanka Todi under the Special Marriage Act. After the marriage, police officials repeatedly interfered, threatened the couple and later the deceased was found dead on railway tracks. The mother and brother of the deceased filed a writ petition seeking transfer of the investigation from the Sta…

The case concerned a dacoity‑cummurder on a highway in July 1984 for which eight persons were convicted, largely on the testimony of an approver, Ramcharan, who had been arrested under suspicious circumstances and later granted pardon. The Supreme Court examined the legality of his arrest, the timing of his pardon, and…

The Supreme Court examined a series of cases where the State of Punjab alleged that arrests, searches and seizures under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act, 1985 (NDPS Act) were illegal because police officers failed to comply with certain statutory provisions. The Court held that the NDPS Act is not a …

The appellant was acquitted by the trial court of murder (Sec. 302 IPC) but was convicted on appeal by the Gujarat High Court. The conviction rested on the statement of the deceased's brother (PW6) recorded by the investigating officer after a telephonic message about the incident was received. The appellant challenged…

The State of Andhra Pradesh filed a criminal appeal against the quashing of an FIR registered against IPS officer P.V. Pavithran under the Prevention of Corruption Act. The FIR was lodged on 8 March 1984, but the investigation report was filed only on 17 September 1987, leading the respondent to seek quashing of the FI…

The appellant, Dattatraya, was convicted for the death of his nine‑month‑pregnant wife after he allegedly poured kerosene on her during a drunken quarrel, causing severe burns, a still‑born child and her eventual death. The prosecution relied on the dying declaration of the deceased, testimony of the maternal grandmoth…

The State of Uttar Pradesh appealed the acquittal of Veerpal and another accused who were charged under Section 302 read with Section 34 of the IPC for allegedly burning the deceased after a money dispute. The deceased had given two dying declarations: one to a police officer on 20‑12‑2011 and another to a Sub‑Division…

The case concerned a murder under IPC sections 302, 149 and 148, where six accused were convicted based largely on the testimonies of two eyewitnesses, PW‑1 Vedram and PW‑2 Jagdish. The post‑mortem report showed only one firearm injury and a single neck injury, contradicting the prosecution’s claim that all pistol‑arme…

The State of Sikkim appealed against a High Court order that directed the accused army personnel, Jasbir Singh and another, to be tried by a court‑martial for a murder under IPC sections 302 and 308. The Supreme Court examined whether the offence fell within the exclusive jurisdiction of a court‑martial or within the c…

The incident occurred on 24 March 1998 when fourteen accused, armed with axes, iron pipes and spears, attacked the complainant Najabhai Desurbhai Wagh near his house after he rebuked them for damaging an electric pole. The assault resulted in the death of the complainant's brother, Unadbhai Desurbhai. The trial court c…

The appellants were convicted for publicly exhibiting obscene blue films to a young audience under Section 292 read with Section 34 of the Indian Penal Code and Section 7 of the Cinematograph Act. The trial court sentenced them to six months' simple imprisonment and a fine; the appellate court reduced the imprisonment …

The appellant’s Eicher truck was seized by police for transporting 28 buffalo calves, and the appellant sought its release under Section 451 of the CrPC. The lower courts rejected the application, invoking Section 68(3) of the Gujarat Animal Preservation (Amendment) Act, 2011, which bars release of a seized vehicle for…

The case arose from a dispute over the erection of a fence around a chapel in Goa, during which the appellant Roy Fernandes and four others intervened, assaulting the deceased and his companions. One of the accused stabbed the deceased, causing his death. The trial court convicted all five under Sections 143, 148, 323,…

The appellants sought to have criminal complaints under Section 138 of the Negotiable Instruments Act, read with Section 141, dismissed on the ground that a scheme of compromise approved under Section 391 of the Companies Act had automatically compounded the offences. The Supreme Court examined whether the sanction of …

The appellant companies, foreign nationals who were ultimate beneficiaries of a bill of exchange, were summoned by a Ghaziabad magistrate on a criminal complaint alleging cheating, criminal breach of trust and related offences under the IPC. The complaint arose from a commercial transaction in which goods were supplied…

The appellant, a retired Additional Sessions Judge, was criticised by a High Court Single Judge for not framing a charge under Section 302 IPC in a murder trial, instead framing only Section 304 and 323 IPC without recording any reasons. The Supreme Court examined the interplay between Sections 227 and 228 of the CrPC,…

The appellant, Kolla Veera Raghav Rao, had been convicted under Section 138 of the Negotiable Instruments Act, 1881. He was later prosecuted under Section 420 of the Indian Penal Code for the same set of facts. The central issue was whether Section 300(1) of the Criminal Procedure Code, 1973, which bars a person from b…

The appellant B.A. Umesh was convicted of rape, murder and robbery (IPC ss.376, 302, 392) and sentenced to death. The Supreme Court examined the prosecution's case, which relied on a chain of circumstantial evidence, eyewitness testimony, a test identification parade, fingerprint evidence, forensic reports and an extra…

The State of Madhya Pradesh filed criminal appeals against a Madhya Pradesh High Court order that quashed police applications under Chapter VII‑A of the Code of Criminal Procedure, 1973, seeking attachment and forfeiture of properties of Balram Mihani and others alleged to be derived from local offences such as gamblin…

The appellants filed a writ petition under Article 226 of the Constitution seeking quashment of an FIR alleging offences under Sections 420 and 424 of the IPC and Sections 2 and 3 of the Uttar Pradesh Gangsters and Anti‑Social Activities (Prevention) Act. The Allahabad High Court dismissed the petition, relying on a ba…

The State of Madhya Pradesh filed criminal appeals against Ram Singh and two other public servants who were charged under Sections 13(1)(e) and 13(2) of the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988 for possessing assets disproportionate to their known sources of income. The investigations were authorised by the Superintenden…

The Supreme Court examined an appeal by Babu Ram and others against the Allahabad High Court, which had set aside a Sessions Court acquittal and convicted the accused of murder under sections 302 and 34 IPC. The Sessions Court had found the prosecution's evidence weak, the witnesses unreliable, and the motive unproven,…

The accused, S. R. Sadhanantham, was acquitted by the Madras High Court of murder (s.302 IPC) and assault (s.148 IPC). The victim's brother, Arunachalam, filed a special leave petition under Article 136 of the Constitution, obtained leave, and the Supreme Court set aside the acquittal, restoring conviction and life sen…

The appellant, a foreign national serving as Project Manager for Hyundai Engineering & Construction India LLP, was named in FIR No.64/2020 alleging conspiracy and cheating in a Rs 9‑crore payment default involving multiple subcontractors. The appellant sought quashing of the FIR on the ground that the allegations were …

The appellant, Daljit Singh, was declared a proclaimed offender under Section 82 of the Cr.P.C. for failing to appear after summons in a cheque‑related criminal case filed in 2010. He was later acquitted of the underlying offence under the Negotiable Instruments Act, and an FIR under Section 174A IPC was filed for his …

The appellant, B.N. John, owned a hostel for underprivileged children and alleged that officials raided it illegally on 3 June 2015, falsely accusing him of assaulting them. An FIR was lodged under IPC s.353, and a charge‑sheet later added s.186, leading the Chief Judicial Magistrate (CJM) to take cognizance and issue …

M/s Naresh Potteries (appellant) filed a complaint under Section 138 of the Negotiable Instruments Act against M/s Aarti Industries (respondent No.1) for the dishonour of a cheque issued in the appellant's favour. The complaint was filed by the manager, Neeraj Kumar, who held a power of attorney from the sole proprieto…

The Range Forest Officer alleged that the directors and office bearers of a company illegally uprooted trees using a JCB, violating Section 4 of the Punjab Land Preservation Act, 1900, and sought prosecution under Section 19. The Special Environment Court took cognizance of the complaint and issued process against the …