Indian Evidence Act, 1872

The case arose from a dispute over an ad‑hoc appointment of a Public Relations Officer in the Bihar Irrigation Department. The Patna High Court, in a 1983 order, directed that the post be filled regularly within six months or the ad‑hoc appointment would terminate. The State continued the ad‑hoc appointment, leading th…

The appellants imported oil from the UAE and declared it as Base Oil SN 50, but the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence re‑classified it as High Speed Diesel (HSD) and seized it. The Adjudicating Authority, CESTAT and the High Court each held the oil to be HSD, relying on three laboratory reports that tested only a por…

The case involved the murder of Pradip Phukan, alleged to have been committed by a group of thirteen persons who entered his house and assaulted him with sharp weapons, resulting in his death. The trial court convicted eleven accused under Sections 147, 148, 149, 302, 326, 447 and 34 of the IPC, sentencing them to life…

The Supreme Court, acting suo motu, examined a gang rape of a 20‑year‑old woman in West Bengal ordered by a community panchayat as punishment for an inter‑community relationship. The Court directed a district judge and chief magistrate to investigate, and later required the State to furnish the FIR, investigation repor…

R. Ramachandran Nair, the first Vice‑Chancellor of Sree Sankaracharya University of Sanskrit, was accused of obtaining a pecuniary advantage while overseeing earth‑filling of university land. An FIR was lodged in 1996 and a charge‑sheet filed after an 8½‑year delay, without obtaining the prior sanction of the Universit…

An FIR was lodged for murder and related offences committed on 17‑11‑1999. The accused, aged 17 years and 8 months at the time, applied to be treated as a juvenile under the Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Act, 2000. The 1986 Juvenile Justice Act, then in force, defined a male juvenile as under 16, s…

The husband filed for divorce under Sections 12(1)(b) and 13(1)(iii) of the Hindu Marriage Act, seeking a court order that his wife undergo a medical examination to determine unsoundness of mind. The District Judge ordered the examination, the High Court dismissed the revision, and the wife appealed to the Supreme Cour…

The Supreme Court examined a dispute over the status of a temple in Udarband, Cachar, where the respondents claimed hereditary shebaitship of the deity based on ancient royal appointments, while the appellants argued that the temple was a public endowment with no formal shebait appointment. The trial court dismissed th…

The plaintiff, Mohinder Kaur, sued the defendant, Kusamanand, for eviction and mesne profits of a ground‑floor residential premises, alleging the defendant was a trespasser. The defendant claimed she had been let in as a tenant by D.K. Chadha, who held a power of attorney for the plaintiff, and produced a receipt of ad…

The appellant was convicted of murder under S.302 IPC for the killing of Ajmer Singh. The prosecution’s case rested on the testimony of the deceased’s elder brother (PW3), who was the sole eye‑witness examined in chief, while two other eye‑witnesses (PW4 and PW5) were tendered only for cross‑examination. The Supreme Co…

Gulab Chand and co‑accused were charged with criminal conspiracy, murder and robbery of Kapuriyabai's ornaments. The trial court acquitted them of the murder and robbery charges, convicting only under section 380, but the Madhya Pradesh High Court reversed this, convicting Gulab Chand under sections 302, 394 and 397 an…

The plaintiff sought a one‑third share in the immovable and movable property of the deceased Gurappa. The defendants included Gurappa's first wife, his daughters, and a fourth defendant who claimed to be Gurappa's lawful wife under the customary Udiki marriage after a prior marriage to Gurulingappa was dissolved. The k…

The appellants were convicted for the murder of Ahsan Ali under Sections 302 and 149 of the IPC based on the testimony of a single eyewitness and alleged recovery of weapons. The Supreme Court examined the credibility of the eyewitness, the absence of forensic evidence linking the accused to the crime, and the suspect …

The deceased, Jayashree, married appellant No.3 and was allegedly subjected to physical and mental harassment by her mother‑in‑law and father‑in‑law (appellants) for dowry. She died by jumping into a well, and the prosecution charged the appellants under IPC sections 498A (dowry harassment) and 306 (abetment of suicide…

Mrs. Neeraj Dutta, an LDC of Delhi Vidyut Board, allegedly demanded a bribe from Ravijit Singh Sethi for installation of an electricity meter. The complainant paid Rs 10,000, which was later recovered from the accused and the money tested positive by phenolphthalein test. The complainant died before trial, so his testi…

The appellant, Gandi Doddabasappa, was convicted by the Karnataka High Court for killing his daughter Shilpa, allegedly because she married a man of a lower caste. The trial court had acquitted him, dismissing the sole eyewitness testimony of PW‑18, but the High Court relied on that testimony, corroborated by forensic …

The appellants, Ayyub and Abdul Jabbar, were convicted by a Designated TADA Court for throwing bombs at a police picket, causing one death and several injuries, and were sentenced under the Terrorist and Disruptive Activities (Prevention) Act (TADA), the Indian Penal Code and the Prevention of Damage to Property Act. A…

The Supreme Court examined whether tax liabilities arising from settlements under the Taxation on Income (Investigation Commission) Act, 1947, which remained unpaid at the valuation dates, could be deducted as debts owed in computing net wealth under the Wealth‑Tax Act, 1957. The assessee companies argued that the unpa…

The appellant, Ivan Rathinam, was alleged by the respondent and his mother to be the biological father of the respondent, who was born during the respondent's mother's marriage to Mr. Raju Kurian. The parties litigated in a Munsiff Court, a Sub‑Judge Court and a Family Court over a declaration of paternity, a DNA test,…

The appellant, Chandrabhan Sudam Sanap, was convicted of rape and murder of a 23‑year‑old woman and sentenced to death, based largely on circumstantial evidence, CCTV footage, witness testimonies, an alleged extra‑judicial confession and recovered items. The Supreme Court examined whether the prosecution's evidence sat…

The appellant, Gambhir Singh, was convicted and sentenced to death for the murder of his brother, sister‑in‑law and their four children. The prosecution relied on three alleged incriminating circumstances – motive, last‑seen testimony and recoveries of weapons – to link the appellant to the crime. The Supreme Court hel…

The victim, Urmila (Guddi), was married into a family that repeatedly demanded additional dowry and subjected her to physical and mental cruelty. After returning to her parental home due to harassment, she was burnt under suspicious circumstances and later died, leading to three dying declarations—two recorded while th…

The State of Rajasthan prosecuted Ram Kailash alias Ram Vilas for shooting Mangla Ram, who later died from his injuries. The trial court convicted the accused under Section 302 IPC (murder) and sections of the Arms Act, imposing life imprisonment and additional terms. On appeal, the Rajasthan High Court reduced the mur…

The Supreme Court examined the procedure for seizure, sampling, storage and disposal of narcotic drugs and psychotropic substances under the NDPS Act, 1985, in response to a criminal appeal by the Union of India. It held that Section 52A mandates that samples be drawn and certified in the presence of a magistrate, rend…

The petitioner, Sanjay Kumar, alleged that he was appointed as a senior lecturer in a purportedly fake dental college, received post‑dated cheques for salary which later bounced, and consequently filed a criminal complaint under various IPC sections and Section 138 of the Negotiable Instruments Act. The High Court quas…

The State alleged that Dr. Mahender Singh Dahiya strangulated his wife Namita during their honeymoon in Brussels, dismembered her body and disposed of the parts, while the prosecution failed to produce a weapon, reliable forensic identification of the body parts, or a clear motive. The trial court convicted Dahiya unde…

The prosecution alleged that Musheer Khan (A‑4) and Basant Shiva (A‑5) were hired killers who shot the deceased Mallu Bhaiya at close range, based largely on circumstantial evidence and the testimony of two eyewitnesses, PW‑3 and PW‑4. The trial court convicted them of murder under IPC s.302/1208 and the Arms Act s.25(…

The appellant Bijoy Das was convicted under Section 302 IPC for shooting and causing the death of his step‑nephew Ajay Das, who died ten days after being wounded. While in hospital, the deceased gave a dying declaration to the attending doctor and to three witnesses, identifying the appellant as his assailant; his wife…

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

The appellants, involved in a land dispute, attacked Dayashankar and his brother Ramesh, dismembering the former and severely injuring the latter. Ramesh (PW‑1) survived, narrated the incident to his mother (PW‑2) and nephew (PW‑3), and later gave a statement to the police and a dying declaration to a magistrate. PW‑3 …

Naveen Chandra and his parents were convicted for the murder of three members of a rival family. The appellant claimed that the killings occurred in a sudden quarrel, were provoked, and were in self‑defence. The Supreme Court examined whether Exception 4 to Section 300 IPC (sudden fight) applied and whether the right o…

The case involved a fake currency racket in Rajasthan where accused Mehboob Ali and Firoz, while in police custody, gave statements that led to the identification and arrest of co‑accused Anju Ali, Majhar, Liyakat Ali and others, and to the recovery of forged notes. The issue before the Supreme Court was whether such s…

The case involved an alleged unlawful assembly that rioted and assaulted victims, resulting in two deaths and three grievous injuries. The trial court convicted ten accused under sections 148, 149, 323, 324, 365 and 342 IPC, but the High Court acquitted two and upheld convictions of eight; five appealed before the Supr…

The appellant, elected from the Naguru (ST) constituency in 1999, was challenged under Section 80 of the Representation of the People Act on the ground that he did not belong to the "Konda Dora" Scheduled Tribe but was a Kshatriya. The appellant argued that an earlier election petition (E.P. 13 of 1983) which had dismi…

The case concerned the death of Kiran Kaur, who suffered severe burns and later died, with the prosecution alleging that her husband Phulel Singh set her ablaze over dowry demands. The trial court convicted Singh under Section 304‑B IPC based primarily on the victim's dying declaration recorded by an Executive Magistra…

The appellant, Mahadev Meena, filed a complaint after his son, an IB officer, was found dead under suspicious circumstances. The FIR alleged that the first respondent, Praveen Rathore, an anti‑corruption bureau constable, had a close relationship with the deceased's wife and was involved in a conspiracy to murder, with…

Ferani Hotels Pvt. Ltd. (appellant) entered into a development agreement with Mr. Nusli Neville Wadia (respondent No.3), who later terminated the agreement and sought certified copies of the development plans, layouts and related documents filed with the Municipal Corporation of Greater Mumbai under the Right to Inform…

The appellant Ajay Kumar Parmar was accused of raping the complainant, who later approached the Chief Judicial Magistrate (CJM) to record a statement under Section 164 CrPC claiming the FIR was false. The CJM directed a Judicial Magistrate to record the statement, but the complainant was not produced before the magistr…

Paramjeet Singh (Pamma) was convicted for murdering his brother and two nephews and injuring three other family members in a property dispute. The trial court and the Uttarakhand High Court upheld the conviction based on the FIR, statements under Section 161 CrPC, medical reports, forensic evidence and the testimony of…

The State of Andhra Pradesh charged Kanda Gopaludu with murder under Section 302 IPC. The trial court convicted him based on an extra‑judicial confession he made before three village officials (the sarpanch and two ward members), corroborated by the investigating officer’s testimony, a doctor’s medical report indicatin…

The case involved Tejinder Pal Kaur, who attempted suicide after alleged dowry‑related cruelty by her husband Satvir Singh and his parents. The trial court convicted the accused under Section 116 read with Sections 306 and 304B IPC and under Section 498A IPC. On appeal, the Supreme Court held that Section 306 IPC punis…

The Gram Panchayat of Village Naulakha filed an application under Section 7 of the Punjab Village Common Land (Regulation) Act, 1961 seeking to set aside an earlier injunction decree obtained by the respondents in 1975, alleging that the decree was the result of collusion between the respondents and the then Sarpanch. …

The appellant, Jai Karan, was convicted under Section 302 IPC for allegedly burning his wife, Wanti Devi, based solely on her dying declaration recorded by a doctor in a hospital. The trial and High Courts held the declaration reliable, but the Supreme Court examined the circumstances surrounding its recording, noting …

The appellants were convicted by a Designated Court for murder, attempt to murder, causing hurt and an offence under Section 3 of the Terrorist and Disruptive Activities (Prevention) Act (TADA) arising from an altercation at a video parlour that led to a fatal assault near a hotel. On appeal, the Supreme Court held tha…

The legal heirs of the late S.V. Srinivasulu Naidu claimed that Union of India had illegally grabbed 7,128.5 sq. yards of land that their father had purchased, relying on a prior suit where the plaintiffs were declared owners of 4,971.5 sq. yards. The Union appealed the Tribunal's order under the Andhra Pradesh Land Gr…

The appellant filed a suit for specific performance of a 1993 agreement of sale, alleging that the first defendant had signed the agreement but later sold his share to a third party and refused to execute the sale deed. The defendants contended that the signature on the agreement was forged, relying on a handwriting ex…

A doctor was shot dead in his clinic and the accused, Deny Bora, was charged under Sections 302, 34 and 314 of the IPC and under the Terrorist and Disruptive Activities (Prevention) Act (TADA). The Designated Court acquitted him of the TADA offences but convicted him for murder based solely on the testimony of PW‑14, w…

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

The State of Maharashtra prosecuted Kashirao and six others for assembling with deadly weapons and attacking Pundlik (PW‑I) with the common object of killing him. During the assault the deceased Subhash Warankar was chased, assaulted and killed, while PW‑I was seriously injured. The trial court convicted all accused un…

The appellants, Kaliyaperumal and Muthulakshmi, were convicted under Sections 304B (dowry death) and 498A (cruelty) of the IPC for the suicide of their daughter‑in‑law, Devasena, after alleged dowry demands and harassment. The trial court and High Court upheld both convictions, though the High Court reduced the 304B se…

The appellant was convicted on the basis of the deceased's dying declaration, which was recorded by a judicial magistrate and supported only by a doctor's certificate that the patient was conscious, not that she was of sound mind. The appellant challenged the reliability of the declaration, citing Paparambaka Rosamma (…

The appellants conspired to rob Hazi Mohd. Yakub and, when he resisted, three of them stabbed him repeatedly with knives, causing his death and stealing cash and drafts. The trial court convicted them of culpable homicide not amounting to murder under Section 304 Part I IPC, but the Andhra Pradesh High Court altered th…

The Supreme Court upheld the constitutional validity of most provisions of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act, 2002 (PMLA), including the definition of money-laundering, attachment of property, search and seizure, arrest, bail conditions, and burden of proof. The Court interpreted Section 3 to have a wider reach, c…

The appellant, NARESH KUMAR alias NITU, was alleged to have been apprehended at Majhotli with two kilograms of charas, based on police testimony. An independent witness, PW‑2, testified that he was stopped by police later in the day and did not see any seizure of the appellant. The bus ticket showed the appellant board…

The appellant was convicted for murder (s.302 IPC) after a mob attacked the deceased in a court corridor, based primarily on the testimony of three eye‑witnesses (PW‑1, PW‑5, PW‑6) and a test identification parade. The Supreme Court examined the reliability of those witnesses, noting that PW‑1 failed to name the appell…

The appellant Vijay and five others were convicted of gang‑rape of a girl, Asha @ Gopi, on 6‑12‑1988 under IPC s.376/34 and sentenced to ten years’ rigorous imprisonment. The appellant appealed, contending that the victim was a major, that there was no consent, that the prosecution relied solely on her testimony withou…

The appellant, accused of murder and related offences, challenged his conviction on the ground that the victim's dead body was never recovered and no post‑mortem was conducted, arguing that proof of corpus delicti was lacking. The prosecution relied on two eye‑witnesses, PW‑6 (who was injured) and PW‑9 (the victim's br…

The case involved five accused in the murder of a truck cleaner and the grievous injury of the driver under sections 302 and 307 IPC. No test identification parade (TIP) was conducted and the appellant (Accused No.3) was not named in the FIR. The trial court relied on the driver’s in‑court identification of the appella…

The Supreme Court heard an appeal by Bhaskar Lal Sharma and Vimla Sharma against a Delhi High Court order that quashed a summoning order issued under Sections 498A, 403, 405, 406 and 34 of the IPC. The Court examined the complaint filed by Monica, the wife of Vikas Sharma, and found that the allegations did not satisfy…

The Municipal Corporation of Delhi issued a notice under s.126 of the Delhi Municipal Corporation Act, 1957 to revise the rateable value of a property effective 1‑April‑1996. The assessing officer signed the assessment order on 31‑March‑2000, which was communicated to the owners on 17‑April‑2000. The owners appealed, c…

The appellant, Shakuntala, was convicted of murder under Section 302 IPC for setting her daughter‑in‑law on fire after a dowry dispute. The victim’s dying declaration, recorded by a First Class Judicial Magistrate and certified by a doctor as being made while she was fit, formed the core evidence. The Supreme Court exa…

Syed Ibrahim was convicted under Section 302 IPC for the murder of his wife based solely on the testimony of the deceased's father, PW I. The High Court upheld the conviction despite noting inconsistencies in PW I's evidence. On appeal, the Supreme Court examined whether a conviction can rest on a solitary witness whos…

The plaintiff paid Rs.1 lakh each to the property owner (defendant 1) and his agent (defendant 2) based on a written authorisation allowing the agent to sell the ground floor. The sale fell through; the agent returned Rs.50,000 but the owner refused to refund his share, denying any contractual relationship with the pla…

The case involved the disappearance and subsequent discovery of the decomposed bodies of a young couple, Kumari Brinda and Kanhaiya, who were found hanging from a tree. The prosecution alleged that Chandrapal, the appellant, conspired with others to murder the couple and later staged the deaths as suicides, relying on …

The case involved the kidnapping, ransom demands and subsequent murder of Parkash Chadha. Respondent No.1, Vikas Choudhary, initially did not claim to be a juvenile but later applied for transfer to the Juvenile Justice Board, producing a school leaving certificate. The trial court relied on a medical bone‑age report a…

Harijan Bhalateja, the husband of pregnant Jivibai, was accused of murdering her by strangulation on 20 February 1985 and then hastily burying the body without informing her relatives. The body was exhumed and a post‑mortem revealed a half‑round neck injury, fracture of the hyoid bone and a protruding tongue, all indic…

The appellant, a watchman, was convicted of kidnapping, rape, robbery and murder of a ten‑year‑old girl based solely on circumstantial evidence and an extra‑judicial confession. The trial court sentenced him to death, a decision affirmed by the High Court. On appeal, the Supreme Court examined whether the circumstantia…

The appellant Ravi and co-accused U were charged with murder under Sections 302, 307 and 120B IPC. The FIR was lodged against unknown persons and did not contain any identification marks. Police photographed the accused at the police station and the photographs were published in a local daily, naming them as the perpet…

The appellant, Ramkrushna, was convicted for the murder of his brother‑in‑law Baliram during a property dispute. The prosecution proved that the accused entered the house armed with a knife and a stick, assaulted the deceased, and that the victim sustained multiple injuries leading to death. Key evidence included the t…

The case concerned whether a son adopted by his father's brother under a deed that did not specify the dvyamushyayana form could be presumed to be such, thereby preserving his status as a coparcener in his natural father's joint family property. The appellant argued that Section 483(3) of Mulla's Principles of Hindu La…

The appellant, Banarsi Dass, objected to the grant of a succession certificate to Mrs. Teeku Dutta, alleging she was not the deceased's daughter. He moved an application under Order 151 CPC for a DNA test to establish paternity, which the trial court allowed. The Delhi High Court set aside that order, holding that the …

Varkey Joseph, the youngest brother of the deceased Mathew, was convicted of murder under Section 302 IPC for killing his brother after a property dispute. The trial court and Kerala High Court upheld the conviction based largely on circumstantial evidence and testimony obtained through leading questions during chief e…

The appellant, convicted and sentenced to death for the 1994 murder of five women and two children, claimed he was a juvenile at the time of the offence, asserting an age of 12 years based on school birth certificates and other documents. After earlier petitions were dismissed, the Supreme Court referred the matter to …

The plaintiff, Robert Zomawia Street, claimed ownership of a 4.261‑acre bungalow in Shillong Military Cantonment based on a 1980 will of St. John Perry and sought a permanent injunction against the Union of India and military authorities. The defendants contended that the land was an "old grant" under cantonment regula…

The appellant, Mangat Ram, was convicted under Sections 498A and 306 of the IPC for allegedly subjecting his wife to cruelty and abetting her suicide after she died from burn injuries at their matrimonial home. The trial and High Courts held that the husband’s failure to keep his wife with him at his posting and allege…

Gopal (A‑1) and Amal Singh (A‑2) were convicted for the murder of Saraswati Bai under IPC 302 read with Section 34. The prosecution’s case rested on two dying declarations: the first recorded by ASI Bairam (PW‑8) and a later one recorded by Executive Officer R.K. Dimole (PW‑9). The Supreme Court found that the later de…

Surendra Chauhan, who had an illicit relationship with a 24‑year‑old woman named Alpana, took her to the clinic of Dr. Ravindra Sharma, an unqualified electro‑homeopathic practitioner, for an abortion. Alpana died during the procedure, and Chauhan later confessed to her mother that he had arranged the abortion. The tri…

The appellant, brother of the deceased, challenged the Bombay High Court's refusal to grant leave to appeal an acquittal of Mahesh Prakash Ahuja for murder. The trial court had acquitted the accused due to lack of reliable circumstantial evidence and inconsistencies in witness testimonies. The High Court denied leave w…

The State of Chhattisgarh appealed against the High Court’s order that acquitted accused Ashok Bhoi and upheld the acquittal of co‑accused Vikash Khubwani in a murder‑related case. The prosecution’s case was based solely on circumstantial evidence, notably the testimony of a witness who saw the deceased with Ashok Bhoi…

The plaintiff‑respondent (Zeenath) appealed a High Court order that remanded her suit for cancellation of a sale deed and a prohibitory injunction back to the trial court for a fresh trial. The High Court had held that the evidence on record was insufficient and that material witnesses were not examined, thereby direct…

The appellants were convicted under Sections 498A and 3048 of the IPC for the death of the appellant's wife, who died from severe burns allegedly after a dowry demand. The prosecution proved, on a pre‑ponderance of probability, that the death occurred within seven years of marriage, was unnatural, and was linked to rec…

During the night of 25-26 November 1987 a dacoity was allegedly committed in Samarpur village, during which several houses were robbed and a victim was shot dead. The victims identified the accused in electric light and the police recovered empty gun bores and ornaments, which were also identified by the owners. The Sp…

Harisingh M. Vasava was charged with murder under IPC 302 for killing a woman who lived with him as his wife. The crime occurred in the house of the complainant, who was a tenant of the deceased and witnessed the attack. The trial court acquitted the accused, holding that the prosecution failed to link him to the crime…

The State, represented by the Land Acquisition Officer and Mandal Revenue Officer, sought to acquire 7.35 acres of land and initially valued it at Rs 17,200 per acre. The District Court enhanced the valuation to Rs 65,762 per acre, and the Andhra Pradesh High Court further raised it to Rs 75,000 per acre, relying on ce…

The deceased Guddi, wife of the accused Kishore, suffered 80 % burns after kerosene was poured on her and she later died. Three dying declarations were recorded – one in the FIR, one under Section 161 of the Cr.P.C., and a judicial‑magistrate’s statement (Ex P‑8). The Sessions Court convicted Kishore under Section 302 …

P. Vijayan, a retired IPS officer aged about 85, was charge‑sheeted under IPC sections 302 and 34 for the alleged killing of a Naxalite in a 1970 encounter that was later claimed to be fake. The CBI investigation relied on an extra‑judicial confession by a constable and several statements. Vijayan filed a discharge pet…

The appellants, Smt. Krishna Kanwar and co‑accused, were seized with heroin after a police interception and were convicted under Sections 8 and 21 of the NDPS Act. They challenged the conviction on the ground that the prosecution had breached procedural requirements of Sections 42, 50 and 57 of the NDPS Act, alleging l…

The State of Karnataka appealed the acquittal of Shariff, who was convicted by a Sessions Court for murdering his wife by setting her on fire. The High Court had set aside the conviction, discarding the victim's dying declarations and the testimony of an 8‑year‑old child witness. The Supreme Court held that the dying d…

The deceased Ramesh was found dead in his house on the night of 14-15 December 1982 with injuries indicating asphyxia. Two accused, Eshwaraiah (a constable) and Mayamma (the deceased's mistress), entered the house after a cinema show and were later discovered hiding under a cot when the door was broken open. The prosec…

Gurjit Singh was convicted under Section 498-A IPC for dowry-related cruelty after his wife, Jaswinder Kaur, committed suicide within seven years of marriage. The High Court also convicted him under Section 306 IPC, invoking the presumption of abetment under Section 113-A of the Evidence Act. On appeal, the Supreme Cou…

In May 2007 a protest turned violent at the Dinakaran newspaper office, resulting in arson and the death of three employees. The Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) Rajaram, who was on bandobust duty, was charged under Sections 217 and 221 of the IPC for allegedly disobeying orders and intentionally failing to appreh…

Vasant Sampat Dupare was convicted of raping and murdering a four‑year‑old girl. The prosecution relied on a chain of circumstantial evidence – eyewitnesses who saw the accused with the child, forensic matches of blood on the stones and the accused’s clothing, and the accused’s own disclosure leading police to the body…

The deceased, Chirra Shantha, had a strained relationship with her brother‑in‑law, the appellant, who allegedly abused her. On 21 April 1999 she poured kerosene on herself and the appellant threw a lit match, causing severe burns. She later died of septicemia; a dying declaration was recorded by a judicial magistrate a…

The case involved a partnership firm that was reconstituted in 1992 and again in 1995, altering the profit‑and‑loss sharing ratios of the partners. The plaintiff‑appellants claimed a 50% share based on the 1995 Deed, while the respondents argued that the plaintiffs were entitled to only a 10% share because the conditio…

The appellant Raveen Kumar was stopped by police near the HP‑J&K border and charas weighing 1 kg 230 g was seized from his van. The trial court acquitted him, relying on a prosecution reply to a bail application that suggested prior knowledge of the appellant, deeming the seizure not a "chance recovery". The High Court…

The appellants, Rajesh Dhiman and Gulshan Rana, were stopped by police while riding a motorcycle and a search of a backpack on Dhiman yielded 3.1 kg of charas. The trial court acquitted them, holding that the prosecution had not proved the charge beyond reasonable doubt, especially because the complainant (PW‑8) was al…

The appellant, Sudhakar, was accused of murdering his wife by striking her on the neck with a chopper, an act witnessed by neighbours who saw him carrying the blood‑stained weapon and his infant child. The trial court and the Kerala High Court convicted him under Section 302 IPC, rejecting his claim of insanity under S…

The Food Corporation of India (FCI) advanced Rs 2 crore to the Assam State Co‑operative Marketing and Consumers Federation Ltd (the Federation) for procurement of paddy, but the price fixed later showed that only Rs 1.60 crore was due, leaving an excess of Rs 39,36,810. FCI sued the Federation for recovery, but the tri…

The Supreme Court examined a dispute between tenants (appellants) and former landholders (respondents) over tenanted agricultural lands in former inam estates after the Andhra Pradesh (Andhra Area) Estates (Abolition and Conversion into Ryotwari) Act, 1948 came into force. The landholders claimed the lands were private…

The State of Madhya Pradesh prosecuted Chhaakki Lal and his son Akhilesh for the murder of four persons, including a three‑year‑old child, based primarily on the testimony of the sole eye‑witness Kesar Bai (PW‑1). The trial court convicted them under Section 302 IPC and imposed death sentences, deeming the case "rarest…

Jagjit Singh was convicted under Section 304‑B IPC for dowry death after his wife and child drowned within seven years of marriage. The trial court and the Punjab and Haryana High Court upheld the conviction, reducing the sentence to seven years. The appellant appealed to the Supreme Court under Article 136, arguing la…

Patel Ahmed Mohammad, a Rajya Sabha member, was challenged by Balwant Singh Rajput in an election petition alleging corrupt practices and vote irregularities. The appellant filed three applications for dismissal of the petition: (i) on the basis that office objections under Gujarat High Court Rules were not removed (Ap…

The case involved the suicide of Renukaben Patel, a married woman, who alleged severe physical and mental cruelty by her husband and in‑laws before setting herself on fire in her matrimonial home. The trial court, after a hurried nine‑day trial, acquitted all accused except the husband (convicted under s.498A IPC with …

Sultan Singh was married to Lavjeet Kaur, who died from severe burn injuries within four years of marriage. The prosecution alleged that the accused and his mother set the fire after the husband demanded Rs 30,000 as dowry, a demand that was repeatedly made up to the time of death. The defence claimed the death was acc…

The State of Madhya Pradesh alleged that Surendra Kori, a Deputy Registrar, facilitated the registration of over one hundred forged sale deeds to enable fictitious buyers to claim benefits under a Special Rehabilitation Package for the Sardar Sarovar Project. FIRs and charge‑sheets were filed under IPC sections 420, 46…

The Supreme Court considered whether two sister private companies, L.N. Gadodia & Sons and Delhi Farming & Construction Pvt. Ltd., should be treated as a single establishment under the Employees Provident Funds and Miscellaneous Provisions Act, 1952. Both firms shared common directors, a managing director, senior manag…

The appellant Nallapati Sivaiah was convicted of murder under s.302 IPC based solely on two dying declarations recorded by a police inspector and a magistrate after the victim sustained 63 injuries. The trial and High Courts upheld the conviction, but the Supreme Court examined the credibility of the dying declarations…

The deceased Amarjit Kaur died from severe burns after allegedly being set alight by her husband Balbir Singh and mother‑in‑law Nachattar Kaur. Two dying declarations were recorded – one by a doctor in the hospital and another by a police sub‑inspector – both implicating the husband, while the second also named the mot…

The Steel Authority of India Ltd., a government company, engaged contractors to manufacture steel, and workers employed by those contractors claimed they were permanent employees of the company and sought absorption. The State Government referred the dispute to a Labour Court under Section 10(1)(c) of the Industrial Di…

The State of Haryana alleged that Jagbir Singh and another accused kidnapped a four‑year‑old child, demanded ransom and caused the child's death. The trial court convicted them on the basis of circumstantial evidence – a ransom note allegedly in the accused's handwriting, an alleged extra‑judicial confession before a w…

ShriKant Anandrao Bhosale, a police constable, was convicted of murdering his wife by striking her with a grinding stone during a quarrel and sentenced to life imprisonment. He appealed, claiming he was suffering from paranoid schizophrenia at the time of the offence and thus entitled to the benefit of Section 84 of th…

The case involves the murder of eight members of two families in Punjab over a land dispute, for which Bachhitar Singh and two co‑accused were convicted under IPC sections 302, 460 and the Arms Act. The sole eye‑witness, Joginder Singh (PW‑3), testified that he saw the accused entering the victims' house and heard guns…

The State of Kerala prosecuted P. Sugathan (A1) and Krishna Kumari (A2) for the murder of Soman and for criminal conspiracy under Sections 302 and 120B IPC. The prosecution alleged that A1, a police Sub‑Inspector, and A2, his concubine, conspired to kill Soman after he tried to revive a past relationship with A2. The t…

Paramjit and Inderjit assaulted Rambhaj after he reprimanded Paramjit for indecent remarks, inflicting fatal knife wounds. The victim gave a dying declaration describing the assault, which was corroborated by an eyewitness (PW5) and medical evidence showing the injuries were sufficient to cause death. The trial court c…

The case arose from a brawl on 1‑2 July 1988 between Sambasiva Rao (second accused) and Suryanarayana Rao (PW‑1) over a dog. The next night Sambasiva Rao, his father (first accused) and a relative (third accused) went to PW‑1’s house, assaulted PW‑1, his wife and others. The deceased, Srinivasa Rao, intervened; while t…

Gurbachan Singh filed a special leave appeal after the Punjab & Haryana High Court acquitted Satpal Singh and others of abetment to suicide under Section 306 IPC. The deceased, Ravinder Kaur, had allegedly committed suicide by self‑immolation after severe dowry‑related harassment and taunts by her husband, his parents …

The Supreme Court examined the conviction of two accused, Putai and Dileep, for the rape and murder of a 12‑year‑old girl, based solely on circumstantial evidence and forensic material. The trial and High Courts had upheld the death penalty for Putai and life imprisonment for Dileep, relying on recovered items, a sniff…

The appellant, Mohan Singh, was accused of extorting money from an informant by telephone and threatening the informant's brother, who was subsequently killed. The prosecution presented voice identification by the informant, call‑record printouts linking Singh to co‑conspirator Laxmi Singh, and testimony that the infor…

The State of Rajasthan appealed the Rajasthan High Court’s acquittal of Naresh, who was charged under Sections 302 and 394 IPC for murdering a woman, amputating her feet, and stealing her jewellery. The trial court had convicted him based on four strands of circumstantial evidence, but the High Court set aside the conv…

Chattar Singh (husband) and his father‑in‑law Mange Ram were convicted for the murder of Guddi and her infant daughter Poonam, whose bodies were found in a well. The prosecution relied on circumstantial evidence, the "last seen" theory, post‑mortem findings of smothering, and extra‑judicial confessions in which the acc…

The appellant Ghulam Hassan Beigh alleged that seven accused formed an unlawful assembly, assaulted him and his family, and caused the death of his wife, whose post‑mortem reported cardio‑respiratory failure. The trial court, after reviewing the medical report and limited oral evidence, discharged the accused of murder…

Bipin Kumar Mondal was convicted for the murder of his wife and son and for causing hurt to another son under IPC sections 302 and 323. The prosecution’s case rested on the eyewitness testimony of the surviving son, Sujit Mondal, who lodged an Ejahar stating that his father attacked the family with a knife, and on corr…

The Supreme Court examined the murder trial of Ranbir Singh and three co‑accused, where the trial court convicted Ranbir Singh under Section 302 IPC and acquitted the others, but the High Court reversed the acquittals. The Court held that an omission in a statement under Section 161 CrPC can constitute a material contr…

The Lucknow Nagar Mahapalika entered into a one‑sided agreement with M.I. Builders to construct an underground shopping complex on Jhandewala Park, a historic public park, without inviting tenders or obtaining required statutory approvals. The High Court held the agreement illegal, arbitrary and violative of the U.P. M…

The landlord served a notice on the tenant on 28‑08‑1991, seeking vacancy of two rooms by the end of October 1991, claiming the tenancy was governed by the English calendar. The tenant contested, arguing that the tenancy followed the Bengali calendar and that the notice therefore failed to give a clear one‑month period…

The landlord filed an eviction petition under the East Punjab Urban Rent Restriction Act, 1949, alleging the tenants defaulted on rent of Rs 2000 per month as stipulated in the lease. The tenants contended that the rent was actually Rs 1800 per month, a rate they had been directed to deposit during a parallel partition…

The case involved the death of Minta Devi, who was allegedly burnt to death by her husband Arvind Singh and his in‑laws. The trial court convicted all four accused under Sections 304B (dowry death) and 498A (cruelty) and sentenced them to life imprisonment; the High Court set aside the conviction of three relatives und…

The Supreme Court examined the death of Sunita Kumari, who was found dead by asphyxiation three years after her marriage. The husband, Rakesh Kumar, and his relatives were initially convicted under Sections 304‑B, 306 and 498‑A IPC, but the High Court acquitted all of them. On appeal, the Court held that a presumption …

The Supreme Court examined the sale of assets of Kolay Biscuits Co. Ltd., a company under liquidation, where the Company Judge ordered an auction as a going concern based largely on oral statements about 1,200 workers and a valuation report that was not disclosed to the secured creditor, Union Bank of India. The Court …

The appellant, Modern Hotel, leased a commercial premises for thirty years starting 9 September 1969 and paid an advance of Rs 6,500, of which Rs 1,500 was to be adjusted against rent and the balance of Rs 5,000 was to be refunded after the lease expired. The landlord filed an eviction suit in October 1973 alleging ren…

Appellant No.1, Laxmi Raj Shetty, was convicted of murder, robbery and house trespass and sentenced to death, while his father, Appellant No.2, Shivram Shetty, was convicted of harbouring and possessing stolen property. The prosecution relied entirely on circumstantial evidence, including the accused's knowledge of the…

Sudha Devi sued the tenant (defendant 1) for non‑payment of rent and wrongful sub‑letting, and also sought possession against a third defendant who allegedly occupied the flat after a decree. The defendants did not appear, and an ex‑parte decree was passed based on the plaintiff’s sole witness. The third defendant appe…

The plaintiffs, who were Thekedars, claimed that the Theka granted to them was for personal cultivation, which under Section 12 of the Uttar Pradesh Zamindari Abolition and Land Reforms Act, 1950 made them hereditary tenants entitled to retain possession. The defendants, lessees of the Zamindars, argued that they were …

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

The appellant, Golla Yelugu Govindu, was convicted of murder for hacking his wife with a sickle during a heated quarrel, based largely on the testimony of his two minor children. He appealed, challenging the admissibility of the child witnesses and arguing that the incident fell under Exception 4 of Section 300 IPC, wh…

The wife of a missing insured, Anuradha, claimed the death benefit under a life insurance policy after her husband disappeared and remained unheard of for more than seven years, invoking Section 108 of the Evidence Act. The insurer, LIC, rejected the claim on the ground that the policy had lapsed due to non‑payment of …

Karamjit Singh, a Delhi police constable, was residing in a police quarter allotted to his father‑in‑law when police, acting on secret information, raided the premises and recovered explosives and related materials from a locked box that Singh opened. He was convicted under Sections 3 and 5 of the Terrorist and Disrupt…

In the 1991 Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly election for the Chennaimahadevi constituency, the returned candidate (appellant) filed an election expense return showing Rs 36,350, admitting use of one vehicle (TN‑72‑1909) with Rs 15,875 expense but also acknowledging a second vehicle (TN‑555) whose expense was not disclo…

The Supreme Court examined the murder trial of Kundula Bala Subrahmanyam, who died from extensive burns after allegedly being set alight by her husband and mother‑in‑law over a dowry‑related dispute. The prosecution relied on a chain of circumstantial evidence: a clear motive (dowry and land registration), two oral dyi…

The State of Andhra Pradesh prosecuted Y. Basavadevudu and S. Subha Rao for embezzling Rs.1,22,500 by falsifying entries related to fake RBI demand drafts in a Sub‑Treasury. The trial court found the accused and an approver guilty under IPC sections 409, 467, 471 and 477‑A, but the High Court acquitted them, holding th…

The appellant was convicted of murder under Section 302 IPC based on a dying declaration, eyewitness testimony, and the recovery of a weapon, despite serious irregularities in the investigation. The Supreme Court examined the purpose of criminal investigation, the role of the investigating officer, and the interplay be…

Gajanan Dashrath Kharate was convicted of murdering his father, Dashrath, after the father was found dead in a pool of blood following a night of frequent quarrels. Two neighbours, PW‑1 and PW‑2, heard the altercation but did not intervene and later learned of the death from a third witness. The prosecution presented t…

The appellant Rajinder Singh was convicted under IPC s.3048 for the death of his wife Salwinder Kaur, who died by poisoning within four years of marriage after repeated demands for dowry money and alleged ill‑treatment by the husband and his relatives. The trial court and the High Court upheld the conviction, finding t…

The deceased, Truptiben, married in 1996 and allegedly faced repeated dowry demands and mental harassment by her husband and his relatives, leading her to commit suicide by hanging in 2000, within seven years of marriage. A criminal complaint was filed under Sections 498A, 304B, 306 and 114 of the IPC; the trial court …

The appellant, Tejram Patil, was convicted of murdering his wife Savita by pouring kerosene and setting her on fire; Savita’s mother Prabhabai and the landlady Vimal also sustained burn injuries and died. The trial court admitted Prabhabai’s dying declaration (OD) to prove the cause of Prabhabai’s death but rejected Sa…

The case involved an acid attack on G. Janardhan, resulting in his death. The prosecution’s case against accused A‑1 and A‑2 rested mainly on a dying declaration recorded by a magistrate, which alleged that the deceased had named the accused. The trial and High Courts accepted this declaration despite the absence of an…

The appellants, a group of five men, were convicted for the murder of Abdul Samad and for causing injuries to two eyewitnesses under Sections 302, 324 and 34 of the IPC. The High Court altered one conviction from Section 302 to Section 304 (II) but upheld the others. On appeal, the accused argued that the prosecution f…

The deceased Bhavani and her infant daughter set themselves on fire and died. The prosecution alleged that the husband, Lella Srinivas Rao, and his mother had subjected Bhavani to cruelty and harassment, driving her to suicide, and charged them under IPC sections 498‑A and 306. Two dying declarations were recorded: the…

Hans Raj was convicted under Section 306 IPC for abetting the suicide of his wife, Jeeto Rani, and also under Section 498A IPC for cruelty. The prosecution’s case relied on the presumption in Section 113-A of the Evidence Act, asserting that the wife’s suicide within seven years of marriage and alleged cruelty implied …

Therakhatoon purchased land in 1966 and later alleged that her neighbour, Slambin Mohammad, illegally occupied part of it and constructed two rooms in 1967. After a delay of several years, she filed a suit for possession, injunction and damages, which was initially dismissed by the trial court, reversed by an appellate…

Jiwan Dass and Mittar Pal Yadav, employees of the Government Heat Treatment Centre, were authorized to procure 10,000 litres of light diesel oil from Indian Oil Corporation. The diesel delivered was short by 4,300 litres. The prosecution charged both under Section 409 of the IPC for criminal breach of trust. The Suprem…

The respondents filed a suit seeking declaration of ownership and possession of land, alleging that a 1950 registered sale deed in their favour was forged. The trial court accepted the presumption of due execution under Section 90 of the Evidence Act based on a certified copy of the deed, but the appellate courts set a…

The appellants, Vijaya Singh and his mother Basanti Devi, were convicted for the murder of Devaki, the appellant's wife, based largely on circumstantial evidence and statements recorded under Section 164 of the CrPC. The appellants challenged the conviction, arguing that the FIR was delayed, the circumstantial evidence…

The deceased Seema was married in 1991 and soon after faced repeated dowry demands for a motorcycle and cash from her husband, Chandrahas, and his relatives. Despite a Panchayat‑mediated compromise deed in 1994, the harassment continued, culminating in her being beaten and later burnt to death in 1995. The prosecution …

The appellant Motilal Yadav was convicted, along with six co‑accused, for kidnapping a six‑year‑old boy and demanding ransom, under IPC sections 364A read with 34 and 120B. The trial court sentenced each accused to life imprisonment and a fine, and the High Court of Patna affirmed the conviction. The appellant challeng…

The appellant, a Deputy Chief Engineer of South Central Railway, was accused of demanding and accepting a bribe of Rs.3,000 from a contractor after passing the contractor's final bill. A pre‑trap operation was conducted by the CBI, during which the contractor, a shadow‑witness, and the CBI inspector observed the appell…

The plaintiff filed a partition suit against his father, the Karta of a joint family, who died during the proceedings. The plaintiff's brother, Gopal Swaroop, claimed that the deceased had executed a will leaving his share to him. The trial court and a single High Court judge held that the will was duly proved, but a D…

The appellants, sons of the deceased Mast Ram, challenged the sale of their father's property by his widow Muni Devi, arguing that a statement recorded by the Registrar of Deeds on 21 May 1973 constituted a codicil that, if valid, limited the widow to a life estate. The Court examined whether a codicil must be executed…

The Tamil Nadu Housing Board was exempted from the Payment of Bonus Act, 1965 by two Government Orders issued under Section 36 of the Act (1979 and 1982). Employees of the Board challenged the exemptions, and the Madras High Court set aside the orders, directing the Board to pay statutory bonus from the 1978‑79 account…

In the Metropolitan Council election from the Narela constituency, Hari Ram was declared elected with 12,369 votes, defeating Hira Singh who secured 12,131 votes. Hira Singh filed an election petition and, at the interlocutory stage, sought an order directing the Returning Officer to produce the marked electoral rolls …

The State of Madhya Pradesh charged Ramjan Khan, Musab Khan and Habib Khan with murder of Naseem Khan under Sec. 302 read with Sec. 34 IPC. The trial court convicted them based largely on oral testimonies of the deceased’s mother (PW‑8) and his two minor brothers (PW‑5, PW‑9), treating an alleged oral dying declaration…

Miss XYZ, a personal assistant to the managing director of a company, filed a complaint alleging that the director repeatedly blackmailed her with nude photographs, threatened her employment, and raped her on several occasions. An FIR was lodged under Sections 376, 499 and 506(2) of the IPC. The director filed a specia…

The State alleged that the accused, Sanjay, set fire to his fiancée Veena by pouring petrol from a can on her while riding a scooter, leading to her death. The prosecution's case relied heavily on two dying declarations recorded at the hospital, statements of the victim's parents, and the testimony of a tea‑stall vendo…

The husband forced his wife to relinquish land given as stridhana, concealed her family’s mail, and, together with his parents, drove her out of the matrimonial home, leading her to commit suicide. The trial court convicted the husband under Section 498A IPC for cruelty and acquitted all accused of dowry death (Section…

The case involved police officers accused of torturing a suspect, Shama @ Kalya, while in custody, leading to his death and alleged tampering with evidence. The prosecution relied on witness testimony, a fingerprint test linking an unidentified burnt body to the victim, and claims of a staged escape, while the defence …

Avinash Sadashiv Bhosale, a State Bank of India branch manager, was prosecuted under IPC sections 120B, 420, 467, 468, 471 and 201 for alleged fraud of Rs 12 crore, but was acquitted by the criminal court. Simultaneously, the bank instituted departmental proceedings under the SBI Officers Service Rules, 1992, charging …

The case involved a robbery on 24 April 2002 in which the victim, Nand Kishore, was assaulted with an iron rod and his bag was stolen. The accused, Aslam @ Deewan and Waseem @ Raju, were arrested after one of them provided information leading to the recovery of the stolen items and the weapon. The injured victim identi…

The National Union of Water Front Workers sought regularisation of its members who were employed as contract labourers by a contractor of Steel Authority of India Ltd. (SAIL). The West Bengal Government issued a 1989 notification prohibiting contract labour and the Calcutta High Court directed SAIL to absorb the worker…

The appellants were convicted of murder (Sec. 302 IPC) and related offences for the killing of Krishnanand Chaudhary, despite the victim's body not being produced. The appellants argued that the prosecution failed to prove the victim's death and that the lack of corpus delicti, non‑examination of the investigating offi…

The deceased Ranganathan was allegedly attacked by the appellants Periasami and Ramaswamy with a billhook, spear and lathi, leading to his death. Eye‑witnesses PW‑1 and PW‑2 identified the appellants, while the FIR was lodged after a delay and the inquest report contained an erroneous time of death. The Sessions Court …

The plaintiffs, the first wife Kashi Bai and her daughter Sunita, sued for a half share in the property of their deceased husband Lachiram, alleging he was the sole owner at his death. The defendants, the second wife Parwati Bai, her daughter Meena and grandson Purshottam, contended that Lachiram had adopted Purshottam…

The suit concerned the partition of ancestral lands belonging to the deceased Dasabovi, who had two wives – the plaintiffs' mother (first wife) and Chowdamma (second wife). The plaintiffs claimed that their mother was lawfully married to Dasabovi and therefore entitled to a share of the property, while the defendants d…

The appellant Gurdeep Singh was convicted under IPC sections 3048 (dowry death) and 498A for allegedly poisoning his wife Rajinder Kaur after a dowry demand. The prosecution alleged that the accused administered poison, that a dowry demand of Rs 25,000 was made shortly before death, and that the body was cremated hasti…

Krishna Bahadur, a messenger‑cum‑bearer, was dismissed for disciplinary misconduct, reinstated by an Industrial Tribunal, and then retrenched within a month with a modest compensation. The trade union challenged the retrenchment on the ground that the employer had not complied with the mandatory requirements of Section…

The case concerned two settlement deeds executed by Nanjammal in favour of her grandson, the appellant, which the daughters claimed were obtained by undue influence. The trial court declared the deeds void, but the first appellate court upheld their validity as gift deeds. The High Court reversed, holding the deeds unp…

The Supreme Court heard three writ petitions under Article 32 challenging the constitutionality and legality of orders convening General Court‑Martials for Lt Col Prithipal Singh Bedi, Capt Dharam Pal Kukrety and Capt Chander Kumar Chopra. The petitioners argued that the composition of the courts‑martial violated Rule …

The appellants Ranjit Kumar Haldar and Mamta Mohanta were convicted for the murder of Netai Mohanta, whose body was found concealed under wooden flooring in a house they had rented. The prosecution relied on the discovery of the body, statements of witnesses, and a disclosure statement by the wife of the deceased. The …

The case concerned Sukh Ram, a Gram Sewak, who was alleged to have forged loan applications and misappropriated government funds between 1983 and 1986. During the investigation, an executive magistrate obtained specimen signatures of two witnesses, which were later compared by a handwriting expert who testified that th…

The appellant, Kantilal Martaji Pandor, was married to two women; his second wife, Amriben, wrote a letter to the police alleging financial exploitation, starvation and threats, and subsequently died by jumping into a well. An FIR was lodged under Sections 498A and 306 IPC, leading to his conviction on both counts by t…

The case arose from a dowry‑related dispute in which the complainant’s statement before the trial court differed from the statement recorded during investigation. An application under Section 311 of the CrPC seeking a fresh recording of the complainant’s statement was rejected by the trial court as an attempt to fill g…

The appellants, the husband and his parents, were convicted for the suicide of their wife, who allegedly suffered dowry‑related cruelty. The trial court sentenced them under Sections 304‑B (dowry death) and 498‑A (cruelty) of the IPC, and the High Court reduced the sentence but upheld the convictions. On appeal, the Su…

The appellant, P.V. Radhakrishna, was convicted of murdering his wife by setting her on fire after a domestic quarrel. The deceased, Smt. Dharni, suffered extensive second and third degree burns and, while being treated in hospital, gave a statement in the presence of a police officer and a doctor, which was treated as…

Hasmukhbhai Patel was fatally injured on 12 August 1993 after a quarrel with Dhirajbhai Gorakhbhai Nayak, who was alleged to have assaulted him while he slept. The deceased's wife (PW I) and son (PW 3) testified that they saw the accused delivering blows, while a friend (PW 2) gave a contradictory statement. The FIR wa…

The State of Haryana acquired about 180 acres of land for a feeder project and awarded uniform compensation rates. The High Court, relying on a single sale deed, directed the State to pay Rs.1,72,000 per acre plus an additional Rs.30,000 for "potential value". The State appealed, arguing that certified copies of other …

The father of a minor girl lodged an FIR alleging that three men, including the appellants, had abducted her for rape. Police investigation found only one of the alleged persons, Prem Chand, involved and framed charges against him. During the trial, after the prosecutrix’s cross‑examination began, the public prosecutor…

The Supreme Court examined a dispute arising from land acquired by the Government of Punjab under the Land Acquisition Act, 1894, where the award and compensation were paid to the original owners. After the bridge was completed, the respondent, Sadhu Ram, entered possession as a yearly lessee in 1965, later purchasing …

The appellant, a former Chief Justice of the Madras High Court, was charged under the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1947 for possessing assets disproportionate to his known income. He sought to quash the criminal proceedings, arguing that judges are not "public servants" under the Act and that no prior sanction was req…

Syad Akbar, a bus driver, was convicted under Section 304A IPC for the death of a four‑year‑old girl who was struck when he swerved his bus to avoid her. The prosecution’s eye‑witnesses were treated as hostile and their testimony was discarded by the trial court. On appeal, the Supreme Court held that hostile witnesses…

The appellants, Rahil and Noor Ahmed, were convicted of murder under Section 302 IPC after the Delhi High Court reversed their trial‑court acquittal. The prosecution's case was based on circumstantial evidence that the deceased had called the co‑accused Suraiya and allegedly went to her residence, where he was later fo…

The appellant, Gour Acharjee, was convicted for the murder of his wife Soma Acharjee, who died after being subjected to severe dowry-related torture. The prosecution alleged that Soma was beaten, sustaining head and chest injuries, and subsequently hanged to simulate suicide, while the defence claimed a voluntary suici…

The appellant was convicted of rape under IPC s.376 based solely on the testimony of the prosecutrix, Indira, whose statement was recorded under Section 164 CrPC. The appellant appealed, arguing that the prosecutrix's evidence contained material contradictions, lacked corroboration, and was unreliable, especially given…

The appellant claimed to be a deemed tenant under Section 4A of the Kerala Land Reforms Act, 1963, relying on a mortgage deed executed in 1909‑1910 in favour of his mother as collateral for a dowry. The Supreme Court held that the mortgagee (the appellant's mother) was a minor of 15 years at the time of execution and w…

The Supreme Court examined the convictions of three accused in a kidnapping‑for‑ransom case. It upheld the life‑sentence convictions of Gautam Kumar (A2) and Vijay Ranglal Chorasiya (A5), finding that eyewitness testimony, telephone‑booth records and voice‑spectrography reliably proved their guilt beyond reasonable dou…

The appellant Dinesh was convicted for the death of his wife Manju Bala, who committed suicide by ingesting a pesticide within four years of marriage. The prosecution alleged that Dinesh and his brothers repeatedly harassed the deceased for additional dowry items such as a television and a gold chain, and barred her pa…

Laut Kumar Yadav alias Kuri was convicted for murdering an 18‑year‑old girl and attempting to rape her. The prosecution relied on circumstantial evidence: a sniffer‑dog trail, recovery of a blood‑stained sickle and the accused’s clothes, and prior eve‑teasing of the victim. The trial court sentenced him to death under …

Shankar Kisanrao Khade, aged about 52, and his wife abducted an 11‑year‑old girl with moderate intellectual disability, repeatedly raped her and later strangulated her to death. The trial court and the High Court convicted Khade under IPC sections 302, 376, 366‑A, 363 r/w s.34 and sentenced him to death, while his wife…

Ajit Singh, a common ancestor, sold ancestral land to Bishan Singh without consideration. Joginder Singh, a descendant, sued to declare the sale void and protect his reversionary rights, obtaining a decree that the sale would not affect those rights after Ajit Singh's death. A compromise was later reached between Jogin…

The appellant Jitendra Ram (Jitu) was convicted of murder and abetment of suicide under Sections 302 and 201 of the IPC and sentenced to life imprisonment. He contended before the Supreme Court that he was a minor at the time of the offence (18‑11‑1985) and therefore entitled to the protection of the Bihar Children Act…

International Woolen Mills (appellant) placed an order for wool with Standard Wool (U.K.) Ltd. (respondent) which it later rejected as inferior and withheld payment. The respondent obtained an ex‑parte decree in the Central London County Court and sought execution in Ludhiana, India. The appellant filed two application…

The appellant claimed occupancy rights over a parcel of land under Sections 44 and 45 of the Karnataka Land Reforms Act, 1961, relying on revenue records, rent receipts and oral testimony that he had been a tenant until 1975. The Land Tribunal and the Land Reforms Appellate Authority accepted this evidence and granted …