Indian Penal Code, 1860

Vijay Kumar Arora was convicted of murdering his wife, who died from over 90% burn injuries. The prosecution proved that the death was homicidal, not suicidal or accidental, through medical evidence, the victim’s verbal dying declaration before six witnesses, and evidence of physical and mental cruelty and extra‑marita…

Amar Sardar was convicted by a Fast Track Court for offences under Sections 376, 511 and 354 of the Indian Penal Code and sentenced to rigorous imprisonment. He appealed to the Calcutta High Court, which upheld the conviction and sentence. The appellant contended that the High Court had merely reiterated the trial cour…

The appellant was acquitted in 2010 of offences under Sections 148, 149, 448, 364 and 506 IPC arising from FIR No. 61/2002. In 2011 a second FIR was lodged alleging that the appellant and co‑accused caused the death of the informant's father, a matter discovered only after a skeleton was identified. The appellant sough…

The appellant was convicted of raping and murdering a three‑year‑old girl and was sentenced to death, a sentence confirmed by the High Court and upheld by the Supreme Court. The appellant filed review petitions, which were initially dismissed but later restored after the Supreme Court’s decision in Mohd. Arif alias Ash…

Kashmir Kaur and another were convicted under Section 3048 IPC (dowry death) read with Section 34 IPC and Section 498A IPC for the death of the deceased woman, which occurred 11 months after her marriage. The prosecution proved that the victim was repeatedly harassed and tortured by her mother‑in‑law, brother‑in‑law an…

The husband filed a writ petition challenging the interim maintenance granted to his wife under Section 12 of the Protection of Women from Domestic Violence Act, 2005, alleging that she was already married to another man, as evidenced by a marriage certificate under the Special Marriage Act, 1954. The trial court rejec…

The case arose from a 1992 altercation in Ajmer that resulted in the death of Idris and injuries to several persons, leading to two FIRs (cross‑FIRs). The trial court convicted four accused (Yasir, Khalil, Akil and Farukh) under Sections 302 and 324 read with Section 34 of the IPC and sentenced them to life imprisonmen…

The appellant filed a criminal complaint alleging fraud and extortion in a land‑title dispute, leading to an FIR under Sections 465, 467, 468 and 120B IPC. The respondents filed petitions under Section 482 of the CrPC seeking quashment of the FIR; the High Court allowed the petitions, quashing the FIR except for the ex…

The appellants, Sadakat Kotwar and another, were convicted for stabbing two victims, PW7 and PW8, with a dagger, causing grievous injuries to vital parts of the body. The prosecution presented ten witnesses, including the injured eye‑witnesses PW7 and PW8, whose testimonies were found reliable. The appellants argued th…

The appellants, who were convicted of murder under Section 302 IPC and sentenced to life imprisonment, were released on bail by the High Court under Section 389 of the CrPC while their appeals were pending. The complainant challenged this release, contending that the High Court failed to comply with the first proviso o…

The appellant, husband of Karnail Kaur, was charged under Section 304B of the IPC for dowry death after his wife died of poisoning within seven years of marriage. The prosecution proved that the wife had complained of dowry demands for a scooter and refrigerator on 25 June 1991, and she died on 30 June 1991, establishi…

The Constitution Bench examined whether a police officer must register a First Information Report (FIR) under Section 154 of the Code of Criminal Procedure, 1973 (CrPC) upon receiving information of a cognizable offence, or may first conduct a preliminary inquiry to test its veracity. Relying on the literal meaning of …

Gowramma, a married woman, died from severe burns after allegedly being doused with kerosene by her husband Anjanappa. She gave a dying declaration implicating him, which was recorded by a police officer and endorsed by the attending doctor, who testified that she was conscious and fit to speak. The trial court acquitt…

The appellant was convicted under Section 307 of the IPC for an offence committed on 6 March 1983, when he was about 15 years old. After serving part of his sentence, he challenged the conviction on the ground that he should be treated as a juvenile under the Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Act, 2000…

The President of India referred the conduct of the Haryana Public Service Commission Chairman Mehar Singh Saini and three members to the Supreme Court under Article 317(1) for alleged misbehaviour, including irregular selections, use of bogus certificates, and refusal to cooperate with vigilance investigations. The Cou…

The appellant was married to the deceased for four and a half years during which she alleged continuous cruelty and assault by him and his parents. After being left at her parents' house, the deceased poured kerosene on herself and died, leading to charges under Sections 498A and 306 of the IPC. The trial court convict…

The husband (Appellant No.1) and his mother-in-law were convicted under IPC sections 498A (dowry harassment) and 306 (abetment of suicide) for the death of Dr. Amali Victoria, who allegedly suffered mental torture and was compelled to have a child, leading to her suicide in 2014. The prosecution's case relied mainly on…

The appellant, a former District Manager, challenged a High Court order that directed the magistrate to order further investigation into his alleged role in the misappropriation of foodgrains, despite the magistrate having taken cognizance only against a lower‑level employee. The Supreme Court examined whether the High…

A hand grenade attack at a public gathering in Amritsar resulted in three deaths and 22 serious injuries. Bikramjit Singh was arrested, remanded to custody, and after 90 days (which expired on 21‑02‑2019) he applied for default bail; the Sub‑Divisional Judicial Magistrate dismissed the application, claiming he had alre…

The case concerned the murder of Devinder Singh, who was allegedly attacked by three accused wielding hockey sticks and a knife. The prosecution’s case rested primarily on the testimony of Parminder Singh (PW‑1), a brother of the deceased, while the other two eye‑witnesses turned hostile. The Supreme Court examined the…

The trial court acquitted 23 accused of charges including criminal conspiracy (s.120B IPC) and murder (s.302 IPC) based on inconsistencies in eyewitness testimony, a doubtful dying declaration, and lack of corroborative evidence. The Madras High Court reversed the acquittal of 19 accused, convicting them on the same ch…

The State of Uttar Pradesh appealed the acquittal of Munesh, who was charged with raping and murdering an 11‑year‑old girl. The trial court had convicted him under Sections 302 and 376 of the IPC, but the High Court set aside the conviction, citing contradictions in the statements of two eye‑witnesses (PWs 2 and 3) and…

The appellant, Pratapbhai Hamirbai Solanki, was accused of conspiring to murder an RTI activist and was charged under Sections 302, 201 and 120‑B IPC and Sections 25(1)(b) and 27 of the Arms Act. Bail applications before the Sessions Court and the Gujarat High Court were rejected. After the High Court reserved its judg…

Mamman Khan, a sitting MLA, was charged in two FIRs relating to large‑scale communal violence in Nuh district. The trial court, citing the need for speedy disposal of cases involving legislators, ordered a separate charge‑sheet and segregated his trial from the co‑accused, a decision affirmed by the High Court. The app…

The appellant Maniklal Sahu and three co‑accused were convicted of murder under s.302 IPC for throwing the victim Rekhchand Verma from a terrace and assaulting him, resulting in injuries that led to septic shock, pneumonia and paraplegia, and the victim died nine months later. The High Court reduced the conviction to a…

The appellants, a former Circle Officer and Talathi, were accused of certifying mutation entries based on forged documents that facilitated an illegal property transfer between 1996 and 1998. An FIR was lodged in 2019 and the appellants filed anticipatory bail applications, which received intermittent interim protectio…

The appellant, Rabbu @ Sarvesh, was convicted of rape, murder and related offences under Sections 450, 376(2)(i), 376D, 376A, 302 IPC and Section 5(g)/6 POCSO, receiving the death penalty for Sections 376A and 302. The defence argued that the three dying declarations were inconsistent and that DNA evidence suggested a …

The appellant, a radiologist, was raided on 27 April 2017 after a decoy patient alleged that his clinic performed illegal sex‑determination ultrasounds. The raid was conducted by a team authorized only by the Civil Surgeon, who was the Chairman of the district Appropriate Authority, without the consent of the other mem…

The appellant Darbara Singh was convicted under Section 302 IPC for murdering Mukhtiar Singh, based on eye‑witness testimony that he struck the victim's head with a kirpan while the victim was attempting to run. The appellant challenged the conviction on several grounds, including alleged inconsistency between medical …

The appellant Kunal Majumdar was convicted of murder (Sec. 302 IPC) and rape of a minor (Secs. 376, 511 IPC), receiving a death sentence for murder and seven years' rigorous imprisonment for rape. The conviction and death sentence were referred to the High Court under Section 366(1) of the Criminal Procedure Code (CrPC…

The appellant, a Patwari, was accused of demanding a bribe of Rs.500 and was caught in a trap operation organized by the Lokayukta. He was convicted under Section 353 of the Indian Penal Code for assaulting public servants during the trap, and sentenced to six months' imprisonment and a fine. On appeal, the Supreme Cou…

The father of a 17‑year‑old girl who delivered a baby and then committed suicide filed an FIR alleging rape under IPC s.376 and the POCSO Act against Amit Kumar Tiwari. The Special Judge framed charges, but the accused obtained a criminal revision under CrPC s.397/401 and the High Court discharged him on the basis of a…

The appellant, Shambhu Kharwar, was accused by a woman (the second respondent) of raping her under Section 376 of the IPC, alleging that he had promised to marry her and then broke that promise, leading her to file a complaint. The woman had been in a consensual relationship with the appellant from 2013 to 2017, marrie…

The appellant, B.H. Khawas, was appointed as a Chemical Examiner in the Customs and Central Excise Department on a provisional basis subject to verification of his Scheduled Tribe (ST) status. After the Caste Certificate Scrutiny Committee determined that he did not belong to the Halba ST but to the Koshti community, h…

The appellant, Kala (Chandrakala), was convicted along with her father for the murder of her husband Murugesan, alleged to have been strangled with a saree and his body disposed under a canal bridge. The prosecution's case rested on circumstantial evidence, an extra‑judicial confession made by the appellant to the dece…

The petitioners, migrants from Jammu & Kashmir, organized a peaceful march to Delhi to press for relief measures, but were stopped near Katra where police used lathi charge and tear‑gas, beating the petitioners even after the crowd was dispersed. The petitioners claimed violations of Articles 14, 19, 21 and 22 of the C…

The appellant was charged with murder under Section 302 IPC for hacking a father and son to death with an axe while they slept. The trial court acquitted him, citing a 17‑hour delay in lodging the FIR, the absence of a proven motive, and the claim that the family witnesses could not have seen the accused. On appeal, th…

The State of Madhya Pradesh prosecuted Babulal and others for assaulting six persons, causing multiple serious injuries, under IPC sections 148, 324, 326 and 149. The trial court sentenced them to three years’ simple imprisonment; the High Court upheld the conviction but reduced the term to three months, citing a seven…

The dispute arose from two agreements to sell the same parcel of land, leading to parallel civil suits for specific performance. The appellant's father, after losing the civil suit, filed an FIR alleging forgery of the earlier agreement and the respondents obtained a quashing order from the High Court, which relied on …

The appellants Amit Kumar and Brij Bhushan were convicted under Sections 302 and 34 of the IPC for the murder of Anita Rani, who was set on fire allegedly over dowry demands. The prosecution relied on the victim's dying declaration recorded by a Judicial Magistrate, corroborated by eyewitnesses who saw the fire and ide…

The appellant, S.S. Chheena, a university security officer, was charged under Section 306 of the Indian Penal Code for allegedly abetting the suicide of a student, Saurav Mahajan, who had taken his life after a dispute over a stolen mobile phone. The suicide note recovered from the deceased blamed fellow students but m…

The appellant, a former director of R.P.S. Benefit Fund Ltd., filed a petition under Section 482 of the CrPC to quash criminal proceedings initiated under Section 420 IPC and Sections 3, 4, 5 and 6 of the Prize, Chits and Money Circulation Schemes (Banning) Act, 1978. The FIR alleged cheating by the company for failing…

Jabar Singh shot Sarnam Singh on 13 November 1984, inflicting a wound that was not fatal. The victim died fourteen days later from peritonitis, which the medical experts attributed to inadequate medical care rather than the gunshot injury. The trial court acquitted the accused due to identification doubts, but the High…

The Supreme Court examined the arrest of Arvind Kejriwal under Section 19 of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act, 2002, in connection with the Delhi excise policy case alleging kickbacks and money‑laundering. Kejriwal challenged the arrest as illegal, arguing that the "reasons to believe" did not disclose all materi…

The respondents claimed ownership of land that had been recorded in the 1962 Record of Rights and later allotted to the Reserve Bank of India. They appealed to the Settlement Officer in 1990, filed a civil suit in 2003 (withdrawn in 2007 without permission to re‑file), and finally filed a writ petition in 2008 seeking …

The case arose from a complaint that the General Manager of Punjab Roadways, in collusion with conductors, was selling and using illegally printed tickets, causing massive loss to the depot. An enquiry was conducted, tickets were seized, and an FIR was filed; fifteen persons were charged, of whom three conductors (Jarn…

The appellant, Sadhna Chaudhary, alleged that a police officer (respondent No.2) drugged and sexually exploited her, threatened to release obscene videos, and continued to harass her for two years, culminating in a violent assault in June 2020 for which she lodged an FIR under Sections 376, 323, 341, 354 and 379 IPC. T…

The case involves three appellants who, along with seven others, stopped a vehicle carrying the deceased and his friends, leading to a verbal altercation and subsequent assault with sticks and a brick that caused the deceased's death. The trial court convicted all six remaining accused under sections 302 and 304 IPC, a…

The complainant alleged that Narayana Multispecialty Hospital overcharged for an HRCT test that was not performed, delayed the supply of medical records, and that hospital staff threatened him when he raised the issue. He filed a criminal complaint invoking Sections 405, 420 and 120B of the IPC and Section 34 of the We…

The appellant, Harpreet Singh Talwar, was charged with facilitating the import of a consignment of heroin‑laden talc stones through a front company, M/s Magent India, after meetings with a foreign conspirator in Dubai. The prosecution alleged that he coordinated the shipment, used proxy firms, fabricated invoices, and …

The appellant NDA Securities Ltd. filed a criminal appeal challenging a Delhi High Court order that had allowed a petition under Section 482 of the CrPC filed by respondent No.2, directing the Bombay Stock Exchange to release Rs 15.90 lakhs withheld as payout for shares sold on superdari. The dispute arose from an FIR …

The appellant, an Assistant Superintendent at Chennai Port Trust, was convicted for abetting her husband, a public servant, in acquiring assets disproportionate to his known income during the check period 2002-2009. The assets were held in the appellant's name, and she was alleged to have concealed the wealth, thereby …

The appellant Rajesh Chaddha was convicted under Section 498A of the IPC and Section 4 of the Dowry Prohibition Act for alleged cruelty and dowry demands by his wife, who claimed physical and mental torture, including a miscarriage. The High Court, exercising revisionary jurisdiction, upheld the conviction despite the …

The Enforcement Directorate (ED) investigated alleged tampering of e‑tender bids that led to charges under the IPC, IT Act and the Prevention of Corruption Act. Because those offences are scheduled under the Prevention of Money‑Laundering Act, 2002 (PMLA), the ED opened a money‑laundering investigation and the accused,…

Parag Bhat, alleged to be a juvenile, claimed minority based on school certificates, but the certificates were found forged or doubtful. The Juvenile Justice Board, after noting the discrepancies, referred the matter to a medical board which, through ossification tests, determined the appellant to be about 19 years old…

The appellant, Rambraksh (Accused No.2), was convicted under IPC sections 302 read with 34 and 201 for the murder of Ramsevak. The prosecution's case relied solely on circumstantial evidence and the "last seen" theory, asserting that the deceased was last seen with the appellant on 7 October 1992 and his skeletal remai…

The petitioner, Sujatha Ravi Kiran, filed a complaint alleging physical and mental cruelty, sexual abuse and wife‑swapping by her naval officer husband, his family and five other naval officers, leading to FIR No.260/2013 in Kerala. The husband’s anticipatory bail was denied and the Kerala High Court ordered a special …

The Allahabad High School Society amended its Rules, Constitution and Bye‑laws on 28 May 2007 and registered the changes on 30 May 2007. The Assistant Registrar, exercising powers under Section 12D(b) of the U.P. Societies Registration Act, 1860, cancelled the registration, finding that the amendments were made arbitra…

The appellants were charged with murder under Section 302 read with Section 34 of the IPC, alleged to have killed two men during a land‑dispute. The trial court acquitted them, finding the FIR was delayed, the oral dying declarations unreliable, and the sole eye‑witness's testimony unnatural. The State appealed, and th…

The appellant alleged that the respondents forged a personal recognizance bond and a surety bond before they were filed as evidence in a criminal case pending before a Judicial Magistrate. The lower courts dismissed the appellant's complaint and the revisional court directed a preliminary enquiry under Section 340 of t…

Pearl Beverages' Porsche, insured with IFFCO Tokio, was destroyed in a high‑speed crash on 22 December 2007. The driver, Aman Bangia, was reported to have smelled of alcohol and was later convicted under IPC 279 for rash driving, but no breath or blood test was conducted. IFFCO Tokio denied the claim invoking an exclus…

The case concerns Accused X, convicted of kidnapping, raping and murdering two minor girls, for which a death sentence was imposed. The petitioner challenged the conviction on two grounds: (i) the trial court failed to conduct a separate pre‑sentence hearing as required by Section 235(2) of the CrPC, and (ii) the petit…

The Supreme Court examined whether Section 84(2) of the Electricity Act, 2003 obliges a High Court Judge to be appointed as Chairperson of a State Electricity Regulatory Commission and whether a member of law is required on the Commission. By interpreting the statutory language, the Court held that Section 84(2) is mer…

The case arose from the murder of Tamanna Khatoon, for which her husband Mukhtar filed an FIR against two accused. During investigation, witnesses under Section 164 of the CrPC alleged that Mukhtar himself killed his wife. The CJM took cognizance of the murder and related offences after reviewing the charge‑sheet and s…

The petitioners, convicted under the Terrorist and Disruptive Activities (Prevention) Act (TADA) and sentenced to death, sought commutation of their sentences under Article 72 of the Constitution. After a delay of about eight years in deciding the mercy petition, they argued that the delay itself warranted conversion o…

The appellants, senior officials of a bicycle manufacturing company, were charged under Sections 406, 420 and 506 IPC for alleged cheating and criminal breach of trust arising from a payment dispute with a contractor. The contractor claimed underpayment for assembling 83,267 bicycles, leading to an FIR and subsequent c…

The case involved Bhima Razu Prasad, who was charged with offences under the IPC, PC Act and alleged to have concealed disproportionate assets. During investigation, accused No.2 and No.3 claimed the seized money was held in escrow, producing a fabricated sale deed to shield Prasad. The trial and High Courts convicted …

The State Trading Corporation of India (STC) and Global Steel Holding Ltd (GSHIL) entered into settlement agreements in 2010 and 2012 under which GSHIL was to pay interest of Rs 600 crore at 8% p.a. by 28 February 2019. The amount was paid, and STC declared that all liabilities under the settlements were fully satisfie…

The deceased, Brij Bhushan Tiwari, was found dead and his brother alleged that he was murdered by his wife and in‑laws. The accused, Dev Kanya Tiwari (mother‑in‑law), claimed the death was a suicide by ingestion of sulfas tablets, a version also supported by a prior complaint filed by the deceased's wife and corroborat…

The appellant was accused of strangling his grandmother and stealing her money bag, leading to a conviction under Section 302 IPC by the trial court and affirmation by the High Court. The prosecution's case hinged primarily on the testimony of two interested witnesses, the deceased's son‑in‑law (PW1) and his wife (PW5)…

The appellants, Bannareddy and others, were convicted by the Karnataka High Court for offences under Sections 148, 341, 504 and 326 read with 149 of the IPC arising from an alleged assault on three victims during a village fair. The trial court had acquitted them, finding that the prosecution’s case was riddled with co…

The case involved six in‑laws accused of murdering Asha Devi, who died from extensive burns. The prosecution's case rested solely on Asha Devi's dying declaration implicating all six accused. Two of the accused, Prem Nath and Raj Bala, raised an alibi, presenting multiple witnesses showing they were at work and elsewhe…

A contractual government teacher in Odisha was sexually harassed by a Sub‑Inspector of Schools, lodged multiple complaints, and was later set ablaze, dying from her injuries. The petitioner, a law student, filed a writ under Article 32 seeking transfer of the investigation to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) a…

The Supreme Court heard a public‑interest writ petition filed by Pravasi Bhalai Sangathan seeking pre‑emptive orders against hate speeches by elected representatives, arguing that such speeches violate Articles 14, 15, 19, 21 and fundamental duties. The Court examined whether existing statutes—IPC, SC/ST (Prevention of…

The deceased's cows damaged the plaintiffs' crops, leading to a heated altercation during which the accused formed an unlawful assembly, entered the victim's house and assaulted him with lathis and a lethal weapon, causing fatal injuries. The victim's mother, an injured eyewitness, identified the appellants as the pers…

Madhuri married appellant No.1 and later committed suicide while staying at her parents' house. The prosecution charged the husband and his relatives, including appellant Nos.2 and 4, under IPC Sections 3048 (dowry death) and 498A (cruelty) alleging dowry demands and cruelty. The trial court and High Court convicted th…

The case concerned the alleged dowry death of Surinder Kaur, who was burnt to death allegedly by her husband Bakshish Ram and his parents. The prosecution relied primarily on the testimony of the deceased's mother, who recounted hearsay statements made by the deceased's father about dowry harassment. The trial court an…

The husband, Ajay Kumar, filed a habeas corpus petition before the Allahabad High Court alleging that his wife, Rashmi, was illegally detaining their minor son. In reality, the child had been living with the mother in Maharashtra since birth. The husband had earlier filed a criminal application in the Bombay High Court…

The appellant, father of a murder victim, challenged a High Court order that the accused (Respondent No.1) be tried as a juvenile under the Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Act, 2000. The accused had filed an application under Section 49 of the Act claiming he was under 18 on the date of the alleged o…

The Union of India, represented by the Enforcement Directorate, appealed against a Patna High Court order that granted regular bail to Kanhaiya Prasad in a PMLA case involving alleged money laundering of proceeds from illegal sand mining by his father. The High Court had released the respondent without satisfying the t…

The trial court acquitted three accused of murder after finding the eyewitnesses' testimonies implausible and noting contradictions in medical evidence. The High Court reversed the acquittal, relying on the same eyewitness accounts and post‑mortem report to convict the accused under section 302 IPC. On appeal, the Supr…

The State of Odisha filed a Special Leave Petition challenging the acquittal of Banabihari Mohapatra and his son for the alleged murder of Bijay Kumar Tadu, whose body was found with electric shock injuries in the accused's shop. The prosecution relied on circumstantial evidence, including the deceased’s presence at th…

The accused Chandru @ Chandrasekaran and Siva were convicted of murder (s.302 r/w s.120B) based solely on circumstantial evidence and a private complaint filed four years after the death. The Supreme Court examined the reliability of the complainants' statements, the delay in filing the private complaint, the lack of a…

Eleven accused were tried for murder under Sections 148, 302/149, 323/149 and 506/149 IPC, and the trial court convicted all of them. The High Court acquitted eight of the accused, but upheld the conviction of three appellants by altering the charge from Section 149 to Section 34 IPC, convicting them under Section 302/…

The appellant, Parkash Chand, was convicted under Sections 376 and 506 of the Indian Penal Code for raping and intimidating the prosecutrix, PW2, based primarily on her testimony and alleged extra‑judicial confessions to witnesses PW4 and PW5. The FIR was lodged seven months after the alleged incident, and no contempor…

Mohd. Suleman Siddiqui was appointed as a registration clerk on a daily‑wage basis in 1991 by the District Registrar, Uttar Pradesh. He later claimed that his appointment was regular and sought regularisation, alleging that the termination of his services was illegal and that Rule 22 of the Subordinate Offices Minister…

The appellant, Dinesh Kumar Kalidas Patel, was convicted by the Sessions Court for offences under Sections 498A and 201 of the Indian Penal Code after his wife allegedly committed suicide by hanging. The High Court acquitted him of the 498A charge but upheld the conviction under Section 201, relying on the fact that th…

The case concerned the murder of Rajendra Rajaram Gupta during a Ganesh festival, where the prosecution alleged that two accused opened fire on the victim and an injured eyewitness. The trial court convicted five accused based on the testimonies of five eye‑witnesses and test identification parades (TIPs). On appeal, t…

The case concerned the murder of two persons in a road‑accident‑turned‑firing incident, for which twelve accused were charged under various IPC sections including s.149 for conspiracy. The trial court convicted them based on six eye‑witness testimonies, alleged recovery of weapons, and a purported conspiracy. On appeal…

Four persons were tried for the killing of Akbar on 9 January 1999. The trial court convicted A1, A2 and A3 under sections 302 and 323 read with section 34 of the IPC, while acquitting them of section 325, and later the High Court altered the convictions, acquitting A1 of 302/34 and A2 of 302/34 but upholding A2's conv…

The petitioner, the Director General of Police (DGP) of Himachal Pradesh, challenged an ex parte order of the Himachal High Court that transferred him and a Superintendent of Police to other posts to ensure a fair investigation into allegations of intimidation and misuse of power. The High Court had acted suo motu on a…

The case involved a murder where three accused were convicted based largely on circumstantial evidence, including a "last seen" theory and alleged recoveries of the victim's body, ornaments, and a spade. The prosecution relied on a disclosure statement allegedly made by accused No.3 (Boby) to claim the body was recover…

The appellant, Prakash Nayi, was convicted under Section 302 IPC for murdering a shop employee and appealed on the ground of insanity under Section 84 IPC. Medical evidence, including two doctors' reports, indicated that he suffered from chronic schizophrenia, a condition that rendered him incapable of understanding th…

The appellants were convicted for murder and related offences under Sections 148, 302/149, 324/149 and 304 Part‑II of the IPC based largely on a statement recorded by the investigating officer (PW‑20) from the deceased Hukum Singh, thumb‑impression evidence, and eye‑witness testimony. The Supreme Court examined the cre…

The appellant, Anversinh, was convicted under Sections 361 and 366 of the Indian Penal Code for kidnapping a 16‑year‑old girl and attempting to compel her marriage, after the girl was recovered from his custody. The appellant argued that the relationship was consensual and that the girl had voluntarily left her parents…

Vinayak Narayan Deosthali, an Assistant Manager in the securities department of UCO Bank, was convicted by a Special Court for conspiring with broker Harshad Mehta and a fellow bank officer to manipulate Subsidiary General Ledger (SGL) accounts, causing loss to the bank and illegal gain to Mehta. The appellant argued t…

Alister Anthony Pareira was convicted for causing the death of seven labourers and grievous injuries to eight others by driving a car rashly and negligently while under the influence of alcohol. The Supreme Court examined whether a person could be tried and convicted under both s.304(Part II) IPC (culpable homicide not…

The appellant was convicted for the rape and murder of a five‑year‑old girl and for causing disappearance of evidence, based primarily on circumstantial evidence. The prosecution proved that the appellant was seen fleeing the scene, that blood‑stained clothes of the victim were recovered from his sister's house followi…

On 8 July 1987 the prosecutrix alleged that the appellant entered her house, assaulted her with three tangi blows and raped her, after which she snatched the weapon and injured him. Both parties were said to have become unconscious; the husband, son and a relative arrived, and an FIR was lodged. The trial court convict…

The State of Odisha filed a criminal appeal against the High Court’s order that quashed FIR proceedings under Sections 420 r/w 120B IPC and Sections 13(2) and 13(1)(d) of the Prevention of Corruption Act against public servants of the Bhubaneswar Development Authority (BDA) and the Housing & Urban Development Departmen…

The case arose from a firearm clash on 8 May 2020 in Pratapgarh, Uttar Pradesh, leading to two FIRs: FIR No.406 filed by Laxman Prasad Pandey alleging his brother was killed by the rival group, and FIR No.407 filed by the rival group alleging Pandey's party were the aggressors. The High Court granted regular bail to th…

The case concerned the murder of Sarman Singh, for which six accused were charged under sections 147, 148, 149, 302, 449 and 452 of the IPC. The trial court acquitted all accused, but the High Court convicted three of them (Ramji Singh, Laxman Singh and Lala Ram) based on the testimony of two eye‑witnesses (PW‑1 and PW…

The Supreme Court addressed the protection of identity of victims of sexual offences, both adult and child, under IPC s.228A, CrPC s.327 and the POCSO Act. It held that no person may publish the victim's name or any detail that could lead to identification, and FIRs relating to such offences must not be placed in the p…

The Supreme Court heard a criminal appeal filed by the CBI against Pratap Chandra Reddy challenging a High Court order that had held the Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Act, 1976 (FCRA) applicable to offences also punishable under the Indian Penal Code. The matter was pending before the Chief Metropolitan Magistrate,…

The petition was filed by the father of a college girl who died after falling from a hostel roof, alleging that the death resulted from ragging and that the Rajasthan police investigation was biased, incomplete, and failed to record the victim's statement. The petitioner sought a transfer of the investigation to the Ce…

The Supreme Court examined the constitutional validity of Section 377 of the Indian Penal Code, which criminalises "carnal intercourse against the order of nature". The petitioners argued that the provision violated Articles 14, 15 and 21 of the Constitution by arbitrarily classifying "unnatural" acts, being vague, and…

The appellants were convicted under IPC sections 395, 396 and 397 for a burglary‑murder that occurred in 1995. Both were arrested ten years later; an identification parade was held only for A1, who later died, while no parade was conducted for A2. The trial court sentenced both to death under section 396, which the Hig…

The appellant, KUKAPALLI MOHAN RAO, was convicted of murder under Section 302 IPC for allegedly hacking the deceased with an axe, motivated by a suspicion of an illicit relationship between the deceased and the appellant's wife. The prosecution relied on the eyewitness testimony of the deceased's wife (PW2) and brother…

Surendra Koli, a former domestic help at the Nithari residence, was convicted for the murder, rape and related offences of a minor based on a Section 164 confession and alleged discoveries under Section 27 of the Evidence Act. The Supreme Court had earlier affirmed his conviction and death sentence in 2011, and a revie…

The appellant, a 55‑year‑old mother‑in‑law, was granted regular bail by the First Additional Sessions Judge in a dowry‑related murder case, despite earlier allegations that she was absconding. The High Court, exercising suo motu powers under Section 439(2) of the CrPC, cancelled that bail, contending that the trial cou…

The appellants were convicted for rioting, destruction of public property and related offences based largely on the testimony of eyewitnesses identified through two Test Identification Parades (TIPs). The witnesses had earlier seen the accused while they were in police custody, and the TIPs were conducted after a signi…

Istkar, a daily‑wage worker, was required to furnish a personal bond of Rs 5,00,000 under Section 107 of the Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPC) to keep the peace during Panchayat elections. After alleged obstruction of officials and illegal construction, the Sub‑Divisional Magistrate forfeited the bond ex parte, directi…

The appellant O.M. Cherian (Thankachan) was convicted under Sections 498A and 306 IPC for the suicide of his wife and was sentenced to two years and seven years of rigorous imprisonment respectively, with the sentences ordered to run consecutively by the trial court and the Kerala High Court. The appeal before the Supr…

Joginder Singh, selected for the post of Constable in Chandigarh Police, was denied appointment after a criminal case (FIR No. 200) was discovered during verification. He had been honourably acquitted by the Additional Sessions Judge, Bhiwani, on 4 October 1999. The appellant disclosed the existence of the case and its…

Nar Singh was convicted under Section 302 IPC and Section 25(1B) of the Arms Act for the murder of Rajbir, based largely on circumstantial evidence and a forensic science laboratory (FSL) report (Ex‑P12) linking a recovered bullet to a country‑made pistol. The trial court and the High Court failed to put the FSL report…

Bhupendra was married to Geeta Bai in 1993. After repeated dowry demands, Geeta consumed wheat tablets on 20 August 1996 and died of suspected poisoning. The trial court convicted Bhupendra and his father under sections 498‑A, 304‑B and 306 IPC; the High Court upheld Bhupendra's conviction but acquitted his father. On …

The appellant Bhola Ram was convicted under Sections 304‑B and 498‑A IPC for the alleged dowry death of his sister‑in‑law Janki Devi, who committed suicide by poison. The prosecution alleged that Bhola Ram, along with his brother Darshan Ram and mother Vidya Devi, demanded additional dowry and subjected the victim to c…

Suresh Kumar was convicted under Sections 304‑B (dowry death) and 498‑A IPC for the death of his wife Sulochana within seven years of marriage. The trial court acquitted him, deeming the death accidental, but the High Court reversed the acquittal, holding that the death occurred under non‑normal circumstances, that dow…

The deceased, Neeru Gupta, committed suicide in 1985 and her brother filed a complaint alleging dowry demand and ill‑treatment by her husband and in‑laws. The trial court acquitted the accused, finding no proof of dowry demand or cruelty and noting the deceased suffered from mental illness. The High Court reversed the …

The appellant was convicted for the murder of a shepherd, Ramesh, and for concealing the body under sections 302 and 201 of the IPC, based largely on an alleged confessional statement and the recovery of three sheep allegedly sold by the appellant. The prosecution could not positively identify the recovered sheep as th…

The Supreme Court examined whether Exception 2 to Section 375 of the Indian Penal Code, which exempts a husband from rape liability when his wife is aged 15‑18, violates the Constitution and conflicts with the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act. The Court held that the exemption creates an arbitrar…

The case involved the murder of Tej Bahadur, who was shot dead while traveling on a motorcycle; seven persons were initially charged under Sections 302, 149 and 148 of the IPC. The trial court convicted all seven, but the High Court later acquitted three while upholding the conviction of the remaining four appellants. …

The petitioners filed a writ petition under Articles 32 and 21 of the Constitution seeking a Supreme Court order directing the Union of India to constitute a special committee, headed by a retired Supreme Court judge, to re‑investigate all bomb‑blast cases since 2002, alleging that innocent Muslim youths were being fal…

The case involved the murder of Kamini Verma and her uncle Rakesh Kumar by accused Dheeraj Verma and Deepak Verma, who allegedly fired a double‑barrel gun after a rejected marriage proposal. The prosecution relied on the victim’s dying declaration, corroborated by three eyewitnesses, and on evidence that the second acc…

The appellant, a 17‑year‑old who was assaulted during communal riots in Akola on 13 May 2023, claimed that the police failed to register a First Information Report (FIR) despite his written complaint and hospital statement. He alleged that the assailants also murdered a man mistakenly identified as a Muslim, and that h…

Religare Finvest Ltd. sued the erstwhile Lakshmi Vilas Bank (LVB) for alleged misappropriation of fixed deposits used as security for loans, leading to a criminal complaint and FIR under IPC sections 409 and 120B. LVB was placed under moratorium by the RBI and subsequently amalgamated into DBS Bank India Ltd. under a s…

The appellant Sukhjit Singh was convicted under Section 364 IPC for allegedly abducting his wife Kuljit Kaur and sentenced to ten years' rigorous imprisonment. The trial court and the High Court upheld the conviction, relying mainly on evidence establishing the marital relationship, while ignoring the mother’s testimon…

The Supreme Court examined an appeal by Shanmugam and others challenging their conviction for murder under Section 302 read with Section 34 IPC. The appellants argued that (i) the first information report (FIR) was lodged several hours after the incident without a satisfactory explanation, (ii) the sole eye‑witness, PW…

The appellant, an Assistant Superintendent of Jail, was alleged to have facilitated a private vehicle ride for two police constables escorting an undertrial prisoner, during which two unidentified youths attacked the constables with red chilli powder, a knife and a kirpan, attempting to free the prisoner. The prosecuti…

The case concerned the convictions of Manoj Kumar Soni under Section 411 IPC for dishonestly receiving stolen property and Kallu (Habib) under Section 120‑B IPC for criminal conspiracy in a robbery of a complainant’s house. Both convictions were based primarily on disclosure statements made by the accused and co‑accuse…

Ram Niwas was convicted by the Sessions Court and the High Court for the murder of Dalip Singh under Sections 302 and 201 IPC, based primarily on an alleged extra‑judicial confession to two witnesses and the recovery of ash from his memorandum. The defence argued that the dead body could not be positively identified, t…

The appellants, Wyeth Limited and others, challenged an FIR and charge‑sheet that were registered on the basis of a private complaint filed by the second respondent, a former carrying and forwarding agent. The complaint alleged commercial disputes over a warehousing agreement but, on a careful reading, did not disclose…

The appellant, a civil engineer, invested money with the respondents based on a profit‑sharing agreement, but the respondents failed to repay and issued a cheque that later bounced. The appellant filed a complaint under Section 138 of the Negotiable Instruments Act, and subsequently the respondents sought to quash the …

The victim, Saraswati Guchhait, was allegedly raped by Purnendu Kumar Patra and later, while the rape case was pending, Patra and Rabin Jana threw acid on her. She was taken to a hospital, where she could not file a police complaint herself; a neighbour (PW‑7) wrote her statement and mailed it, resulting in a 23‑day de…

The appellant, having given a loan of Rs.60 lakh, received three cheques from the respondent which were dishonoured by stop‑payment. He issued a handwritten notice on 27 April 2012 and a formal legal notice on 24 May 2012 demanding payment, and subsequently filed a criminal complaint under Sections 138, 141, 142 of the…

The appellant Babu was charged under IPC s.302 for allegedly murdering his wife by giving her sodium cyanide disguised as an ayurvedic contraceptive. The trial court acquitted him due to lack of direct evidence and doubts about the prosecution's version, but the Kerala High Court reversed the acquittal and convicted hi…

The accused Vikas Chaudhary and co‑accused abducted a young man, killed him and thereafter made repeated ransom calls to the victim's parents. The petitioner argued that the offence under IPC s.364A was completed at the time of abduction and that he was a juvenile when the offence was committed, invoking the Juvenile J…

Neelam Kumari married Anil Kumar in 1998 and later demanded additional dowry amounts, first Rs.20,000 in 2000 and subsequently Rs.50,000 in 2003. The latter demand was made solely by the husband shortly before Neelam's death, and the parents‑in‑law (Rakesh Chand and Pushpa Devi) were accused of involvement under Sectio…

The Supreme Court examined appeals by four accused (A‑1, A‑4 to A‑6) who were convicted for conspiring to wage war against the Government of India under IPC s.121A, along with offences under the Explosive Substances Act, 1908 and the Arms Act, 1959. The prosecution relied on recovered explosives, arms, inflammatory lit…

The appellants A1 and A3 were convicted under Section 302 read with Section 34 of the IPC for the murder of a man in a liquor‑store queue, based primarily on the testimony of a single eye‑witness (PW3) and the prosecution’s claim of a common intention. Both the trial court and the Delhi High Court relied on an adverse …

The Supreme Court heard a suo moto contempt petition against Perry Kansagra, a Kenyan citizen of Indian origin who had obtained custody of his son Aditya through Indian courts based on undertakings to submit to the jurisdiction of Indian courts and to comply with court orders, including obtaining a "mirror order" from …

The State of West Bengal appealed against the Calcutta High Court’s order granting bail to Rakesh Singh, who was accused under Sections 21(b), 29 and 27A of the NDPS Act for allegedly financing the procurement of cocaine and planting it in a motorcar to frame two occupants. The Supreme Court examined the credibility of…

The State of Uttar Pradesh and the original informant appealed against a judgment of the Allahabad High Court that, invoking Section 482 of the Criminal Procedure Code, quashed the criminal proceedings arising from FIRs (Cr. No. 260/2018 and 227/2019) alleging disappearance of trucks loaded with beer and offences under…

The appellant, Hajabhai Rajashibhai Odedara, together with his co‑accused Jagrutiben, conspired to kill members of Jagrutiben’s family to facilitate their marriage. They strangulated Jagrutiben’s mother Simbhiben and brother Mukesh, and attempted to kill another brother Rajdeep, who survived and became the sole eye‑wit…

The mother of two children filed a complaint alleging that her son Rahul murdered her daughter Kavita and son Gaurang. The trial court convicted Rahul under Section 302 IPC, sentencing him to life imprisonment. On appeal, the High Court acquitted him, holding that the prosecution failed to establish a complete chain of…

The appellants Amrik Singh and Subhash Chander were convicted of murder and robbery under IPC s.302 r/w s.34 and s.392 based primarily on the eye‑witness PW1’s identification of them in the courtroom and the recovery of Rs.1 lakh each from them. No Test Identification Parade (TIP) had been conducted, and the FIR did no…

The appellant Virendra was convicted for the murder of Main Babu, allegedly committed over a property dispute, along with co-accused Suresh; Baijnath, the third accused, died during trial. The prosecution's case hinged on the testimony of a star eyewitness, PW15, who claimed to have seen Suresh firing the weapon, and o…

The appellant, a constable of the CRPF, was dismissed after a disciplinary enquiry found him guilty of misconduct for carelessly handling his loaded 9 mm carbine, which discharged eight rounds and killed a fellow constable. The same incident led to a criminal trial under Section 304 IPC, from which the respondent was a…

Rekhaben, the wife of the accused, died from severe burn injuries and gave dying declarations to a police officer, an executive magistrate, and orally to her father. In the statements to the police and magistrate she identified an unknown outsider as the assailant and did not name her husband, whereas her father’s oral…

The State of West Bengal prosecuted eight accused for the murder of Archideb Bhattacharjee, alleging they demanded money, strangulated him, dismembered his body and disposed of it in gunny bags. The trial court sentenced all to death, which was reduced to life imprisonment by the High Court, except for the theft charge…

The appellants were convicted for the murder of Prabhunath and the assault of his son Moti Lal, based on the prosecution’s claim that they attacked the victims with firearms, an axe and lathis. The trial court and the High Court upheld convictions under sections 302, 307, 324, 147, 148 read with 149 of the IPC. On appe…

The appellants Nanhar and others were convicted for the murder of Vijay under Sections 302 and 149 of the IPC, primarily on the basis of a note recovered from the deceased's pocket that the trial court treated as a dying declaration, and on circumstantial evidence. The Supreme Court held that the prosecution failed to …

The appellants, who were family members, were charged under Sections 3(1)(r) and 3(1)(s) of the SC/ST Act and Section 506 read with Section 34 of the IPC for allegedly hurling caste‑based insults and threatening the complainant inside a residential house. The trial court framed charges, which the High Court upheld, but…

The appeal concerned an Inspector, Sanjay Dubey, who was found prima facie guilty of dereliction of duty for failing to ensure DNA testing in a sensitive case involving offences under the IPC, POCSO Act, SC/ST Act and IT Act. While the High Court, hearing a bail application under Section 439 CrPC, directed departmental…

Raj Kumar (also known as Suman) was convicted for murder and attempted murder arising from a 1995 incident, based solely on the testimony of PW‑5 that he was standing with a katta (handgun) near the gate of the crime scene. The trial court failed to put this material circumstance to the accused during his Section 313 e…

The State of Rajasthan recruited constables and the petitioner, Chetan Jeff, applied claiming no criminal antecedents, while a pending FIR under Sections 143, 341 and 336 IPC existed. The recruitment authority rejected his candidature for suppressing this material fact and making a false declaration. The petitioner cha…

The appellant alleged that the accused, with the help of an imposter, forged a Power of Attorney (PoA) to obtain a mortgage deed over her late mother’s property. The trial court convicted both accused under Section 465 IPC for forgery, a decision upheld by the Sessions Court. On appeal, the High Court set aside the con…

The appellant Kumar was convicted by the trial court and the Madurai High Court for murder (IPC s.302) and voluntarily causing hurt by a dangerous weapon (IPC s.324) after the death of Sakthivel during a scuffle that allegedly stemmed from a prior verbal spat. The prosecution relied on several eyewitnesses, many of who…

The Supreme Court examined the appeal of sixteen accused convicted under the Terrorist and Disruptive Activities (Prevention) Act (TADA) for a series of bomb blasts on Indian trains in December 1993. The Court held that Section 20A(1) of TADA makes prior approval of the District Superintendent of Police an absolute pre…

The State of Rajasthan appealed the acquittal of Sri Chand, who was charged with attempt to rape a 12‑year‑old girl and outraging her modesty. The trial court convicted him only under IPC s.354 and granted probation, while the High Court upheld that order. The Supreme Court held that the evidence did not prove the atte…

The accused Sandeep and Shashi Bhushan were apprehended by police after a girl, Jyoti, reported that they had assaulted her, poured acid on her and attempted to abort her foetus. The victim later died, and the trial court convicted both under Sections 302 and 316 IPC, sentencing them to death. The High Court confirmed …

The appellant, an Indian Air Force pilot, married the respondent at an Arya Samaj temple after being told she was a Hindu spinster. He later discovered she had previously converted to Islam, married a Muslim, had two children, and divorced, but claimed she had reconverted to Hinduism through Shudhikaran ceremonies befo…

The case stems from the 1984 Bhopal gas tragedy, where the CBI filed charge sheets alleging offences under Sections 304, 324, 326, 429 and 35 IPC. The Sessions Court framed those charges, but the Supreme Court, in Keshub Mahindra v. State of M.P. (1996), quashed them and directed that only Section 304A IPC could be fra…

Amar Singh filed a writ petition under Article 32 alleging that his telephone conversations were intercepted by the Government of India and the Delhi administration at the behest of a political party, and sought an injunction and damages. The petition relied on annexes that were later shown to be forged and were obtain…

K.A. Abbas was convicted under Section 138 of the Negotiable Instruments Act for issuing a bounced cheque and was sentenced to one year imprisonment with a direction to pay Rs 5 lakhs compensation to the complainant under Section 357(3) of the CrPC, with a default imprisonment of two months for non‑payment. He paid par…

The Supreme Court upheld the conviction of three accused (A-1, A-2 and A-4) for cruelty to a woman under IPC s.498‑A read with s.34 and murder under s.302 read with s.34. The deceased, Renuka, was burned after the accused poured kerosene on her and set her alight. Her dying declaration was recorded by a taluk magistrat…

The FIR dated 01.12.2010 named five persons as perpetrators of a lathi‑blow assault that resulted in the death of Bhawani Singh. Although the charge‑sheet initially named only two accused, the remaining three were later added and tried separately under Section 319 Cr.P.C. The High Court acquitted the respondent Vijendr…

The appellant, Jeetu Khatik, was convicted by a trial court for kidnapping a nine‑year‑old girl and outraging her modesty, under IPC sections 363 and 354 and POCSO Act section 8, and was sentenced to three years’ imprisonment to run concurrently. He applied for suspension of the execution of his sentence during the pen…

The appellants were convicted of multiple murders and sentenced to death. The trial court recorded the statements of twelve prosecution witnesses without the accused being present, violating Section 273 of the CrPC. The High Court set aside the conviction and ordered a de novo examination of those witnesses in the pres…

The deceased was killed when a tractor, driven rashly by its owner, struck him as a pedestrian on a footpath. The Motor Accident Claims Tribunal held both the tractor's owner and the insurer jointly and severally liable for compensation under the Motor Vehicles Act, 1988, and awarded Rs.4,31,000 plus interest. The insu…

The accused Roopendra Singh was acquitted of offences under Sections 342, 376(2)(b) and 506 IPC. The victim, the widow of the deceased, filed a criminal appeal under Section 372 of the CrPC, which the Gauhati High Court admitted without requiring leave under Section 378(3). The State challenged this, citing the Supreme…

The respondent Ramanand was charged with the deaths of his wife Anita and daughter Ekta, alleged to be caused by strangulation with the bodies later set on fire. Post‑mortem reports established that death resulted from asphyxia due to strangulation and that the burns were post‑mortem, contradicting the initial claim of…

The case concerned a bomb blast on a railway bridge in Tamil Nadu in 1992. The prosecution relied primarily on a confessional statement recorded under Section 15 of the Terrorist and Disruptive Activities (Prevention) Act (TADA) by A1‑Senthilkumar, which he later retracted, and on the testimony of a hostile witness, PW…

The appellant, Dharam Deo Yadav, was convicted for the murder of a New Zealand tourist, Diana Clare Routley, based largely on circumstantial evidence, including eyewitnesses who saw the accused with the victim, the accused's confession leading police to a skeleton recovered from his house, and DNA testing that matched …

The State of Rajasthan appealed against the Rajasthan High Court’s judgment that acquitted two accused (Hemant Kumar and Manoj Kumar) and convicted Raju (Raj Kumar) for the death of Anirudh Mishra arising out of a property dispute. The accused claimed the right of private defence. The Supreme Court examined whether the…

Four accused were convicted for kidnapping and raping a girl who was 13 years and 9 months old at the time of the offence. The appellant, Lillu @ Rajesh, challenged the conviction on the ground that the victim was older, that her statement was uncorroborated, and that the two‑finger test and alleged habitual sexual act…

The appellant was convicted under Sections 302 and 376 of the Indian Penal Code for the rape and murder of a young woman named Devi. The prosecution's case was built on circumstantial evidence, including the appellant's presence at the crime scene, his flight from the village, medical findings of sexual intercourse and…

The Supreme Court examined a gang‑rape and murder case where an FIR dated 25‑05‑2000 led to the conviction of six accused under sections 302, 376(2)(g), 201, 404 and 506 IPC. The trial court and the Punjab‑Haryana High Court relied heavily on the testimonies of witnesses PW‑8, PW‑9 and PW‑7, the latter providing an ext…

The appellants, teachers including Mohan Lal, were convicted for gang rape and kidnapping of a minor student under Sections 376(2)(g) and 366 IPC and sentenced to ten years' rigorous imprisonment. The Supreme Court examined whether the fiduciary relationship between teachers and a student attracted Section 376(2)(b) an…

Ram Deo Prasad was convicted under IPC sections 376 and 302 for raping and causing the death of his 4‑year‑old daughter, Laila Khatoon. The prosecution relied on witness statements, a post‑mortem report and the fact that the accused was seen carrying the child after the alleged abuse. The Court held that the first part…

Kulvinder Singh and Jasvinder Singh were convicted of murder under IPC s.302 read with s.34 for the killing of Amardeep. The prosecution relied on a chain of circumstantial evidence: a motive arising from a prior quarrel, the accused’s presence near the victim before the crime, witnesses hearing shrieks and seeing the …

The case arose from two FIRs (11/97 and 12/97) lodged on 28‑29 April 1997 concerning a violent incident in which a man named Suresh Yadav died and several others were injured. Eleven accused were charged under IPC sections 302, 324 and 149 and were convicted by the trial court, a decision affirmed by the High Court. On…

The appellant, B.R. Surendranath Singh, a holder of a mining lease in Karnataka, alleged that about one lakh tonnes of iron ore found on his lease area had been illegally dumped by third parties and sought to prevent the Department of Mines and Geology from auctioning the ore. The Department seized the ore, identified …

The appellant-wife alleged that her husband and in‑laws subjected her to dowry‑related cruelty and forced her to leave the matrimonial home in Ranchi and return to her parental home in Gaya. She filed an FIR in Gaya under IPC sections 498A, 406 r/w 34 and Dowry Prohibition Act sections 3 and 4. The High Court quashed t…

Rajkumar Yadav applied for the post of constable (driver) in the Madhya Pradesh Police but was rejected by the screening committee because he had been involved in offences of kidnapping, abduction and rape of a minor girl, and his acquittal by the trial court was only on the basis of benefit of doubt, not an honourable…

The appellant, Shahid Ali, fired a country-made pistol during a celebratory firing at a marriage ceremony on 17 March 2016, striking the deceased Ishfaq Ali in the neck and causing his immediate death. The trial court and the High Court convicted him under Section 302 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) for murder, along wi…

The case arose from a land dispute in Perambalur district where the deceased, Michaelraj, was attacked with deadly weapons by the appellant and others on 10 December 1997. The sole eye‑witness, PW‑3, identified the accused and the trial court convicted them under sections 148, 149, 302 and 341 IPC. The Madras High Cour…

The case concerns the murder of Manjunath, a sales officer of Indian Oil Corporation, who was killed after inspecting the petrol pump owned by Pawan Kumar (Monu Mittal). The prosecution relied heavily on confessional statements made by accused Nos. 4 and 7 to police officers, as well as a series of circumstantial evide…

The appellant, Ashok, was convicted for the murder of his wife and two daughters based on the "last seen together" doctrine, with the trial court shifting the burden of proof to him under Section 106 of the Evidence Act. The prosecution relied on circumstantial evidence, a purported motive of obtaining Rs.2 lakh from t…

The husband (appellant) was convicted by the Karnataka High Court for dowry death (IPC s.304B), cruelty (IPC s.498A) and offences under the Dowry Prohibition Act after his wife committed suicide, allegedly due to his demand for a further Rs 10,000. The Supreme Court held that the Rs 10,000 demand was for repayment of a…

The deceased husband was attacked and killed by his wife's father and four brothers after a marital dispute. The prosecution proved that the three younger brothers (accused 3, 4 and 5) entered the house, held the victim and, with the fifth brother delivering a fatal jambia blow, caused his death. The issue before the S…

Gambhirsinh R. Dekare, a Taluka Mamlatdar, complained that the Gujarati daily "Sandesh" published a defamatory news item alleging his illicit relationship with a doctor's wife. The complaint specifically alleged that the Editor (Falgunbhai Patel) and the Resident Editor (Navinbhai Chauhan) deliberately published the st…

In 1981, Kishore Bhagat was shot dead after a series of altercations involving several accused. Akaloo Ahir, the appellant, fired a shot that missed the victim, while another co-accused fired the fatal shot. All were charged under Sections 302, 307 and 34 of the IPC and Section 27 of the Arms Act. The Supreme Court exa…

The appellants, a husband and his in‑laws, sought to quash a FIR and charge‑sheet filed after the husband filed a divorce suit, alleging that the FIR was a retaliatory, vexatious measure. The FIR originally alleged rape under Section 376 IPC, but the charge‑sheet omitted that offence and no protest petition was filed a…

The appellants challenged the registration of FIR No.0092/2023 under the Uttar Pradesh Gangsters & Anti-Social Activities (Prevention) Act, 1986, alleging that the three predicate cases cited in the FIR were essentially civil property and monetary disputes. The High Court had dismissed the writ petition and allowed the…

Umesh Kumar Pahwa, a branch officer of Uttarakhand Gramin Bank, was accused of demanding a bribe from a borrower and reducing the loan amount from Rs.1,50,000 to Rs.75,000. A departmental inquiry found him guilty of ten charges and ordered his removal from service, which was upheld by the High Court. Pahwa challenged t…

The appellant Jaina Construction Company insured a Tata Aiwa truck with Oriental Insurance Company, which was stolen on 04‑11‑2007. The appellant lodged an FIR the next day, but informed the insurer of the theft only after five months, prompting the insurer to repudiate the claim on the ground of delayed notice under C…

The appellant, Khokan, got into a sudden quarrel with the deceased over money, pushed him down and stood on his abdomen, causing internal injuries. The victim died three days later in hospital from septicemia. The trial court and High Court convicted the appellant under Section 302 IPC (murder). The appeal before the S…

Two police officers, the in‑charge of Purighat Police Station and a senior inspector, mercilessly beat Kasinath Naik in the police station premises on 4‑5 May 1985, causing injuries that led to his death that night. The trial court convicted them under Sections 304(Part II), 324, 342, 323, 471 and related provisions; t…

The respondent, a member of the Khasi Scheduled Tribe, was charged with murder and concealment of dead body under Sections 302 and 201 of the IPC and was initially ordered to stand trial before the Sessions Court. He filed a petition seeking transfer of the case to the District Council Court of the Khasi Hills Autonomo…