Indian Penal Code, 1860

The appellant, Komal, was convicted by the trial court under IPC s.323 for assaulting the deceased Daulat. The Madhya Pradesh High Court altered the conviction to s.304 Part I read with s.34, holding that Komal had caused the fatal injury in furtherance of a common intention. On appeal, the Supreme Court held that ther…

B. C. Naidu was selected as a Stipendiary Cadet Trainee Police Constable but was barred from training because the authorities said he had been arrested under the IPC and the Andhra Pradesh Public Examination Prevention of Malpractice and Unfair Means Act, 1997, which he had not disclosed in the attestation form. The Tr…

The appellant V.L. Tresa was accused of murdering her husband Vincent, but the trial court acquitted her of the murder charge (Sec. 302 IPC) due to lack of proof beyond reasonable doubt. She was, however, convicted under Sec. 201 of the Indian Penal Code for causing disappearance of evidence and giving false informatio…

Pawan Kumar (husband) and his parents-in‑law were convicted for the death of his wife, Urmil, who died from severe burns within seven years of marriage. The prosecution alleged that the husband and his relatives repeatedly demanded a scooter and refrigerator as dowry, subjected the wife to mental cruelty and harassment…

A trust was created by Rajmata Vijaya Raje Scindia, including a large house. Two officers of the trust, together with a trustee (the settlor's son) and his wife, were alleged to have forged tenancy documents in favor of the wife, constituting a breach of trust. A complaint was filed and the accused were charged under I…

The dispute arose between the promoters of M/s Shreemukh Namitha Homes Pvt Ltd and two former directors over alleged illegal convening of an extraordinary general meeting, appointment of directors, and filing of false documents on the MCA website. The complainant filed a private complaint before the Special Court, whic…

The State of Uttar Pradesh appealed against a High Court order that granted bail to the accused Anurudh and directed that a medical board determine the victim's age in all POCSO cases. The accused was charged under IPC sections 363 and 366 and POCSO sections 7 and 8 for allegedly abducting a 12‑year‑old girl. The High …

The appellant, Mamta Kaur, was charged under Section 306 of the IPC in FIR No.13 dated 14‑02‑2023. She applied for anticipatory bail under Section 438 of the CrPC, which the Punjab & Haryana High Court rejected. On appeal, the Supreme Court observed that the appellant had cooperated with the investigation and that the …

The trial court convicted two brothers, Goverdhan and Rajendra, and their father Chintaram for the murder of Suraj under Section 302 read with Section 34 IPC, based primarily on the testimony of Suraj's mother, Lata Bai, who was the sole eye‑witness. The High Court upheld the convictions of the brothers but acquitted t…

A juvenile aged between 16 and 18 was alleged to have committed homicide under IPC section 304, an offence with a maximum punishment of life imprisonment but no prescribed minimum sentence. The Juvenile Justice Board classified the offence as "heinous" and ordered the juvenile to be tried as an adult, a decision later …

The appellant, Sher Singh, was convicted under Sections 3048 and 498A IPC for the alleged dowry‑related suicide of his wife, Harjinder Kaur, who had reportedly complained of dowry harassment two months before her death. The prosecution alleged that the husband and his family demanded a motorcycle and a fridge, leading …

The case arose from a land dispute in which the complainant party attempted to forcibly take possession of a field owned by Ahmed Shah. A sudden scuffle ensued, during which Ahmed Shah and Gurmukh Singh inflicted fatal injuries on Sabbir Shah, while other accused injured Rakhu Shah and Rakhia. The trial court convicted…

The wife of a deceased patient filed a consumer complaint alleging medical negligence against two doctors who had performed an operation. The doctors contended that, per the Supreme Court’s decision in Martin F. D'Souza, a complaint could not be entertained without an expert opinion, and they sought to stay the proceed…

The dispute arose from a work order awarded to Manish Engineering Enterprises by IFFCO, which was later cancelled, leading the firm to seek payment through arbitration and writ petitions. After the arbitrator rejected the claim of removal of items from IFFCO premises, the complainant filed multiple criminal complaints …

The case concerned the murder of Dinesh, who was allegedly confined, tied, and assaulted with a wooden stick in the house of Suraj Bhan (A‑1). Eye‑witnesses, including the victim's father and grandfather, testified that they saw the accused beating the victim, and a post‑mortem report confirmed multiple fatal injuries.…

The appellant, Suryalakshmi Cotton Mills Ltd., and the respondent, Rajvir Industries Ltd., were parties to a demerger scheme after which blank cheques signed by the appellant’s Managing Director were handed to the respondents for business use. A dispute arose in 2005, leading the appellant to allege misuse of the chequ…

The Supreme Court examined the convictions of five appellants under Section 3(3) of the Terrorist and Disruptive Activities (Prevention) Act (TADA) for alleged conspiracy to commit terrorist acts, the recovery of large quantities of arms, ammunition and explosives, and related offences under the IPC, Explosive Substanc…

The Supreme Court examined appeals by four accused convicted of murder, rioting and related offences under the IPC and Arms Act. The prosecution case rested on eye‑witness testimony of close relatives of the deceased, who were present at the scene when the accused allegedly assaulted the victim and, after being urged b…

Ajit Singh, his son Balwant Singh and another son Mohan Singh were tried for the murder of Manilal and injuries to his brothers. The trial court acquitted them, finding the prosecution evidence unreliable and giving them the benefit of doubt. The State filed an appeal after the limitation period had expired; the Gujara…

The appellant Govind Mandavi was convicted for murder under IPC s.302 r/w s.34 and for an offence under the SC/ST Act based on the testimony of the deceased's wife (PW‑2) and her father‑in‑law (PW‑1), who identified the accused after a delayed statement and a Test Identification Parade (TIP). The Supreme Court examined…

The appellant, a former Agricultural Officer, was convicted under the Prevention of Corruption Act and IPC for misappropriating funds during 1992-1994. He argued that the prosecution in the 2003 cases was barred by double jeopardy because he had already been tried, convicted, or acquitted in three earlier cases (1999) …

The appellant, K.S. Ranganatha, was charged under Section 138 of the Negotiable Instruments Act for the dishonour of a cheque issued to the respondent, Vittal Shetty, for a loan of Rs.3,75,000. The trial court acquitted the appellant, but the Karnataka High Court reversed the acquittal, finding that the respondent had …

Asharfi was convicted by the trial court and the Allahabad High Court for rape (IPC s.376(2)(g)) and for an offence under Section 3(2)(v) of the SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, the latter attracting a life sentence. On appeal, the Supreme Court examined the evidence of the prosecutrix, a witness and medical repor…

The State of Goa appealed the acquittal of Pandurang Mohite, who had been charged under Sections 302, 392 and 201 IPC for the murder of a missing boy. The trial court had convicted Mohite on the basis of circumstantial evidence, chiefly the "last seen" testimony of two witnesses who claimed to have seen the accused wit…

The appellant, a senior police inspector, was charged under the Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act (MCOCA) for allegedly facilitating a counterfeit stamp syndicate by failing to seal the printing press and arrest its kingpin, Telgi. The Special Judge and the High Court denied his bail, invoking Section 21(4)(b)…

Chenna Boyanna Krishna Yadav, a former minister and advocate, was charged under the Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act (MCOCA) for allegedly abetting Abdul Karim Telgi's counterfeit stamp syndicate. The High Court rejected his bail applications, relying on a recorded conversation between Yadav and Telgi as prim…

The appellants, Dharam, Raj Singh and Raj Kumar, along with two others, attacked the deceased Partap Singh and his family in the latter's fields using lethal weapons, resulting in the death of Partap Singh. The appellants pleaded private (self) defence, claiming they acted to protect themselves when the deceased allege…

The appellant Sivakumar was convicted under Section 304 Part II of the Indian Penal Code for the death of his relative, based on circumstantial evidence, the recovery of an air‑gun, and an extra‑judicial confession he made to a Village Administrative Officer (VAO) and later to a police inspector. The appellant challeng…

The appellant and his co‑accused, members of a joint family, attacked the deceased and a complainant while they were standing on their own plot watching the planting of an almond tree. The victims retreated, fell into a gutter and were assaulted with a knife, pick‑axe and other weapons; the deceased sustained multiple …

Harjit Singh was convicted by the trial court under Section 304‑B IPC for the alleged dowry death of his wife, Jasbir Kaur, and sentenced to seven years' rigorous imprisonment. On appeal, the Supreme Court examined whether the prosecution had proved the essential ingredients of a dowry death – that the deceased was sub…

Seven accused, including Hari Badan Rai, were tried for the murder of Ram Krishna Singh and the concealment of his dead body under Sections 302, 201 and 34 of the IPC. The prosecution proved that the accused attacked the victim with weapons, disposed of his body in a river, and that a decomposed head and bones recovere…

The Central Bureau of Investigation appealed against the Allahabad High Court’s order that quashed the murder‑conspiracy charges against Akhilesh Singh, a co‑accused in the killing of badminton player Syed Modi. The main accused, Dr. Sanjay Singh, and the deceased’s wife were earlier discharged, and the Supreme Court h…

Thangaiya was convicted of murder for striking the deceased with a small stick, causing his death. The trial and High Courts upheld the conviction under Section 302 based on eyewitness testimony, including that of a "chance witness". On appeal, the Supreme Court examined whether a single blow with a small stick in a di…

The Nilgiris Bar Association filed a petition against T.K. Mahalingam, who had fraudulently enrolled as a member of the Bar and practiced as an advocate for eight years, committing offences under Sections 419 and 420 IPC. Mahalingam was released by a magistrate under Section 4(1) of the Probation of Offenders Act, 1958…

Sushil Kumar filed a civil suit and obtained a temporary injunction based on a copy of a partnership deed. The respondent alleged the deed was forged and lodged a police report, leading the magistrate to frame charges under IPC sections 465, 468, 120B and 420 but not under 471 and 474, citing Section 195(1)(b)(ii) of t…

The appellant, Irappa Siddappa Murgannavar, was convicted of raping and murdering a five‑year‑old girl, R, and disposing of her body in a stream. The prosecution relied on eyewitness accounts, the appellant’s own disclosure statement, and post‑mortem evidence to establish the crime. The Supreme Court held that the chai…

The appellant Bijender @ Mandar was convicted under Sections 392 and 397 IPC for allegedly robbing a complainant and his nephew with pistols, based primarily on his own disclosure statement that led to the recovery of Rs.5,000, a red cloth and a passbook. The prosecution’s case lacked any eye‑witness testimony, and key…

The complainant's mother complained to the accused Ravinder about his nephew's misconduct, leading to a quarrel in which Ravinder, armed with a country‑made pistol, fired at her from close range, causing her death. The trial court convicted Ravinder under Section 302 IPC for murder, while the High Court reduced the con…

The trial court convicted Nathiya and Suresh under Section 302 read with Section 34 of the IPC for the murder of Gurunathan, relying on circumstantial evidence and alleged confessional statements. The High Court upheld the conviction, but on appeal the Supreme Court examined the evidence and found no eye‑witness, an in…

The appellants, Shiv Anna and others, were convicted for the murder of Mahadevappa and related offences arising from a land‑dispute in which they entered the disputed field and assaulted the deceased and his relatives, resulting in Mahadevappa's death. The appellants appealed, claiming that they acted in private defenc…

The respondent, N.K. Singh, an Assistant Store Keeper, was found to have occupied company quarters without permission and assaulted the Town Warden during the execution of an eviction decree, leading to an FIR under IPC sections 311, 307 and 34. A domestic inquiry under the company's standing orders concluded that Sing…

The deceased, a timber merchant, was shot dead by three local goondas who demanded a "goonda tax" which he refused to pay. The prosecution’s case rested on the testimony of the deceased’s brother (PW12), corroborated by the tractor driver (PW3) and a by‑stander (PW5), as well as medical evidence. Seven prosecution witn…

Vishnu Nagnath Deshmukh was convicted under the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1947 (sections 5(2) and 5(1)(d)) and IPC section 161 for accepting an illegal gratification of Rs.10. The Special Judge sentenced him to six months’ rigorous imprisonment and a fine, which the Bombay High Court upheld. He appealed to the Supr…

A complaint was lodged against the respondents alleging forgery and conspiracy. The magistrate ordered an investigation under Section 156(3) of the CrPC, after which the police submitted a final report under Section 173(2) stating the complaint was false, and the magistrate accepted it. The police later ordered a fresh…

Three accused—Sushil Kumar, Tapeshwar and Ram Niwas—were convicted under IPC sections 302 and 34 for the murder of Jai Prakash. The appellants challenged the conviction on three grounds: (i) a one‑day delay in dispatching the FIR under Section 157 CrPC, (ii) the alleged bias of witnesses who were relatives of the decea…

The complainant, Parmeshwar Ramlal Joshi, lodged FIRs alleging threats and interference in his granite mining business by a former minister and police officials, and sought transfer of the investigation to the CBI. He first filed a criminal writ petition in the Rajasthan High Court, which was dismissed as withdrawn. He…

The appellant was convicted and sentenced to death for murder, kidnapping, rape and offences under the POCSO Act based on four alleged pillars of evidence: a last‑seen‑together theory, CCTV footage, a confession‑derived disclosure statement and DNA profiling. The Supreme Court examined whether each of these pillars was…

The case involved the murder of Vikas Singh, for which an FIR was lodged by his brother‑in‑law, Prashant Singh Rajput. The accused Jogendra Singh and Suryabhan Singh sought anticipatory bail under Section 438 of the CrPC, which the High Court granted on the basis of a police report stating they were not present at the …

M/S Gimpex Private Limited sued Manoj Goel for dishonour of cheques under Section 138 of the Negotiable Instruments Act. After the first set of cheques bounced, the parties entered into a deed of compromise in March 2013, under which new cheques were issued; those too were dishonoured, leading to a second criminal comp…

The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) registered an FIR against a senior Income Tax Commissioner and her husband, alleging possession of assets disproportionate to their known sources of income under the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988. The respondents challenged the FIR, arguing that the CBI should have conduct…

The appellant was convicted for kidnapping, rape, and related offences after the father of a minor girl filed a complaint alleging that the appellant and others had enticed and assaulted his daughter. The trial court and the Allahabad High Court upheld convictions under Sections 363, 366, 376-D IPC and Section 4 of the…

Miss A alleged sexual exploitation and her father lodged a complaint, leading to FIRs and the formation of a Special Investigation Team (SIT). The victim's statement was recorded under Section 164 of the CrPC, after which the accused (Respondent No.2) applied for a certified copy of that statement. The trial court reje…

Three postgraduate medical students were suspended from their college and hospital after a FIR was lodged alleging they were responsible for a junior colleague's suicide. The suspension was based solely on the FIR, not on a prima facie finding under Section 6(1) of the Maharashtra Prohibition of Ragging Act, 1999. The …

The appellant, a former Union minister, was charged under the Prevention of Corruption Act and the IPC for offences of corruption and criminal conspiracy. She applied to the trial court for exemption from personal appearance, citing her 98‑year age, severe heart disease and senile dementia, and a medical board report t…

The appellant, Kunwar Pal, was convicted under Section 304(Part I) IPC for the death of Ramayan Prasad at a marriage ceremony where several double‑barrel guns were fired. The prosecution alleged that Pal, along with three others, fired negligently, causing a cartridge to strike the deceased. The trial and High Courts h…

The Supreme Court examined appeals against bail orders granted by the Allahabad High Court to four accused in an assault case where a victim's son died. The State of Uttar Pradesh argued that the principal accused, Kunwar Singh (Respondent No.2), had a long criminal record and was threatening witnesses, making the High…

The appellant, Sushil Sharma, was convicted of murdering his wife Naina Sahni and conspiring with an employee, A2, to burn her body in the tandoor of his restaurant. The prosecution proved the murder and the disposal of the body through a chain of circumstantial evidence, forensic analysis, and the recovery of the appe…

The appellant, Sunil Dutt Sharma, was convicted under IPC s.304‑B for dowry death and sentenced to life imprisonment, while being acquitted of IPC s.302 murder. The High Court affirmed the conviction and sentence. On appeal, the Supreme Court was asked to consider whether the life sentence was excessive or disproportio…

The appellant, brother of the daughter‑in‑law who had filed a dowry harassment case under Sections 498A, 406 IPC and the Dowry Prohibition Act against her father‑in‑law, was accused by the father‑in‑law of stealing two gold bangles during a police raid on the matrimonial home. A complaint was filed, the magistrate took…

Maharashtra State Electricity Distribution Co. Ltd. (successor to MSEB) and its Chairman were accused by Datar Switchgear Ltd. of fabricating documents submitted to an arbitral tribunal, alleged to be offences under Sections 192 and 199 IPC read with Section 34. The High Court refused to quash the criminal complaint, p…

The appellant, Asoke Basak, then Chairman of the Maharashtra State Electricity Board (MSEB), was charged in a criminal complaint under Sections 405, 409 read with Section 34 of the IPC for allegedly refusing to refund a Rs 5 lakh security deposit made by Datar Switchgear Ltd. (respondent No.2). The deposit was adjusted…

The appellant, Mankamma, a mother‑in‑law, was convicted under Section 306 of the Indian Penal Code for allegedly abetting the suicide of her daughter‑in‑law, Bindu. The prosecution relied on the testimony of eleven witnesses, including the deceased's father, brother, sister‑in‑law, a classmate, and the appellant's own …

In Phunde village, Maharashtra, a clash between rival political factions (PWP and Congress‑I) on the night of 2‑3 April 1988 resulted in the murder of Suresh Atmaram Gharat and injuries to several others. Nineteen accused were charged under IPC sections 147, 148, 302 read with 149, 307 and 326 read with 149. The trial …

Shanti Lal was caught carrying 7 kg 60 g of contraband opium and was convicted under Sections 8 and 18 of the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act, 1985. The trial court sentenced him to ten years' rigorous imprisonment and a fine of Rs.1 lakh, with an additional three years' imprisonment for default of fine;…

The case involved the murder of four members of a matrimonial family and the attempted murder of the sole eye‑witness, Rajvinder Kaur, who had secretly married a man of a lower caste. The prosecution relied on her testimony, which was given only after eight days due to trauma, and on the recovery of weapons and identit…

A dispute over crop damage led the accused to surround and beat the deceased with lathis and axes, causing his death. The trial court convicted the accused under Section 302 (murder) read with Sections 149, 148 and 341 IPC. The Rajasthan High Court altered the conviction to Section 304 Part I (culpable homicide not amo…

The Supreme Court examined two sets of review petitions filed under Article 137 and Order XL of the Supreme Court Rules: one by four convicts sentenced to death for offences under the Terrorist and Disruptive Activities (Prevention) Act (TADA) and the Indian Penal Code, and another by the State challenging the finding …

The CBI and the State of Haryana prosecuted V.K. Seghal, a public servant, under Section 161 IPC and Section 5(2) of the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1947 for receiving a bribe. The Special Judge convicted him and sentenced him to two years' rigorous imprisonment and a fine. Seghal appealed to the Punjab and Haryana H…

Vimal Singh was tried for murder under Section 302 IPC for allegedly stabbing Vijay Singh with a knife. The trial court acquitted him, finding the prosecution had not proved the charge beyond reasonable doubt. The complainant, Khuman Singh, filed a revision petition; the Madhya Pradesh High Court re‑appraised the evide…

The respondent filed a criminal complaint under Section 138 of the Negotiable Instruments Act, alleging that the appellant had issued two post‑dated cheques which were presented and returned unpaid with the endorsement "Payment countermanded by the drawer" and purportedly for insufficient funds. The appellant contended…

The wife lodged a written complaint with the Women’s Commission alleging that her husband had contracted a second marriage (offence under IPC 494) and was harassing her for dowry (offence under IPC 498A). The Commission forwarded the complaint to the police, who investigated both offences and filed a charge‑sheet; the …

The State of Haryana appealed the conviction of Anand Kindo and others for the pre‑planned murder of an elderly couple, Major General K.C. Dhingra and his wife, whom they were employed to look after. The accused brutally beat the sleeping victims with a hammer and a tava, disfiguring their faces, and later attempted to…

The case concerned a cash‑for‑job scam in the Tamil Nadu Metropolitan Transport Corporation where candidates allegedly paid money to secure appointments, implicating the Transport Minister, his brother and personal assistant. An FIR was filed for offences under IPC sections 405, 420 and 506(1); the final police report …

Baljinder Pal Kaur, an Assistant Sub Inspector of Punjab Police, was dismissed after a departmental enquiry found her guilty of taking a bribe to illegally send persons to the USA. A criminal trial under IPC sections 406, 420, 1208 and the Prevention of Corruption Act resulted in her acquittal by a Special Court, with …

Gold Quest International Private Limited, a numismatic company, faced an FIR under Section 420 IPC and Sections 4, 5, 6 of the Prize Chits and Money Circulation (Banning) Act after several customers alleged non‑delivery of promised gold coins. All claimants, including the primary complainant, settled their disputes wit…

The Supreme Court heard two separate appeals filed by a builder (Kranti Associates) and Corporation Bank against orders of the National Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission (National Commission) that dismissed their revision petitions without providing adequate reasons. The Court examined whether a quasi‑judicial bod…

The appellants were charged with kidnapping a 13‑year‑old girl, taking her to Bombay, and selling her for prostitution, violating IPC sections 366A, 372, 373 read with section 34. The trial court convicted two of the accused and acquitted the third; the State appealed, leading the Karnataka High Court to set aside the …

The appellant, headmaster of Sambhunagar High School, was accused of opening a bank account with his servant and misappropriating Rs.6 lakh, leading to a complaint and FIR under several IPC sections. He applied for anticipatory bail under Section 438 of the CrPC, which the Sessions Judge granted with conditions. The co…

The appellant, a medical practitioner, administered the poison Pavulon to his parents‑in‑law and their three minor children, falsely claiming they were suffering from AIDS, with the intention of acquiring his father‑in‑law's property. The trial court convicted him under Section 302 of the Indian Penal Code and sentence…

The State of Rajasthan appealed the acquittal of IKBAL HUSSEN, whose trial for offences under the IPC had been pending for six years. The trial court had closed evidence and acquitted him based on the decisions in Raj Deo Sharma and Common Cause, which prescribed limitation periods for criminal trials. The Rajasthan Hi…

The appellants, Sri Narayan Saha and another, were convicted under IPC sections 376 read with 34 for raping a married woman (PW‑3). The victim reported the crime five days after the incident, and the medical examination was inconclusive due to profuse bleeding. Both the trial court and the High Court upheld the convict…

The State of Rajasthan charged Khuma with murder under Section 302 of the IPC, and the trial court convicted him based on three circumstantial points: he was allegedly the last person seen with the deceased, he was found in possession of incriminating items at arrest, and blood‑stained articles were recovered after he …

The petitioner's husband died after alleged police beating in custody; the petitioner filed a private complaint more than a year later alleging custodial violence by the accused police officer. The trial court convicted the accused, but the High Court acquitted him, finding the delay, lack of credible evidence, materia…

The respondent, Gita Ram, was charged under Section 376 of the IPC and Section 3 of the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, 1989. The case was committed by a magistrate to a Sessions Court that had been designated as a Special Court for offences under the SC/ST Act, and that Court trie…

The State of Punjab charged Gurdeep Singh with the rape and murder of a ten‑year‑old girl. The prosecution’s case rested on an extra‑judicial confession made by the accused to a taxi driver (PW‑7) after a delay of about 24 days, and on the testimony of an uncle (RS) who claimed to have seen the accused following the gi…

The deceased Asha Kumari was found dead in a well at her marital home and was hurriedly cremated by her husband and relatives. The appellants, including Ram Saran Mahto, were charged under Sections 302, 34, 201, 342 and 379 IPC. While the trial court acquitted them of murder, it convicted them under Section 201 IPC for…

The appellant, Raghbir, was less than 16 years old when he was convicted of murder under Section 302 IPC and sentenced to life imprisonment by a Sessions Judge. He appealed the conviction, arguing that, as a child, he should have been tried under the Haryana Children Act, 1974, which provides a separate, rehabilitative…

The appellants were convicted for murder under Sections 302 and 120B of the IPC based on the testimony of two alleged eyewitnesses – a police constable (PW‑12) and the first informant (PW‑11). The Supreme Court found that PW‑12, who had actually brought the weapons to the police station, never lodged a formal complaint…

The Supreme Court examined an FIR registered under Sections 395, 504, 506 and 323 IPC alleging that the appellants assaulted the complainant, seized Rs.2 lakh and forced signatures on a stamp paper during a land dispute. The Court considered whether the FIR disclosed the ingredients of dacoity, criminal intimidation or…

The victim Husna filed FIR No.175/2022 alleging that several persons threatened her to withdraw an earlier FIR against her father‑in‑law. The appellant, Salib alias Salu, was not named in the original FIR but his name appeared for the first time in the informant’s further statement recorded under Section 161 CrPC. The …

The appellants were convicted under Sections 201, 300 and 302 IPC read with Section 34 for the murder of Devinder based largely on circumstantial evidence, including a disputed 'last seen' theory, an alleged extra‑judicial confession, a claimed motive, and the recovery of a chunni as the murder weapon. The Supreme Cour…

The appellant, an Assistant General Manager of State Bank of India, was accused of conspiracy to cheat the bank by sanctioning a large corporate loan and was charged under Sections 120‑B, 420, 468 and 471 of the IPC and under the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988. The bank initially declined, then later granted, sanct…

The case involved the murder of Bhimraya, alleged to have been committed by accused Mallikarjun, Ravi, Balappa and an absconding co‑accused. The prosecution relied on the testimony of the victim's mother (PW‑5) and his brother (PW‑7) as eye‑witnesses, medical evidence of the injuries, and the recovery of a dagger (MO‑1…

The appellant, a 19‑year‑old male, was convicted under Sections 363, 366 and 376 IPC for kidnapping and raping a girl who was under sixteen. The girl had voluntarily left her home and stayed with the appellant for about ten days, and the sexual intercourse was described as consensual. The trial court sentenced him to t…

Petitioners Monica Kumar and her brother alleged that police officers, acting under the influence of a medical college chairman, assaulted them while they were serving a dasti notice and later harassed them by forcing them to withdraw cases, filing a false FIR and chargesheet. The Supreme Court, after examining multipl…

The Supreme Court reviewed a petition filed by Kamlesh Verma seeking a review of its July 6, 2012 order that quashed FIR No. RC 0062003A0019 against Mayawati, finding that the order was correctly based on the earlier judgment that the 18 September 2003 direction did not authorize a separate FIR on disproportionate asse…

The case concerns the murder of Ashalata Biswas, who was shot through a window on 20 April 2001. The trial court convicted Pranab @ Kuti Biswas under Section 302 IPC, but the Calcutta High Court acquitted him, citing the absence of the accused's name in the FIR, the victim's failure to name the shooter, minor inconsist…

Bhaskar Mishra was charged under Section 307 of the IPC. Anticipating arrest, he filed an anticipatory bail application under Section 438 of the CrPC before the Sessions Court, which was dismissed. The Madhya Pradesh High Court later granted anticipatory bail for four weeks and directed him to seek regular bail, but Mi…

The accused Manivel and others were convicted of murder and abetment under Sections 302 and 201 IPC based on circumstantial evidence that the victim was last seen with them at night and his body was found the next morning. The appellants challenged the conviction, arguing that the "last seen" theory was inapplicable an…

The State of Uttar Pradesh appealed the acquittal of ten accused who were part of an armed unlawful assembly that shot and killed three persons and injured three others. The trial court had convicted all ten under Sections 148, 149, 302, 307 and sentenced them to life imprisonment, but the High Court set aside the conv…

The case concerned an application by the father, Abhijit Kundu, for custody of his six‑year‑old son Antariksh, while the child was in the care of his maternal grandparents who had lodged an FIR against the father under Sections 498A and 304 IPC for the alleged murder of the mother. The trial court and the Calcutta High…

Arun Nivalaji More, a licensed commission vendor at a railway catering unit, had his licence cancelled by the Divisional Commercial Superintendent. In retaliation he entered the superintendent's office and stabbed him with a knife, causing fatal injuries. The victim gave multiple dying declarations identifying More as …

The Punjab Sales Tax Department seized a hard disk containing the dealer's books and documents under Section 14(3) of the Punjab General Sales Tax Act, 1948. The dealer failed to cooperate, and the High Court ordered the return of the seized material and imposed personal costs on the officers. On appeal, the Supreme Co…

The Government of NCT of Delhi appealed the Delhi High Court’s acquittal of Jaspal Singh (A4) for offences under the Official Secrets Act, 1923 and Section 120B IPC. The Supreme Court held that the High Court had misapplied the law, especially the evidentiary value of a co‑accused’s confession and the statutory presump…

The case concerned the murder of Santokh Singh, in which five accused, including the appellant Surinder Singh, were tried. The main accused, Darshan Singh, was a proclaimed offender and was tried separately, later being acquitted. The trial court had convicted Surinder Singh and another accused under Section 302 read w…

A commercial vessel, M.V. Jag Darshan, was detained and rummaged by customs officers at Paradip Port, leading to the seizure of contraband goods. The Deputy Conservator of Paradip Port Trust, the second respondent, ordered the vessel to be moved to a distant anchorage, interrupting the rummage and allowing the contraba…

The appellant, Ram Avtar, was charged under Section 302 IPC for allegedly strangling his wife. The trial court acquitted him, finding the circumstantial evidence insufficient, but the Delhi High Court reversed that decision and convicted him. On appeal, the Supreme Court examined whether the chain of circumstantial evi…

The appellants, trustees of a trust, entered into sale agreements with the second respondent and his brother, which later led to a suit for specific performance. The suit was withdrawn after an out‑of‑court settlement, but the second respondent filed a criminal complaint alleging fraud and other offences. The appellant…

The appellant Naresh Kumar was convicted under Section 302 IPC, read with Section 34 IPC, for the murder of Arun Kumar, based on two incriminating circumstances – his exhortation to kill and his act of holding the victim to enable the brother’s stabbing. The conviction was affirmed by the High Court, but the appellant …

The appellant, Dharmendra Kumar, was convicted for murder under s.302 read with s.34 IPC for stabbing Tillu during a dispute over a wall construction, with additional convictions under s.147, 148 and 149 later set aside. The Supreme Court examined whether alleged contradictions in witness testimonies, the inconclusive …

The appellant was convicted of murder under Section 302 IPC based on eyewitness testimony, an alleged extra‑judicial confession to his employer (PW‑19), and a dying declaration by the victim (PW‑24). The Supreme Court examined the credibility of the extra‑judicial confession, noting that the appellant had worked for th…

The appellant Vishwanatha was convicted by the Karnataka High Court for murder and robbery based on the testimony of two eyewitnesses, PW‑1 and PW‑2, who claimed to have seen him and a co‑accused strangling the victim. The trial court had acquitted them, citing contradictions between the eyewitness accounts and the pos…

The appellant, Shiv Pratap Singh Rana, was charged under Sections 376(2)(n) and 506 of the IPC for allegedly raping and threatening the prosecutrix by promising marriage and blackmailing her with photographs. The prosecution’s case relied on the prosecutrix’s statements recorded under Sections 161 and 164 of the Cr.P.C…

The appellant was convicted for the murder of a 14‑year‑old girl under sections 302/34, 449, 404 and 201 of the IPC, based largely on circumstantial evidence and the dock identification of two witnesses who had never seen him before the incident and who identified him while he wore a monkey cap that obscured his face. …

The petitioners, comprising the Extra Judicial Execution Victim Families Association and a human‑rights trust, alleged that the Manipur police and Union armed forces carried out fake encounters and extra‑judicial killings of civilians, many of whom were in custody, and that no FIRs were registered. They sought, under A…

The State of Maharashtra appealed the acquittal of six accused under Sections 498‑A, 304‑B and 306 of the IPC. The Supreme Court examined whether the prosecution had established the essential ingredients of a dowry death and the presumption under Section 113‑B of the Evidence Act. It held that the prosecution proved, b…

Khim Singh was convicted of murdering his wife Himuli Devi with a kulhari (axe) and sentenced to life imprisonment under Section 302 IPC. The trial and High Court relied solely on circumstantial evidence, including testimonies of the appellant's mother, sister‑in‑law, the village pradhan and a neighbour, the recovery o…

The appellants Maqbool, Zubir and Shahnawaz were convicted for murder (Sec. 302 IPC) and conspiracy (Sec. 120B IPC) based on eyewitness testimony, medical evidence and entries from a diary recovered during investigation. They challenged the convictions alleging that the witnesses were interested, the identification par…

The case involved the murder of Phool Guha and robbery of her house, for which Sanatan Naskar and another accused were arrested after they allegedly led police to stolen wrist watches and a camera. The trial court and the High Court convicted them under Sections 302, 34, 392 and 411 IPC, relying on a chain of circumsta…

The Supreme Court upheld the conviction of Uday Chakraborty and his relatives for dowry death under Sec. 304B IPC read with Sec. 498A IPC. Although the FIR did not explicitly mention a dowry demand, the Court held that the cumulative documentary and oral evidence, including the execution of a "Chuktiparta" at the time …

Ashok Kumar was convicted under Section 304‑8 IPC for the death of his wife, who died from burn injuries allegedly after being harassed for a dowry demand of Rs.5,000. The appellant argued that the alleged demand did not constitute "dowry" within the meaning of Section 2 of the Dowry Prohibition Act and that the phrase…

The complainant filed an FIR alleging dowry demands, criminal breach of trust and illicit relations against Vijeta Gajra under Sections 498A and 406 of the IPC. Gajra sought to quash the FIR via a petition under Article 226 and Section 482 of the CrPC, arguing she was not a "relative" of the complainant or her husband.…

The appellants were convicted for the murders of Bahadur Singh and his father Pyare Lal. The prosecution proved that four accused, armed with guns and a spear, killed Bahadur Singh, after which all five accused, including Dharnidhar, proceeded to kill Pyare Lal with guns and a kulhari. The defence argued that the key e…

The petitioner, Pravinbhai Kashirambhai Patel, complained of a mob assault and theft on 11 September 2008, filing three separate police complaints that contained differing versions of the incident. Respondents No.2 and No.3 obtained anticipatory bail from an Additional Sessions Judge, which the petitioner sought to can…

The appellants Rakesh Kumar Goel and others purchased two government plots in Ghaziabad through an auction purportedly held under the Uttar Pradesh Zamindari Abolition and Land Reforms Rules, 1952. The High Court set aside the auction on the ground that the appellants failed to deposit the required 25% of the bid immed…

The appellants were convicted of gang rape and criminal intimidation of a tribal school teacher under IPC sections 376(2)(G) and 506 and the SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act. The prosecution’s case rested on the victim’s identification of the three accused in court, despite no test identification parade being condu…

The appellant State of Jharkhand sought to uphold the dismissal of Constable Ranjan Kumar, who was found to have obtained dual appointments in Jharkhand and Bihar police forces using forged documents and assumed a false identity. The respondent contested the dismissal, alleging lack of evidence, procedural irregulariti…

The appellants, members of a child‑rights NGO, accompanied labour officials during a raid on a brick kiln to rescue alleged bonded child labourers. A dispute arose over whether the children should be taken to the police station for interrogation or statements recorded on site, leading the officials to lodge an FIR alle…

The appellant, Waris, was convicted under Sections 302, 201, 376(2)(i) and 376AB of the IPC and Sections 5 and 6 of the POCSO Act for raping and killing his step‑daughter. During the trial, his original counsel withdrew and he could not afford a new lawyer, so the trial court appointed a legal‑aid defence counsel on th…

The case concerns the murder of Ramkrishna, allegedly orchestrated by his son A1 and associates over a sibling rivalry concerning assets. The trial court acquitted six accused (A1‑A6) because the majority of the 87 witnesses turned hostile and the prosecution failed to prove motive, conspiracy, preparation, or identifi…

The appellant, one of five accused, was convicted for gang rape and criminal intimidation under Sections 376(g) and 506(1) of the IPC and Section 4 of the Tamil Nadu Prohibition of Harassment of Women Act. The victim, her mother and aunt turned hostile during cross‑examination, three and a half months after their exami…

The wife (Respondent No.2) filed a criminal complaint alleging dowry harassment, cruelty and forced abortion against her husband’s parents and in‑laws under IPC sections 498‑A and 34 and the Dowry Prohibition Act. The appellants moved to quash the FIR under CrPC s.482, arguing that the wife had lived abroad for most of…

Two families assembled near a tubewell to settle a land dispute when a verbal altercation escalated into a scuffle. Gurwinder Singh fetched an axe from an adjacent room and, while Satnam Singh restrained the victim, struck Harbhajan Singh on the head, causing severe head injuries; both accused also sustained injuries. …

The State of Jharkhand, represented by the CBI, appealed against the Jharkhand High Court’s order quashing several criminal cases arising from the fodder scam on the ground that the accused had already been convicted in one case, invoking Article 20(2) of the Constitution and Section 300 of the CrPC (double jeopardy). …

The accused, a cab driver and his accomplice, abducted a young woman who was a night‑shift employee, gang‑raped her and murdered her in a pre‑planned, brutal manner. The prosecution proved the crime through a chain of circumstantial evidence, forensic findings and confessional statements, leading to convictions under I…

On 24 September 1996, seven accused, armed with lathis, knives and khukris, demanded that two students withdraw their names from a college election at D.A.V. (P.G.) College, Dehradun. When the students refused, the accused assaulted them; Alok Chandana later died of his injuries while Vipin Singh Negi was also injured.…

The appellant Palwinder Singh and three others were charged with murder and robbery of Dr. Jasbir Singh. The prosecution’s case rested on two eye‑witnesses (PW‑3 and PW‑4), a post‑mortem report establishing homicidal injuries, confessional statements of the accused and the recovery of weapons and stolen articles. The t…

The appellant Manoj Giri was convicted of dacoity with murder and gang rape after a night-time assault on a married woman (PW1), her husband and father‑in‑law, during which the father‑in‑law died. The trial court acquitted the four co‑accused due to insufficient identification evidence, but upheld Giri's conviction bas…

The appellant, Natasha Singh, was charged under the IPC and the Prevention of Corruption Act for allegedly inflating an insurance claim. After the prosecution examined 52 witnesses, the appellant examined only one defence witness and then sought to summon three additional witnesses under Section 311 of the CrPC. The tr…

Alagupandi was convicted for murdering his step‑mother Tamilarasi. The prosecution relied on the testimony of the deceased's brother (PW‑1), corroborative statements of other witnesses, forensic evidence linking the accused's blood to the crime scene, and a confession that led to the recovery of the knife. The appellan…

The Supreme Court examined the murder conviction of three accused, two of whom appealed while the third did not. The prosecution's case relied heavily on an extra‑judicial confession and the theory that the accused were last seen with the deceased, but the confession was found unreliable, contradictory, and uncorrobora…

The case concerned the murder of Indra, who was strangulated to death by her father‑in‑law, brother‑in‑law and others. Five accused were tried; four were convicted under s.120‑B, s.302 and s.34 IPC and one (Jitender Kumar) under s.120‑8 IPC. The appellants challenged the convictions on several grounds, including that J…

The case involved an armed altercation in which three accused (A1, A2, A3) fired pistols and used an axe, resulting in the death of Mulu Dada and serious injury to Jagu Dada. The trial court acquitted all three, finding the prosecution failed to prove guilt beyond reasonable doubt, but the Gujarat High Court reversed t…

The victim, a college student, was staying with accused No.1 in Belgaum when accused No.2 (the appellant) allegedly attempted to outrage her modesty, assaulted her and administered poison, leading to her death. Multiple eyewitnesses saw the deceased being taken in a car by the accused, with police present, and later ob…

The appellant, Munna Kumar Upadhyaya, was convicted for the murder of a railway official and his family, based on a complex web of circumstantial evidence, forensic findings, fingerprint matches, and extra‑judicial confessions. The prosecution proved the chain of events through 49 witnesses, forensic reports, recovered…

The appellants A‑1 to A‑3 were convicted under IPC sections 302, 149, 148 (and 341 for one) based largely on two dying declarations, Ext P‑12 and Ext P‑14. The High Court upheld the convictions of A‑1 to A‑3 while acquitting A‑4 to A‑7, holding that Ext P‑14 was unreliable. On appeal, the Supreme Court examined the med…

The appellant, K.N. Naren... (the husband), was convicted for the murder of his wife Kumadavathi, alleged to have been manually strangulated on 5 December 1998. The trial court, and subsequently the Karnataka High Court, relied primarily on a purported extra‑judicial confession recorded by police witnesses (PW‑10 and P…

The case concerned the murder of a boy who disappeared on 6 November 2001. Four accused were seen at the spot where the child was last seen and were alleged to have misled the search by directing witnesses away from the area and by making a threatening telephone call. The trial court convicted all four based on circums…

The case concerns the murder of a college student, Ku Preeti, who was run over by a jeep driven by Samar Vijay Singh on a college campus. The driver (prime accused) and three co‑accused were convicted by the trial court and the High Court; the driver under s.302 IPC and the co‑accused under s.302 read with s.34 IPC. On…

The appellant, Chittaranjan Mirdha, filed a complaint leading to a police FIR and subsequent chargesheet implicating several accused. The Additional Chief Judicial Magistrate took cognizance of the offences and issued warrants, but the appellant later sought further investigation and challenged the magistrate’s handlin…

The Supreme Court examined the murder of Namadev, whose body was recovered from a gunny bag after the accused voluntarily disclosed its location. The prosecution relied on circumstantial evidence and statements under Section 27 of the Evidence Act, asserting that the accused who provided the information must have been …

The case concerns the murder of Assistant Jailor Jayaprakash near Madurai Central Jail on 29 August 1997. The accused, including Abuthagir, were convicted under IPC sections 302 read with 34, 120B and 148 based largely on the testimony of two eye‑witnesses (PW‑3 and PW‑4) who gave statements after a delay, having seen …

The State of Uttar Pradesh prosecuted three accused for the murder of Ajay Kumar. The prosecution relied on the testimony of the victim's father (PW1), an eye‑witness, to secure a conviction of Sanjay Vishwakarma under Section 302 IPC and of Atul Singh and Brij Kishore Singh under Section 302 read with Section 34 IPC. …

The case arose from FIR No. 43 dated 6 February 2006, registered at Abohar Police Station based on the statement of Balbir Singh. The wife of Gaganjit Singh filed a petition seeking investigation of a cross version she alleged, claiming her husband’s brother was killed by Balbir Singh, and requested that the investigat…

The deceased, Rimu, was burnt to death in a fire allegedly set by her husband Dipak Halder and his in‑laws after a dowry dispute. The prosecution relied on circumstantial evidence, showing that the husband abused the victim, did not attempt to rescue her, and that there was no evidence of a kerosene stove burst. The tr…

The appellant, Sasikumar, was convicted of murder under Section 302 IPC for allegedly setting fire to his wife Menaka, who later died. The conviction was based primarily on Menaka's dying declaration recorded by Judicial Magistrate PW5 in the presence of a duty doctor, who affirmed that she was in a fit and conscious s…

The State of Punjab prosecuted Atma Singh and others for an armed assault that killed the wife and son of the complainant and injured three eyewitnesses. The trial court convicted the accused under sections 302, 307, 148, 149 and 324 of the IPC and section 27 of the Arms Act. The Punjab & Haryana High Court set aside t…

The State of Punjab appealed a High Court order that quashed charges against Hardial Singh and others for offences under the IPC and the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, 1989, on the ground that the investigation was not carried out by an officer of at least Deputy Superintendent ra…

The incident occurred on 2 November 1981 when Ram Abhilakh Dubey was attacked and later died, leading to charges against Shobhanath, Triveni Prasad and others under Sections 302 r/w 149, 147 and 148 of the IPC. The trial court convicted the accused and sentenced them to life imprisonment, but the Allahabad High Court a…

Krishnan (A-1) and Tamilarasi (A-2) were convicted under Section 302 read with Section 34 of the IPC for the murder of Rasitha Begum, the wife of PW‑1, based solely on circumstantial evidence. The trial court and the Madurai High Court upheld the conviction despite the absence of any direct evidence linking A‑1 to the …

The Supreme Court examined two criminal appeals arising from the death of Gayatri Devi, who was found hanged in her marital home. The husband, Raja Lal Singh, was convicted under Sections 304‑B and 34 IPC for dowry harassment leading to her death, while the brother‑in‑law Pradip Singh and sister‑in‑law Sanjana Devi wer…

The appellant Sujoy Sen was convicted under Section 302 IPC for the murder of Anindita Sengupta, the daughter of the complainant. The FIR stated that the accused entered the complainant's house while the latter was absent, and the complainant later altered his testimony to claim the accused was leaving the house when h…

The State of Tripura appealed a High Court order that had acquitted several CRPF personnel convicted for indiscriminate firing that killed a police officer. The Supreme Court observed that the High Court had passed the operative part of its judgment before recording reasons, resulting in an ante‑dated and procedurally …

Ravindra Shantaram Sawant was convicted under the Terrorist and Disruptive Activities (Prevention) Act (TADA), the Arms Act and the IPC for firing a revolver in the Sessions Court, injuring the victim Ashwin Naik and three police officers. The appellant argued that the police eye‑witnesses required independent corrobor…

The appellant was convicted of murder under Section 302 IPC after the dead body of the deceased was found near the Hati River. The prosecution relied solely on circumstantial evidence, such as the last sighting of the accused and the deceased together, recovery of blood‑stained clothing, the missing gold chain, and for…

On 21 April 1983, members of a rival trade union threw bombs at an industrial estate in Kerala, killing Nanukuttan and injuring several others. The trial court acquitted all twenty‑two accused, but the State appealed against the acquittal of three accused (A‑1 to A‑3). The Kerala High Court, on re‑appraisal of the evid…

The case involved Major R.S. Budhwar and two other soldiers who were convicted by a General Court Martial for abetment and commission of murders of senior army officers under Sections 302, 34 and 109 of the IPC read with Section 69 of the Army Act. The appellants challenged the convictions on the ground that the eviden…

The Supreme Court considered a case where four police officers abducted a suspect and three witnesses from a hotel, beat them in a police staff room, and the suspect later died with his body never recovered. The trial court had convicted the officers only for kidnapping, but the High Court upheld murder convictions bas…

Amrit Nahata filed a writ petition challenging sections of the Cinematograph Act and Censorship Rules and seeking certification of his film ‘Kissa Kursee Ka’. The Supreme Court ordered the film’s negatives and prints to be preserved and screened before five judges, but the film was not made available. The Solicitor Gen…

S.S. Dhanoa, an IAS officer, was deputed as General Manager of the Super Bazaars run by the Cooperative Store Ltd., a society registered under the Bombay Cooperative Societies Act. He was charged under the Prevention of Food Adulteration Act for selling adulterated honey and argued that he was a public servant under cl…

The appellant was convicted under the NDNDPS Act for possession of 4.1 kg of charas and was sentenced to 12 years' rigorous imprisonment and a fine of Rs.1,20,000 for offences under s.20(b)(ii)(C), s.25 and s.29, with the sentences ordered to run concurrently. He appealed, contending that s.25 and s.29 are merely ancil…

The Serious Fraud Investigation Office (SFIO) investigated alleged fraud involving the Adarsh Group and filed a criminal complaint before a Special Court, which took cognizance of offences under the Companies Act, 2013 and the IPC and issued bailable and later non‑bailable warrants against 16 respondents. The responden…

The appellants, who founded a society that obtained AICTE approvals for several business schools, were charged under Sections 420 and 120B IPC for allegedly cheating the AICTE by concealing that the leased land was mortgaged. After a Special Judicial Magistrate discharged them, the CBI approached the Allahabad High Cou…

The petitioners challenged a complaint filed by the Directorate of Enforcement under Section 44(1)(b) of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act, 2002 (PMLA), arguing that the offences alleged, except for IPC Section 120B, were not "scheduled offences" as required by clause (y) of Section 2(1) of the PMLA. The Supreme C…

The appellant's vehicle was seized under the Gujarat Prohibition Act after the driver was found carrying liquor well beyond the permissible limit. The appellant filed a Special Criminal Application under Articles 226/227 of the Constitution with the High Court seeking the vehicle's release, without first invoking Secti…

The appellant was convicted under Section 138 of the Negotiable Instruments Act for issuing dishonoured cheques and also faced an FIR under Sections 406, 420 and 120B of the IPC for allegedly cheating a complainant after taking an advance for a laser cutting machine. Both parties initially agreed to settle the dispute …

The State of Rajasthan appealed a High Court order that reduced the three‑year rigorous imprisonment awarded to Banwari Lal, convicted under Section 307 IPC for causing grievous injury to the head of the victim, to merely the 44 days he had already spent in custody. Banwari Lal had not contested his conviction but soug…

The appellant, a trust managing a private school, terminated the services of Assistant Teacher Respondent No.1 after an inquiry found him guilty of sexual harassment of adolescent girl students, based on two FIRs, charge‑sheets and witness testimony. The Inquiry Committee, comprising a Convenor, a nominee of the appell…

The appellant, husband of a domestic worker who died from electric shock while operating a washing machine in the respondents' house, filed a private complaint under Section 304A of the IPC alleging negligent conduct by the employers. The High Court quashed the criminal proceedings, holding that the washing machine was…

On 7 January 1984 a group of accused, including Jodhan, entered the house of the deceased and attacked the victims with lathis, farsa and handmade bombs, causing the death of the deceased. The trial court acquitted all accused, holding that the incident was a "free fight" and finding the prosecution evidence unreliable…

The deceased Karamjit Kaur died of phosphorus poisoning within two and a half years of her marriage, and the prosecution alleged that her husband and in‑laws harassed her over a dowry demand for a scooter. The trial court convicted the husband, father‑in‑law and mother‑in‑law under Section 304B (referred to as 3048) IP…

The case arose from the 1984 anti‑Sikh riots that followed the assassination of Prime Minister Indira Gandhi, where a mob led by the appellants attacked two houses, burnt alive the husband and father‑in‑law of the complainant and looted property. The trial court acquitted the appellants, but the Delhi High Court convic…

Narmada Bai, the mother of Tulsiram Prajapati, filed a writ petition under Article 32 alleging that her son was killed in a fake police encounter in Gujarat and that senior police officials and a politician were involved. She sought a direction for the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) to register an FIR, investiga…

Rumi Dhar and her husband, along with several bank officials, were charged under Sections 120‑B, 420, 467, 468 and 471 IPC for conspiring to defraud a bank. The bank recovered the loan amount through a settlement before the Debt Recovery Tribunal, and the accused paid Rs. 25.51 lakh. Rumi Dhar filed an application unde…

The appellants and respondent No.3 were co‑sharers of land and disputed the validity of a registered will. A civil court had found the will genuine, but respondent No.3 filed a criminal complaint alleging forgery under IPC sections 420, 462, 467, 468 and 471, which the magistrate dismissed. He later filed a second comp…

The appellant Satyapal was convicted under Section 376 of the Indian Penal Code for raping an 11‑year‑old girl. The girl and her aunt testified that the appellant forcibly lifted the child, gagged her and attempted sexual intercourse, after which the appellant fled upon hearing the aunt's voice. The medical examination…

The appellants Rajendra and another were convicted under Sections 302 and 34 IPC for the murder of a goldsmith who was allegedly thrown into a well. The prosecution relied on the FIR, the testimony of a minor eye‑witness (the victim’s son) and partial statements of witnesses who were later declared hostile. The defence…

Holiram Bordoloi, the appellant, was part of a gang that attacked the bamboo hut of Narayan Bordoloi, pelting stones, locking the door and setting it on fire, resulting in the deaths of Narayan and his six‑year‑old son, the latter being thrown back into the flames by the appellant. The appellant later dragged Narayan's…

The State of Himachal Pradesh appealed against the acquittals of Pawan Kumar in two criminal appeals, challenging the High Courts' findings that Section 50 of the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act was not complied with during the search of a bag carried by the accused. The Supreme Court examined whe…

Dalbir Singh was tried for the murder of his wife and two daughters and was convicted under Sections 302 and 498A of the IPC, while being acquitted of Section 304B. The High Court upheld the conviction under Section 498A and found that the evidence supported a conviction under Section 306 (abetment of suicide) but held…

Six men were tried for assaulting and killing Raju amid a political rivalry. The prosecution alleged that the accused formed an unlawful assembly and, using various weapons, repeatedly struck the victim, leading to his death. Eye‑witness testimony of the victim's parents identified A1 as wielding a gupti and delivering…

The case arose from a complaint filed by the Deputy Chief Controller of Imports and Exports alleging that several directors of Jain Sudh Vanaspati Ltd. conspired to illegally import beef tallow in violation of the Imports and Exports (Control) Act, 1947 and Section 120B of the IPC. The Delhi High Court, invoking Sectio…

The case concerned the kidnapping for ransom of Dr. Shashi Kumar Sinha and his driver in February 2006. Six persons were convicted under IPC sections 364A (kidnapping for ransom) and 120B (criminal conspiracy) and sentenced to life imprisonment. The Supreme Court examined whether the prosecution had proved the existenc…

The appellant Girraj filed a criminal appeal challenging the High Court's grant of bail to five accused (Kiranpal, Sundar, Rakesh, Satish, Dharmendra) in a murder case involving the death of his two sons. The bail to these accused was obtained on the basis of parity with a co-accused, Narendra, whose bail had earlier b…

The appellants, Krishna Lal Chawla and others, challenged a private complaint filed in 2018 by their neighbour (Respondent No.2) under Section 200 CrPC, which alleged offences arising from a 2012 altercation. The complaint was filed six years after the incident, despite a charge‑sheet already being filed against the co…

The appellant, Nagabhushan, was convicted by the Karnataka High Court for dowry death and murder after the trial court had acquitted him. The conviction rested on a later dying declaration (Exhibit P5) in which the deceased alleged that the appellant poured kerosene on her and set her ablaze, contrary to an earlier dyi…

The appellants, Pawan @ Rajinder Singh and Ajit @ Dara Singh, were convicted of murder under Sections 302 and 34 of the IPC and, for Ajit, of an offence under Section 25 of the Arms Act, based largely on the testimony of two chance witnesses who claimed to have heard an altercation and a gunshot. The Supreme Court exam…

The State of Uttar Pradesh prosecuted four accused for the murder of Sri Ram and the serious gunshot injuries to Balak Ram arising from a dispute on 16 October 1979. The trial court convicted them under sections 302, 307 and 379 of the IPC, but the Allahabad High Court acquitted them, relying on alleged minor contradic…

The appellant, a husband, was convicted under IPC Sections 498-A read with 34 and 306 read with 34 for allegedly abetting his wife's suicide by self‑immolation. The sole evidence against him comprised three dying declarations of the deceased: the first indicated an accidental fire that the husband tried to extinguish, …

Swami Prasad was charged with murdering his step‑brother Rameshwar during a property dispute. He went to the police station with the axe used in the killing and blood‑stained clothes, confessing that the deceased had been killed with that axe. The sole eye‑witness, the victim's sister, heard the alarm and saw the body,…