Indian Penal Code, 1860

The appellants were arrested in a dowry‑related case under IPC sections 498‑A, 406, 506, 323 and 34 and produced before a magistrate. Their first application for police remand was dismissed and they were placed in judicial custody, after which they were granted bail. The investigating officer later filed a second appli…

The victim, Fateh Mohammad, was shot by the accused and died five days later from septicemia. Two dying declarations were recorded—one by a police officer and another by an Executive Magistrate, both endorsed by a doctor who certified the victim's lucidity. The trial court convicted the accused under Section 307 IPC bu…

The appellant claimed that two blank cheques were stolen and reported the loss to his bank. The cheques were later filled and presented for payment, but the bank returned them with the remark that they were reported lost by the drawer. The respondent filed a complaint under Section 138 of the Negotiable Instruments Act…

The appellant, Shrishti Narain Jha, alleged that on the night of 5-6 July 1981 a group of 14‑15 dacoits entered his house, assaulted his family, killed his father and stole valuables. The prosecution relied on the informant’s (PW‑7) statement and the testimony of his brothers (PW‑4, PW‑6) who claimed to have identified…

Vijayan was convicted under Section 138 of the Negotiable Instruments Act and sentenced to one year imprisonment with a direction to pay Rs.8.25 lakh as compensation under Section 357(3) of the Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPC), with a default term of six months’ imprisonment for non‑payment. The Kerala High Court uphe…

The case arose from a night-time mob attack on 16 May 1982 in Bujung, West Bengal, where several persons were killed and many were accused of being part of an unlawful assembly. The trial court convicted twenty persons under Sections 141, 142, 143 and 149 of the Indian Penal Code, despite some appellants not being name…

The Supreme Court examined the conviction of accused No.1 (A‑1) under Section 302 IPC for the murder of Abbai Reddy. The Court found that the testimony of the injured eyewitness (PW‑1) was riddled with inconsistencies, including contradictory statements about the location of the incident, the sequence of attacks, and t…

The appellants, Harmanpreet Singh Ahluwalia and his parents, sought to quash an FIR filed in Jalandhar under IPC sections 406 and 420 alleging dowry demand and criminal breach of trust. The FIR was lodged after the parties had been residing in Canada for several years and the alleged demand was made five years after ma…

The appellant, Narendra, was charged with murder and cruelty under Sections 302 and 498A IPC for the death of his wife Mythradevi in February 1994. The trial court acquitted him, accepting his alibi that he was away buying milk and finding the prosecution evidence insufficient. On appeal, the Karnataka High Court set a…

The accused were convicted under Section 302 read with Section 34 of the IPC for allegedly pouring kerosene on the deceased, Nazar Khan, based on two dying declarations. The deceased's father, mother and uncle initially gave statements implicating the accused but later retracted, asserting that the deceased was of unso…

The appellant stabbed the husband of PW‑2 with scissors, causing fatal injuries to the lung and heart. The trial court convicted him under IPC s.304 Part I and sentenced him to seven years' imprisonment. The High Court upheld the conviction but released the appellant under the Probation of Offenders Act, 1958, ordering…

Hari Ram was arrested in 1998 for offences under the IPC and the trial court initially held him to be a juvenile (under 16) and sent the case to the Juvenile Justice Board. The Rajasthan High Court later held he was over 16 and applied the 1986 Juvenile Act, rejecting the claim of juvenility. On appeal, the Supreme Cou…

The Supreme Court examined the conviction of Ranvir Yadav under Section 302 of the IPC for murder, arising from a 1982 incident on the Ganges. The appellant contended that the trial court failed to put any incriminating material before him during the examination under Section 313 of the CrPC, thereby denying him a fair…

The case concerned the murder of Gyan Chand on 11 November 1993, for which eight persons were tried and several were convicted under Section 302 read with Section 34 of the IPC. The appellants challenged their convictions on the grounds that the First Information Report (FIR) was ante‑dated, showing a discrepancy with …

Paras Nath Singh, a public servant, was convicted by a trial court under IPC sections 409 and 468. The Sessions Judge acquitted him, holding that the sanction for prosecution was not given by an authorized authority, that the charges were improperly framed, and that the examination under Section 313 CrPC was defective.…

The appellant, a bus driver for the Himachal Pradesh Road Transport Corporation, was charged under Sections 279 and 304A of the Indian Penal Code for starting a bus while a passenger was on the roof, leading to the passenger's fatal injuries. The trial court acquitted him, finding no evidence of negligence, but the Hig…

The appellants were convicted under IPC §§ 324, 307 and 34 for assaulting victims in a market. They challenged the convictions on the grounds that the prosecution relied on testimony of relatives of the victim, that no independent public witnesses were examined, that there was an inordinate delay in lodging the FIR, an…

The appellant was convicted of murder and related offences under Sections 302, 323, 394 read with Section 34 of the IPC for the killing of a father and son. The High Court affirmed the conviction but, according to the appellant, decided the appeal without hearing his counsel, who was unable to make oral submissions due…

The deceased businessman Satish Kumar Mehra was found dead near Udyog Bhavan, Chandigarh, and rickshaw pullers including Sunny Kapoor were charged with murder under Sections 302 and 34 of the IPC. The trial court convicted them based largely on circumstantial evidence and alleged extra‑judicial confessions to a social …

The appellant, the State of Uttar Pradesh, challenged the Allahabad High Court's order granting bail to the respondent, an advocate charged with murder under IPC s.302 read with s.201. The High Court had allowed bail despite the offence being non‑bailable and the gravity of the crime, which involved the shooting of a c…

The deceased Kumararaja and the appellants were co‑parceners disputing ownership of a piece of agricultural land. On the day of the incident the deceased went to plough the land, was threatened by the appellants, and asked two villagers (PW‑I and PW‑II) to accompany him. While the deceased was ploughing, the appellants…

The Supreme Court examined whether a company, being a juristic person, can be prosecuted under Section 56 of the Foreign Exchange Regulation Act, 1973 when the statute mandates both imprisonment and fine. The appellants argued that because a company cannot be imprisoned, the provision could not apply to them. The Court…

The petitioners, among 181 accused in the Coimbatore serial bomb blast case, filed a transfer petition under Sections 406 and 407 of the Criminal Procedure Code seeking to move the trial from Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu to Kerala, alleging that communal tension in the state would prevent a fair and impartial trial and that …

The appellant, T.K. Gopal, was convicted under Section 376(2) of the Indian Penal Code for raping a 1½‑year‑old girl and sentenced to ten years' rigorous imprisonment and a fine. The Supreme Court issued a notice to consider enhancing the sentence to life imprisonment. The appellant pleaded that nine years of incarcera…

The Supreme Court dismissed a review petition and several writ petitions filed by Lily Thomas and others seeking to set aside the earlier judgment in Sarla Mudgal’s case, which held that a Hindu husband who converts to Islam without dissolving his first marriage commits bigamy under Section 494 IPC. The Court held that…

The appellant, a member of a Scheduled Tribe, claimed title to land that had been surrendered by his predecessor Nanda Oraon in 1942 to a landlord. He alleged that he was the adopted son of Sukhi Oraon and therefore succeeded to the land, filing a complaint that led the Special Officer under the Chhotanagpur Tenancy Ac…

Mohd. Zahid was arrested by ISBT police on 8 March 1990 and charged under TADA for possessing three country‑made pistols and twelve cartridges. He contended that he had actually been detained on 6 March 1990, that no weapons were seized, and his father filed a complaint with the magistrate. The Designated Court relied …

The State of U.P. appealed the Allahabad High Court’s acquittal of four accused who had been convicted for the murder of Shanker Lal under IPC sections 302 and 34. The High Court had set aside the trial court’s conviction, relying on an inquest report under Section 174 CrPC that omitted mention of a ‘banka’ weapon, and…

The appellant, an NRI businessman, was charged with criminal conspiracy, cheating and forgery for a scheme hatched in Chandigarh that involved the issuance of foreign letters of credit and forged shipping documents in Dubai, resulting in a loss to Punjab National Bank. The trial court discharged the accused on the grou…

The appellant Ram Asrey, along with Munni Lal and the now‑deceased Radhey Shyam, were charged with the murder of Gokaran Prasad on 24 November 1975. The trial court acquitted them for lack of proof, but the Allahabad High Court convicted Asrey and Munni Lal under Section 302 read with Section 34 IPC, sentencing them to…

The petitioner was detained under the Gujarat Prevention of Anti‑social Activities Act, 1985 on the grounds that he was a 'bootlegger' and a 'dangerous person' whose activities threatened public order. The detaining authority relied on four liquor‑related cases under the Bombay Prohibition Act and a single criminal cas…

The Supreme Court examined the convictions of two accused under Sections 302 and 34 of the IPC for the murder of Balamurugan. It was discovered that the five material prosecution witnesses, who were close relatives of the deceased, had been taken to the police station a day before their testimony and instructed on how …

Shoma Kanti Sen was arrested in June 2018 in connection with the Elgar Parishad event and charged under the Indian Penal Code and the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, 1967 (UAPA). The High Court dismissed her bail application, directing her to approach the trial court, after the investigation was transferred to th…

The State of Madhya Pradesh filed a criminal appeal challenging the High Court's order that quashed FIR No. 551 of 2015, which alleged offences under Sections 420, 466, 467, 468, 471 and 120B IPC relating to fraudulent sale of government land. The dispute originated from a civil suit over possession of the suit propert…

The appellant was convicted under Section 302 IPC for stabbing the deceased, Rakesh, to death, an act witnessed by the victim's sister‑in‑law who identified the accused and the weapon. The knife recovered from the accused bore the deceased's blood, matching forensic evidence. The defence argued that the prosecution fai…

Shivani Tyagi, a 31‑year‑old woman, suffered 30‑40% burns and permanent facial disfigurement after an acid attack. Five accused were convicted under Sections 307/149 and 326A/149 of the IPC and sentenced to life imprisonment. The Allahabad High Court suspended their sentences and released them on bail, conditioning the…

The respondent, a CRPF employee, was removed from service for concealing a pending criminal case while filling a verification roll. The disciplinary and appellate authorities upheld the removal, but the High Court Division Bench later directed the employer to impose a lesser punishment, deeming removal too harsh. The S…

The appellant filed a criminal appeal against the grant of bail to his brother-in-law, the first respondent, who was charged under Sections 498-A and 304-B of the IPC and Sections 3 and 4 of the Dowry Prohibition Act for the unnatural death of his sister within a year of marriage. The Sessions Judge had denied bail, bu…

A land dispute in Mamkhor village led to a scuffle on 11 July 1992 during which accused Hari Shankar Shukla retrieved a country-made pistol and fired a bullet that killed Umesh Shukla and attempted to kill Savitri Devi. The trial court acquitted all three accused, finding the eyewitness accounts contradictory and quest…

Two traffic police officers intercepted a lorry on 4 January 1994, demanded Rs 100 to return the vehicle's documents and to refrain from filing a traffic case. The driver complained, a trap was set, and the co‑accused accepted the bribe, which was later recovered. Both were convicted under Sections 7 and 13(1)(d) read …

Rekha, the wife of a man accused of selling expired drugs with tampered labels, challenged his preventive detention order under the Tamil Nadu Prevention of Dangerous Activities Act, 1982. The High Court dismissed her habeas corpus petition, but the Supreme Court allowed the appeal, holding that the detention order was…

The appellant, a patwari, was accused of demanding and accepting a bribe of Rs.400 for correcting land records, leading to his conviction under Section 161 of the IPC and Section 5(2) of the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1947. The prosecution's case relied on the recovery of the money from the appellant's pocket and th…

Mahendra Singh and his co‑accused Harbhajan Singh were convicted for the murder of Avtar Singh, the son of complainant Kanto Bai, after a dispute over a borrowed bull. The mother, Kanto Bai, was the sole eye‑witness and her testimony was corroborated by the post‑mortem report. The appellant challenged the conviction on…

The Oxford University Press India published a scholarly book titled “Shivaji: Hindu King in Islamic India” which contained a paragraph that offended certain historians, leading to a mob attack on a scholar and the destruction of manuscripts. The State of Maharashtra registered an FIR against the author, publisher and p…

The Supreme Court considered the appeal of T. Arunthperunjothi, who had been convicted under Section 304B of the IPC for the alleged dowry death of his wife Davamani, who committed suicide in 1994. The prosecution alleged that the husband or his relatives had demanded dowry and harassed the deceased, relying on stateme…

The Supreme Court examined whether the appellants, who were part of an armed group that attacked the deceased Babu Naidu and his family, could be held liable under Section 302 read with Section 149 of the Indian Penal Code. The facts showed that the accused, including the appellants, arrived with deadly weapons, stabbe…

The State of Chhattisgarh prosecuted Lekhram for abduction and rape of a married minor, Sushila Bai. The trial court, relying on a school register entry and oral testimony, held that she was a minor at the time of the offence and convicted Lekhram under Section 376 IPC, sentencing him to three years' rigorous imprisonm…

The appellants, owners of a brick kiln, were charged with murder, rioting and related offences after a violent clash at a village panchayat meeting that left two persons dead. The trial court convicted them under Section 302 read with Section 149 IPC, while the High Court acquitted them of the 149 charge and convicted …

Six Mahakud family members were tried for murder, rioting and causing hurt under IPC sections 148, 149, 302 and 323. The High Court acquitted two of them but upheld the conviction of the remaining four for murder. The appellants argued that, because the prosecution could not show that each of them individually caused t…

The Supreme Court examined the conviction of a swami and his associates for the systematic rape of thirteen orphaned girls in an ashram and the murder of a male inmate. The Court held that the victims' consent was obtained by deceit and threat, rendering it invalid under Section 375 IPC, and that the rape charges were …

The accused Main Pal and others were charged with murder of Hans Raj and offences under the Arms Act. The prosecution relied on eye‑witnesses PW‑1 (Ram Sarup) and PW‑2 (Devi Lal), who were relatives of the deceased, and on firearms recovered at the behest of the accused. The trial court acquitted, holding that motive w…

The Supreme Court examined the murder of Porkodi, who was manually strangulated in her in-laws' house, and the related dowry death allegations. The trial court had acquitted Balasubramaniam (A-2) for lack of evidence of his participation, while convicting Rajammal (A-1) and Murugesan (A-3) for murder and dowry offences…

Shahabuddin Shaikh was convicted under IPC Section 302 read with Section 34 and TADA Section 3 for the murder of Manoharbhai, based solely on the testimony of the victim's brother (PW‑2). PW‑2 gave materially contradictory statements about the place from which he observed the incident, the role of the accused, and the …

S. Sundaramoorthy, an accountant‑cum‑head clerk in the Tamil Nadu Forest Training School, was accused of demanding and receiving a Rs 100 bribe from canteen contractor PW‑1 after promising to help restore the contractor's licence. A trap was arranged, the money was handed to the appellant, and a phenolphthalein test on…

The case involved a dispute in which the deceased Prem Lal was assaulted by his brother Pyare Singh and two friends, Sita Ram and Onkar, who struck him on the head with a sickle (darat) and beat him. The victim later lodged an FIR himself, was hospitalized, developed gastroenteritis and died nine days later; the post‑m…

The appellant, a District Savings Officer, was charged under Section 306 of the IPC and Section 3(2)(v) of the SC/ST Act for the suicide of a senior clerk who left a suicide note blaming work pressure and harassment. The charge sheet was based solely on that note, and the investigating agency had initially filed a clos…

The deceased Shahin Parveen was set ablaze by her brother‑in‑law and his relatives, leading to her death. Her dying declaration, recorded at the District Hospital, identified the brother‑in‑law as the principal assailant and named his wife and brother as aides. The trial court and High Court convicted all three accused…

The appellant, Ravuri Krishna Murthy, alleged that the second and third respondents fabricated a judgment and decree in a civil suit (OS No. 274 of 2014) to obtain an injunction over his land. The High Court, after an enquiry by the District Collector confirming the fabrication, stayed the suit and later dismissed a pe…

The appellant, Manoj Suryavanshi, was accused of kidnapping and murdering three minor children of Shivlal after a personal enmity arising from his wife's elopement. The prosecution relied on circumstantial evidence: the children were last seen with the appellant, the bodies were recovered from locations he disclosed, a…

The appellants were convicted of murder and robbery based largely on the testimony of a nine‑year‑old child witness, recoveries under Section 27 of the Evidence Act, fingerprint and forensic reports, and the alleged motive of robbery. The Supreme Court examined whether the prosecution had discharged its burden of proof…

The State of Madhya Pradesh appealed against two orders of the Madhya Pradesh High Court that quashed FIRs relating to offences of attempt to murder (Sec. 307 IPC) and other offences (Secs. 323, 294, 308, 34 IPC) on the ground that the complainant had reached a compromise with the accused. The Supreme Court held that t…

The incident arose from a dispute over water where accused No.1 (Nasibkha) and No.2 (Asif Khan) first assaulted the complainant and his brother Sardarkha, then left on a motorcycle and returned after ten minutes armed with a knife. Accused No.2 held Sardarkha’s neck while accused No.1 stabbed him, causing a fatal liver…

The appellant, Khushwinder Singh, was convicted of murdering six members of a family by kidnapping, drugging them with sleeping tablets and drowning them in a canal, motivated by a desire to steal Rs.37 lakh and ornaments. The prosecution relied on the eye‑witness testimony of the surviving victim (PW‑5), independent w…

The case involved six accused who were convicted of murder, robbery and rape of a woman in a hut robbery in 2003, based primarily on the identification of two eye‑witnesses (PW1 and PW8) in a test identification parade (TIP) and in court. The Supreme Court examined whether the prosecution had proved guilt beyond reason…

The Uphaar Cinema tragedy in Delhi on 13 June 1997 resulted in 59 deaths and over 100 injuries due to asphyxiation from smoke. The Ansal brothers, as occupiers and licensees of the cinema, were convicted under Sections 304A, 337, 338 read with Section 36 IPC and Section 14 of the Cinematograph Act, 1952. The High Court…

Four persons, including the appellant Jitu (Jitender), were tried for murder (s.302 read with s.34 IPC) and causing injuries (s.324 read with s.34 IPC) after an incident on 17‑11‑1995 that resulted in the death of Umesh and injuries to three eye‑witnesses. The trial court convicted the appellant under s.302 IPC and a c…

The appellant, a branch manager of a cooperative bank, was convicted under IPC sections 408 and 462 and sentenced by the trial court. The Sessions Court, on appeal, remanded the case to the trial court under Section 368(8) of the CrPC, citing lacunae in the prosecution case, without deciding the appeal on its merits. T…

The appellant was convicted of murder under Section 302 IPC on the basis of his wife's dying declaration that he had set her on fire. The appellant challenged the conviction, arguing that the victim was not fit to give a dying declaration and that the statement was unreliable. The Supreme Court examined the principles …

The case concerned the death of Asha G, alleged to have resulted from throttling by her husband’s relatives in connection with a dowry demand. The trial court acquitted the accused, holding that the deceased suffered from epilepsy and her death could have been caused by an epileptic fit. The Allahabad High Court set as…

The appellant, a junior Swamiji of a religious mutt that ran a school, was accused of repeatedly committing an unnatural sexual offence against a 13‑year‑old student over seven days in July 1986. The FIR was lodged more than a month later and the prosecution’s case lacked medical corroboration and contained several inc…

The case involves a murder on a bus where the deceased was killed and his son injured. The trial court acquitted all accused, disbelieving the injured witness and other eye‑witnesses, while the High Court convicted nine of the accused and acquitted the rest. On appeal, the Supreme Court examined whether an appellate co…

The Deputy Chief Controller of Imports and Exports filed complaints against Roshanlal Agarwal and others under several IPC sections and Section 5 of the Imports and Exports (Control) Act, 1947. The complaints were tried before a Special Court (Economic Offences) constituted by a Karnataka notification that created a Ju…

The appellants were convicted of murder, robbery and rape for the killings of a family in Pune in July 1992. They challenged the admissibility of witness identifications made for the first time in court without a test identification parade, the legality of the search and seizure of articles, and the doctor’s testimony …

Surinder Pal Jain was charged with murdering his wife, Usha Jain, with the prosecution relying solely on circumstantial evidence such as a neighbor's call, dogs of a dog squad pointing to the accused, alleged injuries on the accused, and a purported disclosure statement leading to the recovery of the victim's ornaments…

The case concerned the alleged kidnapping and murder of Brindaban, son of PW‑1. Five persons were tried in 1973 and acquitted; a fresh investigation in 1977 led to the prosecution of Vinod Chaturvedi and co‑accused. The trial court again acquitted them, finding the eye‑witness testimony unreliable and the investigation…

The appellants, owners of a property in Bangalore, filed two civil suits to protect their possession and claim ownership. Respondent No.2, a rival heir, lodged an FIR under IPC sections 448 and 506 alleging threats by the appellants to withdraw the suits, leading to a criminal case. The appellants sought quashing of th…

The petitioner was convicted under Section 376AB of the IPC for raping a seven‑year‑old girl in a temple and also under various provisions of the POCSO Act. The trial court awarded death penalty, which the High Court commuted to life imprisonment. The petitioner challenged whether the commuted life sentence required fu…

Abdul Jabbar was convicted by a trial court for offences under Sections 323 and 325 read with Section 34 of the Indian Penal Code, receiving three months' imprisonment for the former and one year with a fine of Rs.500 for the latter. The High Court, noting a 13‑year delay in the proceedings, reduced the latter sentence…

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

The appellant Pappi @ Mehboob was convicted under Section 302 IPC for the murder of Guddu, who was attacked with swords by a group of seven accused. Five of the accused, including the appellant, were tried; the others were absconding. While the trial court and the Rajasthan High Court upheld the appellant's conviction,…

The case involved four accused—Bikash Bora, Atul Bora, Haren Rautia and Dipankar Bora—convicted under Sections 302 and 34 of the Indian Penal Code for the murder of Jugeswar Kurmi. The prosecution relied on circumstantial evidence and the testimony of Lakhiram Kurmi (PW‑5), who was later held not to be an eyewitness. T…

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

Ambi Ram, a Patwari in Uttarakhand, accepted a bribe of Rs.1,200 in 1985 and was caught in a sting operation. He was convicted under Section 5(2) of the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1947 read with Section 161 of the IPC and sentenced to four years' rigorous imprisonment and a fine of Rs.5,000, with an additional three…

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

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

The appellants, members of the Santhal tribe, tied and beat the deceased Jhore Soren with lathis after a dispute over a stolen hen, resulting in his death. The trial court and High Court convicted all eleven accused under Section 302 read with Section 149 of the IPC for murder. On appeal, the Supreme Court examined whe…

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

The appellant, Sunder @ Sundararajan, was convicted of kidnapping a seven‑year‑old boy for ransom and subsequently murdering him. The prosecution relied on eyewitness identification, phone‑call records, a confessional statement, and forensic evidence. The key issue was whether circumstantial evidence could establish th…

The appellant Siddaramesh was convicted for the death of his wife Usha, who committed suicide by hanging within seven years of marriage. The prosecution proved that the husband and his family had repeatedly demanded dowry—gold, cash and a motorcycle—and that the wife was subjected to mental and physical cruelty when sh…

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

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

Anter Singh was convicted for the murder of Hansraj based largely on a pistol and empty cartridges recovered after he, while in police custody, disclosed their location. The prosecution relied on Section 27 of the Indian Evidence Act to admit the recovered items, asserting they were the murder weapon. On appeal, the Su…

The respondent, a senior stenographer in Indian Oil Corporation Ltd., was identified by a vigilance enquiry as the organiser of a scheme in which employees submitted forged medical certificates and bills to obtain reimbursements, causing monetary loss to the corporation. He was charge‑sheeted, suspended and, after a de…

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

Jai Prakash was convicted of murder for stabbing Champat Rai with a kirpan after an altercation at the house of Agya Devi, the deceased's wife, with whom the appellant allegedly had an illicit relationship. The sole eyewitness, the deceased's brother, testified that the appellant, after a verbal exchange, deliberately …

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

The appellant, Jit Vinayak Arolkar, was charged under Section 420 IPC after a complaint by the fourth respondent alleging that he sold a portion of a jointly owned property without consent of all co‑owners. The dispute centered on whether the sale deeds executed by the appellant, as attorney for the vendors, involved a…

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

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

The petitioners, life‑imprisoned convicts in Goa, were released on parole under the Goa Prisons Rules, 2006 and subsequently applied for premature release on the ground that they had completed 14 years of actual imprisonment. The High Court held that the period spent on parole must be excluded from the calculation of t…

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

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

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

Ajay Kumar Srivastava, a clerk of State Bank of India, was charged with seven counts of misappropriating bank funds. The enquiry officer found charges 2‑7 proved and charge 1 not proved. The disciplinary authority disagreed on charge 1, held it proved, but upheld the findings on charges 2‑7 and dismissed the employee. …

The Supreme Court heard appeals by the surviving dependents of two deceased motor accident victims against Oriental Insurance Company Ltd., challenging the reduction of compensation awarded by the High Court. The Court held that claims under the Motor Vehicles Act crystallise at the time of the accident and are not alt…

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

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

The Supreme Court examined a detention order issued under the Andhra Pradesh Prevention of Dangerous Activities Act, 1986 against Munagala Anjaiah, who was alleged to be a bootlegger violating the Andhra Pradesh Prohibition Act, 1995. The appellant's wife challenged the order, and the High Court upheld it, reasoning th…

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

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

The appellant, Mangesh, was angry that his sister Sandhya was in a love affair with Prashant, the deceased, and on a night he saw them together he stabbed Prashant three times with a knife. Prashant died three days later. The trial court and the High Court convicted Mangesh under Section 302 of the Indian Penal Code (m…

The case concerns Nandabai, a young Bhil woman who was beaten, stripped and paraded in a village after an illicit relationship with a higher‑caste man. The trial court convicted four accused under IPC sections 452, 354, 323, 506(2) read with 34 and under Section 3 of the SC/ST Act; the High Court set aside the SC/ST co…

The appellant, an agriculturist, was convicted under Section 306 of the Indian Penal Code for allegedly abetting the suicide of his farm labourer, Ramulu, by accusing him of theft and demanding money. The prosecution relied on the testimonies of the deceased's father and mother, who claimed the harassment drove Ramulu …

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

The respondent, a clerk of Andhra Bank, was suspended pending departmental action and later faced criminal charges under Sections 409 and 436 of the Indian Penal Code. He was convicted by a trial court but acquitted on appeal; however, a departmental enquiry continued for several years, culminating in his dismissal. Th…

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

Ram Lal, a constable of the Rajasthan Armed Constabulary, was dismissed in 2004 after a departmental enquiry found him guilty of altering his date of birth on his 8th standard marksheet to appear of majority age at recruitment. He was later convicted under IPC Section 420 by a trial court, but the appellate court acqui…

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

The appellant Sunil was convicted under IPC sections 363, 366A and 376 for kidnapping and raping a girl named Pinki. The central issue was whether Pinki was a minor at the time of the offence. The prosecution relied on a school leaving certificate and the father's approximate statement of age, while the medical examine…

The appellant, a landowner, had agreed to sell a parcel of agricultural land to the complainant, who belongs to a Scheduled Tribe, and transferred possession after partial payment. After the complainant began cultivating sugarcane, the appellant forcibly entered the land, used a tractor to till it and destroyed the cro…

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

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

The case arose from a village procession during which a group of eleven accused formed an unlawful assembly and attacked several persons, resulting in the death of the deceased (Kannan) and injuries to others. The trial court convicted appellant No.1 (Murugan) under Section 302 IPC for murder and appellants No.8, 9 and…

The appellant, a junior engineer supervising irrigation tank construction under a government employment guarantee scheme, was alleged to have fabricated muster rolls showing payments to fictitious labourers, thereby misappropriating Rs 6,764.10. Evidence showed that the same 21 labourers were recorded as working simult…

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

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

Kasam Abdulla Hafiz, a former assistant public prosecutor, was charged with murder (Sec. 302 IPC) and attempt to murder (Sec. 307 IPC) after he allegedly threw a brick and stabbed Manohar Deshmukh, the father of a colleague, resulting in Deshmukh's death, and also injured Sanjay Patil. The Sessions Court convicted him …

Thirteen persons were tried for the murder of Mohan Lal on 11 June 1984. The trial court convicted eleven, acquitting two; the High Court later acquitted eight of the convicted and upheld the conviction of three appellants under sections 148 and 302/149 IPC. The appellants challenged the reliance on the sole eye‑witnes…

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

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

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

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

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

The appellant Dadan was convicted along with four others for murder, grievous hurt and rioting under Sections 302, 326 and 148 read with 149 of the Indian Penal Code, based on the testimony of four close relatives of the deceased. The High Court acquitted one co‑accused but upheld Dadan's conviction, prompting him to a…

The appellant Munna @ Puran Yadav and two co‑accused were tried for the murder of Chhota, the son of Gariba (PW‑4). Gariba, the father and sole eye‑witness, testified that the three accused entered his house, the co‑accused held the victim and the appellant fired the fatal shot. The trial court convicted the appellant …

Puola Devi, married to the son of Dayal Singh, lived with her mother‑in‑law Mula Devi and sister‑in‑law Rajmati and repeatedly complained of harassment and fear of being killed. She was found dead with asphyxia due to ante‑mortem strangulation and post‑mortem burns. The trial court convicted Dayal Singh, Mula Devi and …

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

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

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

The Supreme Court examined the arbitrary allotment of fifteen petrol pumps by the then Minister of Petroleum, Capt. Satish Sharma, finding that the allocations were made without any official application, advertisement, or criteria, and favoured relatives and associates, thereby violating Article 14 of the Constitution.…

The father of a deceased woman filed a complaint alleging dowry harassment and murder, leading to FIRs against seven family members, including the mother‑in‑law. The mother‑in‑law, after being declared a proclaimed offender and absconding for over two years, obtained anticipatory bail from the High Court on the basis t…

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

The State of Arunachal Pradesh appealed against a Gauhati High Court order that road‑traffic offences must be dealt with solely under the Motor Vehicles Act, 1988 and that prosecution under the Indian Penal Code (IPC) was without legal sanction. The Supreme Court examined whether the special Motor Vehicles Act override…

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

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

The appellant insured a truck with Reliance General Insurance, which was stolen on 23 March 2010. While assisting police in the search, the appellant delayed filing the insurance claim until 31 March 2010, citing an eight‑day gap due to police involvement. The insurer rejected the claim on the basis of a policy conditi…

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

The appellants were charged with gang rape, abduction and robbery under Sections 376(g), 366, 392 read with 34 of the IPC based on the testimony of a prosecutrix who alleged she was abducted, assaulted and robbed. The trial court acquitted them, but the Karnataka High Court reversed the acquittal and convicted them. On…

The deceased Basanti Devi died from severe burns allegedly inflicted by her in‑laws after a dowry demand for a cow and a gold ring. The prosecution's case rested on a dying declaration recorded by an ASI and the statements of the deceased's mother (PW‑13) and brother (PW‑14), who were interested witnesses. The trial co…

The appellant, Kulja Industries Ltd., supplied telecom equipment to BSNL under two tenders. BSNL later alleged that the appellant, in collusion with BSNL officials, received excess payments of Rs 7.98 crore through duplicate bills and blacklisted the appellant permanently. The appellant challenged the blacklisting, arg…

In 1995 Ajahar Ali forcibly grabbed the hair of 16‑year‑old Nasima Begum, kissed her and caused a cut on her lip. He was convicted under Section 354 of the Indian Penal Code and sentenced to six months’ simple imprisonment and a fine. The appellant appealed, arguing that the 18‑year delay, his juvenile status at the ti…

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

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

The appellant, a police constable, along with two fellow constables, entered the residence of the victims at night, broke doors, and fired upon them, resulting in the murder of Kans Kaur and injuries to Joginder Singh and Avtar Singh. The prosecution proved the case through eye‑witness testimony, ballistic reports link…

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

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

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

The respondent, Sushil Kumar, applied for recruitment as a constable in the Delhi Police in 1989‑90 and was provisionally selected pending verification of his character and antecedents. The verification revealed antecedent records that the appointing authority deemed unsuitable, and his provisional selection was cancel…

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

The appellants Mathura Prashad and Binda Prashad were convicted under IPC s.302 read with s.34 for the murder of Keshav Singh. The prosecution’s case rested on a dying declaration in which the deceased wrote only the name "Guiab Chand" and on witness testimony that did not specifically identify the appellants. The Supr…

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

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

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

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

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

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

Haribhau, a village sarpanch, assaulted a school teacher, Bala Saheb, in 2005, leading to his conviction under IPC sections 353, 504 and 294 read with Section 34 and an acquittal under the SC/ST Act. The trial court sentenced him to three months' rigorous imprisonment and a fine of Rs.800, which the High Court upheld. …

The case involved ten police officers who detained and beat a man, Joinus, to extract information about a hotel loot. Joinus later died, but the post‑mortem showed death was due to asphyxiation from vomit, not the injuries inflicted. The trial court convicted the officers under IPC s.330 (voluntarily causing hurt to ex…

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

The appellant, Tanua Rabidas, was convicted of murder under section 302 IPC for allegedly pouring kerosene on his wife and setting her ablaze, leading to her death. The prosecution relied on two dying declarations: one recorded orally by a doctor and a nurse at the hospital, and another made in the presence of relative…

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

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

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

The appellant Deepak, along with four others, was convicted of offences under Sections 395, 396 and 397 of the Indian Penal Code for a dacoity that resulted in the death of one victim and grievous injuries to another. The appellant challenged the conviction on the grounds that the essential ingredient of five participa…

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

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

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

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

The appellant, A. Geetha, challenged the preventive detention of her husband under the Tamil Nadu Prevention of Dangerous Activities Act, 1982, alleging that the detaining authority failed to consider a representation and that the likelihood of his release on bail was remote because of an NDPS case. The High Court dism…

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

The appellant, a neighbour known as 'Tiwari Uncle', kidnapped, raped and murdered a seven‑year‑old girl named Pinky and disposed of her body in a well. The prosecution relied solely on a series of circumstantial facts, including the appellant's movements, forensic evidence linking his clothing and the victim's body, an…

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

The appellant, Narayan Yadav, lodged a First Information Report (FIR) in which he confessed to killing Ram Babu Sharma during a drunken quarrel. The trial court convicted him of murder under Section 302 IPC, a conviction later altered by the High Court to culpable homicide not amounting to murder under Section 304 Part…

The father was convicted under Section 6 of the POCSO Act and Section 506 of the IPC for repeatedly committing aggravated penetrative sexual assault on his ten‑year‑old daughter. The trial court, relying on the victim's testimony, corroboration from her elder sister, and forensic DNA evidence, sentenced him to life imp…

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

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

The appellant Vijay Shankar was convicted under Sections 302 and 449 of the Indian Penal Code for the murder of Satish Kumar, based primarily on circumstantial evidence such as alleged motive, a 'last seen' testimony, an extra‑judicial confession, and the recovery of blood‑stained clothes and a knife. The prosecution’s…

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

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

The appellant, Jayanta Sil, was alleged to have murdered Kandarpa with a sharp cutting weapon while returning from a feast. The prosecution relied on the testimony of six eyewitnesses, including the deceased's wife (PW1) and two other eye‑witnesses (PW5, PW6), as well as corroborative statements from PW2, PW3 and PW11,…

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

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

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