Indian Penal Code, 1860

Bechaarbhai S. Prajapati, a police sub‑inspector, stopped a luxury bus carrying a marriage party and demanded payment for the release of the bus documents. The Anti‑Corruption Bureau arranged a trap using anthracene‑powder‑marked currency notes, which the officer accepted and concealed in his trouser pocket. The marked…

The respondents filed a private criminal complaint alleging that the appellants forged an agreement and signatures to claim possession of property, invoking offences under IPC sections 420, 467, 468, 471 and 120B. The magistrate took cognizance of the complaint on 27 September 1983. The appellants later filed a civil s…

The case arose from FIR No. 60/2017 alleging wrongful confinement, trafficking and conspiracy against Ajay Malik for employing a tribal domestic worker. Malik sought quashing of the criminal proceedings and compounding of the offences, supported by a no‑objection affidavit from the complainant, while the State opposed …

The Supreme Court examined two questions referred to a larger bench: whether an order of anticipatory bail under Section 438 of the Criminal Procedure Code (CrPC) must be limited to a fixed period, and whether such bail terminates when the accused is summoned or when charges are framed. Relying on the Constitution Benc…

The case involved the murder of Bairam, the son of complainant Heera, arising out of a long-standing land dispute and enmity between the parties. The trial court convicted all accused under Sections 148, 302 r/w 149 and 307 r/w 149 IPC, but the Rajasthan High Court acquitted four accused and convicted the remaining thr…

Satni Bai was convicted of murdering her four‑year‑old son under Section 302 IPC. The prosecution relied on circumstantial evidence: witnesses (her brother‑in‑law, sister‑in‑law and a 16‑year‑old girl) saw her standing near the corpse with a blood‑stained axe, the axe and her saree were found blood‑stained, and the pos…

The Supreme Court examined two murder cases in which the accused, Jayrajsinh Temubha Jadeja, had been granted regular bail by the Gujarat High Court on the grounds of prolonged judicial custody, non‑commencement of trial and prior compliance with temporary bail conditions. The State of Gujarat contended that the High C…

Sudesh Kumar was convicted under IPC s.392 r/w s.34 and the Arms Act for a robbery committed on 7 March 1981 and sentenced to five years' rigorous imprisonment. He appealed, claiming benefit under Section 6 of the Probation of Offenders Act, 1958, asserting that he was under 21 years of age at the time of the offence b…

The appellant, a Managing Director of a company, was charged under Sections 25 and 30(3) of the Karnataka Shops and Commercial Establishments Act, 1961 after a woman employee was raped and killed while travelling to work. He filed a petition under Section 482 of the CrPC seeking quash of the complaint, claiming exempti…

The case concerns a police convoy ambushed by a land‑mine blast and subsequent gunfire, killing 22 people. Four members of Veerappan's gang (Simon, Gnana Prakash, Madhiah and Bilavendra) were convicted under the Terrorist and Disruptive Activities (Prevention) Act, IPC, the Explosive Substances Act and the Arms Act and…

Eleven accused were tried for the death of Ramdin and injuries to three witnesses arising from a sudden quarrel over a bullock‑cart fare. The trial court convicted ten of them under Section 323 read with Section 34 IPC, holding that the prosecution could not link specific injuries to specific accused, and acquitted one…

Bharat Ram Meena, a Munsiff/Judicial Magistrate, challenged adverse remarks recorded in his 1990 Annual Confidential Report (ACR) that questioned his integrity, impartiality, and conduct. The remarks were based on allegations of unauthorized absences during election duties and alleged manipulation of judicial records, …

In December 1989, the deceased Rati Ram was attacked by two accused who struck him with musals on the head and body, causing multiple injuries. He died five days later from septicaemia that the autopsy report linked to the head injury, which was deemed sufficient to cause death in the ordinary course of nature. The tri…

Karam Singh, a Punjab police constable, was convicted under IPC Section 323 and released on probation, while being acquitted of murder (Sec. 302) and grievous hurt (Sec. 324). He applied for reinstatement, but the police authorities rejected his request under Rule 16.2(2) of the Punjab Police Rules. The Punjab & Haryan…

The appellants, Darshan Singh and Buggar Singh, were convicted of murdering Mukand Singh, his wife Pritam Kaur and daughter Harbans Kaur. The prosecution alleged a property‑dispute motive, asserting that the accused sought to eliminate heirs to a share of agricultural land. The defence challenged the motive, the timing…

Ashok Kumar, a 19‑year‑old college student, was convicted of scooter theft (two years' imprisonment and a Rs.2,000 fine) and car theft (converted to an offence under Section 411 IPC, resulting in six months' imprisonment and a Rs.500 fine). He appealed solely on the sentence, arguing his youth and the time already serv…

The appellants, Vishnu Kumar Shukla and his wife, were charged under IPC sections 448, 454 and 380 for allegedly breaking into a shop and stealing goods. They contended that the complaint was frivolous, based on a forged tenancy agreement, and that the FIR was an abuse of process. The trial magistrate rejected their di…

The appellants were convicted under Section 307 of the Indian Penal Code for attempting to murder the complainant, based on an incident where they allegedly tried to stab him with knives, causing only simple abrasions. The trial court sentenced them to ten years' rigorous imprisonment, which the High Court reduced to f…

The appellant, Abhishek Saxena, was charged under IPC sections 323, 384 and 406 for alleged assault, extortion and criminal breach of trust arising from a FIR filed on 4 September 2016. He had earlier filed a petition for dissolution of marriage and a guardianship application under the Guardians & Wards Act, 1890, befo…

The case concerned the murder of Ravi Prakash, alleged to have been committed by accused Nos.1, 2 and 4 under Sections 302 and 120B IPC. The trial court convicted the three accused based on the testimony of two eye‑witnesses and medical evidence, but the High Court acquitted them, finding material inconsistencies in th…

The appellant's son and daughter‑in‑law were teachers at a school where the first respondent, Vinayak Bhagat, repeatedly called and harassed the daughter‑in‑law. Despite the son’s attempts to stop the calls, an altercation occurred and the son later committed suicide, leaving a note blaming the respondent. An FIR under…

Chhanun Lal Verma was convicted of murdering three persons and attempting to murder others, and was sentenced to death and life imprisonment by the Sessions Court, a decision affirmed by the High Court. On appeal, the Supreme Court held that the High Court failed to apply the "rarest of rare" doctrine correctly, as the…

The State of Himachal Pradesh prosecuted Manga Singh for raping his nine‑year‑old cousin who was staying at her aunt's house. The child testified that the accused forced her to sleep with him and inserted his private part into hers, a claim she reported to school teachers who lodged an FIR. The trial court convicted th…

The petitioner, Manohar Lal Sharma, filed a writ petition under Article 32 seeking a direction that the film "Padmavati" not be exhibited abroad without a certificate from the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) and that the CBI register an FIR against the film's producers under Section 7 of the Cinematograph Ac…

The appellants were originally charged under IPC sections 323, 504 and 506. Two years later, following a complaint to the National Commission for Scheduled Castes, the Commission directed the police to add an offence under Section 3(1)(x) of the SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, resulting in a supplementary charge‑…

The incident arose when the deceased's cattle trespassed into the fields of the appellants, leading to a heated exchange. Later that day, while seated in adjacent compounds, an altercation escalated; the appellants, urged by others, fetched a gun and shot the deceased, who was also assaulted with lathis. The trial cour…

The respondents were convicted under IPC sections 323 and 498‑A and under Section 4 of the Dowry Prohibition Act, 1961, and sentenced to imprisonment and fine. They sought release on probation of good conduct under Section 4 of the Probation of Offenders Act, 1958. The question before the Supreme Court was whether Sect…

The appellants Suresh and others were convicted for kidnapping and murdering Devender Chopra and his son Abhishek, and for concealing evidence, under IPC sections 302, 34, 364-A, 201 and 120-B. The Supreme Court held that the prosecution evidence, including the recovery of the victims' bodies and belongings at the accu…

The appellant K. Ravi Kumar was convicted of murder under Section 302 IPC and cruelty under Section 498‑A IPC for stabbing and setting his wife on fire. He appealed, contending that the killing occurred during a sudden quarrel without pre‑meditation, thus falling within Exception 4 to Section 300 IPC. The Supreme Court…

Sankar Ghosh, a Sepoy of the Kolkata Armed Police, was arrested and charged under IPC sections 392, 395 and 412 and Arms Act sections 25 and 27 for alleged involvement in a dacoity. A departmental inquiry found him guilty and he was dismissed from service. The Sessions Court later acquitted him on the ground that the p…

The appellants Maohu @ Madhuranatha and others were convicted for the robbery‑murder of the son of PW‑22, based largely on circumstantial evidence, and were sentenced to death under Sections 302 and 364 IPC read with Section 34. The Supreme Court affirmed the conviction, holding that circumstantial evidence alone can s…

The accused Shambhu Kewat and Banwari Kewat assaulted shopkeeper Abdul Rashid with an iron rod, causing grievous injuries and were convicted under Section 307 read with Section 34 of the IPC, receiving a ten‑year rigorous imprisonment sentence. After the conviction, the victim and the accused reached a monetary settlem…

The Punjab State Warehousing Corporation filed a private criminal complaint under Sections 406 and 409 of the IPC alleging a shortage of rice entrusted to the respondents. The trial court had earlier exempted the complainant from personal appearance, but later dismissed the complaint in default on the ground that the c…

Gurram Chakravarthy was convicted under Section 304(8) of the Indian Penal Code and sentenced to seven years' rigorous imprisonment and a fine. The High Court upheld the conviction, but the Supreme Court observed that the High Court had not examined the defence witnesses who were called to rebut the presumption created…

The State of Tamil Nadu appealed the acquittal of Manmatharaj, who had been convicted by the trial court for murder and for causing the disappearance of evidence under Sections 302 and 201 of the IPC, based primarily on an extra‑judicial confession recorded by the Village Administrative Officer (PW‑1). The Madras High …

The appellant, Sonti Rama Krishna, filed a complaint alleging that his son, Venkateswara Rao, had been insulted by his wife, Sonti Shanti Sree, after their arranged marriage, and that the insult drove the son to commit suicide. The police registered a case under Section 306 of the IPC for abetment of suicide, but the A…

The Supreme Court examined an appeal against a Patna High Court order that granted bail to two accused convicted of murder (IPC s.302) and illegal possession of arms (Arms Act s.27) without providing any reasons. The High Court had earlier rejected bail applications, later allowing the petitioners to renew the bail ple…

Ambika Mandal was convicted under IPC sections 304‑C and 306 and under the Dowry Prohibition Act for dowry‑related offences. She appealed the conviction, but the appeal was transferred from the Patna High Court to the Jharkhand High Court after the reorganisation of states. The appellant received no notice of the trans…

Shivnath Prasad was convicted under Sections 279 and 304A of the Indian Penal Code by the trial court and the appellate court. He filed a revision petition in the Patna High Court, which was dismissed by a cryptic order without addressing his contentions that key evidence – the doctor, the informant, and the post‑morte…

The appellant, Babasaheb Apparao Patil, was convicted along with three others for murder under Section 302 read with Section 34 of the IPC. The prosecution's case rested primarily on the testimony of two eye‑witnesses, PW‑10 and PW‑11, whose statements contained minor contradictions and an alleged omission regarding th…

The case involved seventeen police officials charged under Sections 302, 34 and 201, 34 IPC for the alleged custodial death of a suspect, Dilip, during interrogation. The prosecution relied on eye‑witnesses, many of whom had criminal records, and on fingerprint/thumb‑impression evidence to identify the dead body, but s…

The appellant was convicted of murder under Sections 302 and 34 IPC for shooting the deceased, based primarily on the testimony of three eyewitnesses. The defence argued that the prosecution failed to explain the minor injuries on the accused, did not submit the recovered bullet for chemical/ballistic examination, and …

The Kanpur Development Authority (KDA) floated a housing scheme in 1978 for Middle Income Group (MIG) with an estimated cost of Rs. 48,000 per house, with a clause that escalation could not exceed 10%. The respondents applied within the deadline, but due to litigation initiated by some other applicants, the KDA delayed…

The State of Bihar filed an FIR alleging that six government revenue officers colluded with two private individuals to forge assessment orders under the Bihar Land Reforms Act, 1955, thereby misappropriating state funds. The FIR, registered under IPC sections 419, 420, 467 and 120B, named eight accused. The Patna High …

The incident occurred on 21 July 1981 when a group of accused, armed with lathis, entered the field of Sardari Raut and Hakim Raut to forcibly dispossess them of land. During the confrontation, Sukhan Raut ordered Bhaiya Mani Raut to strike Sardari Raut, who received a blow to the head and later died, allegedly after a…

The Supreme Court issued a clarificatory order modifying its earlier judgment (1 May 1996) in Writ Petition (C) No. 1128 of 1986, which had provided for discharge or acquittal of accused whose criminal trials were pending for a prescribed period. The Court held that the relief does not apply where the pendency is cause…

Wassan Singh and two co‑accused attacked a gathering at Hazara Singh's house; during the fray Singh was injured multiple times and, fearing grievous hurt, fired his gun, inadvertently killing an innocent woman, Bholan. He was convicted by the Sessions Court under Section 304 Part I IPC and under Section 27 of the Arms …

The appellant advanced Rs 2 crore to respondent No.2 as a business loan, secured by cheques described as "security" and promised to be repaid by June/July 2015. The cheques were presented for encashment in October 2015 after the repayment deadline and were dishonoured for insufficient funds. The appellant filed crimina…

The Supreme Court examined bail applications of two accused under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, 1967 (UAPA) for alleged offences under Sections 38, 39 and 13. The Court held that the charge‑sheet material did not show reasonable grounds to believe that the accusations under Sections 38 and 39 were prima fac…

Shree Mahavir Carbon Ltd filed a criminal complaint under IPC sections 420, 406, 468, 471 (also 419, 486) alleging cheating, siphoning of funds and falsification of accounts by Om Prakash Jalan and others. The Judicial Magistrate took cognizance and issued summons. The respondents moved the High Court under CrPC s.482 …

The appellant husband and his mother‑in‑law were accused of dowry death after the bride, aged about 24, was found strangled and burnt in her matrimonial home within three years of marriage. The prosecution proved, on circumstantial evidence, that the accused repeatedly demanded a Maruti car as dowry, harassed the victi…

The appellants Prabir Mondal, others and Mongal Das were convicted under Sections 307 and 34 of the Indian Penal Code for an alleged attempt to murder the complainant in a pump room. The prosecution claimed the victim was attacked with a knife, resulting in incised injuries to his left palm and cheek. The medical injur…

The case arose from a FIR lodged by a Sub‑Inspector (the respondent) against M/s Jain Gas Agency under the Essential Commodities Act, which the appellant claimed was false and alleged that the officer had misappropriated gas cylinders and accepted a bribe. The Special Judge directed the investigating officer to obtain …

The case arose from a violent altercation over a disputed plot of land in Bhadsa village, where the accused, armed with various weapons, chased and assaulted the complainants, resulting in the death of Prankrishna Mahato and injuries to several others. The accused claimed private defence of property and person, arguing…

The appellants, who owned a plot of land, removed wood that villagers had piled for Holika Dahan and chased a servant away. A confrontation ensued about 300 paces from the plot, during which the accused Jitendra fired a shot killing Nanhe. The trial court convicted the accused under Sections 302 and 149 IPC; the High C…

Baldev Singh, an Indian Army officer enrolled in 1978, was arrested in 1987 and convicted under Sections 302, 34 and 452 of the IPC, leading to his dismissal in 1990. The High Court acquitted him in 1992, after which he claimed reinstatement, arrears of pay for the custody period (March 1987‑September 1993) and pension…

The appellants Jai Karan, Veer Bhadra and Babu were convicted for murder and related offences under Sections 148, 149, 302 and 323 of the IPC after a prosecution case that relied heavily on the testimony of an injured eyewitness, PW‑2, who was a relative of the deceased. The appellants challenged the credibility of PW‑…

Ranchhodji Chaturji Thakore, a junior clerk with the Gujarat Electricity Board, was convicted under Section 302 read with 34 of the Indian Penal Code for murder and sentenced to life imprisonment, leading to his dismissal from service. While his dismissal was being challenged, the Gujarat High Court acquitted him and o…

The petitioner, a manager of Canara Bank, was convicted by a criminal court for offences under Sections 420, 477A of the IPC and Sections 5(2) read with 5(1)(d) of the Prevention of Corruption Act, and sentenced to one year imprisonment with fines. The High Court later suspended the sentence pending appeal. The bank is…

Mahabir Biswas and Shiba (Bijoy Krishna Dutta) were convicted of murder under IPC 302/34 for the killing of two rickshaw passengers. The prosecution's case rested on retracted judicial confessions of the accused and physical discoveries (a sword, a watch, and a ring) linked to the confessions. The Supreme Court held th…

The Principal of a university institution was charged with misappropriating funds and served with a charge‑sheet. He requested inspection of the documents referred to in the charge‑sheet, but the enquiry officer postponed inspection until the final hearing, which the Court held to be a procedural error. The enquiry pro…

The appellant, Chotkau, was convicted and sentenced to death for the rape and murder of a six‑year‑old girl based solely on the testimonies of three prosecution witnesses and circumstantial evidence. The Supreme Court found serious contradictions in the witnesses' accounts regarding the FIR filing, the handling of the …

Maheshwar Tigga was convicted by the trial court and the Jharkhand High Court for rape, voluntarily causing hurt and wrongful restraint under Sections 376, 323 and 341 IPC, based on the prosecutrix’s allegation that he assaulted her when she was a minor. The Supreme Court examined whether the prosecutrix was indeed a m…

Five eminent citizens filed a writ petition under Article 32 on behalf of five human‑rights activists arrested in connection with the Bhima‑Koregaon violence. The petitioners alleged that the arrests were fabricated, that the police were using the media to prejudice public opinion, and sought a Special Investigating Te…

The appellant was convicted under IPC s.376(2)(f) for sexually assaulting a nine‑year‑old girl. The victim initially identified the appellant in a test identification parade (TIP) but later turned hostile and refused dock identification. The High Court upheld the conviction on the basis of the FIR, medical report, seme…

The case concerned the abduction and murder of former MLA M.K. Balan. The prosecution’s case against appellants A‑3 (Manickam), A‑4 (Somasundaram) and A‑15 (Bomb Selvam) relied primarily on the testimony of two alleged accomplices, PW‑10 and PW‑11, supported by peripheral witnesses and documentary evidence. The trial c…

In 2003 a police constable attempted to escort two men to the police station; one, Hussain Ibrahim Siddi, grabbed and pushed the constable while his wife and mother intervened verbally. All three were convicted under IPC sections 325, 506(2), 333, 342 and 114 and sentenced to three years, later reduced by the Gujarat H…

In July 1994, Baljinder Singh and his brother Bhupinder Singh assaulted Kulwinder Singh, the owner of a cart that had inadvertently entered their paddy field, inflicting knife and fist injuries. The trial court convicted Baljinder under IPC sections 326 and 324, sentencing him to four years rigorous imprisonment with a…

The appellant Rajesh Kumar was convicted of murdering two children, aged four years and eight months, and was sentenced to death by the trial court and the Delhi High Court. On appeal, the Supreme Court examined whether the death penalty was justified under the "rarest of rare" doctrine, emphasizing the need to balance…

The appellants, the in‑laws of Amani Moharana, were convicted by the trial court for murder based on two dying declarations of the deceased, one recorded by a doctor (PW‑8) and another by a police officer (PW‑9) under Section 161 of the CrPC. The High Court discarded the doctor’s declaration as a Xerox copy but upheld …

The appellants, Raja Gounder and others, were convicted under Section 302 of the Indian Penal Code for the murder of their brother amid a land dispute. The prosecution's case relied on the testimony of the deceased's widow, who was also the sister‑in‑law of the accused, and on medical evidence showing multiple injuries…

The appellant, a clerk in Syndicate Bank, was found to have opened a false bank account and fraudulently withdrawn Rs.42,000. She was charged under IPC sections 465, 468, 471, 420 and under the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988 (s.13(1)(d) read with s.13(2)). The trial court convicted her and sentenced her to two year…

The appellant Bhagwan Bahadure was convicted by the trial court and the Bombay High Court for murder (s.302 IPC) after allegedly striking the deceased Kachrabai on the head with a stick, causing injuries that led to her death. The appellant challenged the conviction on two grounds: that the key eyewitnesses (the victim…

The State of Punjab prosecuted Mohinder Singh and others for the murder of Dalip Singh, alleging they used sharp weapons during a land dispute. The trial court convicted one accused under Section 302 IPC and the others under Section 302 read with Section 34, rejecting the defence that the FIR was delayed, the injuries …

The accused were convicted under Sections 325 and 323 of the IPC, each read with Section 34, for assaulting the complainant and his wife. Subsequently, the parties reached an amicable settlement and filed a deed of compromise seeking compounding of the offences. The appellants contended that both offences are compounda…

Gurmeet Singh was convicted of murdering thirteen members of his own family in a moonlit night, using swords, after a dispute over his newly‑married wife and a co‑accused. The trial court sentenced him to death under Section 302 IPC, a sentence confirmed by the Allahabad High Court despite a split decision among its ju…

The appellants, doctors Hardeep Singh Sohal and Surinder Singh Sandhu, were convicted for the murder of Dr. Megh Raj Goel based largely on a confession recorded from the alleged conspirator Balwinder Singh under Section 15 of the Terrorist and Disruptive Activities (Prevention) Act (TADA) and extra‑judicial confessions…

The appellant Addha was convicted of murder (Section 302 IPC) for allegedly striking the deceased Sher Singh with a lathi during a sudden quarrel between two groups. The prosecution's case relied on the testimony of PW‑1, who did not specifically state that Addha caused the fatal head injury, only that he struck the ri…

The appellants were charged with murder and related offences under Sections 302, 307, 147, 148, 149 and 1208 of the IPC for an incident alleged to have occurred on 27 June 1977 in Badayun, Uttar Pradesh. The trial court acquitted all accused, holding that the prosecution failed to prove its case beyond reasonable doubt…

The President of India referred a matter under Article 317(1) of the Constitution seeking the removal of Ms. Mepung Tadar Bage, a member of the Arunachal Pradesh Public Service Commission (APPSC), alleging misbehaviour in connection with the leakage of the Assistant Engineer (Civil) Mains Examination question paper in …

The Bank of Baroda issued a possession notice under the SARFAESI Act to recover defaulted loans, but a clerical error inflated the outstanding amount, leading the borrower Phoenix India to allege defamation and file a criminal complaint under Sections 499, 500 and 501 IPC against the Bank's senior officers. The magistr…

The Supreme Court examined the bail granted by the Nagpur Bench of the Bombay High Court to respondent No.1, who was accused of conspiracy, cheating, forgery and criminal breach of trust in a massive financial scam involving a cooperative society. The prosecution alleged that the respondent withdrew approximately ₹9 cr…

The appellant Prem Prakash was in judicial custody for a separate ECIR (No. 4 of 2022) when the Enforcement Directorate recorded statements from him under Section 50 of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) for a new ECIR (No. 5 of 2023). The High Court had denied his bail, relying on those statements, but the …

The case arose from a violent clash between CPI(M) and IPF workers in Karanda village, West Bengal, where a mob set fire to houses, assaulted occupants and caused five deaths and twenty‑four serious injuries. The trial court acquitted all 82 accused, relying on alleged inconsistencies in eyewitness testimony, a stamped…

The CBI alleged that Maninder Singh, together with a co‑accused, obtained credit facilities from New Bank of India by submitting forged documents and colluding with a bank manager, thereby cheating the bank of over Rs 10.62 lakh. After a lengthy investigation, a charge‑sheet was filed under Sections 420, 467, 468, 471 …

The appellants were convicted under Sections 148, 302 read with 149, 341, and 323 of the IPC for the death of Khushal Salgar. The prosecution relied on the testimony of two eye‑witnesses, a dying declaration, and forensic evidence. The Supreme Court examined whether the evidence established a common object to cause mur…

The appellant, Mahesh Chand Sharma, purchased land and obtained possession, but the accused (Panna Lal, Ram Babu and Rajkumar) colluded with an area lekhpal to have the property mutated in their names through a false report. The appellant filed a complaint under Section 156(3) CrPC, leading to investigation and a charg…

The case concerned a 19‑20‑year‑old woman with mild to moderate mental retardation, an orphan residing in a government welfare home, who became pregnant around the 19th week of gestation after an alleged rape. The Chandigarh Administration sought the High Court’s approval to terminate the pregnancy, invoking the Medica…

The trial court convicted two accused under Sections 363, 366 and 376 of the Indian Penal Code for raping a girl aged about 17 years. The Allahabad High Court set aside the conviction, acquitting the accused on the basis that the girl was a consenting adult and that there was no reliable evidence of kidnapping or rape.…

The State of Uttar Pradesh alleged that the accused, Raja (also known as Jalil), abducted an 11‑year‑old girl, attempted to rape her and subsequently killed her. The trial court convicted him under IPC sections 302, 376 and 511, relying on circumstantial evidence and an alleged extra‑judicial confession, and imposed th…

The trial court convicted Suresh Kumar (Chhotu) under Sections 363, 366, 368 and 376 of the IPC for kidnapping and rape of a girl, sentencing him to seven years' rigorous imprisonment. On appeal, the Himachal Pradesh High Court acquitted him, holding that the victim was over sixteen years of age and had accompanied the…

The State of Madhya Pradesh charged Munni Bai and others with murder and culpable homicide by poisoning under Sections 302, 328 and 34 of the Indian Penal Code. The trial court convicted them based largely on the testimony of Munni Bai, who claimed the poison was mixed in a halua she had tasted. On appeal, the High Cou…

The appellants, Subramani and four others, were charged with murder, grievous hurt and criminal trespass after a violent clash over a disputed plot of land they had cultivated for over 50 years. The prosecution alleged that the deceased, a purchaser of the land, and his family attempted to plough the field, were assaul…

The appellants, G. Vijayavardhan Rao and another, were convicted of setting fire to a passenger bus, killing 23 people and injuring many, with the motive of robbery. They poured petrol into the bus, ignited it, and robbed passengers of cash, a wristwatch and clothing, as evidenced by recovered items and witness testimo…

Mahesh was charged with the murder of Krishna Kumar after a dispute over grazing cattle in a field. The deceased and two other labourers asked Mahesh to remove his cattle, leading to an altercation in which Mahesh struck Krishna Kumar once on the head with a pharsa, causing instant death. The trial court, after evaluat…

Three persons were tried for the murder of Sucha Singh. The trial court convicted all under Section 302 read with Section 34 of the IPC. On appeal, the High Court acquitted two co‑accused but upheld the conviction of Shera Singh, relying on the testimony of an approver (PW‑13) and treating the statement of a witness (P…

Anand Singh Bisht, a Naik in the Border Security Force, was convicted under the BSF Act and IPC section 307 for injuring a cadet and sentenced to one year of rigorous imprisonment. He had already spent about a year in pre‑trial detention and sought release by invoking Section 428 of the Code of Criminal Procedure, whic…

The appellants were convicted under IPC sections 451, 426 read with 34 and sentenced to two months' imprisonment. The Himachal Pradesh High Court postponed the sentence under Section 4 of the Probation of Offenders Act, 1958, on the condition that the appellants file an undertaking of good conduct, which they failed to…

The Supreme Court examined a petition filed by H.S. Chowdhary, claiming to be a public‑interest litigant, seeking to quash a FIR and stop a letter rogatory to Switzerland in the Bofors scandal. The Court held that Chowdhary had no locus standi and that the petition did not fall within the definition of public‑interest …

The petitioner’s daughter died in August 1986 and the petitioner filed a criminal complaint under Section 498-A IPC. After the Dowry Prohibition (Amendment) Act, 1986 inserted Section 304‑B IPC (dowry death) with effect from 19 November 1986, the petitioner sought to have the case transferred to a Court of Session for …

The father (A1) and son (A2) were charged with murder, conspiracy and abetment of the death of A2's wife, who was found dead in their house. The trial court acquitted them for lack of evidence of a conspiracy and of a homicidal death. The High Court convicted them under Sections 302, 201 and 120‑B IPC, sentencing both …

The State Government filed a criminal complaint under s.500 IPC, with sanction under s.199(2) CrPC, alleging defamation of the Director General of Police. The trial court took cognizance and issued process against the appellants. The appellants filed a revision petition under s.397 and s.401 CrPC challenging the issue …

The State of Andhra Pradesh appealed the acquittal of P.T. Appaiah and another, who had been convicted by a Sessions Judge for murder under IPC s.302 read with s.34. A Division Bench of the High Court upheld the conviction but was split on whether the offence was murder or culpable homicide. Under s.429 of the Code of …

The appellants, prominent badminton players and their coach, were accused in a private complaint of falsifying birth records to gain entry into age‑restricted tournaments, leading to the registration of an FIR under Sections 420, 468, 471 and 34 IPC. The complaint relied mainly on an unauthenticated 1996 GPF nomination…

Gajanan Dattatray Gore was arrested for offences under several sections of the Indian Penal Code, including cheating and criminal breach of trust. He applied for regular bail before the High Court, which granted bail on the condition that he would deposit Rs 25,00,000 within five months, based on an affidavit‑undertaki…

The case arose from the Bhima‑Koregaon violence of December 2017, after which the National Investigation Agency (NIA) expanded the investigation, searched the residences of several activists and arrested Vernon Gonsalves and Arun Ferreira. The prosecution alleged that the two were members of the banned CPI (Maoist) and…

The appellant, an informant and prosecution witness, identified three persons named in the FIR but omitted from the charge‑sheet as assailants during his examination‑in‑chief. He moved an application under Section 319 of the CrPC to summon these persons, which the trial court allowed. The High Court, on revision, set a…

The appellant, a public servant, was convicted under Section 13(1)(d)(ii) read with Section 15 of the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988 and Section 477A of the Indian Penal Code for allegedly manipulating measurement books and causing excess payment in school construction works. The prosecution alleged that he reduced…

On the night of 2-3 November 2015, the deceased Vilas Gawande was attacked by four accused; two of them wielded an axe while the other two, Sanjay Puran Bagde and Rajratna (Nandu) Bagde, held the victim. The victim’s wife, an eyewitness, testified that all four were present and that the accused had a pre‑meditated plan…

During the 2015 Kerala budget presentation, several opposition MLAs climbed onto the Speaker's dais and damaged furniture, leading to a criminal case under IPC sections 427, 447, 34 and the Prevention of Damage to Public Property Act, 1984. The public prosecutor sought to withdraw the prosecution under Section 321 of t…

The appellant, Parminder Kaur, a single woman living with her child and mother, was convicted under IPC sections 366A and 506 for allegedly enticing a minor girl to illicit intercourse with her tenant boy and for threatening the victim’s brother. The prosecution’s case rested on the testimony of the minor victim and he…

The Supreme Court examined the death of Archana Mishra, who died of poisoning within six weeks of marriage, and determined that she had been subjected to cruelty and harassment by her husband and in‑laws in connection with dowry demands. The prosecution established the essential ingredients of Section 3048 IPC and the …

The appellant, Sudarshan Kumar, was convicted under Section 306 of the Indian Penal Code for abetting the suicide of his wife, Sudesh, who could not conceive a child and was repeatedly harassed, beaten, and sent away by him. The trial court sentenced him to seven years' rigorous imprisonment, a sentence upheld by the H…

Ram Niwas and four others were tried for the murder of Sher Singh and the attempted murder of Chanda. The trial court convicted Ram Niwas under Sections 302 and 307 of the IPC, acquitting the remaining accused and giving benefit of doubt to two of them. On appeal, the appellant argued that the testimony of two key witn…

The appellant, a kitchen employee of a hotel, attacked the managing director with a concealed sickle, inflicting multiple injuries. The victim, a known heart patient who had undergone angioplasty, died the following day; medical evidence attributed death to myocardial infarction and not to the injuries. The trial court…

The case involved three accused—Birappa (A‑1), Kareppa (A‑2) and Muttappa (A‑3)—charged with the murder of Gulappa. The trial court convicted Birappa based primarily on the testimony of a single eyewitness, PW‑1, the brother of the deceased, while acquitting the other two. On appeal, the High Court upheld Birappa's con…

The appellant, Beere Gowda, was charged with murdering his two‑and‑a‑half‑year‑old daughter Pallavi by forcibly administering a mixture of nitric and sulphuric acid, obtained from a goldsmith, while his second wife Indramma was a co‑accused. The Sessions Court acquitted both, holding that the child might have ingested …

Six persons were tried and convicted for the double murder of Ram Swarup and Ram Pratap Singh under Section 302 read with Section 149 of the IPC. While the appeal was pending, four of the accused died, and the High Court dismissed the appeal of the two survivors, Shiv Singh and Deo Narain. Deo Narain challenged his con…

Satpal Singh was convicted of rape under Section 376 IPC for assaulting the minor Rajinder Kaur. He appealed, arguing that the FIR was lodged after an inordinate four‑month delay, that the victim was a major, and that the act was consensual because they were schoolmates. The Supreme Court held that the delay was explai…

The appellant, Arumugam, murdered his step‑mother Saroja by strangling her with a rope. He made an extra‑judicial confession first to his step‑sister and shortly thereafter to the Village Administrative Officer, who recorded the statement and handed him over to police. The rope was recovered, and post‑mortem evidence s…

A dispute over water flow escalated into a roof‑side gunfight in which Lachman Singh, Dev Singh and Randhir Singh fired a revolver, killing Naib Singh and injuring several others. The trial court convicted all three under Section 302 IPC, Section 307 IPC with Section 34, and under the Arms Act. On appeal, the Supreme C…

The Supreme Court dismissed the appeals of Krishnan and others, upholding their conviction for murder under Section 302 read with Section 34 of the IPC and for voluntarily causing hurt under Section 323. The Court held that the FIR was lodged immediately after the incident, negating any possibility of a fabricated stat…

The appellant, a driver of an Andhra Pradesh State Road Transport Corporation bus, was convicted under IPC Section 304A after a passenger fell from the bus while boarding and was run over by the rear wheel, resulting in death. The trial, sessions, and high courts held him guilty of culpable negligence, imposing a three…

Sahib Singh was convicted under the IPC and TADA for the murder of Om Prakash based on the testimony of three brothers—sons of the deceased—and a confession recorded under Section 15 of the TADA Act. The Supreme Court examined whether relatives of the deceased are competent witnesses, the effect of a delayed FIR, and t…

The Assistant Collector of Customs intercepted a fishing vessel carrying 194 ingots of silver, suspecting smuggling. The accused were convicted under several statutes, including section 135(1)(a)(ii) of the Customs Act, 1962. The Bombay High Court set aside the conviction under the Customs Act, holding that the phrase …

The State of Maharashtra filed a Special Leave Petition under Article 136 challenging a Bombay High Court order that the Governor should exercise his own discretion, not the advice of the Council of Ministers, when deciding whether to grant sanction under Section 6 of the Prevention of Corruption Act for the prosecutio…

The appellant kidnapped a 13‑year‑old schoolboy and demanded a ransom of Rs 2 lakhs, but the prosecution failed to prove that he threatened the victim’s death or hurt, nor that his conduct created a reasonable apprehension of such harm. The Sessions Court and High Court convicted him under IPC s.364A, interpreting the …

The appellant, Amanulla Khan, a member of a notorious gang, was detained under the Gujarat Prevention of Anti-Social Activities Act, 1985 as a "dangerous person" after allegedly extorting money by threatening death and assaulting victims on three separate occasions. He challenged the detention, arguing that a single cr…

The appellants were charged under sections 120B, 420, 468 and 471 of the IPC and section 13(2) read with 13(1)(d) of the Prevention of Corruption Act for allegedly diverting bank funds. Parallel civil recovery proceedings before the Debt Recovery Tribunal were settled through a One Time Settlement (OTS) in which the ba…

The appellant, Batlanki Keshav (Kesava) Kumar Anurag, sought to quash FIR No. 103 of 2022 alleging offences under Section 376(2)(n) IPC and Section 3(2)(v) of the SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, claiming the allegations of sexual relations under a false promise of marriage were fabricated. The de‑facto complainan…

Gurmeet Singh was convicted under Section 304‑B of the IPC for the dowry‑related death of his wife, who died after consuming poison within four years of marriage. The appellant challenged the conviction, arguing that the prosecution had not proved the "soon before" dowry demand, that the presumption of causation under …

The appellants were convicted for dowry death (Sec. 304B IPC) and abetment of suicide (Sec. 306 IPC) after the victim died from severe burns within a year of marriage, allegedly following dowry harassment. The Supreme Court examined whether the prosecution had proved the essential ingredients of Sec. 304B, including th…

The appellant Kusti Malliah and his co‑accused were convicted for the murder of Neelagiri Parvamma and for stealing her ornaments, offences punishable under IPC ss.302, 404 read with s.34. The prosecution relied primarily on the testimony of a sole eye‑witness (PW‑6) who saw the assault from a distance, corroborated by…

The appellant was accused of raping and murdering a three‑year‑old girl and was convicted under Sections 376(2)(f) and 302 IPC, receiving a death sentence which was later commuted to life imprisonment. The prosecution's case rested mainly on two circumstantial facts – the appellant pointing out the location of the vict…

Karan Singh was convicted for the murder of Raj under IPC s.302, the prosecution alleging a motive of non‑payment of Rs 47,000 for a buffalo. Eye‑witnesses Maya Devi (PW‑3) and her daughter Birma (PW‑4) saw the appellant dragging the victim with a rope, and an independent witness (PW‑8) corroborated the allegation. The…

The appellant, Ravirala Laxmaiah, was convicted for murdering his wife Balamani by strangulation and for dowry-related harassment under IPC sections 302 and 404. The trial court and High Court relied on circumstantial evidence, the appellant’s failure to explain the death (last‑seen theory), false statements to the vic…

Swiss Timing Ltd., a Swiss company, entered into a contract with the Commonwealth Games 2010 Organising Committee to provide timing and scoring services. The Committee failed to pay the agreed fees, prompting Swiss Timing to invoke the arbitration clause in the agreement. The Committee objected, claiming the contract w…

The appellant, Dammu Sreenu, had an illicit relationship with the wife of the deceased, Sitra Nagarjuna Rao. After the wife was taken away for counseling, the appellant forcibly removed her from her brother's house and kept her for four days, after which the deceased, feeling humiliated, expressed a desire to die and s…

The accused Kamaljit Singh and Manjit Singh, who were in an illicit relationship with Bhinder Kaur, the wife of Sewa Singh, murdered Sewa Singh and his three sons after the family harassed Bhinder Kaur. The trial court sentenced the two accused to death, while the High Court altered the death sentences to life imprison…

The appellant Byvarapu Raju and his mother were convicted for the death of the appellant's father under Sections 302 and 201 IPC. The appellant contended that the killing occurred during a sudden quarrel and should fall under Exception 4 to Section 300, reducing the offence to culpable homicide not amounting to murder.…

Chunni Bai was convicted of murdering her two young daughters after the trial court and High Court upheld a Section 302 IPC conviction. She claimed she acted under the influence of an invisible power, asserting unsoundness of mind under Section 84 IPC. The Supreme Court examined the eyewitness testimony, medical autops…

The case concerns the honour killing of a Dalit boy, Murugesan, and his Vanniyar bride, Kannagi, in 2003. Police officers Sub‑Inspector K.P. Tamilmaran (A‑14) and Inspector M. Sellamuthu (A‑15) failed to register an FIR despite being informed of the murders and later fabricated evidence to implicate Dalit relatives whi…

The appellant, Ravish Singh Rana, was accused by his live-in partner of raping her after refusing to marry, leading to FIR No. 482 of 2023 under IPC sections 376, 323, 504 and 506. The appellant sought quash of the FIR invoking Section 528 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, arguing that the two-year cohabitatio…

The case arose from a private complaint alleging that the Shiromani Akali Dal (Badal) filed a false affidavit with the Election Commission of India, contradicting its constitution submitted to the Gurudwara Election Commission, thereby violating the secularism requirement of Section 29‑A of the Representation of People…

Ganesh Benzoplast Ltd. (complainant) entered into Inter‑Corporate Deposit agreements with Morgan Securities & Credits Ltd., pledging shares as security. When the value of the pledged shares fell, the lender invoked the pledge and sold the shares to itself and its group companies in 2001. The complainant waited until 20…

The appellant Digambar, brother of the deceased Pooja, and his accomplice Mohan were convicted of murdering Pooja and her lover Govind, who were found dead after being taken on a motorcycle. The trial and high courts sentenced Digambar to death and Mohan to life imprisonment, deeming the case "rarest of rare". On appea…

The State of Andhra Pradesh appealed against a High Court order that granted a writ of habeas corpus, directing the release of a life convict (P. Reddy Bhaskar) who had escaped twice and was later sentenced to a one‑year simple imprisonment for kidnapping. After being granted special remission for his life sentence, th…

The State of Madhya Pradesh appealed against the High Court's acquittal of Phoolchand Rathore, who had been convicted and sentenced to death for the murder of his wife under sections 302 and 201 IPC. The prosecution's case rested on alleged motive (a dispute over jewellery), a disclosure statement and recovery of blood…

The mother of the deceased sought a reinvestigation of a murder case (IPC ss.302, 120B) by the Central Bureau of Criminal Investigation (CBCID) after the accused had been chargesheeted and a quashing petition dismissed. The Secretary (Home), Uttar Pradesh, ordered the transfer of investigation to CBCID based solely on …

The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) investigated alleged disproportionate assets of D. Dwarakanadha Reddy and others under the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988, filed a closure report under Section 173(2) of the Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPC) in 2008, and the Special Judge accepted it. In 2013 the CBI obtain…

The case concerned the murder of Hari Shankar whose body was found in an apartment rented by the appellant Santosh @ Bhure. The prosecution relied on circumstantial evidence – tenancy of the flat, the presence of blood, a suicide letter allegedly written by co‑accused Neeraj, and recovery of a knife and blood‑stained c…

The appellants, three villagers, were convicted for the murder of Gokalbhai and the assault of two others after a quarrel over rent and animosity. The prosecution presented 32 witnesses, medical and post‑mortem reports, serological evidence and the testimony of injured witnesses who identified the accused. The defence …

The appellant, previously acquitted of kidnapping and rape offences, repeatedly threatened and teased the victim, a teenage girl, leading her to set herself ablaze and die. The victim’s dying declaration, recorded by a Head Constable in the presence of a doctor, implicated the appellant as the sole cause of her death. …

The appellant Upendra Pradhan was convicted for murder under IPC sections 302 and 34, based on the High Court's reversal of an acquittal granted by the Additional Sessions Judge. The appellant contended that he was a juvenile at the time of the offence and that the benefit of doubt should apply, also challenging the re…

Hari Shanker and three others were convicted for the murder of Shiv Shanker under Section 302 read with Section 34 of the IPC. The prosecution's case rested on the eye‑witness PW2 who said Hari fired the first shot, striking the victim's wrist, while other accused fired the fatal abdominal shot. The High Court acquitte…

The appellants were acquitted by the trial court for a murder under IPC s.302 read with s.149, but the High Court convicted them on the basis of testimonies of two related witnesses, PW‑4 and PW‑5, who were brothers of the deceased. The Supreme Court examined two issues: the scope of an appellate court's power in an ap…

The appellant was convicted under Section 302 IPC for allegedly beating his wife and setting her ablaze. The sole basis of the conviction was the victim's dying declaration, recorded by an executive magistrate and endorsed by the treating doctor as being made while she was conscious. The appellant contended that any do…

Three accused—Buddhu Singh, his father Ledwa Singh and brother Balchand Singh—grappled with the deceased and Buddhu delivered a single axe blow that struck the victim's head, causing fatal injuries. The trial court and the High Court convicted all of them under Section 302 IPC for murder and sentenced them to life impr…

Roopsena Khatun, a 15‑year‑old orphan girl, was convicted of murdering a child, Baby Khatun, by allegedly drowning her in a pond and stealing a silver chain from the corpse. The prosecution's case rested on four circumstantial pieces: the accused’s alleged disclosure and pointing out the body, an extra‑judicial confess…

Two government doctors were alleged to have engaged in private practice after hours, charging Rs 100 per patient, in violation of a government circular that prohibited such practice without permission. An FIR was lodged under Section 13(1)(d) read with Section 13(2) of the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988 and Section…

The appellant, a former President of the BCCI, challenged an amendment to Clause 6.2.4 of the BCCI's Regulations that exempted IPL, Champions League and Twenty‑20 events from the ban on administrators having commercial interests. He argued that the amendment was made to benefit the second respondent, who as a BCCI offi…

The actress S. Khushboo made remarks in a 2005 news‑magazine survey endorsing societal acceptance of premarital sex and live‑in relationships. Several members of the PMK political party filed criminal complaints alleging defamation, obscenity, indecent representation of women and incitement under the IPC and the Indece…

Vijender Kumar, son of a bus operator, suspected his helper Yogesh of stealing part of the bus fare. After a personal search recovered Rs 100, Kumar became angry, beat Yogesh and then retrieved a knife from a nearby scooter to stab him in the abdomen, causing Yogesh's death. He was convicted under Section 302 IPC for m…

Mohan Mali and another were convicted under IPC sections 302, 324 and 326 and sentenced to life imprisonment. One co‑accused, Dhanna Lal (appellant No.2), claimed he was a juvenile at the time of the offence. The Supreme Court examined the provisions of the Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Act, 2000, …

Nirmal Kaur, who operated a coaching centre, was charged under several IPC offences and under Section 13(1)(d) read with Section 13(2) of the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988. The trial court framed charges under the Act, but the High Court quashed them, holding that she was not a public servant. The State appealed, …

The appellant, an informant, lodged an FIR alleging that the respondent had raped her, invoking Sections 376 and 493 of the IPC. The respondent filed an application for discharge under Section 227 of the CrPC, contending that the informant's age was misstated and therefore no offence was made out. The trial court rejec…

The appellant, Gurmej Singh, a police officer who was a deemed witness in a criminal trial, challenged a High Court order directing the State to prosecute him without giving him any notice. The Supreme Court held that such directions violated the principles of natural justice, particularly the rules of audi alteram par…

The case arose from a long-standing rivalry between two hamlets of Saruali village. On 2 November 1982, members of the Parida hamlet, armed with lathis and guns, entered the Dehury hamlet. Batakrushna Parida fired a shot that killed Sahadev Dehury and injured others. The trial court convicted Batakrushna under Section …

The case concerns the murder of Jogadia and injuries to his wife Thavlibai and son Thakur Singh in Madhya Pradesh. The trial court convicted Mal Singh, Lal Singh and Juansingh under sections 302, 307 and 323 read with section 34 of the IPC, while acquitting Nanki Bai. On appeal, the High Court altered the convictions, …

The appellant, a minor at the time, was alleged to have conspired with his family members, an employee and a friend to murder Kunal Parihar, the complainant's son, based largely on threatening phone calls and a motive of a disputed marriage. The prosecution charged the appellant and fifteen others under Sections 302, 1…

The appellant, a senior IPS officer of Rajasthan, was arrested in connection with the alleged fake encounter killings of Sohrabuddin and his wife. The trial court granted him regular bail under Section 439 of the Cr.P.C., relying on the accused's clean service record and the alleged criminal antecedents of the victim. …

Dr. Narendra Kamin, accused in the Sohrabuddin fake‑encounter case and charged with several serious offences under the IPC and the Arms Act, was granted bail by the Additional City and Sessions Judge. The State of Gujarat filed an application under Section 439(2) of the Code of Criminal Procedure to cancel the bail, an…

The appellant, Suneet Gupta, entered into a partnership with M/s K.M. Agencies, which later faced a dispute when the other partner joined M/s Mangla Agencies and allegedly misrepresented the firm's status to the principal, Johnson & Johnson, resulting in payment to the latter firm. Gupta filed a criminal complaint unde…

P.O. Agrawal, a junior manager of State Bank of India, was repeatedly accused of misbehaving with senior officers and customers, leading to suspension and a series of disciplinary proceedings. After being acquitted in criminal trials, the bank’s disciplinary authority dismissed him, despite one charge being disproved. …

The appellant Surendra Singh was prosecuted for the death of Ram Singh after a dispute over cattle damage to agricultural fields. The prosecution alleged that after a heated exchange and scuffle, the appellant’s elder brother Rajendra Singh urged him to kill Ram Singh, leading the appellant to fire a single shot that s…

The State of Uttar Pradesh prosecuted several accused for the murder of members of two families. The sole surviving witness, Harbhajan Kaur (PW‑4), gave a statement that was recorded as a dying declaration, although she later survived. The trial court convicted five accused based on her statement and other evidence, bu…

Arvind Yadav, brother of a murder victim, challenged a Madhya Pradesh High Court order that released several convicted murderers, including Ramesh Kumar, on licence despite the Probation Board’s refusal to recommend release. The High Court had bypassed a remand to the State Government, reasoning that a fresh considerat…

The State of Rajasthan appealed the acquittal of four accused who were part of an unlawful assembly that entered the victim's house, broke the wall and murdered two children. The High Court had held that only the accused who delivered the fatal blow could be convicted under Section 302 read with Section 149 IPC, findin…

The appellant, a police constable, was convicted under IPC sections 346, 366 and 376 for raping a young woman after abducting her and her husband. The appellant appealed, arguing that he was not positively identified by the victim or witnesses and that the failure to hold a test identification parade rendered the convi…

The appellants were convicted under TADA and the IPC for the murder of a police constable during the 1992 Bombay riots, based primarily on the in‑court identification by two constable witnesses. The trial court had rejected the identification parade evidence, finding a strong possibility that the suspects had been show…

The Supreme Court examined whether officers of public sector undertakings and government companies, which may be deemed "State" under Article 12 because of deep governmental control, fall within the definition of "public servant" for the purposes of Section 197 of the Criminal Procedure Code (CrPC). The petitioners arg…

Akhilesh Hajam was convicted of murdering his mother, sister, wife and daughter based largely on circumstantial evidence, including a timeline of the killings, an alleged disclosure statement leading to the recovery of a blood‑stained iron angle, and assertions that he had absconded and was intoxicated. The trial court…

Surjit Singh, a serving soldier, was charged along with his brothers and two others for criminal trespass, murder of the village Sarpanch, and grievous hurt. He claimed an alibi, asserting he left the village at 4 p.m. on the day of the crime and was traveling by train to his unit, and also argued that there was confus…

The case involved a trade‑union rivalry that culminated in the murder of Prathab Chandran, a union vice‑president, on 15 June 1972. Six accused, including A‑2 (Nadodi Jayaraman) and A‑3 (Dilli Bai), assaulted the victim with iron rods and pipes, causing multiple injuries; the head injury was fatal. The trial court conv…

The State of Uttar Pradesh appealed the acquittal of Dr. Ravindra Prakash Mittal, who was charged with murdering his second wife and attempting to conceal the crime by burning her body. The trial court had convicted him under Sections 302 and 201 of the IPC based on a chain of circumstantial evidence, but the Allahabad…

Smt. Chand Dhawan filed a criminal complaint alleging bigamy under Sections 494 and 109 IPC, claiming her husband Jawahar Lal had married another woman while their marriage subsisted. The Chief Judicial Magistrate took cognizance and issued summons against the husband, the second wife, and their parents. The husband mo…

The Enforcement Directorate seized Rs.4,28,713 in 1966 and recorded statements from appellants K.T.S. Mohammed and M. Jamal Mohammed under Section 39 of the Foreign Exchange Regulation Act (FERA). Both appellants later retracted those statements, claiming they were obtained under duress, and the Income‑Tax Officer reco…

Surinder Kumar's second wife, Sheema, died from severe burn injuries. Kumar and his son were convicted of murder under Sections 302 and 34 of the IPC and of cruelty under Section 498‑A, based primarily on a dying declaration recorded before a Judicial Magistrate, with a doctor's certificate that she was conscious. On a…

Amandeep Kaur was brutally murdered by being doused with kerosene and set alight by her mother-in‑law, Kailash Kaur, and sister‑in‑law Mahinder Kaur, allegedly to extract additional dowry. The deceased’s dying declaration, a letter to her father detailing dowry harassment, and medical and police testimony formed the ba…

The appellant, a Rajya Sabha member, posted a video of a mass‑marriage on the social‑media platform X, in which a poem was recited in the background. The poem was alleged to promote communal enmity, leading the police to register an FIR under Sections 196, 197(1), 299, 302, 57 and 3(5) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita. T…

The appellant filed an FIR alleging that four persons shot his father dead over a boundary dispute. While the chargesheet named only two of the alleged shooters, the trial court, relying on the testimonies of two prosecution witnesses, summoned the other two persons under Section 319 of the CrPC. The High Court set asi…

The appellant, Mohd Muslim, was arrested in 2015 in connection with a seizure of 180 kg of ganja and charged under Sections 20, 25 and 29 of the NDPS Act. The prosecution relied on statements of co‑accused, the appellant’s confessional statement and bank‑transaction records, but failed to produce any direct evidence li…

The State of Punjab appealed against the High Court's order reducing the sentence of Dil Bahadur, who had been convicted under Sections 279 and 304A of the IPC for rash and negligent driving that caused one death and two injuries. The High Court had lowered the term from two years rigorous imprisonment to eight months,…

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

The appellant was convicted under IPC sections 366, 376 and 302 for raping, kidnapping and murdering a woman, and the trial court sentenced him to life imprisonment for the murder. The appellant appealed, arguing that only the High Court or Supreme Court can impose a modified punishment such as a fixed-term life senten…

Harita Sunil Parab, a practising advocate in Mumbai, filed FIRs in Delhi and Ghaziabad alleging offences under various IPC sections and later sought to have those cases transferred to Mumbai, claiming threats from the accused, fear of a biased investigation and personal inconvenience. The Supreme Court examined whether…

The deceased, Chanabasayya, was killed when he fell from a tractor‑trailer owned by respondent No.2 while returning from unloading maize at Holealur. His father filed a claim under Section 166 of the Motor Vehicles Act, 1988 seeking compensation from the insurer (respondent No.1), the vehicle owner (respondent No.2) an…

Virupakshappa Gouda and another were charged under several IPC sections, including 302 and 149, for an alleged honour killing. They applied for bail repeatedly; the trial court and High Court rejected the first two applications and a Special Leave Petition, but a third application was granted bail by an Additional Sess…

The case involved an alleged unlawful assembly in which members of two rival groups clashed, resulting in the death of a farmer, Channegowda. The accused were convicted by the Karnataka High Court on charges including murder (Sec. 302 IPC) and assault (Sec. 324 IPC) despite the trial court’s acquittal. On appeal, the S…

The Supreme Court considered appeals by two police officers, an IPS officer and a Sub‑Inspector of the Anti‑Terrorist Squad, who had been in judicial custody for nearly seven years on charges of murder, conspiracy and related offences. Their bail applications had been rejected by the High Court of Bombay. The Court exa…