Probation of Offenders Act

The case involved the death of Biswajit, alleged to be a murder committed by his wife Sonali Mukherjee (A‑1) and her alleged lover Assadid Poddar (A‑2) through gardenal poisoning. The trial court convicted both under s.302 IPC; the Madras High Court acquitted A‑2 and reduced A‑1's conviction to s.304(Part I) IPC. On ap…

The respondent, Saurabh Bakshi, was convicted under Section 304A of the IPC for causing the deaths of two persons by rash and negligent driving. The trial magistrate sentenced him to one year of rigorous imprisonment and a fine; the High Court reduced the sentence to the 24 days already served, relying on the fact that…

The respondent was convicted under Section 135 of the Customs Act and the Defence of India Rules for smuggling 2015 tolas of contraband gold, receiving rigorous imprisonment and fines. On remand, the Bombay High Court granted him the benefit of Section 4 of the Probation of Offenders Act, citing confiscation of the gol…

Shri Maruti Shripati Dubal, a police constable, suffered a head injury in a 1981 road accident and was subsequently diagnosed with schizophrenia. He attempted self‑immolation on 27 April 1985 and was charged under Section 309 of the Indian Penal Code. While the case was pending, he challenged the constitutional validit…

The Supreme Court considered two writ petitions challenging the constitutional validity of Section 309 of the Indian Penal Code, which criminalises attempted suicide. The petitioners argued that the provision violated Articles 14 and 21 of the Constitution. After reviewing earlier High Court decisions, comparative law,…

The State of U.P. appealed against a High Court order that set aside the conviction of respondents for violating a Section 145 order because the complaint was filed by a successor magistrate rather than the magistrate who originally issued the order. The Supreme Court examined the meaning of "public servant concerned" …

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 …

The Commissioner of Police, Delhi, cancelled the candidature of two applicants, Mehar Singh and Shani Kumar, for the post of constable after a Screening Committee found them unsuitable despite their acquittal in criminal cases involving serious offences and moral turpitude. Both candidates had disclosed their involveme…