Judgments of 2025

Lifecare Innovations Pvt. Ltd., a micro‑enterprise manufacturing a specialised liposomal drug, was repeatedly disqualified from government tenders because the Notice Inviting Tender (NIT) imposed mandatory minimum turnover requirements that it could not meet. The petitioners argued that such clauses violated Articles 1…

The appellant, a senior BIS officer deputed as Director of FSSAI, acted as Presiding Officer of the Internal Complaints Committee (ICC) investigating a sexual harassment complaint. She filed a counter‑affidavit on behalf of the complainant without the complainant’s consent, and later amended it when the complainant wis…

The petitioner, S Shobha, obtained a gold‑pledged loan from Muthoot Finance Ltd. and later filed writ petitions under Article 226 of the Constitution challenging the company's actions. The High Court entertained the petitions despite observing that Muthoot Finance Ltd. is a private company and not a "State" within Arti…

The appellants, parents of a man who had a relationship with a woman, sought to quash the chargesheet filed against them under Section 482 of the CrPC, alleging that the High Court erred in rejecting their petition. The complainant claimed the parents had assured her of marriage to their son, leading to an intimate rel…

The appellants purchased a flat and paid stamp duty, but later cancelled the booking due to the developer's delay and executed a cancellation deed on 17 March 2015, which was registered on 28 April 2015 after an amendment to Section 48(1) of the Maharashtra Stamp Act reduced the refund limitation period from two years …

The appellant, a borrower, defaulted on a loan from The Federal Bank and the bank classified the loan as a Non‑Performing Asset, invoking SARFAESI provisions. The High Court ordered the appellant to pay Rs.2 crore immediately and the balance in twelve instalments, which the appellant challenged by a Special Leave Petit…

The dispute concerned ownership of a 2‑18‑10 bigha parcel of land in NOIDA, jointly purchased in 1997 by Reddy, Sudhakar and Vishnu. Reddy later sought to establish sole ownership by filing separate suits and a writ petition, suppressing the earlier joint‑ownership litigation, and obtained a High Court order declaring …

The complainant filed Criminal Complaint No. 1828 of 2019 alleging offences under several sections of the IPC against the accused. The accused first filed a quashing petition under s.482 CrPC, which the High Court dismissed. Six months later they filed a second quashing petition on the same grounds, and the High Court …

The dispute concerned a 9‑cent parcel of land in Ernakulam, with conflicting sale, conveyance and settlement deeds executed between the parties' fathers in 1955, 1964 and 1994. The respondents filed a suit for declaration of title, which the trial court dismissed; the High Court of Kerala remanded the case back to the …

The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) introduced a pension scheme in 1990, offering several opportunities for employees to switch from the Contributory Provident Fund (CPF) to the pension scheme. M.T. Mani, who joined RBI in 1981 and retired in 2014, declined each earlier option and later exercised the last option under Admi…

The appellant, a grandson of the original defendant, was impleaded as a legal heir in execution proceedings after the original defendant died. He later filed an interlocutory application under Order I Rule 10 seeking deletion of his name, claiming he was not a legal heir and that he enjoyed tenancy rights under Section…

The appellant, Vinod Bihari Lal, was named as a leader of an alleged gang under the Uttar Pradesh Gangsters & Anti‑Social Activities (Prevention) Act, 1986, based on a subject FIR registered in 2018 that drew on several earlier base FIRs. He filed two applications under Section 482 of the Code of Criminal Procedure see…

The dispute arose from a Coal India notification dated 19‑12‑2017 imposing Evacuation Facility Charges (EFC) on coal dispatches, which the power generator (Adani Power Rajasthan Ltd.) claimed constituted a "change in law" under the Power Purchase Agreement (PPA) with the Rajasthan distribution companies. The generator …

The Old Jalukai Village Council (appellant) claimed that the Kakiho Village (respondent No.1) was being recognized on land that ancestrally belonged to it, and it had objected to the public notice issued in 2009. The State of Nagaland had proceeded with recognition despite the objection, citing an inter‑district bounda…

K. Umadevi, a permanent teacher in the Tamil Nadu government, had two children from a first marriage before joining service and later remarried, becoming pregnant with her first child of the second marriage. She applied for maternity leave under Fundamental Rule 101(a), which limits leave to women with fewer than two s…

The appellants, officers of the Central Armed Police Forces (CAPFs), challenged the non‑recognition of their forces as Organized Group‑A Services (OGAS) and the consequent denial of benefits such as Non‑Functional Financial Upgradation (NFFU) and promotion opportunities. The Supreme Court examined earlier judgments, es…

The case arose from a violent incident on 14 November 2012 in which members of a political rival family were attacked, resulting in three deaths. The prosecution relied on three key witnesses – PW‑1, PW‑2 and a 10‑year‑old child PW‑9 – as well as fingerprint and weapon‑recovery evidence to secure convictions of accused…

The deceased K. Raghunath, a successful realtor and close confidant of MP D.K. Adikeshavalu, was found hanging in 2019 under mysterious circumstances, leading his wife and son to allege murder by certain relatives who were also claimants to his property. Two wills – one dated 2016 favoring the wife and another posthumo…

The appellants and respondents were embroiled in a series of suits and appeals concerning a sale deed of land and the validity of a mutation register entry. The trial court dismissed the plaint on the ground of rejection under Order VII Rule 11, and subsequently, the respondents sought production of the mutation regist…

Bijender Singh, an ex‑army officer, was invalided out in 1989 for generalized tonic‑clonic seizures assessed at less than 20% disability. The Armed Forces Tribunal (AFT) dismissed his petition for the disability element of pension, holding that because his disability was below 20% he was not entitled to it, and also di…

The appellant, a former Inspector of Police, was charged with dereliction of duty for allegedly failing to control the 1984 anti‑Sikh riots. An inquiry officer exonerated him, but the disciplinary authority disagreed and issued a punishment of reduction in rank, which the High Court set aside and directed a fresh disag…

The appellants, shareholders of RBT Private Ltd., filed a contempt petition alleging that the respondent, a fellow shareholder, willfully violated court and arbitral orders by removing assets and failing to pay loan EMIs. A Single Judge of the Delhi High Court on 5 December 2023 held the respondent guilty of contempt a…

The appellants, selected in the 2003 recruitment for Civil Judge (Junior Division) in Chhattisgarh, were directed by the High Court on 2 May 2012 to be appointed and to have their seniority reckoned from the date of appointment. The State delayed their appointment until 8 July 2013, after which the appellants were plac…

The complainant Ramyash lodged a FIR alleging that the accused Bhupendra Singh, Moti Lal and Prahlad assaulted his family, resulting in the death of his father. The trial court convicted the accused under Sections 302, 323, 324 (with 34) and other offences, sentencing them to life imprisonment. The Allahabad High Court…

Maharana Pratap Singh, a constable in the CID dog squad, was dismissed from service in 1996 following departmental proceedings that found him guilty of four charges, while he was later acquitted of the related criminal charges. The appellant challenged the dismissal, alleging denial of due process, vague charges, and t…

The appellant, a Manager at the Head Office of HDFC Ltd., was charged in an FIR for allegedly suppressing the fact that a mortgaged property had been acquired by the Tamil Nadu Housing Board and for cheating the purchaser at a public auction conducted in 2012. He filed a petition under Section 482 of the CrPC seeking t…

The State of Himachal Pradesh prosecuted Sanjay Kumar (A1) and Chaman Shukla (A2) for kidnapping, rape and related offences arising from the alleged abduction of a 14‑year‑old girl in March 2012. The trial court convicted both accused, but the Himachal Pradesh High Court set aside the convictions, acquitting them on th…

The appellants, relatives of the husband in a matrimonial dispute, were charged in an FIR alleging they instigated dowry demands, although they lived in Hyderabad while the complainant resided in Guntur. The complainant had earlier withdrawn a restitution of conjugal rights case and later filed a police complaint after…

The appellant, an IAS officer of the 1991 Kerala batch, sought promotion to Chief Secretary but was denied by the Screening Committee because less than 90% of his ACRs/PARs were available and his performance was deemed unsatisfactory. He appealed the decision, first to the Review Committee, which upheld the denial citi…

The Supreme Court examined whether the Kerala High Court erred in quashing five FIRs filed under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act against a computer teacher accused of inappropriate conduct with female students. The allegations included holding students' hands while using a mouse, asking inva…

The appellant, Sakina Sultanali Sunesara, challenged two consent decrees arising from compromises in suits concerning disputed land, alleging she had no notice of the compromises and that they were procured by fraud. She filed applications under Order XLIII Rule 1‑A to set aside the decrees, while the respondents argue…

The plaintiffs, heirs of Siraj Uddin Choudhury, claimed title to land based on a 1958 registered Gift Deed executed by their grandfather. The defendants later executed a sale deed on 5 May 1997, which the plaintiffs alleged was void because the vendors lacked title. The trial court and first appellate court upheld the …

The respondent, a medical advisor, retired on superannuation at age 58 in 2005 and received leave encashment for a maximum of 300 days under Rule 36 of the Sikkim Government Services (Leave) Rules, 1982. He was subsequently re‑employed on the same post until 2019, during which he accumulated further earned leave and wa…

The plaintiffs, heirs of Dr. Karam Chand, sued the appellants for cancellation of two 1992 sale deeds and recovery of possession of a family house, alleging that the deeds were void because the vendor, Ramesh Chand, had no title and that a will favouring the plaintiffs had been admitted in earlier suits. The trial cour…

The State of Madhya Pradesh prosecuted Balveer Singh for the murder, concealment and conspiracy to murder his wife, relying heavily on the testimony of the 7‑year‑old daughter, Rani, as the sole eye‑witness. The High Court acquitted the accused, holding that the child’s delayed statement and residence with an inimical …

The case concerned the murder of Manmohan Ghosh in 1989, for which six relatives were charged, including Nimai Ghosh, Sonachand Ghosh and Sambal Ghosh. The trial court acquitted all accused, finding the eyewitness testimonies unreliable and noting the absence of the weapon and forensic evidence. The High Court reversed…

The appellants, senior employees of Juniper Networks India, were accused by a former employee of forcibly terminating her employment, confiscating her laptop, and using "filthy language" while evicting her from the premises. The complainant filed a non‑cognizable report, followed by an FIR alleging offences under secti…

M. Venkateswaran was convicted under Section 498A of the IPC and Section 4 of the Dowry Prohibition Act for demanding gold sovereigns and harassing his wife‑de‑facto complainant. The trial court sentenced him to three years imprisonment and a fine, which the Madras High Court modified to two years imprisonment under Se…

The State of Karnataka alleged that a police constable (A1) borrowed money from a fellow police officer who later demanded repayment, leading A1's wife (A2) to invite the victim to their home and murder him with two choppers. The trial court convicted A2, A3 and A4 under Section 302 read with Section 34, while acquitti…

The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) filed a Special Leave Petition seeking cancellation of bail granted to the accused, Mir Usman, in a rape case, alleging that the trial court had adjourned the victim's examination for four months after she fell ill, thereby conducting the trial piecemeal. The Supreme Court exam…

The appellant, Tankadhar Tripathy, was elected from the Jharsuguda Assembly Constituency, after which the respondent, Dipali Das, filed an election petition alleging corrupt practices and EVM irregularities. The appellant challenged the petition's maintainability, arguing that the petition lacked a Form 25 affidavit as…

The appellant, a Forest Range Officer (FRO) appointed in 2006 and promoted to Assistant Conservator of Forests in 2020, sought to have FROs treated as members of the State Forest Service (SFS) for promotion to the Indian Forest Service (IFoS). The issue was whether the term "State Forest Service" in Rule 2(g) of the In…

The petitioners, contractually appointed Assistant Professors in Gujarat's government engineering and polytechnic colleges, sought parity in pay with regularly appointed Assistant Professors, arguing that they performed identical duties. The State of Gujarat contended that contractual appointments were governed by the …

The trial court decreed specific performance of a sale agreement between the plaintiffs and the defendant. The defendant appealed and, during the pendency of the appeal, filed an application under Order XLI Rule 27(1) of the CPC to lead additional documentary evidence. The High Court admitted this evidence without firs…

The appellant Kavin, aged 21, suffered 100% permanent disability in a bus accident and claimed Rs.1 crore compensation under Section 166 of the Motor Vehicles Act, 1988. The Motor Accident Claims Tribunal awarded Rs.67,83,866, but the Madras High Court reduced it by Rs.19 lakh, cutting amounts for future medical expens…

The Supreme Court examined a dispute over the acquisition of a 9,054‑sq‑m land in a Slum Rehabilitation (SR) Area in Mumbai, owned by Indian Cork Mills Private Limited (ICM) but claimed by the Tarabai Nagar Co‑op. Housing Society. The Court considered whether the owner has a preferential right to redevelop the SR Area …

The Supreme Court examined the validity of the acquisition of a 1,596.40 sq. m. parcel of land owned by the Basilica of Our Lady of the Mount (a public trust) under the Maharashtra Slum Areas (Improvement, Clearance and Redevelopment) Act, 1971. The High Court had set aside a public notice and an order approving the ac…

The case concerned the recruitment of Sub‑Engineers by the erstwhile AP‑Transco in 2011‑12 and the subsequent cancellation of that process by the newly formed TS‑Transco after the bifurcation of Andhra Pradesh. The petitioners, who had been selected under the earlier notifications, challenged TS‑Transco’s 2017 notifica…

The appellant, M/s C.L. Gupta Export Ltd., was found by the National Green Tribunal (NGT) to have violated environmental laws, leading the Tribunal to impose a Rs.50 crore compensation and direct the Enforcement Directorate to pursue action under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA). The appellant contended th…

The Supreme Court, acting suo moto, took cognizance of a news report of a child’s death from a stray dog bite in Delhi and issued directions to pick up, sterilise, deworm and vaccinate stray dogs across the National Capital Region, initially prohibiting their release back onto the streets. Several NGOs and individuals …

The Union Territory of Jammu & Kashmir and the National Highways Authority sought to overturn a National Green Tribunal (NGT) order that set aside environmental clearances (EC) granted for sand and gravel mining for a highway project. The Supreme Court examined whether an EC could be validly issued when the District Su…

The appellants, Pitchu Mani and Esakkimuthu, were convicted of murder under Sections 302 and 302 read with 34 of the IPC based primarily on the testimony of the deceased's son and wife, who were interested witnesses. The appellants challenged the convictions, arguing that the witnesses could not have covered the 16 km …

Swapan Kumar Mullick worked for United Bank of India for 36 years and resigned in 2006 citing mental depression, opting for provident fund benefits rather than pension. A 2010 circular issued under a bipartite settlement offered a new pension option to employees who had not previously opted for pension, and Mullick app…

The appellant, a non‑executive director of Procter & Gamble Hygiene Ltd., was summoned as an accused in a criminal complaint alleging that the company distributed expired drugs to an unlicensed dealer, violating the Drugs & Cosmetics Act, 1940. The appellant challenged the summoning order under Section 482 of the CrPC,…

The Supreme Court examined the status of Zudpi Jungle lands in six districts of Maharashtra, which, although recorded as forest lands, have been used for residential, agricultural, and governmental purposes for decades. The State of Maharashtra sought to treat these lands as non‑forest to avoid the restrictions of the …

The appellant, HDFC Bank Ltd., filed a criminal complaint under Section 138 of the Negotiable Instruments Act against a private limited company and its three directors, including Mrs. Ranjana Sharma, for issuing a cheque that was dishonoured. The High Court of Bombay quashed the proceedings against Mrs. Sharma on the g…

The Supreme Court considered whether assessees engaged in broadcasting television signals to subscribers are liable to pay both entertainment tax under State enactments (Entry 62, List II of the Constitution) and service tax under the Finance Act, 1994 (Entry 97, List I). The Court held that the activity of broadcastin…

M/s Suraj Impex (India) Pvt. Ltd., a merchant exporter of soybean meal, claimed a 1% All‑Industry Rate (AIR) customs duty drawback that it had been denied after availing CENVAT benefits. The dispute centered on whether Circular No. 35/2010‑Cus dated 17 September 2010, which clarified that the customs component of the d…

The CBI filed an FIR in 2006 alleging that a senior Cotton Purchase Officer and his associates conspired to buy cotton at market rates, hoard it, and sell it to the Cotton Corporation of India (CCI) at the higher Minimum Support Price (MSP) through benami farmers, causing an alleged loss of Rs 21.19 crore. A chargeshee…

The appellant challenged the arrest of his son, Kessireddy Raja Shekhar Reddy, alleging that the police failed to provide appropriate and meaningful grounds of arrest, thereby violating Article 22 of the Constitution. The son was arrested on 21 April 2025 by the CID in connection with offences under Sections 420, 409, …

The appellants were convicted under Sections 302, 307 and 34 of the IPC for the murder of Sukha based primarily on the testimony of the complainant and other prosecution witnesses. During bail proceedings, three eyewitnesses submitted affidavits stating that the appellants were not involved, but the investigating offic…

Vinod Infra Developers Ltd., the owner of agricultural land, sued Mahaveer Lunia and others for declaration, possession and injunction after the respondents executed sale deeds despite the appellant's revocation of a power of attorney and board resolution. The respondents filed an Order VII Rule 11 application seeking …

The Supreme Court examined a criminal appeal filed by the State of West Bengal challenging a High Court order that had set aside the conviction of an accused under the POCSO Act and IPC for raping a 14‑year‑old girl who later married him and bore a child. The Court restored the conviction for offences under Section 6 o…

The appellant, a successful bidder for sand mining, was issued a demand notice requiring a deposit of 10% of the total bid amount with the District Mineral Foundation (DMF) Trust. The appellant challenged the notice, arguing that Section 9B of the Mines and Minerals (Development and Regulation) Act, 1957, limited the p…

The dispute concerned whether a 7‑acre suit property, purchased by Defendant No.1 from his brother after a 1986 partition of the joint Hindu family, was ancestral or self‑acquired. The plaintiffs (sons and daughters of Defendant No.1) sued for partition and possession, claiming the property remained ancestral because i…

The appellant, a Muslim member of the Manipur Bar Council, was appointed to the State Waqf Board under Section 14(1)(b)(iii) of the Wakf Act, 1995. After a former board member (respondent No.3) lost his Bar Council seat, he challenged the appointment, arguing that Explanation II to Section 14(1)(b) only applies to MPs …

The appellants, heirs of a businessman who died when a bus collided with his motorcycle in August 2008, claimed compensation under the Motor Vehicles Act, 1988. The Motor Accident Claims Tribunal awarded Rs 31,41,000 with 9% interest, but the Delhi High Court reduced the amount to Rs 16,97,370, excluding the deceased's…

The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) appealed against the High Court's order discharging Ramesh Chander Diwan of offences under Sections 120B and 420 of the IPC, on the ground that no sanction under Section 197 of the Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPC) had been obtained. Diwan, originally appointed by the Governmen…

The appellant filed a civil suit in 1987 seeking cancellation of a sale deed, but the respondents repeatedly obtained adjournments and were eventually set ex parte, leading to a decree in 1991. The respondents later filed applications under Order IX Rule 13 and the Limitation Act, which were dismissed, and their subseq…

The appellant, Ramanuj Kumar, filed a petition for divorce under Sections 13(1)(ia) and (iii) of the Hindu Marriage Act, alleging irretrievable breakdown of his marriage to Priyanka. The parties had been living separately for over eleven years, with the appellant caring for their elder daughter and the respondent carin…

The case concerned the alleged murder of Amina and her three daughters by setting them on fire, for which the accused, Aejaz Ahmad Sheikh's brother, was initially convicted and sentenced to death. The High Court later acquitted him, prompting appeals by the State and the complainant. The Supreme Court examined the reli…

The Supreme Court, acting suo motu, examined the problem of large sums of unclaimed compensation lying with Motor Accident Claims Tribunals (MACTs) and Labour Courts under the Motor Vehicles Act, 1988 and the Workmen’s Compensation Act, 1923, after an email from a retired district judge highlighted the issue. The Court…

The Supreme Court examined three separate land acquisitions in Narsingi and Poppalguda made under the Land Acquisition Act, 1894 for the Outer Ring Road project. The High Court had enhanced compensation to INR 1.35 crore per acre by relying on post‑notification auction sales of the Golden Mile project, and also granted…

The appellants, a mother‑in‑law and her son‑in‑law, were convicted under Section 498‑A of the IPC for cruelty to a woman and sentenced to rigorous imprisonment and fine. They sought to replace the imprisonment with an enhanced fine, but the court held that fine cannot substitute imprisonment under Section 498‑A. The pr…

A four‑year‑old girl studying in the nursery class of Maxfort School, Delhi, alleged that a classmate sexually assaulted her. A charge‑sheet was filed under Section 21 of the POCSO Act read with Section 75 of the Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Act against the school principal, two teachers and the V…

The petition arose from a series of suits concerning a land dispute in Chhattisgarh, where the original plaintiffs' father filed a suit that was dismissed under Order IX Rule 2 of the CPC and a subsequent application for restoration under Order IX Rule 4 was also rejected. The plaintiffs then instituted a fresh suit on…

The dispute involved multiple claims over the same property, with the original plaintiff seeking specific performance of an agreement to sell and the appellant (original defendant No.8) seeking to be impleaded as a defendant under Order 1 Rule 10 of the CPC. The trial court allowed the appellant’s impleadment, but the …

The State of Uttar Pradesh initiated disciplinary proceedings against Ram Prakash Singh, an Assistant Engineer, alleging embezzlement of Panchayat funds. The enquiry officer prepared a report without examining any witnesses, without furnishing the report or supporting documents to the respondent, and the disciplinary a…

The appellant, Manish Yadav, was charged under the IPC for rape, assault and criminal intimidation and under the SC/ST Act for caste-based atrocities, based on allegations that he induced a consensual relationship through a false promise of marriage and later abused the complainant. The complainant’s statement under Se…

The appeal concerned whether a writ petition under Article 226 of the Constitution can be filed against an order of the Micro and Small Enterprises Facilitation Council (MSEFC) made under Section 18 of the MSMED Act, 2006, and if so, under what circumstances. The Supreme Court examined earlier conflicting judgments, no…

Mohd. Tahir Hussain, an under‑trial accused in multiple FIRs including rioting and the murder of an IB official, has been in custody since March 2020 and sought interim bail to contest and campaign in the 2025 Delhi Assembly elections. The Delhi High Court allowed only a custodial parole for filing his nomination, prom…

The appellants Thammaraya and Basappa were convicted for murder and concealment of dead body under Sections 302, 201 and 34 of the IPC based largely on circumstantial evidence and alleged disclosure statements that led to the recovery of certain articles. The prosecution's case hinged on the recovery of a gold chain, d…

K. Pounammal, a 75‑year‑old widow and former Inspector of Central Excise, was convicted under Sections 7 and 13(2) read with 13(1)(d) of the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988 for demanding a bribe of ₹300 from a factory supervisor in 2002. The trial court sentenced her to six months rigorous imprisonment and a fine of…

Syed Basheer Ahmed filed a suit for specific performance of a sale agreement concerning two parcels of land. The trial court found the plaintiff ready to pay the balance consideration and decreed specific performance. The High Court reversed this decision, holding that the agreement showed a material alteration—differe…

The appellant, a police constable, was summoned to the Senior Superintendent's office and allegedly detained illegally for six days during which he suffered severe genital mutilation and other injuries, as confirmed by medical reports. His wife complained to the police seeking registration of an FIR against the officia…

The case concerned allegations that the Superintendent of a women’s protection home in Patna administered intoxicating substances to inmates and facilitated their sexual exploitation. The accused, respondent No.2, was granted bail by the Patna High Court despite the victim not being notified, contrary to Section 15A(3)…

The dispute concerned the ownership of a 4‑acre 16‑gunta plot in Dasnapur village, claimed by the second wife of the deceased Metpalli Rajanna (Lasum Bai) under a registered Will dated 24 July 1974 and an oral family settlement. The trial court held that the Will was genuine, that it allocated a specific share to Lasum…

The Tamil Nadu Housing Board (TNHB) allotted a prime commercial plot to S. Ganesan in 1994 after a series of bids, deposits, and payment arrangements, but the allotment was repeatedly cancelled due to his failure to pay the balance. Over three decades, Ganesan occupied the plot having paid only Rs.1,97,031 against a bi…

The appellant was accused of murdering his nephew after the two were last seen together at a river and later at a cashew field. The prosecution relied on the "last seen together" theory, a recovered stone alleged to be the weapon, and a motive based on alleged marital suspicions, but no direct evidence linked the appel…

The case concerned two teachers who challenged actions taken against them by the Air Force School, Bamrauli, alleging that the school was a "state or authority" under Article 12 of the Constitution and therefore subject to writ jurisdiction under Article 226. The majority held that the school, managed by the Indian Air…

The Supreme Court examined a Government Order dated 29 June 2024 issued by the Madhya Pradesh Government that made District Collectors and Divisional Commissioners – officers of the Indian Administrative Service (IAS) – the reporting, reviewing and accepting authorities for Performance Appraisal Reports (PAR) of Indian…

Pinky Meena, a former Government Teacher, applied for and was selected as a Civil Judge in the Rajasthan Judicial Service. After resigning from her teaching post, she completed her probationary training but was later served a show‑cause notice and discharged on allegations of simultaneously obtaining LL.B. and B.Ed. de…

The appellant, Arun H Shah HUF, challenged an ex parte certificate of deemed conveyance issued by the competent authority under Section 11 of the Maharashtra Ownership Flats Act, which granted the first respondent cooperative society title to the entire larger plot subject to a condition that it execute a permanent lea…

Electrosteel Steel Ltd. (now ESL Steel Ltd.) filed a petition under Article 227 challenging an order that directed it to comply with an arbitral award dated 06.07.2018 passed by the West Bengal MSME Facilitation Council in favour of Ispat Carrier Pvt. Ltd. The award was rendered after the corporate debtor’s insolvency …

The appellant, Sumitraben Gamit, owned land in Tapi district of Gujarat, part of which was used for a canal without any acquisition proceeding or compensation. The Gujarat High Court held that the market value of the land should be fixed as of 1 January 2014, the date of commencement of the RFCTLARR Act, 2013, rather t…

The appellants, sons of Tirakappa Gurusiddappa Malagi, challenged a compromise decree dated 18 January 2000 that partitioned seven acres of land among their father, uncles, and grandfather, alleging that their father was coerced into the settlement and that the land was not ancestral joint family property. The trial co…

The appellant was convicted under the POCSO Act and sentenced by the Special Court to seven years of rigorous imprisonment. On appeal, the High Court and the Special Court altered the sentence to life imprisonment with a fine, leading the appellant to serve eleven years and eight months, exceeding the original term. Th…

The appellant was convicted under the POCSO Act and IPC for penetrative sexual assault on a four‑year‑old girl and sentenced to seven years' rigorous imprisonment. In his appeal against conviction, the High Court affirmed the conviction but, finding that the trial court had overlooked aggravated provisions, issued a sh…

The appellant, Sanjay Colaro, was convicted under Sections 279 and 304A of the IPC for causing a fatal road accident by rash driving. He was sentenced to six months' simple imprisonment and a fine, which he appealed through the criminal appellate hierarchy up to the Supreme Court. The appellant argued that, given the l…

Larsen & Toubro (L&T) and Puri Construction Ltd (PCL) entered into a Development Agreement for land development, later supplemented by a Supplementary Agreement and a Tripartite Agreement involving a bank. Disputes arose over alleged economic duress, non‑fulfilment of conditions precedent, and L&T's abandonment of the …

The appellant Sudam Prabhakar Achat was convicted under Section 302 read with Section 34 IPC for the death of his cousin Motiram Deoram Achat, based on testimony of relatives who witnessed a quarrel in which the appellant, armed with a stick, and a co‑accused, armed with the blunt side of an axe, assaulted the deceased…

The case arose from a large-scale riot in Vadod village where over a thousand people clashed, resulting in police firing and a stampede. Seven persons, including the appellants, were arrested on the spot and named in the FIR, while a total of nineteen were tried. The trial court acquitted all accused due to lack of spe…

The appellant, Inder Singh, filed a suit seeking title and possession of a parcel of land, which the State later claimed as government land. After the trial court dismissed the suit, the first appellate court reversed that decision in favour of the appellant. The State filed a review petition, which was dismissed for d…

Anmol, a candidate with 58% multiple disabilities, secured a rank of 2462 in the NEET‑UG 2024 PwD category but was denied admission to an MBBS course by the Disability Assessment Board, which relied solely on quantified disability and the "both hands intact" clause in Appendix H‑1 of the 2019 NMC regulations. The High …

The case concerned the computation of pension benefits for employees who had served as 'Job Contractors' under the Odisha Civil Services (Pension) Rules, 1992. The State of Odisha appealed against a High Court order that had dismissed its writ appeals on the ground of inordinate delay and had earlier directed that the …

The dispute involved a partnership firm where two of the three partners had died, and the legal heirs of one deceased partner sought to enforce an arbitration clause in the partnership deed to resolve a claim for rendition of accounts. The respondents argued that the heirs, being non‑signatories to the deed and without…

The Enforcement Directorate detained Subhash Sharma under a Look Out Circular at IGI Airport on 4 March 2022 and later took him into physical custody on 5 March 2022, but failed to produce him before the nearest magistrate within the statutory 24‑hour period. The High Court held that this breach of Article 22(2) of the…

The plaintiff, a resident of Village Fakarhedi, challenged the appointment of Defendant No.3 as a Rajiv Gandhi Rural LPG distributor, alleging that the appointment was based on a fraudulent domicile certificate. The trial court dismissed the plaintiff's suit ex parte, and the first appellate court affirmed that dismiss…

The State of Jharkhand filed an FIR alleging that Dr. Nishkant Dubey and others forcibly entered the Air Traffic Control (ATC) room at Deoghar Airport, exerted pressure on officials, and caused an unsafe take‑off, invoking Sections 336, 447 and 448 of the IPC and Sections 10 and 11A of the Aircraft Act. The High Court …

The appellant, Smt. Laxmi Das, mother of Babu Das, was charged under Section 306 read with Section 34 of the IPC for abetment of suicide of Souma Pal. The High Court upheld the charge against her, finding prima facie material that she had allegedly told the deceased she need not be alive. On appeal, the Supreme Court e…

The State of Punjab sought to levy royalty on brick earth excavated by private brick‑kiln operators, who argued that the land and the mineral were privately owned and that the State had no authority to impose such a charge. The lower courts held that, under Section 42 of the Punjab Land Revenue Act, the quarry lands ve…

The respondent, a messenger employed by State Bank of India, was accused of taking bribes and acting as a middleman in loan sanctioning, leading to an inquiry that found him guilty and imposed dismissal. The Appellate Authority later reduced the penalty to removal with superannuation benefits. The respondent challenged…

The petitioner, a police SHO, was alleged to have misbehaved with a process server who was serving court summons, leading the process server to lodge a private complaint under s.195 CrPC. The Chief Metropolitan Magistrate (CMM) ordered registration of an FIR under s.186 and s.341 IPC and directed police investigation u…

The dispute arose between the Khosla and Bakshi groups over a resort development project, leading to allegations of perjury and a criminal proceeding under Section 340 of the CrPC. The High Court initially dismissed the criminal application but later recalled its own order after a review petition was filed under Order …

The appellant, Neelam Kumari, was convicted under Section 302 IPC for the murder of her infant son based primarily on alleged extra‑judicial confessions to her husband and other villagers. The prosecution also relied on a green dupatta found with blood stains and circumstantial evidence, but failed to establish a clear…

The Supreme Court examined two bail appeals arising from a 2020 FIR under the IPC, Arms Act and UAPA, involving accused no.11 (Saleem Khan) and accused no.20 (Mohd. Zaid). Both had been denied bail by the trial court, but the Karnataka High Court granted bail to Khan while refusing it to Zaid. The Court held that Khan'…

The Directorate of Revenue Intelligence alleged that Suresh Kumar & Co. Impex Pvt. Ltd. and its directors under‑declared the retail selling price of imported branded food items, thereby evading customs duty. A show‑cause notice was issued, and the Adjudicating Authority confirmed the demand, interest and penalty. The C…

The Supreme Court heard a batch of writ petitions filed by the All India Judges Association seeking clarification on the promotion and recruitment mechanisms in the judicial services, including the quota for Limited Departmental Competitive Examinations (LDCE), qualifying experience requirements, and suitability tests.…

Shital Fibers Ltd. claimed deductions under Sections 80‑HHC, 80‑IA and 80‑IB for the assessment year 2002‑03 and the Revenue disallowed the deductions, leading to a series of appeals up to the Supreme Court. The central issue was the interpretation of sub‑section (9) of Section 80‑IA of the Income Tax Act, 1961, specif…

The appellant, a teacher in the Kendriya Vidyalaya system, was dismissed after a departmental inquiry found that she had benefitted from a fake transfer order dated 01.10.1991. She challenged the dismissal on grounds that the chargesheet was vague, the principles of natural justice were breached by non‑supply of the pr…

The appeal concerned a corporate debtor, Tehri Iron and Steel Casting Ltd., whose resolution plan was approved by the NCLT on 21 May 2019. The plan listed certain statutory and contingent liabilities, but omitted income‑tax demands for assessment years 2012‑13 and 2013‑14. After the plan’s approval, the Income Tax Depa…

The Indian Council of Social Science Research (ICSSR) withheld grant-in-aid to the Centre for Research in Rural and Industrial Development (CRRID) after multiple committees found irregularities such as fake qualifications, unauthorized promotions and misuse of funds. Seventeen CRRID employees filed a writ petition seek…

The respondent, Snehasis Nanda, bought a flat and entered into a sale agreement with a borrower, while Citicorp Finance (the appellant) granted a home loan to the borrower and transferred part of the loan amount to the bank to foreclose the borrower's existing loan. Nanda claimed that under a purported Tripartite Agree…

Moushmi Ann Jacob owned 14.57 acres of land classified as paddy land and applied to change its nature under the Kerala Conservation of Paddy Land and Wetland Act, 2008 to obtain an education loan. The State demanded a conversion fee of 10% of the fair value of the entire land, invoking a 2021 Government Notification th…

Racing Promotions Private Limited (RPPL) entered into a three‑year Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Sports Development Authority of Tamil Nadu (SDAT) to organise Formula 4 motor‑racing events. Several public‑interest litigations were filed challenging the event on grounds of safety, noise, and the use of publ…

The State of Himachal Pradesh appealed the High Court’s order acquitting Rajesh Kumar (Munnu) of offences under Sections 376 and 452 IPC, alleging that the trial court’s conviction was based on sufficient evidence. The alleged incident occurred on 13 August 2007, but the FIR was lodged after an unexplained delay, and t…

The appellant, convicted of murder and sentenced to thirty years without remission, filed a Special Leave Petition (SLP) in the Supreme Court but suppressed the fixed‑term nature of his sentence, leading the Court to initially treat the case as a simple life sentence. The SLP was drafted by senior advocate Rishi Malhot…

The appellant, a Traffic Superintendent of Indian Airlines at Jammu, was convicted of cheating the airline by preparing an infant ticket under a fictitious name and then forging the flight coupon to convert it into an adult ticket, thereby obtaining a lower fare and causing loss to the airline. The trial court and the …

The Supreme Court examined whether the price fixed under a 2002 Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) among oil marketing companies (OMCs) could be treated as the sole consideration for excise duty valuation under Section 4(1)(a) of the Central Excise Act, 1944. It held that the MOU was primarily a supply‑ensuring arrangem…

The appellant, a senior medical officer about to retire, was served with a charge‑sheet alleging misconduct for taking leave without sanction, defying Election Commission directions, not participating in a pulse‑polio programme, and threatening a senior assistant. An inquiry officer found most charges unproved, yet the…

The petitioner, a peon employed by the State of Odisha since 1978, sought promotion to the post of Tracer, claiming she met the qualifications and that denial violated Article 14. The State argued that the Tracer post is a non‑promotional post to be filled 100% by direct recruitment as per the Sub‑ordinate Architectura…

M/s Quippo Energy Ltd. imported gas generating sets (Gensets) and, to facilitate leasing, placed each Genset inside a steel container and added components such as a radiator, ventilation fan, air filter, oil tank, pipes, pumps, valve and silencer, creating a product it called a "Power Pack". The Revenue argued that thi…

The Supreme Court examined a series of challenges to the draft Constitution of the All India Football Federation (AIFF) raised by Rahul Mehra and other stakeholders, focusing on issues such as the inclusion and eligibility of eminent players, the definition of office‑bearers, the number of vice‑presidents, disqualifica…

Kaveri Plastics issued a cheque of Rs 1 crore to the respondent, which was returned unpaid. The plaintiff served two demand notices under Proviso (b) of Section 138 of the Negotiable Instruments Act, but each notice demanded Rs 2 crore, double the cheque amount. The Delhi High Court quashed the criminal complaint on th…

The appellants, six former daily‑wage employees (Class‑IV peons/attendants and a Class‑III driver) were engaged by the U.P. Higher Education Services Commission between 1989 and 1992 and continued to work for decades. The Commission repeatedly sought sanction of fourteen permanent posts for such workers, but the State …

The appellant, Sd. Shabuddin, was convicted under Section 411 of the IPC for dishonestly receiving stolen property after being found in possession of cash amounts of Rs.25,000 and Rs.2,60,000, which he could not account for. Both he and co-accused Moulana were acquitted of theft (Section 379 IPC) by the Trial Court and…

The case concerned compensation disputes arising from the erection of transmission towers and power lines under a 400 kV project that traversed four districts in Haryana. Landowners claimed that the compensation awarded by the District Judges and upheld by the High Court was inadequate, while the contractor sought to l…

The appellant, a landlord, sued the tenants for possession and arrears of rent after they defaulted on a tenancy agreement dated 31 July 1970 for a parcel of land used to set up a petrol pump, a non‑agricultural purpose. The trial court dismissed the tenants' jurisdictional challenge and decreed in favour of the appell…

Nabha Power Ltd (NPL) and Talwandi Sabo Power Ltd (TSPL) entered into Power Purchase Agreements (PPA) with Punjab State Power Corporation Ltd (PSPCL) for a 700 MW coal‑fired project. They claimed that deemed export benefits under Paragraph 8.3 of the Foreign Trade Policy (FTP) 2009‑2014 were available at the bid cut‑of…

The appellants were appointed to Class III posts in the Jharkhand State Electricity Board through an internal advertisement in 2009, but their appointments were later cancelled en masse on the ground that they were beyond the sanctioned strength. The High Court Division Bench held the appointments illegal and set aside…

Geojit Financial Services Ltd. filed an application under Section 34 of the Arbitration and Conciliation Act, 1996 to set aside an arbitral award. The Bombay High Court dismissed the appeal, holding that the three‑month limitation period began on the date the award was received because the appellant's earlier applicati…

K. Prabhakar Hegde, a former officer of Vijaya Bank (later merged with Bank of Baroda), was dismissed after disciplinary proceedings for alleged irregularities in approving temporary overdrafts. He challenged the denial of the preliminary inquiry report, the failure of the Inquiry Officer to generally question him as r…

The appellant, M/s Shah Nanji Nagsi Exports Pvt. Ltd., exported corn starch and filed 54 shipping bills between July and October 2017 under the Foreign Trade Policy. Due to a clerical omission by its customs broker, the declaration of intent to claim the Merchandise Exports from India Scheme (MEIS) was entered as “No” …

In a title suit, the original defendant (Defendant No.1) failed to appear in court and her son (DW‑5) testified on her behalf. The High Court, relying on Section 120 of the Indian Evidence Act, held that the son was an incompetent witness and discarded his testimony, thereby allowing the second appeal and dismissing th…

The respondent, C B Nagaraj, an Extension Officer, was alleged to have demanded a Rs 1,500 bribe from a teacher, E R Krishnamurthy, for issuing a spot‑inspection report required for a validity certificate. The Lokayuktha police recovered the alleged bribe using a phenolphthalein‑smeared trap and the trial court convict…

M/s Patanjali Foods Ltd. (formerly Ruchi Soya Industries Ltd.) challenged the customs department’s encashment of bank guarantees that were furnished as security under interim High Court orders. The company argued that such encashment could not be treated as "payment of duty" for purposes of a refund under Section 27 of…

The petitioner, Ravinder Singh Sidhu, faced 64 FIRs across ten states arising from alleged financial fraud. He filed a writ petition under Article 32 seeking the clubbing and transfer of all FIRs to a single jurisdiction, later modifying the prayer to consolidation within each state. The Supreme Court examined whether …

The appellants, Ramji Prasad Jaiswal, Ashok Kumar Jaiswal and Bal Mukund Jaiswal, were convicted for a 1982 fraud against the State Bank of India under IPC sections 420, 468, 471, 120B and the Prevention of Corruption Act. During the trial, their statements under Section 313 of the CrPC were recorded by asking only fou…

The appellant, a senior officer of Union Bank of India, was suspended in August 2018 and later served a charge‑sheet in June 2019 for alleged laxity in sanctioning credit proposals. The bank claimed the delay in issuing the charge‑sheet was due to seeking the first‑stage advice of the Central Vigilance Commission (CVC)…

The mother and younger son filed a suit for partition, possession, declaration, injunction and accounting of properties claimed to be Joint Hindu Family assets against the elder son, his wife and other family members. The elder son’s wife (defendant No.2) and subsequent purchasers (defendants No.5 and 6) sought to have…

The appellants, the family of Smt. Tarawati who was killed by a negligent truck driver, challenged the compensation awarded by the Motor Accident Claims Tribunal and enhanced by the High Court under the Motor Vehicles Act, 1988. They contended that the deceased's age was incorrectly taken as 60 years, that her monthly …

The Supreme Court Bar Association and the Supreme Court Advocates‑on‑Record Association filed miscellaneous applications seeking clarification and modification of the directions in paragraph 42 of a September 2024 judgment that limited the marking of advocates’ appearances. They argued that the directions prejudice adv…

The appellants, who held post‑graduate degrees in microbiology, food science and technology, applied for the post of Food Safety Officer (FSO) under a Jharkhand Public Service Commission notification that required a "degree" in specified subjects or a Master’s in Chemistry. After clearing the written exam, they were di…

The State appealed against the High Court’s order that set aside the respondents' conviction for murder (s.302 read with s.149 IPC) and substituted it with a conviction for culpable homicide not amounting to murder (second part of s.304 read with s.149). The Supreme Court examined the medical evidence, which showed tha…

The case arose from a 1990 kidnapping and murder of the Vice Chancellor of Kashmir University and his personal secretary, allegedly carried out by members of the JKSLF. The CBI charged several accused, including Mohd. Salim Zargar, under the Ranbir Penal Code and the now‑repealed TADA Act. The Special Court acquitted a…

The NGO Avyaan Foundation filed a public‑interest writ seeking a mandamus directing the Union and State governments to construct feeding and child‑care rooms in public places for nursing mothers. The petition argued that lack of such facilities infringes the fundamental rights of mothers and children, invoking Article …

The Lakshadweep Electricity Department advertised a Junior Engineer (Electrical) post requiring either a degree in Electrical Engineering or a Diploma in Electrical Engineering with two years' experience. The appellants, holding Diplomas in Electrical and Electronics Engineering, were selected, but the respondents, hol…

The Supreme Court examined whether the Karnataka High Court was justified in using its writ jurisdiction under Article 226 to halt personal insolvency proceedings against Farooq Ali Khan under Section 95 of the Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code (IBC). The bank had filed an application for personal insolvency after the gua…

The appellant alleged that Respondent No.2 and his two sons murdered his father and injured his brother, leading to an FIR under sections 147, 148, 302, 304 and 34 of the IPC. After the charge‑sheet, the trial proceeded to the stage of recording the accused's statement under Section 313 of the CrPC. Respondent No.2 app…

Seven‑time MP Abhinav Mohan Delkar died by suicide on 22 February 2021, leaving a note that accused several officials of defamation, harassment and extortion. An FIR was filed under Section 306 IPC (now Section 108 BNS) read with Section 107 (now Section 45 BNS) alleging abetment of suicide, and the accused sought quas…

The appellant-wife filed for divorce on the ground of mental cruelty and was granted a decree of divorce and permanent alimony of Rs.15,00,000 by the Family Court, which the High Court upheld. The appellant challenged the alimony amount, arguing she was unemployed, while the respondent, a doctor, demonstrated a higher …

The appellants, a 70‑year‑old widow and her daughter, entered into an oral agreement to sell a plot of land in Telangana, receiving a large sum via bank transfers but later refusing to execute the sale deed. The complainant, an agent of a powerful builder, filed a criminal complaint alleging fraud and intimidation, lea…

The appellant, a District Judge, was criticised by a Rajasthan High Court Single Judge for granting bail to an accused (Sethu @ Angrej) in a manner deemed cavalier and for ignoring the accused's criminal antecedents. The High Court's strictures labelled the appellant's conduct as indiscipline, negligence, and disobedie…

The plaintiff sued the defendants for title and possession of a house, alleging they were tenants; the trial court dismissed the suit, but the first appellate court declared the plaintiff the owner and the defendants tenants. The defendants filed a second appeal, but one co-defendant (Ram Babu) died during its pendency…

The appellant and Eastern Coalfields Limited entered into a contract for transportation of goods that contained Clause 13, which the appellant claimed was an arbitration agreement. The appellant filed an application under Section 11(6) of the Arbitration and Conciliation Act, 1996 for the appointment of an arbitrator, …

The appellants, relatives of the respondent Vidhi Rawal, sought to quash a domestic‑violence application filed by the respondent under Section 12 of the Protection of Women from Domestic Violence Act, 2005, by invoking the High Court's inherent jurisdiction under Section 482 of the Criminal Procedure Code, 1973 (and Se…

The appellant, Rofiqul Hoque, was declared a foreigner by the Foreigners Tribunal in Assam for allegedly entering India after 25 March 1971, a finding upheld by the Gauhati High Court. He challenged the declaration, arguing that his name appeared in the draft National Register of Citizens (NRC) in 2018 and that minor d…

The appellant, owner of a Delhi premises insured under a household policy, claimed loss after heavy rains in August 2016 flooded his basement, causing extensive damage to contents. The insurer rejected the claim, asserting that the damage resulted from continuous seepage, a peril not covered under the policy, and commi…

The case involved an acid attack on a woman at a railway crossing, where accused Hakim (Accused No.1) and Umesh (Accused No.2) were convicted under Section 326A read with Section 34 of the Indian Penal Code. The appellants challenged the conviction on the grounds that the prosecution failed to prove the eye injury and …

The State of Haryana appealed against several Punjab and Haryana High Court orders that had set aside land acquisition notifications issued under Sections 4 and 6 of the Land Acquisition Act, 1894, following writ petitions by land owners and subsequent purchasers. The petitioners sought relief under Section 24(2) of th…

Disortho S.A.S., a Colombian company, and Meril Life Sciences, an Indian company, entered an International Exclusive Distributor Agreement for medical products in Colombia. Clause 16.5 of the agreement states that Indian law governs the contract and Gujarat courts have jurisdiction, while Clause 18 provides for concili…

The appellants, six employees of the Kerala Water Authority who were promoted from Draftsman to Assistant Engineer under the 1966 Subordinate Service Rules, challenged the seniority list that placed them ahead of directly recruited Assistant Engineers in the degree quota. The dispute centered on whether Rule 4(b) of th…

The appellant, a former stenographer appointed to the District Court, Saharanpur, was terminated after serving eight years due to an excess of appointments. He filed writ petitions seeking payment of salary for the period he worked, but the High Court dismissed them on the ground that the relief could only be obtained …

The appellant, a 68‑year‑old former managing trustee of two charitable trusts, was convicted under the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988 for criminal misconduct, criminal breach of trust and misappropriation of grant‑in‑aid funds meant for schools for specially‑abled children. The High Court rejected his appeal agains…

The appellants purchased an e‑stamp paper for a property transaction which was subsequently lost, prompting them to seek a refund of the stamp duty of Rs 28,10,000. The Delhi High Court ordered a refund of the principal amount but declined interest, leading the appellants to file a Letters Patent Appeal, which was dism…

In a suo motu writ petition, the Supreme Court examined the statutory framework governing premature release (remission) of convicts under Section 432 of the Code of Criminal Procedure, 1973 and Section 473 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, 2023. The Court considered whether remission could be granted without a…

The State of Rajasthan appealed against the Rajasthan High Court’s order quashing FIR No.131 of 2022, which alleged that the respondent, Surendra Singh Rathore, demanded bribes for bio‑diesel sales and license renewals. A first FIR (No.123 of 2022) dealt with a specific bribe demand on 4 April 2022, while a second FIR,…

The appellant Raj Kumar was convicted of murder under Section 302 IPC based primarily on the identification by the injured eye‑witness, PW‑18, whose testimony was recorded via video‑link eight and a half years after the incident. The High Court upheld the conviction, relying on the witness's identification, the appella…

The appellant, Thammineni Bhaskar, was convicted by the trial court and the High Court for kidnapping and murdering the son of an informant under IPC sections 302, 364 and 201. The prosecution's case relied on the allegation that the accused forcibly took the victim into an auto and that the victim was later found dead…

The appellant, Sonali Power Equipments, supplied transformers to the Maharashtra State Electricity Board between 1993 and 2004 and faced delayed payments. It referred the dispute to the Micro and Small Enterprises Facilitation Council under Section 18 of the MSMED Act, obtaining an award in 2010, which the respondents …

The appellant, an Assistant Administrative Officer in an insurance company, was accused of demanding a bribe of Rs.40,000 to expedite a claim settlement and of conspiring with a regional manager and his brother in a demand‑and‑trap operation. The trial court acquitted all accused, but the High Court reversed the acquit…

Maya Singh died leaving a registered Will dated 16 May 1991 that bequeathed his 67-kanal land to his nephew, Gurdial Singh, while omitting any reference to his wife, Jagir Kaur, and providing no reason for her disinheritance. The nephew sued to enforce the Will, and the wife filed a separate suit claiming she was the l…

The appellants, who are the legal heirs of Dhaiya, a Scheduled Tribe woman, filed a suit for partition of land that belonged to their maternal grandfather, claiming that their mother was entitled to an equal share. The trial court and the High Court dismissed the suit, holding that the plaintiffs failed to prove any cu…

Narayan Das was convicted under Section 21(c) of the NDPS Act for possession of 236 vials of codeine‑phosphate cough syrups and was sentenced to twelve years' rigorous imprisonment with a fine of Rs.1,00,000. The High Court, while dismissing his appeal, reduced the term to ten years, the statutory minimum, on the groun…

Homebuyers dissatisfied with the services of a builder erected a public banner listing various grievances, which the builder claimed was defamatory and filed a criminal complaint under Section 500 read with Section 34 of the IPC. The appellants argued that the banner was a peaceful protest made in good faith to protect…

The appellant, Ajay Raj Shetty, who was employed as General Manager/Technical Coordinator of M/s Electriex (India) Ltd., was convicted under Section 85(i)(b) of the Employees' State Insurance Act, 1948 for failing to remit ESI contributions that had been deducted from employees' wages. The issue before the Supreme Cour…

The appellant, Ankit Mishra, alleged that respondent No.2, Abdul Razzak, a known gangster, hurled obscene abuses and death threats at him in a hospital, leading to FIR No.176 of 2023 under IPC sections 195A, 294 and 506. The High Court of Madhya Pradesh granted anticipatory bail to the respondent under Section 438 of t…

The appellant, a father, was convicted of murdering his son under Section 302 of the IPC and Sections 25 and 27 of the Arms Act. The central issue was whether the death was a homicide or a suicide, given the absence of a clear motive and reliance on circumstantial evidence. The Supreme Court examined forensic evidence,…

The Directorate of Revenue Intelligence investigated the illegal possession, manufacture and sale of Buprenorphine Hydrochloride, a psychotropic substance listed in the Schedule to the NDPS Act but not in Schedule I of the NDPS Rules, leading to charges under Sections 8(c), 22 and 29 of the NDPS Act against several res…

The appellant, Ranjit Sarkar, lodged a complaint under Section 304‑A IPC alleging medical negligence, which led to the issuance of summons against the respondents. The High Court stayed the proceedings, but the Judicial Magistrate, ignoring the stay and a COVID‑19 SOP, called the case on 6 January 2021 and later dismis…

The appellant-father and respondent-mother obtained a mutual consent divorce, with the mother given permanent custody of their son and the father granted interim weekend custody. The father later filed an execution petition to enforce the decree, while the mother filed an application seeking modification of the interim…

The appellant Bank of India issued a circular in August 2010 inviting eligible retired employees to opt for its Employees’ Pension Scheme by 30 October 2010. The respondent, a retired employee, returned to India before the deadline but failed to submit his application within the stipulated period, citing surgery and la…

The appellant, a 21‑year‑old veterinary student and state‑level volleyball player, suffered quadriplegia and 100% disability after being hit by a car, and claimed compensation under the Motor Vehicles Act, 1988. The Motor Accident Claims Tribunal awarded Rs 5,16,000, which the High Court enhanced to Rs 15,25,600 by ass…

In 1986 a minor girl (referred to as V) was found unconscious and bleeding after the accused Chatra allegedly raped her. The trial court convicted Chatra under Section 376 IPC based on medical evidence, circumstantial evidence and the testimony of a key eyewitness, Gulab Chand, despite the victim’s silence. The High Co…

The State of Karnataka appealed against the Karnataka High Court’s order quashing FIR No. 56 of 2023, which had been registered against public servant T.N. Sudhakar Reddy for alleged disproportionate assets under the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988. The High Court had held that a preliminary inquiry was mandatory be…

The State of Punjab amended the Punjab Value Added Tax Rules on 25 January 2014 by inserting sub‑rule (8) in Rule 21, which allowed input tax credit (ITC) on stock of goods to be claimed at the reduced tax rate that became applicable on 1 February 2014. The amendment was made before the parent statute, the Punjab VAT A…

The appellant, Subhelal @ Sushil Sahu, was charged with offences under Sections 420, 201, 120‑B read with Section 34 of the IPC in a crypto‑currency scam involving about Rs.4 crore, of which Rs.35 lakh was attributed to him. He had been in custody since December 2023 while the trial, conducted before a Chief Judicial M…

The appellant, Hitesh Umeshbhai Mashru, was charged under Sections 493 and 376(2)(n) of the Indian Penal Code for cheating and a sexual offence, with an FIR lodged on 16 July 2022. The Gujarat High Court rejected his application for anticipatory bail, but the Supreme Court had earlier granted him protection against arr…

The complainant filed a private criminal defamation complaint under Section 200 CrPC alleging that fourteen news articles published in various newspapers defamed the authenticity of paintings to be auctioned by the complainant. The trial magistrate took cognizance, registered the complaint and issued summons to the acc…