KRISHNA MURARI

The Supreme Court, hearing a suo motu criminal contempt petition against senior advocate Prashant Bhushan, affirmed his conviction for scandalising the judiciary through tweets and an affidavit alleging misconduct by judges. The Court held that the defence of truth under Section 13 of the Contempt of Courts Act, 1971 r…

Century Rayon Ltd (appellant) sought to erect 100 kV electricity transmission towers on land owned by IVP Ltd (first respondent) under a sanction from MSEDC. IVP Ltd filed a suit for permanent injunction alleging the contractors were excavating its land without permission. The trial court and High Court imposed a tempo…

The appellant-builder company entered into a Joint Development Agreement and a subsequent MoU with Respondent No.2 to develop a property and sell flats, but a dispute arose over the alleged sale of four excess flats beyond the agreed share. Respondent No.2 filed a criminal complaint alleging cheating and criminal breac…

The petitioner sought the release of her husband, who had been repeatedly remanded in custody despite the filing of multiple supplementary chargesheets that did not complete the investigation. The core issue was whether a chargesheet can be filed piecemeal before the investigation is finished and whether such filing ex…

Jitendra Kumar Rode, a former Assistant Commercial Manager of Northern Railway, was convicted under the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988 for accepting a bribe in 1995. The trial court’s record was subsequently lost, and only a partial, reconstructed set of documents was produced, which did not include essential witne…

The appellants Prasad Pradhan and another, cousins of the deceased Vrindawan, attacked him with axes while he was levelling his land, causing severe head injuries that led to his death after 20 days. The trial court convicted them of murder under Section 302 IPC read with Section 34 and sentenced them to life imprisonm…

The dispute concerned a partnership and ownership of a hotel property, where the respondents sought interim relief under Section 9 of the Arbitration and Conciliation Act, 1996, which was rejected by the Commercial Court. The respondents appealed that decision under Section 37 of the same Act. While hearing the appeal,…

M/s A.R. Polymers Pvt. Ltd., a footwear manufacturer, sold shoes in bulk to military and paramilitary institutions and affixed MRP stickers to claim tax benefits under Notification No.12/2012‑CE and Section 4(A) of the Central Excise Act, 1944, which are available only for retail sales. The Central Excise authorities i…

During bail proceedings of a police officer (Respondent No.1) under Section 439 Cr.PC, the Karnataka High Court made adverse remarks against three appellants – a senior IPS officer (Appellant No.2) and a district collector (Appellant No.3) – who had no lis in the bail matter, and also directed the CBI to investigate th…

The appellants and respondents entered into a 2017 joint venture for a hospital, each contributing a Rs 10 crore interest‑free loan. In 2019 the respondents bid for the appellants' 50% shareholding, agreeing via email on a consideration of Rs 36.75 crore, which the parties argued did not include the loan amount. The re…

The petitioners, environmental NGOs, filed a writ under Article 32 seeking a halt to mining in forest areas of Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh, declaration of illegal mining contracts, and removal of the ban on export of iron ore and pellets. The Supreme Court had earlier imposed a blanket ban on mining in Bellary, Chitra…

The appellants, landholders whose property was acquired by the Greater Noida Authority, challenged the classification of owners as "Pushtaini" and "Gair‑Pushtaini" which resulted in differential compensation. The Supreme Court held that the classification was not authorized by the Land Acquisition Act, 1894 or the Utta…

The appellant, a casual worker appointed by a West Bengal municipality in 1991 and later placed on probation, sought regularisation of his service under government orders that mandated absorption of pre‑1991 casual employees. Despite several court orders directing his absorption and the regularisation of many similarly…

The drivers employed by the Government of Tamil Nadu claimed parity with about 3,000 similarly placed drivers who had been granted higher Selection Grade and Special Grade pay scales of Rs 5000‑8000 and Rs 5500‑9000 under G.O. No. 162, invoking Article 14 of the Constitution. The High Court had allowed the claim, but t…

The appellant, Anokhilal, was convicted of kidnapping, rape and murder of a nine‑year‑old girl and sentenced to death along with several other terms of imprisonment. He was represented by an Amicus Curiae appointed by the Legal Services Authority on the same day that charges were framed, leaving the counsel no time to …

The father of the appellants executed a sale agreement to sell 0.90 acres of land to the plaintiff for Rs.11.88 lakh, receiving an advance of Rs.4 lakh and obligating himself to demarcate the land within three months before the balance could be paid. After his death, the appellants failed to demarcate the land, and the…

The developer and landowners entered into an unregistered agreement of sale for 54 acres of agricultural land, with a clause stating that physical possession of the entire land was handed over to the developer at execution. Disputes arose over whether the developer actually possessed the 17.31‑acre suit portion and whe…

The appellant, a machinery dealer, filed a complaint under Section 138 of the Negotiable Instruments Act alleging that a cheque issued by a director of Ravi Organics Ltd. was dishonoured. The complaint named the director but did not name the company as an accused nor aver that the director was in charge of and responsi…

The Supreme Court entertained an application by M/s. Jerlyn Capital LLC Dubai seeking modification of its earlier order dated 09‑05‑2023, which had set aside a requirement to furnish a bank guarantee and allowed the appellant to withdraw Rs.38.52 crore with 4% simple interest from 08‑05‑2006. The appellant submitted ea…

The appellants, owners of a chemical trading company, were accused of contravening the Drugs and Cosmetics Act by purchasing and allegedly repackaging pyridoxal‑5‑phosphate, a bulk food substance, for sale to drug manufacturers. The complaint was filed more than four years after the initial inspection, and the investig…

The mother, alleged to suffer from paranoid schizophrenia, filed a guardianship petition seeking custody of her minor daughter, while the father sought custody on grounds of the mother’s mental illness and alleged cruelty. The mother counter‑alleged that the father sexually abused the child. Three counsellors reported …

The Supreme Court examined a large jobs‑for‑cash scam in Tamil Nadu where public servants allegedly accepted bribes for appointments, triggering investigations under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act, 2002 (PMLA) and the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988. The Court held that the bribe money itself constitutes "pr…

The deceased, a 35‑year‑old farmer who cultivated 66 acres and owned 12 acres, died in a motor vehicle accident caused by the negligent driving of a truck. The claimants filed a petition under Section 166 of the Motor Vehicles Act, 1988 and the Motor Accident Claim Tribunal awarded Rs 6,60,000, which the High Court lat…

Dr. S. Athilakshmi, a registered medical practitioner and associate professor of dermatology, was inspected by a Drugs Inspector who seized a small quantity of lotions and ointments from her private practice premises. The Inspector alleged that she had "stocked" and sold the drugs without a valid licence, invoking Sect…

The Supreme Court, acting suo motu, took cognizance of two tweets posted by advocate Prashant Bhushan that alleged the Chief Justice of India was riding a luxury motorcycle while keeping the Court in "lockdown" and that the Supreme Court had facilitated the destruction of democracy. The Court examined whether such stat…

B.S. Hari, a Commandant in the Border Security Force, was convicted by a General Security Force Court for allegedly permitting the smuggling of acetic anhydride across the India‑Pakistan border and was sentenced to ten years’ rigorous imprisonment, a fine and dismissal from service. The conviction rested mainly on the …

The appeal concerned an Inspector, Sanjay Dubey, who was found prima facie guilty of dereliction of duty for failing to ensure DNA testing in a sensitive case involving offences under the IPC, POCSO Act, SC/ST Act and IT Act. While the High Court, hearing a bail application under Section 439 CrPC, directed departmental…

The respondent landlord filed a tenancy case seeking eviction of the appellants for non‑payment of lease rent for Fasli years 1419‑1424 (2009‑2014). The Revenue Court ordered the appellants to pay 31½ bags of paddy (or equivalent) within two months of receipt of the order dated 04‑02‑2019. The appellants received the o…

The appellant, Pramod Singla, was detained under the COFEPOSA Act for alleged involvement in a gold smuggling syndicate and filed representations to the detaining authority, the Central Government, and the Advisory Board. The Court examined whether there was a conflict between the Pankaj Kumar and Abdullah Kunhi judgme…

The appellant, a skilled labourer, suffered spinal and multiple fractures when a centering plate collapsed during construction work, rendering her unable to lift heavy weights. She claimed compensation under the Employees' Compensation Act, 1923, seeking Rs.20 lakh, but the Commissioner assessed her disability at 20% o…

The dependents of two deceased motor‑vehicle accident victims filed claim petitions under Section 166 of the Motor Vehicles Act, 1988, seeking compensation. The Motor Accident Claim Tribunal awarded compensation based on the deceased's salary certificate, pay slip and testimony of the wife and co‑workers, applying a mu…

The appellant, a scrap dealer, was injured in a bus accident caused by the negligent driving of the respondent. He suffered a permanent disability of 70% including amputation of his right lower limb and claimed compensation under the Motor Vehicles Act. The Motor Accident Claims Tribunal awarded Rs 15,76,465, which the…

Jerlyn Capital LLC Dubai, a foreign institutional investor, had shares and funds in an ICICI Bank account. Freeze orders under Section 102 of the Code of Criminal Procedure were imposed in 2006 and 2010 on the basis of an investigation into alleged offences by Dharmesh Doshi, who had no employment or ownership link wit…

The respondent, a Branch Manager of SBI, was dismissed on 11 August 1999 following departmental inquiry. He challenged the dismissal in a writ petition, which the High Court Single Bench set aside in 2003, but the order was stayed by a Division Bench and the Letters Patent Appeal was dismissed in 2010. The respondent a…

The heirs of Rajesh, who died in a motor accident, filed a claim under Section 166 of the Motor Vehicles Act, 1988 seeking compensation. The Motor Accident Claims Tribunal fixed the deceased's monthly income at Rs 4,000 and awarded Rs 6,24,000, while the Madhya Pradesh High Court raised the income to Rs 5,000, added 40…

Satish Chand Surana filed a suit for specific performance of a sale agreement concerning two parcels of land, which the trial court dismissed ex‑parte. He appealed to the High Court of Chhattisgarh and, during the pendency of that appeal, filed an application under Order 41 Rule 27 of the CPC seeking permission to addu…

The appellants, Bhoomidars, were in possession of land that had been declared a reserved forest under Section 4 of the Forest Act, 1927, leading to an eviction drive by the Forest Department. The Forest Settlement Officer, after hearing the parties, held that the appellants had a rightful claim dating back to before 13…

The Supreme Court examined whether a liberty granted to approach the High Court for review, after an earlier Special Leave Petition (SLP) was dismissed, automatically places the matter in the escalation matrix and permits filing a fresh SLP. The Court held that Order XLVII Rule 7 of the CPC bars an SLP against an order…

The appellants, tenants of shops in a Gurudwara, challenged the Punjab Religious Premises and Land (Eviction and Rent Recovery) Act, 1997 on the ground that it withdrew the protection afforded to them under the East Punjab Urban Rent Restrictions Act, 1949 and violated Article 14. The Supreme Court held that the State …

The appellants' land was acquired under the Land Acquisition Act, 1894 and a District Judge fixed compensation at Rs.267 per square yard with solatium. The respondent (Greater Noida Industrial Development Authority) appealed the award, and the appellants filed cross objections under Order 41 Rule 22 of the CPC seeking …

The Commissioner of Central Excise and Customs issued a show‑cause notice demanding differential excise duty from M/s Reliance Industries Ltd., alleging that the assessee had undervalued its finished goods by not separately accounting for duty benefits obtained from customers holding advance licences. The demand was ra…

The petitioner, an NRI, was arrested at Delhi airport for allegedly smuggling watches through the green channel. He sought a direction for home‑cooked food and, more importantly, the right to settle the customs duty liability under Section 127B of the Customs Act, arguing that Section 123, which bars settlement for cer…

The Central Government Industrial Tribunal awarded reinstatement, regularisation and 75% back wages to 21 casual workers of the Food Corporation of India (FCI) whose retrenchment was held void. The management of FCI filed a writ petition challenging the award, obtained a conditional stay, but nevertheless reinstated an…

The appellant, Peethambaran, was charged under Section 420 IPC for allegedly cheating persons by promising jobs in exchange for money. The FIR led to two police final reports: the first concluded the case was false due to lack of evidence, while the second recorded a further investigation ordered by the District Police…

The petitioners, heirs of municipal employees who died in service, sought compassionate appointments under a scheme intended to provide immediate financial relief to dependents. Their applications were filed in 2005‑2006, but the authorities took years to act, and the petitioners approached the High Court only in 2015.…

The appellants were convicted under Section 138 of the Negotiable Instruments Act after a private complaint by Respondent No.2. While a revision petition was pending, the parties executed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) providing for amicable settlement or arbitration, and obligating Respondent No.2 to file a compr…