PINAKI CHANDRA GHOSE

The appellants, a husband‑wife duo, were searched under the Income Tax Act at their residences in Bhopal and Aurangabad. During the search they denied possessing a safe‑deposit locker, which was later discovered at Aurangabad, leading the Deputy Director of Income Tax (Investigation) Bhopal to lodge a complaint under C…

The State of Maharashtra prosecuted 34 accused for mob assault that resulted in the death of Tanaji Rathod. All prosecution witnesses except the deceased's wife (PW‑12) turned hostile; the trial court relied on PW‑12’s detailed testimony, corroborated by medical reports, spot‑panchnama and recovered weapons, convicting…

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 appellants were convicted under the Terrorist and Disruptive Activities (Prevention) Act (TADA) and IPC for the murder of a Hindu leader. The Supreme Court examined whether the required prior sanction under Section 20‑A of TADA had been validly obtained. It found that the sanctioning authority had granted approval …

The Supreme Court examined an appeal by the complainant, Ranbeer Singh, against the Allahabad High Court’s acquittal of three co‑accused (Balbir Singh, Karua and Vinod) who had been convicted for murder under Section 302 read with Section 34 of the IPC. The trial court had found all four accused – including the main sh…

The appellant, a construction contractor, used minerals purchased from the open market for building works. The State of Rajasthan, through various government orders and circulars, required a 2% deduction from contractors' bills as royalty on minerals, aiming to prevent the use of illegally mined minerals. The contracto…

The case concerns the murder of Debo! Kumar Ghosh on 16 June 2000, for which Anjan Dasgupta and Biswanath Paul were alleged to have directed shooters. The trial court acquitted them, citing alleged ante‑dating and ante‑timing of the FIR and discarding eye‑witness testimony. The Calcutta High Court reversed the acquitta…

The appellants were convicted for the murder of Rameshbhai Prajapati, who was attacked with a large knife while sleeping, after the accused objected to his brother's marriage. The trial court convicted four of the five accused under Sections 302, 147, 148 and 149 IPC, acquitting one; the High Court later set aside the …

The State of Madhya Pradesh appealed against the High Court’s order that set aside the trial court’s decision to frame charges against three municipal officials accused of corruptly granting building and completion certificates for Sayaji Hotel. The officials were alleged to have conspired to issue a revised building p…

The appellants, armed with bombs and guns, attacked the informant's nephews, hurling bombs that caused two deaths and injuries to others. The trial court convicted several accused under Sections 302 and 149 of the IPC, Sections 3 and 4 of the Explosive Substances Act and Section 27 of the Arms Act, sentencing two to de…

The Central Bureau of Investigation filed an appeal against the Punjab and Haryana High Court’s order quashing FIR No. SIA‑2001‑E‑0006, which alleged cheating, forgery and conspiracy (IPC sections 420, 471, 120B) against Sadhu Ram Singla and others. The FIR arose from alleged fraudulent stock statements that enabled a …

The dispute concerned a property waqfed in 1940 by Swami Satya Dev to Respondent No.2 (Prachaarini Sabha) for the purpose of promoting Hindi language, establishing a library and other charitable activities, subject to conditions prohibiting sale or mortgage. The appellants, interested in ensuring the purpose of the waq…

The appellant, an illiterate widow with two minor children, sought regularisation of a residential plot originally allotted to her deceased husband by the Mysore Urban Development Authority. After making partial payments, she mistakenly underpaid the balance due to illiteracy, leading the Authority to cancel the allotm…

Mohan Singh was murdered on 26 June 1982; his head was severed and the crime was witnessed by his daughter (a child) and his father. The trial court convicted six accused under Sections 302 and 149 of the IPC, but the Allahabad High Court later acquitted them, citing alleged delays in FIR dispatch, defects in the inque…

The case arose from the murder of Balbir Singh on 21‑12‑1993, alleged to have been committed by Sheeshpal and his associates in a pre‑planned conspiracy. The trial court convicted the accused under Sections 302, 149 and 120B IPC, sentencing them to life imprisonment. On appeal, the High Court acquitted all accused, hol…

Machindra, the father of a deceased son, appealed to the Supreme Court against the High Court's acquittal of Sajjan Ghalfa Rankhamb and his son for murder under Section 302 read with Section 34 of the IPC. The trial court had convicted them based on testimonies of alleged eye‑witnesses and medical evidence, but the Hig…

Indus Mobile Distribution Pvt. Ltd. appealed against a Delhi High Court order that had entertained interim relief applications, holding that the court had jurisdiction because the cause of action did not arise in Mumbai. The parties' agreement designated Mumbai as the seat of arbitration and contained a clause stating …

The case concerns the demolition of the Babri Masjid and the filing of a joint charge‑sheet by the CBI covering 49 FIRs alleging offences such as criminal conspiracy, hate offences and dacoity. The High Court held that a technical defect in the State notification preventing a joint trial was curable, but the Special Co…

The Supreme Court reviewed its earlier order dated 13 May 2015 that allowed publication of photographs of the President, Prime Minister and Chief Justice in government advertisements, subject to the authorities' decision. Upon hearing the parties, the Court extended the exception to include Governors and Chief Minister…

The Supreme Court examined two cooperative housing societies, Bankmens CGHS and Safdarjung CGHS, which had been placed under liquidation and later revived by individuals not originally associated with them, allegedly with the assistance of the builder mafia. The societies had received provisional land allotments from t…

The accused, Mangusinh, was convicted by the trial court for murder of his wife and daughter under IPC s.302 and Arms Act s.25, based on a confessional FIR, a second FIR lodged by the victims' father (PW1), and the testimony of an alleged eye‑witness (PW4). The High Court acquitted him, holding that both FIRs were ante…

The case involved the double murder of Kashi Nath Tiwary and Lallan Tiwary, allegedly committed by a group of accused including Rajesh Singh and four Tiwary brothers. The trial court convicted all six accused and sentenced them to life imprisonment, but the High Court acquitted Rajesh Singh on the ground that he was ne…

The State of Maharashtra appealed the acquittal of the accused husband and mother‑in‑law in a murder case where the deceased had died from severe burns. The trial court had relied on the deceased's dying declaration and letters she allegedly wrote to her father, convicting the accused under Sections 302, 304B and 498A …

The Supreme Court examined appeals by the State of Punjab against the acquittal of five accused persons for murder, kidnapping, conspiracy and related offences. The trial court had convicted them based on eyewitness testimony, medical evidence and a motive established by a friend of the deceased. On appeal, the High Co…

Gautam Kundu, chairman of Rose Valley, was arrested for alleged money‑laundering offences under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act, 2002 (PMLA) and related violations of the SEBI Act. He sought bail under Section 439 of the Code of Criminal Procedure, but the Calcutta High Court rejected the application, holding th…

The appellant Ms. S appealed against Sunil Kumar, who had been convicted by the Supreme Court on 10 April 2015 for an offence under Section 376(1) of the Indian Penal Code and ordered to be taken into custody. The Court later learned that the accused had died on 14 October 2012, a fact that was not known to the Court a…

The State of NCT of Delhi appealed against the High Court's acquittal of Nitin Shah and Om Prakash Srivastava in the murder of Lalit Suneja (2 August 1992). The prosecution alleged that Shah, as Suneja's employer, conspired with Srivastava and others to kill Suneja, basing its case on a complaint (Ext. PW15/A1) purport…

The Government of Karnataka appealed a decree granting possession of disputed land to the respondents, seeking to introduce a road map as additional evidence at the appellate stage under Order XU Rule 27(1)(aa) of the CPC. The Supreme Court examined whether such evidence could be admitted when it could have been produc…

Arathi Sandi and Sandi Jagadrakshaka Rao, a married couple residing in the United States, fought a divorce and child‑custody dispute. The US Superior Court initially granted primary custody of their US‑citizen son to the mother, later modifying the order to make the father the custodial parent and issuing a writ of hab…

The respondent was engaged as a daily‑wage helper for two fixed periods totaling 54 days, after which his service automatically terminated as per the contract. He raised an industrial dispute alleging that his termination amounted to retrenchment under the Industrial Disputes Act, 1947, seeking reinstatement with conti…

The case concerned the death of Kishan Sikand, who was killed by a parcel bomb on 2 October 1982. The prosecution alleged that Lt. Col. S.J. Chaudhary, the ex‑husband of Rani Chaudhary, manufactured the bomb out of motive to prevent her living with Sikand. The trial court convicted Chaudhary under Section 302 IPC and S…

The case arose from a quarrel on 13 September 2005 between the President of Nandigavi Village Panchayat and several villagers over alleged road‑repair work, which led to the formation of an unlawful assembly that beat the deceased to death. The accused were charged under multiple IPC sections including murder, unlawful…

The case involved the alleged rape and murder of a 12‑year‑old girl, Anita, whose father Ram Sunder Sen filed a criminal complaint against Narendra @ Bode Singh Patel. The trial court convicted Patel under IPC sections 302, 376(2)(f) and 201, imposing death, life imprisonment and a seven‑year term respectively. On appe…

The appellants, industrial units, filed a writ petition seeking a declaration that the orders of the Special Tribunal and Special Court under the Andhra Pradesh Land Grabbing (Prohibition) Act, 1982, were not applicable to their properties. They alleged they were not impleaded in the land‑grabbing proceedings and raise…

The husband instituted two suits before the Family Court—one for divorce and another seeking permanent and temporary injunctions restraining the wife from entering the matrimonial home, in which an ex parte ad interim injunction was granted. The wife prayed for consolidation of the two suits, but the Family Court rejec…

The Supreme Court allowed appeals against the acquittal of A2 to A4 (Sasikala, Sudhakaran, Elavarasi) in a disproportionate assets case under the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988. The trial court had convicted them for conspiracy and abetment with A1 (Jayalalitha, since deceased) in amassing assets worth Rs.66.65 cro…

After the Coimbatore serial blasts, a conspiracy by thirteen accused in two groups was hatched to murder Dr. Sridhar, a BJP town secretary. Six accused (A1‑A6) formed one group and attacked the doctor on 2 February 1999, while A7 stood nearby unarmed; the doctor’s daughter (PW I) and neighbour PW 65 witnessed the assau…

The police seized 11 kg of ganja from Asha Devi’s residence after acting on secret information; her husband Om Prakash escaped. A search was conducted in the presence of a gazetted officer and samples were sealed with the letters “RP” and “MS”. The trial court acquitted the accused, relying on the absence of an indepen…

The case concerned the murder of Rajendra Rajaram Gupta during a Ganesh festival, where the prosecution alleged that two accused opened fire on the victim and an injured eyewitness. The trial court convicted five accused based on the testimonies of five eye‑witnesses and test identification parades (TIPs). On appeal, t…

The case concerned the murder of two persons in a road‑accident‑turned‑firing incident, for which twelve accused were charged under various IPC sections including s.149 for conspiracy. The trial court convicted them based on six eye‑witness testimonies, alleged recovery of weapons, and a purported conspiracy. On appeal…

Rashtriya Ispat Nigam Ltd., a Government of India undertaking, awarded a transport contract to Prathyusha Resources & Infra Pvt. Ltd. The contract was extended and a dispute arose over the base year for price escalation, leading to arbitration where the arbitrator ruled in favour of the respondent. The district court s…

The State of Rajasthan appealed the acquittal of Sri Chand, who was charged with attempt to rape a 12‑year‑old girl and outraging her modesty. The trial court convicted him only under IPC s.354 and granted probation, while the High Court upheld that order. The Supreme Court held that the evidence did not prove the atte…

The Supreme Court examined appeals by power generators challenging the Central Electricity Regulatory Commission’s (CERC) refusal to grant compensatory tariff after a rise in Indonesian coal prices. The Court clarified that CERC’s authority to adopt or determine tariffs under Section 63 is derived from its general regu…

The Kaushik Cooperative Building Society claimed ownership of land in Survey No.129/68 Paiki based on a 1976 decree in a specific‑performance suit (CCCA No.14 of 1972). Subsequent land‑grabbing suits (LGC Nos.46/1989, 29/1992, 15/1996) were dismissed, confirming the same title. Later, a new land‑grabbing case (LGC No.4…

The case arose from a land dispute in Perambalur district where the deceased, Michaelraj, was attacked with deadly weapons by the appellant and others on 10 December 1997. The sole eye‑witness, PW‑3, identified the accused and the trial court convicted them under sections 148, 149, 302 and 341 IPC. The Madras High Cour…

The appellant, Ashok, was convicted for the murder of his wife and two daughters based on the "last seen together" doctrine, with the trial court shifting the burden of proof to him under Section 106 of the Evidence Act. The prosecution relied on circumstantial evidence, a purported motive of obtaining Rs.2 lakh from t…

Lafarge Aggregates & Concrete India Ltd. (appellant) lodged a complaint under Section 138 of the Negotiable Instruments Act after a cheque of Rs.2.5 lakh issued by the managing director of the respondents was stopped, leading to its dishonour. The respondents filed a petition under Section 482 of the CrPC offering to p…

Ms S, a minor, was raped by Sunil Kumar while guarding her crops. She reported the incident immediately, and a medical examination corroborated her account; three eyewitnesses also attested to the rape. The trial court acquitted the accused because no test identification parade had been conducted, despite the victim id…

The Supreme Court upheld its earlier order directing demolition of the unauthorized floors of a multi‑storeyed building constructed by Saket Housing Ltd. in Patna, noting massive deviations from the sanctioned plan, including excess floors and FAR. The petitioners, owners of flats in the building, sought to have the so…

In Arun Kumar Agrawal v. Union of India & Ors., the Supreme Court considered interlocutory applications filed in a writ petition under Article 32. The petitioner sought to have certain disparaging remarks about his bonafides, made in paragraph 63 of the judgment, expunged, arguing they were irrelevant to the decision. …

On 10 February 1994, a group of accused assembled unlawfully in Ramanathapuram, Tamil Nadu, and attacked the family of the deceased Rajendran, killing eight persons including a one‑year‑old child. The trial court convicted the accused under various provisions of the IPC and sentenced them to life imprisonment for each …

The dispute concerned CTS No.1674/1, a parcel of Government land in Ramdurg claimed by two educational trusts for use as a playground. The Assistant Commissioner initially granted the land to Vidya Prasarak Samithi, but BVVS appealed and the matter went through multiple administrative and judicial forums. The Karnataka…

The Supreme Court considered an appeal by HDFC Securities Ltd. and its officers challenging the registration of an FIR and a magistrate’s order under Section 156(3) of the CrPC directing police investigation into alleged unauthorized trades. The appellants argued that the order caused irreparable injury and should be q…

The case involves the double murder of a 12‑year‑old girl and her 50‑year‑old father, and attempted murders of two other family members, allegedly committed by Y. Amaranatha Reddy using a sickle. The trial court convicted the accused under Sections 302, 307 and 324 of the Indian Penal Code, relying on eyewitness testim…

On 24 September 1996, seven accused, armed with lathis, knives and khukris, demanded that two students withdraw their names from a college election at D.A.V. (P.G.) College, Dehradun. When the students refused, the accused assaulted them; Alok Chandana later died of his injuries while Vipin Singh Negi was also injured.…

EIH Ltd. entered into a Technical Services Agreement with Balaji Hotels (BHEL) for operating a hotel, and paid Rs 15.21 crore as financial accommodation. BHEL later obtained financial assistance from IFCI and TFCI, which sold the hotel unit to Robust Hotels under SARFAESI proceedings despite an interim injunction that …

Ram Narain was convicted under Section 302 IPC and sentenced to life imprisonment in 1978. After serving more than ten years, he applied before the Juvenile Justice Board, presenting a school transfer certificate that showed he was 15 years, 11 months old at the time of the 1976 murder. The Board declared him a juvenil…

The State of Maharashtra prosecuted Nisar Ramzan Sayyed for the murder of his pregnant wife and their three‑year‑old son, alleging that he poured kerosene on his wife and set her on fire after demanding Rs.50,000 as dowry. The trial court convicted him under Sections 302 and 498‑A of the IPC and sentenced him to death,…

The Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) issued an administrative circular under Section 11(1) of the SEBI Act to curb dematerialisation charges. National Securities Depository Ltd. (NSDL) challenged the circular, arguing that it could not be appealed before the Securities Appellate Tribunal (SAT) under Sectio…

The appellant booked a flat with the respondent's company and paid Rs.74,200, for which the respondent later issued a cheque for refund. The cheque was drawn by the respondent in his personal capacity and was dishonoured, leading the appellant to issue a notice under Section 138 of the Negotiable Instruments Act and fi…

The respondent, a Sub Registrar, was caught in a police‑laid trap after demanding a bribe of Rs.500 for registering a will. The prosecution proved demand and acceptance through eyewitness testimony, a positive phenolphthalein test, and the unchallenged recovery of the tainted money. The High Court acquitted the accused…

The appellant issued a notice under Section 138 of the Negotiable Instruments Act to a company whose cheque was dishonoured, but no separate notice was sent to the company's directors. A complaint was filed against the company and its directors under Sections 138 and 141. The Bombay High Court held that individual noti…

Rangi International Ltd appealed against orders of the Competition Commission and the Competition Appellate Tribunal that dismissed its claim of unfair trade practice under the Monopolies and Restrictive Trade Practices Act, 1969. The Supreme Court observed that both the Commission and the Tribunal perform important qu…

The appellants had entered into two agreements in July 1999 and deposited earnest money with the respondents, who later offered to return the money. The appellants rejected the offer and sued for specific performance; the trial court granted it, but the Patna High Court denied specific performance and ordered a refund …

The plaintiff, along with his maternal grandmother, occupied the first floor of a building that, according to a 1991 will, was bequeathed by the deceased to his four brothers (the defendants). The plaintiff sought a permanent and interim injunction to prevent the defendants from dispossessing him and his grandmother, d…

The appellant, Md. Sajjad, was convicted under Sections 302 and 34 of the Indian Penal Code for the murder of Ramchandra Singh, based primarily on the testimony of three eyewitnesses and the suspicion of the victim's widow. The eyewitnesses identified the accused in a test identification parade held more than two month…

The appellant was accused of having sexual intercourse with the complainant on five to six occasions, allegedly on a false promise of marriage, the last of which occurred in August 2009. The trial court, relying on documentary evidence, held that the appellant was born on 19 October 1991 and was therefore a juvenile at…

The appellant-wife sought transfer of a divorce suit filed by her husband, pending in the Family Court, Hyderabad, to the Family Court, Kakinada where she is employed. The High Court rejected the transfer petition, reasoning that the wife was not indigent and could travel to Hyderabad. The Supreme Court held that the H…

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

The appellants, including Sadik @ Lalo Gulam Hussein Shaikh, were convicted for the murder of Rajubhai Ramubhai Vasava after an altercation over biryani payment escalated into a violent assault involving knives and sticks. The trial court and the Gujarat High Court held that the deceased suffered three stab wounds suff…

The appellant, Jose @ Pappachan, was convicted under IPC s.302 for the death of his wife, Neena, alleged to be a homicide by strangulation and hanging, while also being acquitted of IPC s.498A. The prosecution relied on circumstantial testimony of three witnesses and a post‑mortem report that was inconclusive about hom…

The State alleged that Keshar Singh raped a minor girl of unsound mind near a pond, relying on the testimony of the victim’s sister, uncle, father, a doctor and the investigating officer. The Sessions Court and the High Court acquitted the accused, finding the prosecution evidence unreliable, and the State appealed. Th…

The Supreme Court examined the death of Raj Banshi Devi, who died from burn injuries in her matrimonial house within two years of marriage. The prosecution alleged dowry demands, physical and mental cruelty, and that the deceased was assaulted, tied with iron wire and set alight, invoking Section 3048 of the IPC. Altho…

The State of Madhya Pradesh prosecuted Anoop Singh for kidnapping, assault and rape of a girl, alleging she was under 16 years old at the time of the offence. The trial court convicted Singh based on the girl’s birth certificate and middle‑school examination certificate, despite a two‑day discrepancy between them, and …

The State of Uttar Pradesh alleged that Sunil, along with his brother‑in‑law Suresh Pal Singh, murdered the complainant's father, mother and two sisters. A confessional statement by the deceased brother‑in‑law led to the recovery of a knife and blood‑stained clothing, but the prosecution could not directly link Sunil t…

The appellant, the Executive Engineer, had taken possession of land belonging to the respondents on 3 June 2001, but the preliminary notification under Section 4(1) of the Land Acquisition Act, 1894 was issued only on 30 December 2006. The respondents claimed compensation, rent, and interest for the period before the n…

The victim Tikaram was attacked, had petrol poured on him and was set ablaze. While burning, he was surrounded by the accused, who prevented his escape, threw a burning tyre and a sword at him, and later he died of his injuries. The trial court convicted all accused under Section 302 read with Section 149 of the Indian…

The State of Uttar Pradesh appealed the High Court’s acquittal of Satveer and others for the murder of an eight‑year‑old boy. The prosecution’s case rested on the testimony of a single eyewitness, PW2, who claimed to have seen the accused take the child into a baithak and later find his dead body there. The Supreme Cou…