SWATANTER KUMAR

The appellant, Ramachandran, was convicted of murdering his wife Remani by forcibly administering the pesticide Furadan and subsequently smothering her. The trial court, upheld by the Kerala High Court, relied on testimonies of family members and a neighbour indicating daily physical abuse, a motive stemming from alleg…

The Supreme Court, hearing a civil appeal filed by the Mineral Area Development Authority against the Steel Authority of India, noted a conflict between two earlier decisions—one by a five‑Judge Bench in State of West Bengal v. Kesoram Industries Ltd. and another by a seven‑Judge Bench in India Cement Ltd. v. State of …

The appellants were convicted for the murder of Veerappan and his mother Marudayi based primarily on the testimony of PW‑5 Srinivasan, the victim's brother and a related, interested witness who also harboured enmity against the accused. The appellants challenged the conviction, arguing that PW‑5’s evidence should be cl…

The appellant was charged with raping and murdering a young woman, Lalitha. Witnesses saw him fleeing the house with blood‑stained clothes and heard him push them as they entered, and the victim gave a dying declaration that he had struck her with a grinder. The trial court acquitted him of both charges, but the High C…

The appellant, Arvindkumar, was charged with murdering his first wife, Sita Devi, under Sections 302 and 201 read with Section 34 of the IPC. The prosecution relied solely on circumstantial evidence, including the last sighting of the appellant with the victim, blood‑stained clothes, recovery of a knife, post‑mortem fi…

The appellant Arumugam was convicted under Sections 147, 148, 341 and 302 IPC for the murder of his brother, the deceased, based primarily on the testimony of a single eye‑witness who was also the victim's brother. The appellant challenged the conviction on grounds of delay in filing the complaint and registering the F…

The appellant was convicted of murder under Section 302 IPC for stabbing and further assaulting the deceased, who later died. The prosecution relied on a dying declaration recorded by a police officer after medical certification of fitness, corroborated by an eye‑witness, forensic blood‑group evidence, the recovered kn…

The appellant Shudhakar was convicted of murder under Section 302 IPC for allegedly setting his wife on fire. The deceased gave three dying declarations: the first, recorded by a Naib Tehsildar, exonerated the husband and claimed the fire originated from a stove; the second and third, recorded later by a Tehsildar and …

Rampal Singh, an Indian Army soldier, broke a fence (ladauri) constructed by his relative RKS and threw garbage on his land, leading to a heated altercation during which they grappled. After being separated, Rampal retrieved a rifle, warned his brother to stay away, and, provoked by RKS's challenge to shoot, fired a si…

The appellant, Polamuri Chandra Sekhararao, was convicted under s.302 IPC for murdering his elder sister's son, Ravi Kishore, on 6 April 2004. The prosecution alleged that the deceased visited the appellant's house, proposed to marry the appellant's daughters, and was subsequently stabbed repeatedly with a knife (M.O.-…

The case arose from a violent clash between two rival families over a land dispute, which culminated in the murder of Gurdial Singh and injuries to several others. Eight persons, armed with guns and gandasas, assembled and attacked the victims; three of the accused died during trial, leaving five to stand trial. The tr…

The appellant Surinder Kumar was convicted under Sections 304B and 498A of the IPC for the death of his wife, Kiran Bala, who suffered 90% burn injuries and gave a dying declaration blaming him for dowry demands. The appellant challenged the admissibility of the declaration, arguing that his wife was too injured to mak…

The appellant, Kunjumon, entered a house with a common intention to commit robbery, threatened an 11‑year‑old girl and subsequently dragged a 90‑year‑old woman from her cot, beating her on the head with a wall clock, leading to her death. He was convicted by the trial court and the High Court under IPC sections 302 (mu…

The respondent, Sanjay Kumar, was convicted of raping and murdering an 18‑year‑old girl, Divya Rani, and was sentenced to death by the Sessions Court. The High Court of Allahabad commuted the death sentence to life imprisonment, holding that the case did not fall within the "rarest of rare" category. The State of Uttar…

The appellant, Satbir (also identified as A‑2), was in charge of collecting donations for a temple festival. After the festival, members of the complainant party questioned the use of the remaining funds, leading to a heated quarrel in a tailor's shop. The appellant and other accused restrained the complainants, after …

The appellant Subhash Krishnan was convicted for abduction, wrongful confinement and murder of Shanu Komarpant, alleged to have been assaulted with a talwar, knife and danda, rendered unconscious and later hanged. The prosecution relied on a complaint (Exhibit 96) by PW‑2, extensive eyewitness testimony, forensic repor…

The appellant Ravi Kapur was charged under IPC sections 279, 337, 338 and 304A for a bus accident that caused multiple deaths and injuries. The trial court acquitted him, holding that the prosecution failed to prove his identity as the driver and that procedural lapses, such as the absence of a test identification para…

The husband (Pathan Hussain Basha) and his mother‑in‑law were convicted under Sections 304‑B (dowry death) and 498A of the IPC for the suicide of the wife, who had been harassed for unpaid dowry. The Supreme Court examined whether the statutory ingredients of a dowry death were satisfied and whether the onus of proving…

The petitioner’s 11‑acre land in Gobbur village was acquired under Section 4(1) of the Land Acquisition Act, 1894 and initially awarded a market value of Rs. 3,800 per acre. He later sought a higher valuation through a Section 28‑A application, a remedy intended only for poor and inarticulate persons, and obtained Rs. …

The National Campaign Committee filed a writ petition under Article 32 seeking full implementation of the Building and Other Construction Workers (Regulations of Employment and Conditions of Service) Act, 1996 and the Welfare Cess Act, 1996, including the constitution of State Welfare Boards, registration of workers an…

The appellant, Attar Singh, was convicted of murder under Section 302 IPC for killing his wife by striking her with a wooden log, and was also tried under Section 498A IPC for cruelty. The trial court relied heavily on the testimony of the couple's daughter, who later turned hostile, but the court also considered medic…

The Indian Oil Corporation Ltd. (appellant) invited applications for petrol/diesel retail outlets in Maharashtra. Ashok Shankarlal Gwalani (respondent) applied and was placed second in the first merit list, but the selection was cancelled after complaints about financial documentation and attested papers. A second roun…

Powertech World Wide Ltd., an Indian company, entered into a purchase contract with Delvin International General Trading LLC, a UAE company, which contained an arbitration clause stating that disputes would be settled amicably or through an arbitrator in India/UAE. After the respondent failed to pay outstanding dues de…

Kishan Chand was convicted under Section 18 of the NDNDPS Act for allegedly possessing 3.8 kg of opium recovered from his scooter after a police raid based on secret information. The appellant challenged the conviction, arguing that the police failed to comply with the mandatory requirements of Sections 42(1) and 42(2)…

The Bihar Public Service Commission (BPSC) was petitioned under the Right to Information Act, 2005 for the names, designations and addresses of members of its interview board. While the Commission disclosed most of the requested information, it refused to reveal the interviewers' details, invoking Section 8(1)(g) of th…

Employees of the Punjab State Electricity Board who retired between 31 July 2003 and 30 October 2006 challenged a circular dated 29 July 2003 that replaced the pension‑commutation table, alleging it was arbitrary, discriminatory and violative of Article 14. The High Court quashed the circular and restored pension calcu…

The appellant, a ball‑picker at a university tennis court, was convicted under Sections 363 and 376(2)(f) IPC for raping an 11‑year‑old maid after luring her with the promise of bangles and taking her into a storeroom. The trial court had acquitted him, but the High Court reversed that judgment on the basis of eye‑witn…

Budhi Singh, the younger brother of Ganga Ram, was charged with murder after he struck his drunken brother on the head with a small axe (tobru) when their father was being assaulted. The trial court convicted him under Section 302 IPC and sentenced him to life imprisonment; the High Court affirmed. On appeal, the Supre…

The appellant was arrested after a raid on his house on 4 February 1994, during which poppy husk was seized and he was convicted under Section 15 of the NDPS Act. The sole issue raised was that the investigating officer failed to reduce the secret information to writing and report it to his superior officer as required…

The appellants were convicted of murder under Section 302 read with Section 34 of the Indian Penal Code for stabbing the deceased while two others held him, based on eyewitness testimony of three witnesses and medical evidence. They challenged the conviction on four grounds: denial of a fair hearing before the High Cou…

The Supreme Court examined the validity of terminating appointments made under the 1998 Compassionate Appointment Scheme, which allowed up to 5% of direct‑recruitment vacancies in Group C/D posts to be filled on compassionate grounds. Office Memorandums issued in 2001, 2002 and 2006 altered the method of calculating th…

Manohar, a former Superintendent and Public Information Officer, was recommended for disciplinary action by the Maharashtra State Information Commission for allegedly failing to provide information under the Right to Information Act, 2005. The Commission issued its order without hearing the officer, despite his request…

The appellant, Sandesh alias Sainath Kailash Abhang, entered a house pretending to be a mechanic, robbed valuables, brutally assaulted the elderly resident and a five‑month‑pregnant woman, inflicted numerous injuries, amputated fingers, and raped the pregnant woman before killing the elderly lady. He was found to be un…

The appellant Sahabuddin and his brother‑in‑law Sarifuddin were convicted for the murder of Sahabuddin's wife, Sajna Begum, based on circumstantial evidence and the testimony of several relatives who observed injuries on the deceased. The prosecution established a chain of events showing the victim's reluctance to retu…

The appellant Yanab Sheikh was convicted for murdering Samim Ali by throwing a bomb, under IPC s.302 and the Indian Explosives Act s.9(b)(ii). The prosecution’s case rested on eyewitness statements and forensic evidence. The appellant challenged the conviction on five grounds, chiefly that the police entry recorded as …

Ashok Kumar Nigam, a District Government Counsel, applied for renewal of his term. The State Government declined renewal by a blanket order dated 3 April 2008, without considering the recommendations of the District Judge and District Magistrate as required by the Legal Remembrancer's Manual. The High Court set aside t…

Krishan was charged under Sections 302, 498A and 109 read with Section 34 of the IPC for allegedly setting his wife Rani on fire. Rani gave a dying declaration implicating Krishan, which was recorded by a Sub‑Divisional Judicial Magistrate after a medical certificate of fitness. The trial court acquitted Krishan, relyi…

The case concerned whether a second FIR could be registered in relation to communal violence in Gorakhpur and whether the accused was entitled to a hearing before such registration. The appellant, Anju Chaudhary, challenged a High Court order directing the magistrate to register a new FIR under Section 156(3) CrPC, arg…

Haradhan Das was convicted for murder under Section 302 read with Section 149 of the IPC for a dacoity in which the deceased Barindra Nath Mukherjee was killed. The trial court had acquitted three co‑accused on the ground of non‑identification, but the Supreme Court held that the prosecution proved its case against the…

The State of Rajasthan prosecuted fifteen persons for murder and kidnapping under Sections 302, 364 read with Section 34 IPC, alleging a land‑related dispute and a group assault on the deceased. Four eye‑witnesses, including a relative of the victim, identified the accused, while two of those witnesses turned hostile. …

The appellant Gajoo, the brother‑in‑law of the deceased Taradevi, was convicted of murder under Section 302 IPC for allegedly assaulting the victim with a daranti and strangling her while her elder son held her down. The appellant challenged the conviction on grounds that the eye‑witnesses were relatives and thus unrel…

The Supreme Court directed the New Okhla Industrial Development Authority (NOIDA) to issue a Special Scheme for allotting plots for nursing homes. The Scheme contained Clause 3, permitting a tenderer to bid for up to two plots if its net‑worth exceeded the aggregate requirement, and Paragraph 4 excluded persons who had…

The trustees of Shri Vyankatesh Mandir Trust sought to sell nine acres of agricultural land belonging to the trust, entering into multiple agreements with the petitioners and repeatedly applying to the Joint Charity Commissioner (JCC) for extensions of time to complete the sale. The JCC rejected both the 2003 and 2006 …

The appellant, Commissioner of Central Excise, challenged the assessee Gujarat Narmada Valley Fertilizers Ltd.’s claim of Cenvat credit on duty‑paid Low Sulphur Heavy Stock (LSHS) used as fuel to generate steam and electricity for producing fertilizer, a product exempt from excise duty. The Tribunal’s larger bench had …

The petitioners, who are Judges of Family Courts in Maharashtra, sought elevation to the Bombay High Court, arguing that they hold a "judicial office" under Article 217(2)(a) of the Constitution. The Supreme Court examined whether Family Courts qualify as courts in the constitutional sense, whether their judges are par…

The Delhi Pradesh Regulated Medical Practitioners Association filed a review petition before the Supreme Court challenging a judgment that dismissed its claim to practice medicine on the basis of qualifications awarded by the Hindi Sahitya Sammelan. The sole ground advanced was that the Association's counsel was absent…

The appellant Bable @ Gurdeep Singh was convicted under IPC s.302 r.w. s.34 for the murder of Ishwari Verma. He challenged the conviction on the grounds that the FIR lost its relevance because the informant turned hostile, the oral dying declaration was not corroborated, his injuries were unexplained, and the acquittal…

The appellant, a high‑scoring candidate in the MBBS entrance exam, was denied admission to the MBBS course despite being present at the second counseling, while lower‑scoring candidates were admitted. The High Court initially granted her relief, but the Division Bench set aside that order. The Supreme Court held that t…

The five accused, Atmaram and four others, attacked two brothers and their sister with farsi, dharia and lathis, resulting in the death of one brother. The prosecution relied on the testimony of two injured eye‑witnesses (PW‑1 and PW‑2) and medical evidence showing ten injuries, including fatal head wounds. The appella…

The Supreme Court examined the murder of Ms. Renu, who was burnt to death after her husband, brother‑in‑law and mother‑in‑law allegedly poured kerosene on her for refusing to meet dowry demands for a refrigerator, television and cooler. The trial and High Courts had convicted all three accused under Section 304B of the…

The appellant, Salim Gulab Pathan, was convicted under Section 302 IPC for allegedly setting his wife on fire. The prosecution's case rested on the victim's dying declaration, recorded by a police constable after being certified by a doctor as conscious and fit, and corroborated by eyewitnesses who heard the victim imp…

V.K. Naswa filed a writ petition under Article 32 seeking Rs 10 crore each from Baba Ramdev, Anna Hazare and others for alleged misuse and insult of the National Flag, and also asked the Court to direct amendment of the Flag Code of India, 2002. The petitioner had already lodged criminal complaints against the responde…

The Supreme Court examined the compensation payable to landowners whose 7.06 acres were acquired by the Tamil Nadu government for the Madras Export Processing Zone. The owners argued that the High Court erred by applying a 40% deduction and failing to grant solatium and interest, while the Reference Court had also misc…

The Punjab State Electricity Board (PSEB) issued demand notices for higher tariff and penalties against Ashwani Kumar and other consumers, alleging that two electricity connections operating in what was claimed to be separate premises were in fact in the same premises and therefore should be clubbed under the Electrici…

The landlord Balwant Singh filed an eviction suit which was appealed up to the Supreme Court. While the appeal was pending, the sole appellant died on 28 November 2007. The legal representatives filed applications on 15 April 2010, 778 days after the death, seeking to be brought on record under Order 22 Rule 3 CPC and …

The appellants were convicted of gang rape under s.376(2)(g) IPC based solely on the prosecutrix's testimony. The Supreme Court examined contradictions between the FIR, the prosecutrix's statements, and the accounts of her niece and nephew, who denied any intrusion. Forensic evidence showed no semen on the alleged clea…

The Supreme Court examined the implementation of the High Security Registration Plates (HSRP) scheme introduced under the Motor Vehicles Act, 1988 and the Motor Vehicles Rules, 1989. While earlier judgments upheld the Central Government's power to issue the scheme, many states failed to comply, either by delaying tende…

The appellant, Sri Bhagwan, was convicted for murdering Yogender Nath Bhargava by pouring acid on him, an offence initially registered under Section 326 IPC and later altered to Section 302 IPC. The prosecution relied on the testimony of two eyewitnesses (PW‑1 and PW‑3) who claimed to have seen the assault, and on the …

The appellant Akil @ Javed was convicted for murder (IPC s.302) and robbery (IPC s.392) along with a co‑accused. The prosecution relied on the testimony of several eye‑witnesses, especially PW‑20 who identified the appellant, and on the recovery of a Rado watch and gold chain from the appellant that were identified by …

Cicily Kallarackal filed Special Leave Petitions challenging Kerala High Court judgments that entertained writ petitions against orders of the National Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission (NCDRC). The Supreme Court examined two issues: (1) whether a High Court can entertain writ petitions under Article 226 against N…

The Supreme Court examined whether the New Okhla Industrial Development Authority could allow banks, nursing homes and other commercial activities in plots designated as residential under the Master Plan, lease deeds and the U.P. Industrial Area Development Act, 1976. The appellants had let their residential plot to a …

The case involved the murder of Gour Chandra Sarkar, for which six persons, including Surajit Sarkar, were charged. The trial court convicted Surajit under Section 302 IPC, while acquitting the other accused, and the High Court upheld this conviction. On appeal, the Supreme Court examined whether a cryptic telephonic c…

Gudu Ram was accused of assaulting his cousin Dalip Singh and another resident, Jai Pal Singh, with a wooden stick (thapi), resulting in Dalip Singh's death. The sole eyewitness, Jai Pal Singh, turned hostile during trial, yet the trial court and High Court convicted the appellant for murder under IPC s.302. On appeal,…

The appellant Deepak, along with four others, was convicted of offences under Sections 395, 396 and 397 of the Indian Penal Code for a dacoity that resulted in the death of one victim and grievous injuries to another. The appellant challenged the conviction on the grounds that the essential ingredient of five participa…

The appellant, Rakhal Debnath, was charged with abetment of suicide under Section 306 IPC and cruelty under Section 498A IPC after his wife died from severe burns within 35 days of their marriage. The prosecution alleged that the husband demanded money from his father‑in‑law, pledged his wife's jewellery, and maintaine…

The appellants were convicted for the murder of Pyara Singh, who died after being assaulted with lathis by four accused. The trial hinged on the testimony of three eye‑witnesses, including the victim's son and wife, while the post‑mortem report prepared by the government medical officer (PW3) claimed no injuries and fa…

The appellant, Brijesh Mavi, was charged with murder (IPC s.302) and possession of a counterfeit stamp (IPC s.460) read with s.34, as well as illegal possession of a firearm (Arms Act s.25). The sole eye‑witness identified only a different accused, and the appellant was later linked to the case through his own confessi…

The petitioner, Joydeep Mukharjee, filed a public interest litigation challenging the allotment of government lands in Salt Lake City, Kolkata, alleging that the Chief Minister's use of a discretionary quota was arbitrary, illegal, and violated the Master Plan as well as Articles 14 and 21 of the Constitution. The matt…

A complaint alleged that a former MLA and her husband conspired to illegally obtain government land using forged documents. The Special Judge framed charges, which the High Court set aside, quashed the charges against all accused, and transferred the case to another court, claiming the accused were denied a fair trial …

The respondents filed a suit seeking declaration of title and possession of land, which the appellants contended was forest land vested in the State of Andhra Pradesh. The State was a party in the trial court and the first appellate court but was not impleaded in the second appeal before the High Court. The High Court …

The State of Rajasthan appealed the acquittal of Shera Ram @ Vishnu Dutta, who had been found not guilty of murder, offences under Sections 302, 295 and 449 IPC on the ground that he was of unsound mind at the time of the incident. The trial court had convicted him, but the High Court reversed the conviction, accepting…