Delhi High Court Frames Criminal Contempt Charges Against Advocate For Scandalizing Judge On LinkedIn After Cyber Cell Traces IP Logs Testimony Of Partially Hostile Witnesses Can Be Relied Upon If Corroborated: Delhi High Court Upholds Police Officer's Conviction Subordinate Engineers Entitled To Non-Functional Upgradation Even If Level 8 Reached Via MACP: Supreme Court FEMA Adjudicating Authority Cannot Overrule Competent Authority's Refusal To Confirm Asset Seizure: Supreme Court Candidate Cannot Claim Lower Preference Post After Securing First Choice Under Merit-Cum-Preference System: Madhya Pradesh High Court Official Cannot Escape Corruption Trial Merely Because 90% Payment Was Made Prior To His Joining: Calcutta High Court Employee Who Evades Cross-Examining Witnesses Cannot Later Claim 'No Evidence' In Departmental Enquiry: Andhra Pradesh High Court Fictitious Or Non-Genuine Revenue Entries Cannot Confer Adhivasi Rights Under UP Zamindari Abolition Act: Allahabad High Court Calcutta High Court Quashes Termination Of Compassionate Appointee Over Age Dispute, Says Such Claims Cannot Be Kept Pending Indefinitely Alleged Custodial Torture Does Not Automatically Attract Contempt Under 'D.K. Basu' Unless Specific Arrest Guidelines Are Violated: Gujarat High Court Authority Cannot Act As 'Judge In Own Cause'; Himachal Pradesh High Court Quashes Distillery License Cancellation Over Procedural Impropriety Financial Corporations Have Absolute Power To Fix Employee Pay, Prior State Govt Approval Not Required: Jharkhand High Court Custodial Interrogation Not Required For Police Inspector Accused Only Of Illegal Confinement Prior To Victim's Death: Karnataka High Court Rescission Of Contract Without Hearing Is Illegal; Courts Cannot Interfere In Second Appeal If Findings Rest On Unrebutted Evidence: Gauhati High Court RTI Penalty Proceedings Are Between Commission and SPIO Alone — Complainant Has No Right To Be Heard: Kerala High Court Catastrophic To Allow Law To Take Its Own Course: MP High Court Quashes POCSO, BNS FIR After Victim And Accused Marry No Presumption Under Section 20 PC Act Without Proof Of Demand And Acceptance: Telangana High Court Quashes Case Against Sub-Inspector Attack On Judicial Officers Is Criminal Contempt; Supreme Court Orders CBI/NIA Probe Into West Bengal Incident Prolonged Physical Relationship By Educated Woman Amounts To 'Promiscuity', Not Rape Induced By Misconception Of Fact: Punjab & Haryana High Court Father Cannot Escape Duty To Maintain Minor Children Merely Because Mother Earns Substantial Income: Uttarakhand High Court Divorced Wife Entitled To Maintenance; Mere Earning Capacity Not A Bar: Orissa High Court

"CRIMINAL LAW" Digest

Criminal Law – Bail – MCOCA and UAPA - Prolonged Incarceration – Constitutional Rights – Terror Case – Appellant accused of providing shelter to co-accused in 13/7 Mumbai bomb blasts – In custody for over 13.5 years – Trial commenced in 2021, only 167 out of 400 witnesses examined in over 4.5 years – Court held that indefinite pre-trial detention vio...

Criminal Law – Quashing - Rape – Consent obtained on false promise of marriage – Applicant sought quashing of charge-sheet under Section 376 IPC on ground that relationship with victim was consensual and based on mutual love – FIR alleged repeated sexual acts on assurance of marriage by applicant and his family’s approval – Victim’s statements under Sectio...

Criminal Procedure – Section 482 CrPC – Inherent Powers – Witness Examination via Video Conferencing – Material witness (PW-46), a 79-year-old foreign national with health issues and threats to safety, sought to be examined by CBI through video conferencing – Trial Court rejected plea citing VC Rules and risk to secrecy under Official Secrets Act – Held: Section...

Criminal Law – Cheque Dishonour – Appeal Against Acquittal – Appellant/complainant alleged supply of export garments worth ₹24.20 lakhs to accused partnership firm – Two cheques (₹2,37,785/- total) issued by accused were dishonoured for insufficient funds – Trial Court convicted all three accused under Section 138 NI Act – Lower Appellate Court acquitted acc...

Criminal Law – Murder – Acquittal – Appeal by State against acquittal of accused under Section 302/34 IPC for alleged murder of Vijay Kumar by head injury inflicted during a drunken altercation over unpaid debt – Prosecution relied on oral dying declarations made to family members – Medical evidence (PW2, PW3, PW6) confirmed deceased had 276.79 mg% blood alcohol and w...

Criminal Law – Corruption – Discharge – Prevention of Corruption Act – Accused public servants (Chairman and General Manager, HLL Lifecare Ltd.) alleged to have entered into criminal conspiracy with private party (M/s Rama Shipping Services) in awarding contract for export of iron ore – Advance of ₹2 crore released without bank guarantee, contrary to earlier agreeme...

Negotiable Instruments Act – Section 138 – Adjustment of Payment – Convict sought adjustment of ₹33,10,000 recovered by complainant in civil execution proceedings towards compensation of ₹1.5 crore imposed in criminal proceedings under Section 138 NI Act. Held: Section 357(5) CrPC permits adjustment of compensation paid or recovered in one proceeding against another relating ...

Criminal Law – House Trespass – Assault with Firearm – Conviction – Appellant convicted under Sections 452, 324 and 506(ii) IPC for unlawfully entering complainant’s residence at night and threatening with a country-made pistol – Prosecution established recovery of firearm, live and fired cartridges – Eyewitness accounts by daughter (PW-2) and complainant ...

Criminal Law – Direction to Register FIR – Section 175(3) BNSS – Judicial Cognizance – Trial Court directed police to register FIR on private complaint supported by proof of 17 RTGS transfers totaling ₹63,00,000 allegedly misappropriated by petitioner under guise of “fancy interest” investment – Held: Trial Court rightly found prima facie materials warra...

Criminal Law – Anticipatory Bail – Limited Role – Parity – FIR for offences under BNS, POCSO Act, and Prohibition of Child Marriage Act – Allegation against appellant limited to driving the vehicle – Other co-accused granted bail – High Court rejected anticipatory bail – Held: Appellant had no overt act vis-à-vis victim – Anticipatory ba...