Criminal Law - Murder – Death Penalty Converted to Life – Circumstantial Evidence Corroborated by Confessional Statement – Accused Prakash Patil convicted for murdering six family members including his brother, mother, and nieces over a land dispute – Court relied on motive, recovery of blood-stained clothes and shoes, medical evidence of gun impact injury, and escape from ...
Criminal Law - Rape and Murder of Minor – Conviction Set Aside – Acquittal Ordered – The appellant was convicted for rape and murder of a 5-year-old child and sentenced to death by the trial court—High Court upheld the conviction but commuted death sentence to life imprisonment—Supreme Court held that none of the circumstantial evidence established guilt beyond reason...
Criminal Law – NDPS Offence – Conviction Based on Confession – Acquittal – Appellant convicted for possession of narcotic substance based on his confessional statement to Superintendent of Excise and co-accused’s statement – Held: Excise Officers under Bihar & Orissa Excise Act are “police officers” within meaning of Section 25 of Evidence Act &n...
Criminal Law - Murder – Common Intention – Conviction under Section 302, 34 IPC Upheld – Appellants jointly assaulted their brother with lathis and chura leading to his death – Though no formal charge under Section 34 IPC, Supreme Court held that common intention was evident from the manner of attack, refusal to stop even after intervention, and denial of water to the injur...
Criminal Law – Bail – Abetment of Suicide – Charge-sheet filed under Section 306 IPC after initial FIR for murder – Allegations based on last-seen theory and post-mortem injuries – Doctor’s opinion ruled out strangulation – Court held that cause of death was drowning and injuries were simple and ante-mortem – Bail granted considering petitioner&rsquo...
Criminal Law – Section 482 CrPC – Quashing of FIR & criminal proceedings – High Court’s powers are not limited by bar under Section 320 CrPC – Where matrimonial disputes are settled amicably, FIR or complaint under Sections 498A/406 IPC can be quashed to secure ends of justice – Hyper-technical view would defeat purpose of law meant to protect women [Paras 2...
Bail – BNSS Ss. 480 & 483 – Grant of Bail with Stringent Conditions – Petition Allowed – Accused allegedly conspired with co-accused to steal phones, debit card, confine complainant, attempt strangulation, and extort money; already faced multiple arrests in connected crimes in 2024–25 – Held: Considering detention of 67 days, completion of major investigatio...
Land Acquisition – Discrimination in Exclusion of Land – Unequal Treatment of Similar Cases – Orders Quashed – Appellants challenged land acquisition under Section 6 of the Land Acquisition Act, 1894, alleging arbitrary and discriminatory exclusion of other similarly situated landowners whose properties had structures – Government excluded certain plots with 'A...
Criminal Law – Quashing - FIR, Investigation, Search and Seizure – CrPC Sections 154, 156, 157, 165 and PC Act Section 13 – Appeal Allowed – High Court erred in quashing G.D. Entry, FIR, investigation and directing return of seized articles – Held: G.D. Entry disclosed cognizable offence of demand and acceptance of ₹1 lakh bribe; it could be treated as FIR; sufficie...
Criminal Revision – Discharge – BNSS Ss. 438 & 442 – PC Act S. 13(1)(c), (d) r/w 13(2) – IPC Ss. 409, 420, 120B – Refusal to Discharge Upheld – Allegation that Board-level approval enabled supply of limestone at ₹689.87/MT against an earlier ₹621/MT with inferior quality/quantity, causing loss to Malabar Cements Ltd – Held: On materials placed, a p...