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

Negotiable Instruments – Section 138 Conviction – Compounding of Offence Permitted – Revision petitioner convicted for dishonour of cheque – Conviction upheld in appeal – During pendency of revision, parties entered into joint compromise – Entire amount of Rs. 2,00,000/- paid and acknowledged by complainant – Held: In view of settlement, offence compounded...

Criminal Law – Murder – Conviction Based on Direct Evidence – FIR Delay – Identification of Decomposed Body – DNA Report – Role of MLA Accused – Appeals Dismissed – Jai Prakash Singh, father of the informant (PW-8), was abducted and murdered on 20.08.2015 by a mob of over 20 persons allegedly associated with a caste-based political meeting – PW...

Maintenance – Section 125 Cr.P.C. – Quantum – Concealment of Income – Revision Dismissed – Revisionist-husband, a company director, challenged Family Court order directing payment of ₹20,000/- p.m. each to wife and daughter – He alleged that maintenance was excessive considering his income of ₹2.4 lakh p.a. – Wife alleged concealment of true income and...

Proclaimed Person – Quashment – BNSS S.528; CrPC S.82(2); NI Act S.138 – Non-service at correct address; cumulative compliance under S.82(2) mandatory – Proclamation dated 21-09-2023 quashed conditionally (surrender by 30-09-2025; Rs 10,000 costs; bail on bonds) – Petition allowed; non-compliance to entail dismissal. Proclaimed Person—Quashment—Section ...

Negotiable Instruments Act – Section 141 – Vicarious liability – Directors and officers of company – Mere designation as Director insufficient to attract criminal liability under Section 141 – Complaint must contain specific averments showing how and in what manner the accused was in charge of and responsible for the conduct of company’s business – Bald, m...

Criminal Procedure – Cognizance – Section 202(2) CrPC – Requirement to examine “all witnesses” in complaint cases triable exclusively by Sessions Court – Held: The proviso to Section 202(2) is directory and not mandatory – Non-examination of all witnesses by the complainant does not vitiate the order of cognizance if the Magistrate is satisfied that a prim...

Criminal Law – Anticipatory Bail – Economic Offences – Denial – Petitioner, former TUDA Chairman and Accused No.39 in ₹3200 crore liquor scam, sought anticipatory bail under Section 482 BNSS – Allegations include misuse of government vehicle for transporting unaccounted cash during 2024 General Elections – Held: Prima facie material including toll data and wit...

Warrant of Arrest – BNSS, 2023 – Calcutta HC upholds Magistrate’s order showing petitioner as absconder in municipal forgery case despite his compliance with Section 179 BNSS notice; revision dismissed. Criminal Procedure – Warrant of Arrest – BNSS, 2023 – Magistrate’s Order – Petitioner shown as absconder in charge-sheet despite compliance with S...

Criminal Law – Attempt to Murder – Section 307 IPC – Accused fired two gunshots at complainant over irrigation dispute – Medical and ocular evidence consistent with prosecution version – Defence plea of accidental firing rejected – Held: Prosecution proved guilt beyond reasonable doubt – Knowledge of likelihood of causing death sufficient to attract Sectio...

Criminal Law – Dying Declaration – Section 32(1), Evidence Act – Section 162(2), CrPC – Statement of deceased recorded by Head Constable after medical certification of fitness held admissible as dying declaration. There is no mandatory requirement that such declaration must be recorded by a Magistrate or Doctor. What is essential is voluntariness, truth, and fitness of make...