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 Limitation Period Starts From Date Of Knowledge Of Document, Not From When Certified Copy Is Obtained: Madras High Court Mere Mass Transfer Of Officers By Election Commission Does Not Paralyse State Machinery: Calcutta High Court Dismisses PIL

"CRIMINAL LAW" Digest

Criminal Law – Rash and Negligent Driving – Conviction under Sections 279, 338, 304-A IPC – Modification of Sentence – Applicant, a state transport driver, convicted for rash and negligent driving causing death and injuries – Trial Court and Appellate Court concurrently held him guilty – High Court found no perversity in findings – However, considering the...

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...

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 – Kidnapping for Ransom and Murder – Conviction based on circumstantial and eyewitness evidence – Kidnapping of a 16-year-old schoolboy for ransom of ₹50 lakhs – Victim found murdered by administering chloroform and pentazocine (Fortwin) overdose – Recoveries made at instance of accused – Held: Chain of circumstances complete and consistent only w...

Criminal Law – Rape – Conviction based on sole testimony of prosecutrix – Corroboration not a rule of law – Victim’s evidence found trustworthy and consistent with medical and circumstantial evidence – Minor inconsistencies or absence of injuries not fatal – Absence of chemical examination of clothes or injuries cannot undermine credible testimony – ...

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...

NDPS Act – Search and Seizure – Section 50 – Applicability limited to “personal search” – Search of a bag carried by accused does not attract Section 50 – Expression “search of person” excludes baggage, briefcase, or container – Constitution Bench ruling in State of Punjab v. Baldev Singh and subsequent cases (Madan Lal v. State of Himach...

Contempt of Court – Quasi-criminal nature – Standard of proof – Proceedings under the Contempt of Courts Act, 1971 are quasi-criminal in nature and demand the same standard of proof as in criminal trials – Punishment can be imposed only for wilful disobedience proved beyond reasonable doubt – Benefit of doubt must go to the alleged contemnor [Paras 9, 13, 20]. Proc...

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...

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...