Auction Purchaser Has No Vested Right Without Sale Confirmation: Calcutta HC Upholds Borrower’s Redemption Right Under Pre-Amendment SARFAESI Law Mere Breach of Promise to Marry Doesn’t Amount to Rape: Delhi High Court Acquits Man in False Rape Case Father Is the Natural Guardian After Mother’s Death, Mere Technicalities Cannot Override Welfare of Child: Orissa High Court Restores Custody to Biological Father Assets of Wife and Father-in-Law Can Be Considered in Disproportionate Assets Case Against Public Servant: Kerala High Court Refuses Discharge Identification Without TIP, Electronic Records Without 65B Certificate – Conviction Set Aside: Patna High Court Nothing Inflicts A Deeper Wound On Our Constitutional Culture Than A State Official Running Berserk Regardless Of Human Rights: Jharkhand High Court Orders ₹1.5 Lakh Interim Compensation Dishonour Due to ‘Account Blocked’ Not Attributable to Drawer—No Offence Under Section 138 NI Act: Delhi High Court Quashes Criminal Proceedings Presumption Under Section 139 NI Act Cannot Be Rebutted By Mere Assertions: Delhi High Court Affirms Conviction In 32-Year-Old Cheque Bounce Case Signature Alone Doesn’t Prove Debt: Kerala High Court Upholds Acquittal in Cheque Bounce Case, Rejects Blanket Presumption Under Section 139 NI Act Justice Cannot Be Left to Guesswork: Supreme Court Mandates Structured Judgments in Criminal Trials Across India Truth Must Be Proven Beyond Doubt—Not Built On Flawed FIRs, Tainted Witnesses And Investigative Gaps: Supreme Court Acquits Man in POCSO Rape-Murder Case Once parties agree and reconciliation is impossible, a fault-based decree is unnecessary: Supreme Court Sets Aside Divorce on Desertion No Escape from Statutory Ceiling: Exclusive Expenditure by Foreign Head Offices Also Attracts Section 44C Income Tax: Supreme Court Loss Of A Child Cannot Be Calculated In Rupees, But Law Must At Least Offer Dignity In Compensation: Supreme Court Enhances Compensation Sessions Court Cannot Direct Life Imprisonment Till Natural Life Without Remission: Supreme Court Reasserts Limits on Sentencing Powers of Subordinate Courts ‘Continuously Means Without a Single Break’: Supreme Court Bars Expired-and-Renewed Licences From Police Driver Recruitment Chief Justice’s Power Under Section 51(3) Is Independent and Continuing: Supreme Court Upholds Kolhapur Bench Notification Last Seen Evidence Alone Cannot Sustain Conviction: Supreme Court Acquits Accused in Murder Case No Cultivation on Forest Land Without Central Clearance: Supreme Court Cancels Lease Over 134 Acres, Orders Reforestation Appointment from Rank List Must Respect Communal Rotation: SC Declines Claim of SC Waitlisted Candidate After Resignation of Appointee Supreme Court Dissolves 20-Year Estranged Marriage Under Article 142 Despite Wife’s Objection Murder Inside Temple Cannot Be Treated Lightly: Supreme Court Cancels Bail of Father-Son Convicts in Group Killing Case

"CRIMINAL LAW" Digest

Criminal Law - Quashing of Criminal Proceedings – Inherent Powers under Section 482 CrPC – Alternative Remedy Available – The applicant sought quashing of proceedings under Section 406 IPC – Held: In view of recent Supreme Court decisions, inherent jurisdiction should not be exercised when efficacious statutory remedy exists – Application under Section 482 CrPC not ma...

Criminal Revision – Conviction under Arms Act – Acquittal Ordered – Petitioner was convicted under Sections 25(1-B)(a) and 26 of the Arms Act for alleged illegal possession of a country-made pistol and cartridges – Trial Court and Appellate Court upheld the conviction – High Court on revision found discrepancies in recovery location and nature of ammunition – He...

Criminal Law - Sections 3(1)(viii), 3(1)(ix), and 3(2)(vii) of the SC/ST Act – Quashing of Proceedings under Section 482 CrPC – High Court Order Upheld – Appellant alleged mala fide prosecution by public officials for opposing wrongful land allotment – High Court found no evidence of caste-based discrimination or mala fide intention – Held: The initiation of proceedin...

  Criminal Law - Section 193, 406, 418, 420, 423, 468, 469 of IPC - Criminal Complaint – Second Quashing Petition – Not Maintainable – Review Impermissible – The High Court allowed a second quashing petition under Section 482 CrPC, despite an earlier petition on identical grounds having been dismissed – Held: Raising previously available pleas in a second peti...

Criminal Law - Sections 342 and 376 IPC - Conviction for Rape and Wrongful Confinement – Delay in FIR – Explanation Satisfactory – Conviction Upheld – FIR lodged after 20 hours due to young age of victim and long distance to police station – Victim’s statement consistent and corroborated by medical and documentary evidence – Held: Delay not fatal – C...

Criminal Taxation Law - Habeas Corpus – Illegal Detention – Arrest Declared Illegal – Constitutional Safeguards Violated – In a petition under Article 226 seeking release of the detenue, the Court found that the Directorate General of GST Intelligence officials had kept the detenue in custody for over 30 hours without presenting him before a Magistrate and without serving g...

Criminal Appeal – Conviction under Section 302/149 and 147 IPC – Sentence Modified for Juvenility – Appeal filed against conviction and sentence of life imprisonment for murder committed by unlawful assembly – Appellants Chhedi and Madan claimed to be below 16 years of age at the time of offence – Court accepted school leaving certificate and municipal birth records &...

Quashing of Criminal Proceedings – Section 376 IPC – Exception in Peculiar Circumstances – Continuation Unnecessary – The appeals arose from refusal by High Court to quash criminal cases including Section 376 IPC despite mutual settlement – Supreme Court noted second FIR (376 IPC) was lodged immediately after first FIR by opposite side and complainant categorically ex...

Criminal Law - Murder  – Circumstantial Evidence – Section 302/120-B IPC – Conviction Upheld - The appellant challenged her conviction for conspiring to murder a 9-year-old boy through a child in conflict with law by drowning him in a stepwell – The prosecution’s case was based on circumstantial evidence comprising six factors: family dispute (motive), incriminat...

Dishonour of Cheque – Lack of Authorization – Conviction under Section 138 of NI Act Set Aside – The accused issued a cheque in settlement of a failed property transaction where consideration was paid jointly by the complainant and another individual – The accused challenged the maintainability of the complaint on the ground that the complainant alone could not prosecute wi...