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

Human Rights Violation – Compensation and Systemic Reforms – Disability Rights in Prisons – The Supreme Court examined the appeal by a disabled advocate who was falsely implicated, illegally arrested, and incarcerated without adequate medical care and reasonable accommodations – The Court upheld the enhancement of compensation to ₹5,00,000/- for custodial torture by polic...

  Criminal Law - Bribery and Conspiracy Allegation – Demand and Acceptance of Illegal Gratification – Sections 7, 13(1)(d), 13(2), Prevention of Corruption Act – Appeal Allowed – The appellant, an Assistant Administrative Officer, was accused of demanding bribe along with a superior officer for claim settlement in an insurance matter – Initially acquitted by t...

Regular Bail – Section 18 of the NDPS Act - Long Incarceration Before Trial Conclusion – Grant of Bail Justified – The petitioner faced prolonged incarceration exceeding 2 years 10 months on allegation of recovery of 2.6 kg opium – Court noted the trial’s slow progress with only 5 out of 13 witnesses examined after charges framed – Citing improbability of carryi...

Domestic Violence Act – Penal Action under Section 31 – Breach of Monetary Relief – Conviction Set Aside – The petitioner challenged the appellate court’s order setting aside the respondent's conviction for non-payment of interim maintenance awarded under Section 23 of the D.V. Act – The High Court held that only breach of ‘protection orders’ und...

Criminal Law - Quashing of Criminal Proceedings – Non-Compliance of Summons – Section 174 IPC vs. Section 117 Customs Act – Complaint Quashed – The petitioner challenged the criminal complaint and Non-Bailable Warrants issued against him for non-compliance of a summons under Section 108 Customs Act – Held: The Customs Act is a complete code providing a specific penalt...

Criminal Law - Concurrent Running of Sentences – Right to Life and Personal Liberty – Direction Issued – Writ Petition Allowed – The petitioner challenged the cumulative sentence of nine years resulting from six convictions under Section 136 of the Electricity Act, all awarded on the same day on basis of plea bargaining – The Court noted non-exercise of discretion und...

Criminal Law - Quashing of FIR – Abuse of Criminal Process – Civil Dispute Given Criminal Colour – FIR Quashed – The appellants challenged the High Court’s order dismissing their petition under Section 482 CrPC seeking quashing of FIR No. 771/2020 involving alleged cheating and criminal breach of trust in a land sale transaction – The Supreme Court held that the...

Judicial Service Law - Strictures Against Judicial Officer – Principles of Natural Justice – Unwarranted Strictures Expunged – Appeal Allowed – The appellant, a Judicial Officer in Rajasthan, challenged the adverse remarks made by the High Court against him while granting bail to an accused without considering criminal antecedents – The Supreme Court held that the Hig...

Criminal Law - Section 138 of the – Cheque Bounce - Expert Evidence – Request for Second Expert Opinion after Adverse Private Report – Petition Dismissed – Petitioner sought to refer signatures on the cheque to a Government Forensic Expert after already examining a private forensic expert whose opinion was discarded by the trial court – Court held that when the petiti...

Murder and Rape Conviction – Circumstantial Evidence – Guilt Not Proved – Conviction Set Aside – Appellant convicted under Sections 302, 376, 397 IPC and sentenced to death on circumstantial evidence—Supreme Court held prosecution failed to establish a complete chain of circumstances linking appellant to the crime—last seen evidence found unreliable—confes...