Constitutional Law – Article 19 – Validity of Section 144 CrPC – Wide powers conferred on magistrates under Section 144 CrPC challenged as violative of the fundamental rights to free speech and peaceful assembly – Held: Powers under Section 144 are preventive in nature, meant to deal with urgent situations to maintain public order – Exercise of such power is judicial ...
Service Law – Trade Tax Officers – Limited Departmental Examination, 1987 – 97 posts withdrawn from UPPSC due to delays – Cabinet approved departmental selection – Appointments in 1987 described as ad hoc owing to interim High Court orders – Held: Government intended substantive appointments – 1987 appointees deemed substantively appointed from date of ini...
Criminal Law – Quashing of FIR – Scope of Section 482 CrPC – Principles reiterated from Bhajan Lal case – FIRs and charge-sheets cannot be quashed merely on allegations of mala fides if prima facie material discloses cognizable offence – Mala fides of complainant irrelevant when ingredients of offence exist – High Court rightly observed its jurisdiction under Se...
NDPS Act – Suspension of Sentence – Section 389 CrPC / Section 430 BNSS – Commercial Quantity – Appellant convicted for possession of 25.086 kg ganja and sentenced to RI for 10 years with fine of ₹1,00,000 – Application for suspension of sentence during pendency of appeal – Held: Recovery of commercial quantity attracts rigour of Section 37 NDPS Act – Gr...
Criminal Law – Discharge – Scope under Sections 438 & 442 BNSS (Corresponding to Sections 227–228 CrPC) – Revision against rejection of discharge – Petitioner/Accused No.11 sought discharge on the ground that his name did not appear in FIR or witness statements and that the only material against him was the confession of Accused No.4 before police – Held: At...
Criminal Law – SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, 1989 – Anticipatory Bail – Bar under Section 18 – Applicability to Accused Added under Section 319 CrPC – Jurisdiction of High Court – Respondent added as accused under Section 319 CrPC in case involving offence punishable under Section 3(2)(v) of the 1989 Act – High Court granted anticipatory ...
Section 528 BNSS - Right to Travel Abroad – Article 21 of Constitution – Permission to Study Overseas Granted – The petitioner, a 21-year-old student, sought permission to go abroad for higher studies in Germany but was denied by the trial court on apprehension of absconding – Held: Right to travel abroad is an integral facet of personal liberty under Article 21 – Cou...
Family Law – Paternity Dispute – DNA Test Sought by Father – Request Denied – Maintenance Proceedings – Presumption of Legitimacy Upheld – Petitioner-husband challenged trial court’s refusal to order DNA testing of minor child during pendency of wife's maintenance petition under Section 125 CrPC – Held: No prima facie material produced by petitio...
Criminal Law – Dacoity with Murder – Minimum Number of Participants – Conviction Under Section 396 IPC – Illegal When Fewer Than Five Accused Found Guilty Without Finding of Others’ Participation – Conviction Set Aside – Trial court convicted four out of six accused under Section 396 IPC while acquitting two others without recording any finding that five o...
Criminal Law – Rape – Sentencing – Reduction Below Minimum Without Special Reasons – Held: High Court Erred in Reducing Sentence Without Recording Adequate and Special Reasons as Mandated Under Section 376 IPC – Sentence Enhanced – Trial court convicted respondent under Sections 366 and 376 IPC and sentenced him to 3 and 7 years RI respectively – High Cour...