Dowry Death – Section 304B IPC – Husband’s Liability Upheld – Deceased Found Hanging in Matrimonial Home – Appeal Dismissed – The appellant, Raja Lal Singh, was the husband of the deceased who died within seven months of marriage due to hanging – Evidence showed repeated dowry harassment including shortly before her death – Held: Ingredients of Secti...
Rape – Conviction under Section 376 IPC – Not Sustainable – Medical evidence showed presence of semen but no signs of forcible intercourse or injuries on victim – No evidence of absence of consent – Prosecution failed to have accused medically examined after recovery – Held: Conviction under Section 376 IPC set aside [Paras 8, 21].
Circumstantial Evidence &nd...
Cheque Dishonour – Vicarious Liability of Directors – Sections 138 and 141 of the Negotiable Instruments Act – Criminal Proceedings Quashed – Appellant filed complaint against company directors alleging cheque dishonour – Supreme Court held that mere designation as directors is insufficient – In absence of specific averments that respondents were in charge of an...
NDPS Act – Section 42 – Mandatory or Directory – Compliance Requirement – Constitutional Bench Clarification – Conflict between Abdul Rashid Ibrahim Mansuri and Sajan Abraham resolved – Held: Total non-compliance with Section 42 impermissible – Delayed compliance with satisfactory explanation permissible – Compliance with Section 42(1) and 42(2) shou...
Criminal Procedure Code – Section 482 – Inherent Powers – Quashing of FIR – Territorial Jurisdiction – Abuse of Process – Marriage between parties solemnized in India but matrimonial life and alleged offences occurred in Canada—FIR lodged in India by complainant’s father, a Canadian resident and retired police officer, alleging dowry misappropriation...
Criminal Law – Murder – Appeal Against Acquittal – Standard of Review – Trial court acquitted appellants accused of stabbing deceased following a dispute over money—High Court reversed acquittal and convicted under Sections 302/34 IPC and 4/25 Arms Act—Supreme Court held that the trial court’s view was plausible based on inconsistencies in eyewitness testi...
Criminal Law – Prevention of Corruption Act – Demand and Acceptance of Bribe – Presumption under Section 20 – Appellant, a Sub-Inspector of Police, convicted for demanding and accepting Rs. 500/- as illegal gratification to prevent registration of a case arising out of a land dispute – Trial court acquitted the accused citing procedural lapses, hostile witnesses, and ...
Electricity Act – Theft of Energy – Presumption under Section 39 – Use of Artificial Means Not Established – Reversal of Acquittal Unwarranted – Accused, a company director, was convicted by High Court under Sections 39 and 44 of the Indian Electricity Act on the basis of alleged tampering with the meter box and abnormal electricity consumption – Supre...
Criminal Law – Rape and Murder of Minor – Conviction Set Aside – Appellant was convicted and sentenced to death for kidnapping, raping, and murdering a 7-year-old girl – Trial court’s conviction confirmed by the High Court – Supreme Court set aside conviction due to glaring lapses in investigation, procedural violations, and unreliability of circumstantial evide...
Criminal Procedure – Recall and Review – High Court’s Jurisdiction – No Power to Review Order Under Section 482 CrPC / Section 528 BNSS – High Court allowed transfer of investigation to CBI after recalling its earlier reasoned order that only directed fair investigation by police – Supreme Court held: Recalling earlier order amounted to review, which is impermis...