Criminal Law - Conviction for Murder and Unlawful Assembly - Appellants challenged the conviction under Sections 147, 148, 302 r/w 149, and 307 r/w 149 IPC - Supreme Court upheld the conviction and sentences - Appellants' participation as part of the unlawful assembly with common object to commit murder established - No active role needed for conviction under Section 149 IPC [Paras 1-33].
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Criminal Law - Conviction based on Testimony of Chance Witness - Appeal against conviction under Section 302 IPC - Testimony of chance witness lacked corroboration and was unreliable - Conviction set aside - The court held that reliance on an uncorroborated chance witness was rash, especially given the improbabilities in the witness's account and his delayed reporting of the incident. The chan...
Criminal Law – Discharge Application – Appellant sought discharge from charges of rape and criminal intimidation – Lower courts dismissed the application, framing charges based on prima facie evidence – Supreme Court re-evaluates the sufficiency of evidence, including contradictions in prosecutrix’s statements and lack of material evidence [Paras 1-19].
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Criminal Law - Bail Application - Compliance with Statutory Provisions - NDPS Act: Application for regular bail under Section 439 CrPC - Allegation of non-compliance with Sections 42 and 50 of the NDPS Act in the search and seizure process - Held, the Sub-Inspector duly sent the information to his superior officer as required by Section 42(2) NDPS Act - The contention that the officer who conveyed...
Criminal Law – Appeal against Acquittal – Narcotic Possession – Respondent acquitted of possessing 900 grams of charas by trial court – High Court dismisses State’s appeal due to lack of compelling evidence and procedural flaws in the investigation – Critical emphasis on the reliability of witness testimonies and adherence to legal procedures – Significant...
Criminal Law – Quashing of Proceedings – Petitioners sought to quash the order of the Judicial Magistrate, Jamshedpur, directing police investigation under Section 156(3) Cr.P.C. and the subsequent criminal proceedings – Dispute arising from termination of a contract and allegations of non-payment and withholding of machinery – Held: Dispute is civil in nature, arising from...
Criminal Law – Conviction Reversal – Evidence Analysis: Appeal against conviction for assault causing death under Section 304 Part II IPC – Trial court convicted appellant based on testimonies and medical evidence – High Court finds inconsistencies in prosecution evidence and lack of explanation for gaps in medical treatment – Judgment and sentence set aside [Paras 1-...
Criminal Law - Corporate Criminal Liability - Vicarious Liability - Vicarious Liability and Role of Bank in Criminal Complaint – Complaint filed against petitioner, Recovery Manager of HDFC Bank, alleging misappropriation and damage of a machine taken into possession by the bank – Bank not arrayed as accused – Held, vicarious liability, if any, is of the bank, which is not a...
Indian Penal Code, 1860 - Sections 302, 307, 506, 148, 149 - Conviction - Complainant party alleged accused of committing murder - Medical evidence indicated a 12 bore shot fired from close range, contradicting the complainant's version of indiscriminate firing from a distance - Held, the medical evidence did not support the ocular version of the complainant and eyewitnesses - Conviction set a...
Criminal Law – Negotiable Instruments Act – Vicarious Liability of Directors – Ex-Director Liability – Petitioner resigned prior to issuance of disputed cheque – Form No. 32 and annual return showed resignation – Held, Magistrate not justified in summoning petitioner without specific averments in the complaint regarding his role in conduct of company’s bus...