Parole – Repetition of Petitions – Petitioner sought parole for the daughter’s marriage, previously filed and withdrawn – Concealment of relevant orders – Fresh petition dismissed due to identical cause of action with only a change in marriage date – Petitioner’s conduct deprecable for concealment and repetitive filing [Paras 1-8].
Maintenance...
Criminal Law – Bail – Parity with Co-accused – Petitioners sought regular bail on the grounds of parity with co-accused who were similarly situated and had already been granted bail. The petitioners had been in custody for over a year and there was prima facie evidence connecting them to the offense. However, considering the parity principle, the prolonged incarceration without t...
Criminal Law – Rape Conviction – Appellant convicted for rape and impregnating a minor girl – Trial court sentenced appellant to 12 years R.I. and fines – High Court notes discrepancies in prosecution’s case and victim’s contradictory statements – Victim and her mother retracted accusations, stating pressure from villagers – No substantial evidence p...
Criminal Law – Recall of Witness – Petition challenging the recall of a key witness (PW-2) for re-examination – Respondent sought recall to correct errors and omissions during prior cross-examination conducted by a legal aid counsel – Trial Court’s decision to allow recall upheld – No manifest error in Trial Court’s decision; re-examination deemed necessar...
Alleged Sexual Harassment by Teachers – Conviction of appellants (A-1 and A-2) under Section 12 of the POCSO Act and Section 506 IPC for sexually harassing a minor girl student – Incident involving gifting of flowers and chocolate on Valentine's Day and threatening remarks – High Court upheld Special Court's decision – Contradictions in testimony and lack of corrobo...
NDPS Act – Compliance with Section 52A(2) – Bail Application – Appellant convicted for possession of 610 gms of smack under Section 8(C) read with 21(c) of the NDPS Act. Bail application based on alleged non-compliance with mandatory procedures under Section 52A(2) of the Act, which requires the presence of a Magistrate during the sampling and certification of seized contraband &...
Speedy Trial – Right under Article 21 of the Constitution – Inordinate delays in FSL report preparation impacting criminal trials, especially under the NDPS Act – Court constituted Committees for systemic reform – Recognizing the constitutional right to a speedy trial, this Court took suo moto cognizance of delays in the preparation and filing of Forensic Science Laboratory...
Criminal Law - Section 307 IPC – Acquittal Set aside - Requirement of Grievous Injury – Not Essential – The trial court's view that grievous injury is an essential requirement for conviction under Section 307 IPC is incorrect – Held: To convict under Section 307 IPC, it is not necessary that the injury should be capable of causing death. The intent or knowledge with whi...
Criminal Law – Acquittal – Appeal against Armed Forces Tribunal’s order setting aside conviction – Respondent, an Air Force officer, charged under Section 302 IPC read with Section 149, and alternatively under Sections 325, 342 IPC, along with charges under Sections 45, 65, and 71 of the Air Force Act, 1950 (AFA) – General Court Martial (GCM) initially convicted the r...
Income Tax – Notice under Section 148 – Requirement for Effective Opportunity of Hearing – Section 148A of the Income Tax Act – Adequate Opportunity Not Provided - The petitioner challenged the issuance of a reassessment notice under Section 148 of the Income Tax Act, alleging that he was not given sufficient time to respond to the show-cause notice under Section 148A(b) &n...