Criminal Law – Quashing of FIR – Causing Death by Negligence – Section 304-A IPC – Conviction – Petitioner convicted under Sections 304-A & 279 IPC based on death caused due to rash and negligent driving of a JCB – Post-conviction, compromise reached with complainant (father of deceased) – Held: Compromise between accused and legal heirs of deceased ca...
Criminal Law – Default Bail – Interpretation of BNSS – Petitioners arrested on 10.05.2025 and remained in custody for 90 days – Application for default bail under Section 187(3) BNSS filed on 12.08.2025 – Charge-sheet not filed within statutory period – Trial court rejected application relying on Odisha amendment to CrPC providing 120-day period – Held: BN...
Negotiable Instruments – Cheque Dishonour – Secondary Evidence – Original Cheque Lost – Complainant sought to mark photocopy of cheque under Section 65 of Evidence Act after discovering original was missing – Trial Court rejected plea citing lack of explanation and absence of return memo – Held: Respondent had not denied existence of cheque but only disputed ink...
Criminal Law – Murder – Last Seen Theory – Conviction Based on Circumstantial Evidence – Govind last seen alive with accused Ashok Kumar and his two accomplices (identified later as Gore @ Ujagar Singh and Ramdas) on 9.4.1983 at 8:30 PM – Dead body recovered on 10.4.1983 at 2 PM – Post-mortem confirmed death by strangulation around 11 PM on 9.4.1983 – Held...
Criminal Law – Discharge of Accused – Sections 227 and 228 CrPC – Trial court discharged public officials and contractors accused of conspiracy, corruption, and loss to exchequer in road projects executed during 2007–2009 – High Court upheld discharge, holding that the record failed to establish prima facie misuse of official position, fraudulent conspiracy, or wrongf...
Criminal Law – Quashing of Proceedings – POCSO and IPC Charges – Applicant No. 1 accused of kidnapping and sexual offences against a minor under IPC and POCSO Act – Victim’s statements under Sections 161 and 164 CrPC indicated consensual relationship and denial of sexual intercourse – Medical examination showed no injury – Victim declared major as per medi...
Criminal Law – Summoning of Additional Accused – Section 319 CrPC – Standard of Proof – Mother of minor victim sought summoning of grandmother and paternal aunts on the ground of alleged suppression and non-reporting of child sexual abuse – Trial Court rejected application noting that no new or compelling evidence had emerged during trial beyond what was already part ...
Criminal Law – Bail – POCSO and JJ Act Offences – Parity with Co-Accused – Petitioner charged under multiple IPC, JJ Act and POCSO provisions for alleged torture and abuse of a 3-year-old foster child – Other co-accused including petitioner’s husband (prime accused) granted bail – Held: On ground of parity and similar footing in charges, petitioner entitle...
Criminal Law – Murder – Acquittal – Appellants convicted under Sections 302/34 IPC and 25/27 Arms Act for alleged brutal killing of a woman – Trial court sentenced them to life imprisonment – High Court found serious discrepancies in prosecution evidence – FIR silent on gunshot injuries – Medical report shows death by gunshot, but no bullet was recovered a...
Preventive Detention – PIT NDPS Act – Habeas Corpus – Detention order and confirmation order quashed due to non-consideration of representation by State Government independent of Advisory Board opinion – Failure to apprise detenu of right to represent to Central Government – Non-consideration of bail orders vitiates detention order – Held: Detention illegal and ...