Mere Pendency of Appeal Does Not Bar Eviction Suit – Res Judicata Not Attracted Where Issues Are Not Identical: Andhra Pradesh High Court Right to Speedy Trial is a Fundamental Right under Article 21: Punjab & Haryana High Court Grants Bail Despite Recovery of Commercial Quantity Encroachments on River Puramboke Cannot Be Legalised or Protected Under the Guise of Long President was deemed to know that the property vested with the Municipal Council, yet failed to protect it: Karnataka High Court Upholds Disqualification of Municipal President for Misconduct Once the Term of Committee Ends, Right to Vote Ceases — Even if Name Remains in Voter List: Gujarat High Court Treating Equals Unequally Violates Article 14: Bombay High Court Strikes Down IOCL's Tiebreaker rule Preferring Younger Candidate in Tender Selection Mere Harassment Over Loan Recovery Not Abetment to Suicide: Punjab & Haryana High Court Upholds Acquittal in Vineet Kundu Case Taxpayer Cannot Be Penalized For Department's Mistake In Deposit Of GST — Allahabad High Court Directs NOIDA To Compensate The Taxpayer For Wrongful Imposition Of Tax And Penalty “When Large-Scale Fraud Vitiates Selection, En Masse Cancellation Is Inevitable: Supreme Court Validates Quashing of WBSSC 2016 Recruitment Reopening Based on Wrong Mutual Fund is No Reopening at All — Gujarat High Court Quashes Income Tax Notice for Lack of Nexus Between Allegation and Actual Transaction Exceeding Official Duty Does Not Automatically Remove Section 197 CrPC Protection: Supreme Court Quashed Proceedings Against Police Officials Possession Of A Higher Qualification Cannot Substitute The Qualification Prescribed Under  Rules: Supreme Court Upholds Rejection Of Candidate Without Required Lascar’s Licence Dismissal for Default Without Considering COVID Restrictions Was Illegal: Supreme Court Section 256 CrPC Does Not Mandate Automatic Acquittal On Complainant’s Absence — Judicial Satisfaction Is Mandatory: Supreme Court Judicial Test Likely as Waqf (Amendment) Bill Opens New Front on Constitutional Grounds Defence Under Places of Worship Act Opens Door for ASI's Impleadment: Supreme Court in Krishna Janmabhoomi Dispute

"NDPS" Digest

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...

Bail – Commercial Quantity of Ganja – Rebuttal of Statutory Presumption under Section 37 of the NDPS Act – Bail Granted - The petitioner was found in possession of 200 kg of ganja, classified as a commercial quantity under the NDPS Act, raising a statutory presumption against bail under Section 37 – The petitioner argued procedural violations, particularly improper sampling...

NDPS – Bail - Right to Speedy Trial – Bail Denial Despite Delayed Trial – Petitioners argued for bail due to delayed trials affecting their constitutional rights under Article 21 – Held: Despite the delay, the trial court demonstrated due despatch in recording witness depositions. The court rejected the bail application, upholding the balance between individual rights and n...

NDPS - Statutory Bail – Incomplete Charge Sheet – FSL Report Requirement – Entitlement to Bail – The petitioner, charged under Sections 21C/25/27A/29 of the NDPS Act, applied for statutory bail on the 183rd day, arguing that the charge sheet filed on the 177th day was incomplete due to the absence of the FSL report – Held: A charge sheet filed within 180 days without ...

Bail under NDPS Act – Commercial Quantity – Stringent Conditions of Section 37 – Bail Denied – The applicant, arrested at IGI Airport with 107 capsules containing heroin weighing 1,061 grams, sought bail contending improper sampling and delay in filing Section 52A application – Held: The seized contraband was well over the threshold of "commercial quantity" ...

Narcotic Drugs – Acquittal Reversed – Appeal against acquittal in a case under Section 20 of the NDPS Act – Accused charged with possession of 840 grams of charas – Trial Court acquitted the accused, citing non-compliance with Section 50 of the NDPS Act – On appeal, the High Court held that Section 50 applies only to personal searches, not to bags carried by the accus...

NDPS Act – Bail Petition – Pretrial Detention Unnecessary – The petitioner was apprehended in possession of heroin during a Nakka set up by the police. Investigation completed and charges filed. Held: Pretrial incarceration should be avoided unless necessary. Since no recovery is pending and there is no flight risk or evidence of past criminal history related to serious offences,...

NDPS Act – Commercial Quantity – Recovery of 602 gms Heroin – Bail Denied – The petitioner was found in possession of 602 gms of heroin, significantly above the commercial threshold – The Court held that compliance with Section 50 of the NDPS Act was properly executed, and the delay in submitting the contraband to the FSL was not unreasonable [Paras 2-15].   ...

Bail – Prolonged Incarceration – Section 436A CrPC – NDPS and Foreigners Act – Bail Granted – The petitioner, a Bangladeshi national, was arrested in April 2019 for possessing Yaba tablets and for entering India without valid documents – The petitioner has been in custody for over five years and five months, exceeding the maximum imprisonment period under the Fo...