Cognizance Is of the Offence, Not the Offender: Madras High Court Rejects Challenge to ED’s Supplementary Complaint in PMLA Case Acquittal in Rajasthan No Bar to Trial in Madhya Pradesh: MP High Court Rejects Double Jeopardy Plea in Antiquities Theft Case 20% Deposit Isn’t Automatic in Cheque Bounce Appeals: Right to Appeal Can’t Be Priced Out: Punjab & Haryana High Court Checks Mechanical Use of Section 148 NI Act A Child Is Not a Non-Earner: Punjab & Haryana High Court Sets New Benchmark in Compensation for Minors’ Deaths 90 Days Is Not Sacrosanct – Courts Can Permit Reply to Counter-Claim Even Beyond Prescribed Time in Interest of Justice: Punjab & Haryana High Court Magistrate Can Proceed Only for Offences Committed in India Until Sanction Is Obtained for Acts Outside India: Orissa High Court on International Financial Fraud Award Is Vitiated by Non-Consideration of Material Evidence: Orissa High Court Sets Aside Industrial Tribunal’s Wage Award in IMFA Case POCSO | Absence of Child's Name in Birth Certificate Not Fatal: Kerala High Court No One Has the Right to Impute Illicit Motives to Judges in the Name of Free Speech: Karnataka High Court Jails Man for Criminal Contempt DV Complaint Cannot Be Quashed at Threshold Under Article 227: Madras High Court Refuses to Interfere, Directs Accused to Seek Remedy Before Magistrate Recovery Wasn't From Accused's Exclusive Knowledge — Cylinder Already Marked in Site Plan Before Arrest: Allahabad High Court Acquits Man in Murder Case Setting Fire to House Where Only Minors Were Present is a Heinous Offence – No Quashing Merely Because Parties Settled: Calcutta High Court No Exclusive Possession Means Licence, Not Lease: Calcutta High Court Rules City Civil Court Has Jurisdiction to Evict Licensees Defendant's Own Family Attested the Sale Agreement – Yet She Called It Nominal: Andhra Pradesh High Court Upholds Specific Performance Renewal Not Automatic, No Evidence Of Notice Or Mutual Agreement: AP High Court Dismisses Indian Oil’s Appeal Against Eviction When Death Is Caused by an Unforeseeable Forest Fire, Criminal Prosecution Cannot Be Sustained Without Proof of Rashness, Negligence, or Knowledge: Supreme Court Proof of Accident Alone is Not Enough – Claimants Must Prove Involvement of Offending Vehicle Under Section 166 MV Act: Supreme Court Dismisses Appeal for Compensation in Fatal Road Accident Case Income Tax | Search Means Search, Not ‘Other Person’: Section 153C Collapses When the Assessee Himself Is Searched: Karnataka High Court Draws a Clear Red Line License Fee on Hoardings is Regulatory, Not Tax; GST Does Not Bar Municipal Levy: Bombay High Court Filing Forged Bank Statement to Mislead Court in Maintenance Case Is Prima Facie Offence Under Section 466 IPC: Allahabad High Court Upholds Summoning Continued Cruelty and Concealment of Infertility Justify Divorce: Chhattisgarh High Court Upholds Divorce Disguising Punishment as Simplicity Is Abuse of Power: Delhi High Court Quashes Dismissals of Civil Defence Volunteers for Being Stigmatic, Not Simpliciter Readiness and Willingness Under Section 16(c) Is Not a Ritualistic Phrase — Plaintiff Must Prove It With Substance, Not Just Words: Karnataka High Court FIR in Disproportionate Assets Case Quashed: Patna High Court Slams SP for 'Non-Application of Mind' and 'Absence of Credible Source Information' Ownership of Vehicle Linked to Commercial Quantity of Heroin – Custodial Interrogation Necessary: Punjab & Haryana High Court Denies Anticipatory Bail under Section 482 BNSS Death Caused by Rash Driving Is Not a Private Dispute — No FIR Quashing on Basis of Compromise in Section 106 BNS Cases: Punjab & Haryana High Court No Bank Can Override Court Orders: Rajasthan High Court Slams Axis Bank for Unauthorized Withdrawal from Court-Ordered FD"

"QUASHING" Digest

Quashing of Criminal Proceedings – Validity of Charges – Petitioners challenged the charge-sheet and criminal proceedings initiated under the Prohibition of Child Marriage Act and POCSO Act – Evidence presented indicated the victim was of legal age at the time of marriage – FIR alleged child marriage based on hearsay without verifying facts – Continuation of proceedin...

Criminal Law – Quashing of FIR – Heinous Offences – Petition to quash FIR for rape under Section 376(2)(n) IPC on the basis of compromise between the parties – Prosecutrix claimed allegations were made in a fit of anger – Court held that FIRs involving serious offences like rape cannot be quashed even if a compromise is reached – Petition dismissed. [Para 12-13]...

Criminal Law - Quashing of Complaint and Summoning Order - Petition under Section 482 CrPC - Complaint against company officials for offenses under Sections 120-B, 406, and 420 IPC - Magistrate conducted inquiry under Section 202 CrPC - Police report and documents examined - Magistrate found sufficient material to proceed - Petitioners' claim of non-consideration of police report and plea of f...

Criminal Procedure - Quashing of FIR - Proclaimed Offenders - Acquittal of Co-Accused - Petitions by foreign citizens for quashing FIR and orders declaring them proclaimed offenders—Petitioners were unaware of FIR—Co-accused acquitted—Common allegations of cutting and taking away 40 trees in a land dispute—Evidence found insufficient to prove exclusive possession or commiss...

Land Laws – Village Common Land – Eviction – Petition by Gram Panchayat for land described as Gair MumkinChappar/pond within abadi deh – Collector dismissed the eviction petition, holding land does not vest in Gram Panchayat – Appellate Authority reversed, holding pond within abadi deh vests in Gram Panchayat under Section 2(g) of the Punjab Village Common Lands (Regu...

Criminal Procedure – Quashing of FIR – Non-Cognizable Offense – Public Gambling Act – Investigation without Magistrate’s Permission – Petition for quashing of FIR under Section 13-A of the Public Gambling Act – FIR related to recovery of Rs. 1,23,50,000/- alleged to be gambling money – Held that investigation of non-cognizable offense without Magistr...

Negotiable Instruments – Cheque Dishonor – Condonation of Delay – Petition for quashing dismissal of complaint under Section 138 of NI Act – Cheque dishonored on 16.04.2012 – Legal notice dated 15.05.2012 returned unclaimed – Second legal notice sent on 02.06.2012 – Complaint filed on 16.07.2012 dismissed as time-barred – Court held that separate app...

Criminal Procedure – Quashing of Proceedings – Section 174-A IPC – The applicants sought quashing of the proceedings under Section 174-A IPC, initiated on the basis of an FIR rather than a written complaint by the court, which issued the proclamation under Section 82 CrPC. The High Court, relying on the settled legal position, held that proceedings under Section 174-A IPC can onl...

Criminal Law - Quashing of FIR - Abuse of Process - The petitioners sought quashing of an FIR registered under Sections 406, 409, 420, 424, and 120B IPC, arguing that the case was a civil dispute wrongfully given a criminal dimension. The court observed that while the power to quash FIRs should be exercised sparingly, the allegations in this case, including those of fraud, breach of trust, and con...

Criminal Procedure - Quashing of FIR - Limitation Period - Excise Act - Petition for quashing FIR registered under Punjab Excise Act—FIR registered on 25.08.2016, challan presented on 23.02.2021—Cognizance taken barred by limitation under Section 75(2) of the Punjab Excise Act and Section 468 CrPC—Special sanction time exclusion plea untenable as limitation period had expired&mda...