Criminal Law - POCSO Conviction – Inappropriate Touching in Tuition Class – Acquittal on Appeal – Contradictions in Victim’s Testimony – Trial Court convicted appellant under Sections 9(m) and 10 POCSO – High Court found key inconsistencies between victim’s statement, complaint, and testimonies of her parents – Held: Material contradictions and absence of corroborating witnesses created reasonable doubt [Paras 3–4, 6–15, 23–31].

Presumption under Section 29 POCSO – Rebutted by Cross-Examination – Not Absolute – Court reaffirmed that the statutory presumption under Section 29 arises only after foundational facts are established – In this case, the inconsistencies and gaps in prosecution evidence rebutted the presumption – No independent witnesses examined despite classroom being full of students [Paras 6–7, 24–29, 31].

Failure to Examine Material Witnesses – Brother of Prosecutrix Not Examined – IO Admits No Corroboration – Prosecutrix’s brother, allegedly present during the incident, not examined – Investigating Officer admitted that other students did not support victim’s version – Court held this lapse fatal to prosecution case [Paras 12–14, 24–28].

Standard of Proof – Inconsistencies and Omissions Undermine Prosecution – Court emphasized that minor inconsistencies in child witness may be tolerable, but in this case, contradictions on vital facts (date, location, prior incidents, persons present) vitiated reliability – Allegation of touching private parts not supported by victim’s own statements [Paras 10–17, 23–27].

Duty of Prosecution – Not to Secure Conviction but to Present Complete Picture – Investigation found selective and one-sided – Material evidence suppressed – Court reiterated duty of prosecution to present all relevant facts, even those unfavorable, to aid truth-finding [Para 29].

Decision: Appeal allowed – Conviction and sentence under POCSO Act set aside – Appellant acquitted – To be released forthwith unless required in any other case – Copy of judgment directed to be sent to Jail Superintendent and Trial Court for compliance [Paras 32–33].
 

Civil Writ - Challenge to Selection Process – Alleged Irregularities in Evaluation – Dismissed – Petitioners contended that there were discrepancies in marks, improper scaling, and procedural irregularities – Court held that the selection process was conducted as per rules and in absence of specific material irregularities, challenge was liable to be rejected [Paras 39-48].

Reservation Policy – Implementation of Horizontal Reservation – Properly Applied – Petitioners alleged violation of horizontal reservation for female, EBC, SC, and ST candidates – Court held that the Commission had correctly applied horizontal reservation in compliance with rules and government instructions [Paras 49-58].

Equivalence of Degrees – B.Tech Degree Holders Treated as Graduates – Valid – Petitioners raised objection regarding qualification criteria and equivalence of B.Tech degree – Court affirmed that B.Tech degree is equivalent to a graduate degree for the purpose of eligibility – Petitioners’ contention rejected [Paras 59-64].

Errors in OMR Evaluation and Rechecking – Commission's Stand Accepted – Petitioners challenged the Commission’s refusal to permit rechecking of OMR sheets – Court held that under the Rules, there is no provision for rechecking of OMR and evaluation was conducted correctly – Commission's process upheld [Paras 65-69].

Decision – Writ Petitions Dismissed – Court found no illegality or arbitrariness in the selection process – Selection process affirmed – All petitions dismissed with no interference called for [Paras 70-72].
 

Criminal Law - Attempt to Murder – Appeal against conviction - Firing in Open Court – Conviction Upheld – Heinous Act – Appellant, present in courtroom during cross murder trial, fired from close range at PW2 Ram Bharose Lal with country-made pistol – Court held act was intentional and premeditated, backed by enmity – Held: Appellant rightly convicted under Section 307 IPC and Section 25 Arms Act – No case made for sentence reduction [Paras 1–6, 34–41].

Eyewitness & Injured Witness – Credibility of Testimony – Relatives Not Disqualified – Court reaffirmed that testimony of injured victim (PW2) and nephew (PW1) could not be discarded merely due to relationship – PW2's presence undisputed, bullet still lodged in body during statement recording – His testimony corroborated by medical and investigative evidence – Held: Reliable and sufficient for conviction [Paras 23–30, 34–39].

Weapon Recovery – Arrest on Spot – Close Range Injury – Evidentiary Chain Intact – Appellant caught with loaded firearm inside courtroom – Recovery of five live cartridges and spent shell corroborated by seizure memo – Charring and tattooing on wound confirmed close-range shot – Held: Recovery and medical evidence strengthened prosecution case [Paras 4–6, 35–37].

Defective Investigation – Not Fatal – Courtroom Attack With Eyewitnesses – Alleged lapses like missing ballistic report or police staff testimony held immaterial in light of direct, cogent, and prompt evidence – Reliance placed on multiple SC precedents confirming that defective investigation alone doesn't vitiate trial where guilt is otherwise established [Paras 30–34, 39].

Decision: Appeal Dismissed – Conviction and sentence under Section 307 IPC (life imprisonment) and Section 25 Arms Act (three years RI) upheld – Sentences to run concurrently – No scope for leniency given the gravity and setting of the crime – Courtroom attack considered a severe threat to the justice system [Paras 43–45].
 

Criminal Law - Rape – Consent Based on Promise to Marry – Victim Major – Conviction Set Aside – Alleged victim engaged in consensual relationship with appellant under belief of future marriage – High Court found from ossification test (PW6) that victim was approximately 25 years old at time of incident – No evidence to show that promise was false from inception – Held: Consent not vitiated – Ingredients of Section 375 IPC not attracted [Paras 6–12, 21–25]. 
 
Delayed FIR – Lack of Prompt Disclosure – Inference of Consent – FIR filed after 5 months of pregnancy – Victim did not inform anyone immediately post incident – Court held delay and continued sexual relationship point to voluntary participation, not coercion or rape [Paras 11–13, 20, 23]. 
 
Ossification Test – No Proof of Minority – No Documentary Birth Record – Age determined as 25 years with ±2 years – Court relied on ossification test in absence of credible documentary proof – Victim held to be major at time of alleged incident – Section 375 ‘sixthly’ not applicable [Paras 9, 21]. 
 
Witness Discrepancies – Material Contradictions – Victim’s Testimony Unreliable – Court noted inconsistency in victim’s deposition and prior statements under Section 161 CrPC – Other key witnesses not examined – Medical evidence did not support forceful intercourse – Conviction held unsustainable [Paras 14–16, 24–25]. 
 
False Promise to Marry – Not Sufficient to Vitiate Consent – Awareness of Nature of Act – Victim knowingly consented to sexual act – Consent under such belief not legally invalid where no evidence of fraud or deception from inception – Relationship found consensual [Paras 22–23]. 
  
Decision: Appeal allowed – Conviction and sentence under Section 376 IPC set aside – Appellant acquitted – Bail bonds cancelled and sureties discharged – Trial Court records to be returned immediately [Paras 26–27]. 
 

Civil - Excise License – Fraudulent Transfer of FL-II License – License Restored – Collector’s Cancellation Upheld – Petitioners alleged impersonation and forgery in the transfer of their liquor license to Respondents 4 & 5 – Court found forged Aadhaar Card, mismatched signatures, and impersonation established by Excise Department’s inquiry – Transfer held void ab initio and Collector’s cancellation order restored [Paras 1–10, 16–24, 30–31].

Impersonation and Forgery – Excise Inquiry Confirmed Fabricated Documents – Petitioners established that affidavits, power of attorney, and ID proofs were falsified to impersonate original license holder – Excise Inspector admitted error in identity verification – Findings of Deputy Superintendent Inquiry accepted by Court [Paras 17–23].

Fraud Vitiates All – Authority Has Inherent Power to Recall Fraudulent Orders – Court invoked principles from Indian Bank v. Satyam Fibres and A.V. Papayya Sastry – Held: Even in absence of express review power, fraud permits recall – Fraudulently secured license cannot be legitimized by administrative oversight [Paras 24–26, 28–29].

Revisional Authority’s Failure – Non-Application of Mind – Decision Set Aside – Revisional Authority relied on vague police report, ignoring documentary proof of impersonation and Excise findings – Court held this to be a perverse and legally unsustainable approach [Paras 27, 30].

Relief – Restoration to Status Quo Ante – License Returned to Genuine Holder – Impugned orders quashed – License to be reinstated in petitioner’s name – Stay refused considering fraud proved on record [Paras 30–33].

Decision: Writ Petition allowed – Rule made absolute in terms of prayer clause (a) – Orders passed by the Appellate and Revisional Authorities quashed – License to be restored to the petitioners – Request for stay rejected [Paras 30–33].
 

Service Law - Voluntary Retirement – Civil Servant Deputed to Army Postal Service – Retirement While on Deputation – Denied – The petitioner, holding a civil post with the Department of Posts and later commissioned in APS, sought voluntary retirement under Rule 48-A without repatriation – Tribunal held and High Court affirmed that such retirement from APS without repatriation was impermissible – Held: As petitioner had not completed 30 years of service required under Rule 48, he was not eligible for benefits under Rule 67 or relevant OMs – Repatriation to parent department was mandatory prior to voluntary retirement [Paras 23-27].

Interpretation of Pension Rules – Retirement Under Rule 48-A Not Covered by DOT OM – Claim Rejected – Court held that Rule 67 read with DOT OM dated 05.09.1989 applied only to cases falling under Rule 48 (i.e., on completion of 30 years of service) – Petitioner, having completed only 28 years of service, was not eligible under the said OM – Held: Retirement did not satisfy conditions for direct pension authorization by APS as borrowing department [Paras 25-27].

Jurisdiction and Departmental Authority – Competent Authority to Release Pension – Department of Posts Identified – Although initially permitted to retire directly from APS, subsequent clarification by Army and Posts authorities corrected the procedural error – Held: Department of Posts, being the cadre-controlling authority, was responsible for disbursing retiral benefits [Paras 18-20, 27].

Final Decision – Petition Dismissed – Court declined to interfere with Tribunal’s findings – Petitioner not entitled to claim ex-serviceman status or ECHS benefits – Ordered: Writ petition dismissed with no costs [Paras 27-28].

Matrimonial Law - Divorce – Mental Cruelty – Husband's Disinterest in Marital Relationship – Divorce Granted - The wife alleged that the husband was indifferent towards family life, abstained from conjugal relations, and was engrossed in superstitious and spiritual practices – Evidence proved that despite earlier reconciliation, the husband continued neglecting the petitioner’s marital rights, causing severe mental trauma – The Court held that persistent neglect, emotional abandonment, and forced adherence to superstitious practices amounted to cruelty – Decree of divorce upheld [Paras 6-15]. 
 
Mental Cruelty – Assessment Requires Flexible Approach - Relying on Roopa Soni v. Kamalnarayan Soni [AIR 2023 SC 4186] and Anilkumar V.K. v. Sunila.P [2025 (2) KHC 33], the Court reiterated that mental cruelty is subjective and must be assessed case-wise – Courts must adopt a liberal and contextsensitive approach, especially where the wife seeks divorce due to mental agony caused by neglect or deprivation of conjugal rights [Paras 12-14]. 
 
Family Court Finding – No Interference Warranted – Marriage Irretrievably Broken - The Family Court rightly concluded that the marriage was irretrievably broken and the parties lacked mutual trust and affection – The High Court found no perversity or misapplication of law and refused to interfere with the decree of divorce [Para 15]. 
 
Decision – Appeal Dismissed - Matrimonial Appeal dismissed – Divorce granted by Family Court sustained – Parties directed to bear their own costs [Para 15]. 
 

Matrimonial Law – Recovery of Istridhan - Patrimony and Gold Ornaments – Entrustment Not Proved – Claim Dismissed – Wife alleged entrustment of 50 sovereigns of gold and ₹3 lakhs at the time of marriage – Court found inconsistencies and contradictions in pleadings and oral evidence – Delay of 8 years in raising claim also viewed as improbable – Held: No sufficient material to overturn Family Court's finding rejecting claim for patrimony and gold [Paras 6-12].

Maintenance – Financial Capacity of Husband Established – Award of ₹10,000 per Month Upheld – Husband claimed petitioner had income from running a shop, but no evidence was produced – Documents like bio-data and wedding invitation indicated respondent's affluent background – Held: Maintenance at ₹10,000/month is reasonable – No interference warranted [Paras 13-14].

Arrears of Maintenance – Interest Awarded – Interim maintenance ordered during pendency of appeal was not paid – Court ordered that all arrears shall bear interest at 9% per annum – Held: Petitioner entitled to realise maintenance arrears with interest in accordance with law [Para 15].

Final Decision – Appeals Disposed – Family Court judgment affirmed – Wife allowed to recover arrears of maintenance with 9% interest – No other relief granted [Para 15].

Civil Law – Commercial Suit - Jurisdiction – Commercial Suit Refiled Before Civil Court – Misuse of Procedure – Plaint Returned – Plaintiffs withdrew earlier commercial suit without liberty and refiled same cause before civil court adding non-related parties – Court held this was a deliberate attempt to bypass Commercial Courts Act – Only parties receiving notices could seek relief – Civil court lacked jurisdiction – Impugned order rejecting application under Order VII Rule 10 CPC set aside [Paras 3–11]. 
 
Misleading Citations – City Civil Judge Relied on Non-Existent SC Judgments – Serious Concern Raised – Learned Judge cited fictitious Supreme Court decisions to justify jurisdiction 
– Neither party referred such judgments – Matter referred to Hon’ble Chief Justice for appropriate action against judicial officer [Paras 5, 10, 12]. 
 
Remand – Order VII Rule 10A CPC – Procedural Opportunity Granted – Plaint returned to plaintiffs but with liberty to file application under Order VII Rule 10A(2) – Direction to parties to appear before trial court for further proceedings – If no application filed, plaint to be returned [Para 11]. 
 
Decision: Civil Revision Petition allowed – Impugned order set aside – Plaint returned for lack of jurisdiction – Matter remitted for compliance under Order VII Rule 10A(2) CPC – Copy of order to be placed before Hon’ble Chief Justice for inquiry into judicial conduct [Paras 11–12].