Criminal Law - Appeal against acquittal - Abetment to suicide - Essential ingredients of offense under Section 306 IPC - Evidence required to prove abetment - Merely insulting language or abusive behavior not sufficient for establishing abetment - Presence of evidence suggesting accused's intention to instigate deceased to commit suicide necessary for conviction under Section 306 IPC. (Para 6)

Criminal Law - Scope for interference in appeal against acquittal - Interference warranted only if judgment under appeal is perverse or based on a misreading of evidence - Disagreement of appellate court with trial court's view not a sufficient reason for interference. (Para 7)

Criminal Law - Applicant seeking leave to appeal against acquittal - Court's role in considering applicant's plea - Examination of trial court's judgment - Plausibility of trial court's conclusion - Absence of perversity in trial court's decision. (Para 8)

Criminal Law - Abetment to suicide case - Factors considered by trial court in acquitting the accused - Lack of proof of abetment - Deposition of complainant and her son - Failure to establish motive for abetment - Allegation of conspiracy unsubstantiated - Deceased's failure to report counterfeit currency incident to higher authorities during his lifetime. (Para 3)

Criminal Law - Suicide note - Content of the note - Insufficiency of details regarding abetment or reasons for it - Mention of conspiracy against the deceased by subordinate staff and RBI official - Insufficient to prove abetment to suicide. (Para 3)

Criminal Appeal – Rape case – Conviction and sentencing – Sole testimony of the victim – Need for corroboration – Failure to prove case beyond reasonable doubt – Contradictions and inconsistencies in victim’s statement – Lack of injuries and corroborating evidence – Delay in lodging FIR – Absence of independent witnesses – Acquittal of appellants. (Para 38)

Delay in lodging FIR – Failure to provide plausible explanation – Suspicion regarding the delay – Unexplained delay weakens prosecution’s case. (Para 22, 27)

Reliability of prosecutrix’s testimony – Need for corroboration – Inconsistencies and contradictions in victim’s statement – Lack of corroborating evidence – Testimony failing to inspire confidence. (Para 25, 28, 29)

Absence of injuries and corroborating evidence – Lack of medical support for victim’s claims – Inconsistencies between victim’s statement and medical report. (Para 18, 20)

Independent witnesses – Non-appearance in court – Failure to support prosecution’s version – Reliance on sole testimony of victim. (Para 6, 16)

SC/ST Act – Lack of evidence to establish caste-based motive or harassment – No evidence of victim being addressed by caste to humiliate her – Insufficient grounds to convict appellants under SC/ST Act. (Para 35)

Bail application under Section 439 CrPC – Petitioner charged under Section 21 of NDPS Act – Petitioner seeks bail on the ground that the quantity of contraband is less than commercial and rigours of S. 37 of NDPS Act do not apply – Criminal antecedents of petitioner – Court to consider role of accused, possibility of fleeing, and other circumstances – Previous criminal history not strictly considered at this stage – Quantity of contraband involved in the case not commercial – Rigours of S. 37 of NDPS Act not attracted – Bail conditions to be imposed to prevent repetition of the offense and ensure safety of society. (Para 1, Para 4, Para 8, Para 9, Para 11)

Conditions for granting bail – Personal bond and surety bond – Surrender of weapons – Provision of identification details – Single mobile number linked to Aadhaar card – Prohibition on influencing witnesses and tampering with evidence. (Para 16, Para 17, Para 18)

Bail conditions to have nexus to the purpose they serve and be proportional to that purpose – Liberty of accused and necessity of fair trial to be balanced – Conditions causing deprivation of rights and liberties to be avoided. (Para 21)

Bail order not restricting further investigation by police or investigating agency – Notice and opportunity to be given if additional sections added to FIR. (Para 25, Para 26)

Observations made in the order not an expression of opinion on the merits of the case – Trial court not to consider these comments. (Para 27)

FIR quashing - Compromise between parties - Offences under Section 307 IPC and Arms Act - Family dispute - Heinous and serious offences - Habitual offender - Petitioners sought quashing of FIR based on compromise - Specific and grave allegations against the petitioners - Petitioner No.1 fired shots with intent to kill complainant - Recovery of fired cartridges - Held, offences under Section 307 IPC and Arms Act fall under heinous and serious category, being crimes against society - Compromise does not warrant quashing of FIR - Petitioner No.1 a habitual offender with previous cases - Jurisdiction under Section 482 Cr.P.C. not invoked - FIR not quashed.( Para No. 5,7, 8, 11, 12)

Section 482 of Cr.P.C. – Quashing of FIR – Offense punishable under Section 304-A IPC – Allegations of negligence in arranging medical team during sports event leading to the death of the deceased – Direct or proximate cause of death – Absence of direct causal link – Petition allowed, FIR and subsequent criminal proceedings quashed against the petitioners. (Para 8, Para 11)

Section 304-A of IPC – Offense – Rash or negligent act causing death – Mere contravention of rules or regulations does not establish rash or negligent act – Causal connection between act and death required – Allegations of negligence in not arranging medical team – Negligence not the direct or proximate cause of death – No case made out under Section 304-A of IPC. (Para 8, Para 11)

Jurisprudential concept of negligence – Breach of duty – Use of ordinary care or skill – Negligent act must be the direct or proximate cause of death – Indirect factors insufficient to establish guilt – Direct causal link necessary to establish offense under Section 304-A of IPC. (Para 8, Para 11)

Powers under Section 482 Cr.P.C. – Guarantee against injustice – High Court invested with powers to pass orders in the interest of justice – Openness in examining allegations – Absurd allegations warrant quashing of FIR – Proper scrutiny required in the interest of justice. (Para 8, Para 11)

Precedents – Apex Court decisions – Interpretation of Section 304-A IPC – Requirement of direct or proximate cause of death – Negligence must be the cause causans, not just causa sine qua non – Indirect factors insufficient to establish guilt – Causal connection necessary to establish offense under Section 304-A of IPC. (Para 8, Para 11)

Specific performance of agreement to sell - Defendants claimed agreement to sell was forged - Handwriting and fingerprint expert report not binding on court - Direct evidence of marginal witness and scribe proved execution of agreement - Discrepancy in payment details attributed to passage of time and human memory - Written contract acknowledged receipt of amount - Agreement executed on non-judicial stamp paper - Concurrent findings of courts below upheld - No grounds to interfere - Appeal dismissed. (Para 1-9)

Termination of services – Writ petition filed under Article 226/227 of the Constitution of India – Petitioner sought quashing of order dismissing his appeal against termination of service and reinstatement with continuity of service and payment of arrears of pay and other benefits – Petitioner appointed as Senior Lecturer-Mass Communications at Ansal Institute of Technology – Promoted to Assistant Professor and Assistant Dean (Marketing) – Services terminated on grounds of poor student intake for subject taught – Petitioner claimed termination illegal, alleging post advertised after his termination and termination violated Service Rules and Section 22 of Act of 1988 – Respondents argued termination justified due to post abolition and relied on appointment letter and Service Rules – Court examined arguments, laws, and precedents and held termination illegal. (Para 6-10)

Termination of services without notice or show cause – Violation of Service Rules and Section 22 of Act of 1988 – Petitioner’s services terminated with one month’s notice, contrary to Service Rules requiring three months’ notice or salary in lieu thereof – Section 22 of Act of 1988 provided for show cause notice before termination – Court found termination not in accordance with Service Rules and Section 22, as petitioner was confirmed in service and entitled to protection under Section 22. (Para 12)

Principle of res judicata – Writ petition not barred – Petitioner previously filed civil suit on same matter, which was withdrawn with liberty to approach Educational Tribunal – Principle of res judicata did not apply as civil suit was not decided on any issue – Court held writ petition maintainable. (Para 13)

Reinstatement and arrears of salary – Court directed management of Ansal University to reinstate petitioner with all notional benefits – Allowed respondents to seek information on petitioner’s employment status during proceedings to determine entitlement of arrears of salary – Instructed respondents to complete process regarding arrears of salary expeditiously, preferably within three months. (Para 14)

Section 482 of the Code of Criminal Procedure, 1973 - Quashing of FIR - Principles governing quashing of FIRs - Exercise of power under Section 482 to prevent abuse of court's process or to secure ends of justice - Lack of precise and inflexible guidelines for exercise of power - Court not finding sufficient grounds to quash FIR at present stage - Case pending before trial court - Victim supporting prosecution's case in statement recorded under Section 164 of the Cr.P.C. - Allegation of forcible physical relations made by victim - Validity of marriage and applicability of POCSO Act to be decided during trial proceedings - Plea for quashing of FIR dismissed. (Para 8-9)

Muslim personal laws - Validity of marriage - Age of victim - Marriage performed under Muslim personal laws - Victim's age and validity of marriage to be considered during trial proceedings - Applicability of POCSO Act also to be decided during trial. (Para 5, 9)

Consent of minor - Minor's consent holding no legal weight in eyes of law - Allegation of forcible physical relations made by victim - Victim's consent not mitigating factor - Trial proceedings to determine veracity of allegations. (Para 7)

Criminal Procedure Code, 1973 - Section 482 - Indian Penal Code, 1860 - Section 295-A - Quashing of FIR and proceedings - FIR registered against petitioners for allegedly portraying wrong image of Bhagwan Valmiki in the television serial "Ram Siya Ke Luv Kush" - Formation of committee to address grievances and suggest corrective measures - Undertaking by petitioners to comply with guidelines - Resolution reached between stakeholders - Complainant has no objection to quashing of FIR - High Court quashes FIR and all related proceedings. (Para 1, 2, 3, 4, 5)