Criminal Law – Kidnapping for Ransom – Procedural Lapses – Conviction of appellants under Sections 364A, 392, and 120B IPC for kidnapping a minor for ransom and subsequent recovery of ransom money challenged. Supreme Court noted significant procedural lapses, inconsistencies in witness statements, and failure to follow proper identification procedures. The delayed filing of FIR and lack of proper documentation of recovery raised doubts on prosecution's case [Paras 1-56].

Evidence – Admissibility – Call Detail Records – Prosecution failed to prove call detail records as per Section 65B of the Indian Evidence Act, rendering them inadmissible. The Court emphasized the necessity of following legal mandates for electronic evidence to be valid in court [Paras 41, 51].

Inherent Powers – Judicial Duty – Section 311 CrPC – Court highlighted the trial court's duty under Section 311 CrPC and Section 165 of the Evidence Act to summon and examine vital witnesses, which was not fulfilled in this case. The omission to examine a key witness, Shamlal Garg, was considered a significant lapse [Paras 47-50].

Decision: Appeals allowed – Judgments of trial court and High Court quashed – Accused acquitted of charges. The Court concluded the prosecution's case was fabricated, and the evidence did not establish the guilt of the accused beyond reasonable doubt. The accused need not surrender as they are on bail, and their bail bonds are discharged [Paras 54-56].

Civil Procedure – Inherent Powers of Court – Admission of Insufficiently Stamped Document – Trial court admitted a General Power of Attorney (GPA) as evidence without objection, which was later challenged for being insufficiently stamped. Supreme Court held that the trial court can recall the admission of such a document using inherent powers under Section 151 of the CPC, even if initially admitted without judicial determination. The court must ensure documents comply with the stamp duty requirements to prevent fiscal loss to the state [Paras 1-22].

Stamp Duty – Examination and Impounding of Instruments – GPA insufficiently stamped; trial court admitted it without judicial determination. Supreme Court emphasized the mandatory nature of Sections 33 and 34 of the Karnataka Stamp Act, 1957, requiring judicial scrutiny of stamp duty compliance, regardless of objections from parties. Absence of such scrutiny permits the court to revisit the admission of the document to enforce stamp duty obligations [Paras 10-14, 18-22].

Admissibility of Document – Judicial Determination Requirement – Admission of a document in evidence without judicial consideration of its stamp duty sufficiency is void. Supreme Court clarifies that without judicial determination at the time of admission, Section 35 of the Karnataka Stamp Act, 1957, barring further questions on stamp duty sufficiency, does not apply [Paras 12-16, 19].

Decision: Appeal allowed – High Court order set aside – Trial court's order restored, directing the respondent to pay deficit stamp duty and penalty. Trial court to proceed expeditiously with the civil suit [Paras 22-23].

Custodial Death – Conviction and Sentencing – Appellant (A1) and co-accused (A2) were convicted by the trial court under Section 302 read with Section 114 IPC for causing the death of the deceased, Jeeva, through physical violence in police custody – High Court altered the conviction to Section 304 Part I IPC, sentencing A1 to eight years rigorous imprisonment and a fine – Supreme Court examines the evidentiary inconsistencies and the medical evidence presented, concluding that the prosecution failed to prove the guilt of the accused beyond reasonable doubt [Paras 1-52].

Evidence – Witness Reliability – Testimonies of eyewitnesses Selvin Prabhakar (PW-1) and Dhanlakshmi Vaiyapuri (PW-2), sisters of the deceased, found inconsistent and unreliable – Witnesses’ conduct deemed unnatural and contrary to expected human behavior – Their delayed complaint and failure to inform their advocate about the custodial torture immediately raised doubts about their credibility [Paras 20-31].

Medical Evidence – Age of Injuries – Medical Jurist (PW-9) conducted postmortem and testified that injuries were fresh and occurred within six to eight hours of death, contradicting the prosecution's timeline of custodial torture – Expert witness (PW-10) failed to conclusively support the prosecution's case – The medical evidence suggested the possibility of injuries being inflicted while the deceased was in Sabarmati Central Jail rather than police custody [Paras 32-39, 46].

Motive and Circumstantial Evidence – Prosecution's theory of motive found implausible – Absence of evidence showing specific intent or reason for singling out the deceased for torture – Court noted that the co-accused Anna Dorai, who was also in custody, suffered no injuries, further weakening the prosecution's case [Paras 49-50].

Decision: Appeal allowed – Conviction and sentence set aside – Both accused acquitted of charges under Sections 302, 304 Part I read with Section 114 IPC – Supreme Court directs the acquittal of A1 and A2, noting the prosecution's failure to provide convincing and reliable evidence [Paras 50-53].

Criminal Law – Murder Conviction – Appellant challenged the High Court’s acquittal of respondents convicted by the trial court for murder – The High Court found inconsistencies in the dying declarations and a lack of corroborative evidence – The Supreme Court emphasized the principle of limited interference in appeals against acquittal unless there is patent illegality or perversity – Appeal dismissed, acquittal upheld [Paras 1-40].

Dying Declarations – Reliability and Corroboration – Two conflicting dying declarations recorded, one by ASI Surjit Singh and another by Executive Magistrate Ramesh Kumar Jain – The High Court doubted ASI’s declaration due to procedural lapses and lack of doctor’s endorsement – Supreme Court upheld High Court’s assessment, citing lack of independent corroboration and contradictions between declarations – Detailed examination of the fitness certificate and recording procedure – The Supreme Court noted the significance of the doctor’s certification in establishing the reliability of dying declarations [Paras 25-39].

Witness Credibility – Partisan Testimony – Supreme Court scrutinized evidence of deceased’s relatives who claimed to have heard oral dying declarations – Found discrepancies in their accounts and a motive to falsely implicate respondents – Relatives’ testimonies were inconsistent with medical evidence and other facts – Emphasized the importance of unbiased and reliable evidence in criminal convictions – Discrepancies regarding the timing and sequence of events, including the victim’s condition and presence of family members at the hospital [Paras 16-18, 30-32].

Principle of Limited Interference – Appeals against Acquittal – Supreme Court reiterated that interference in acquittal appeals is permissible only if the judgment is patently illegal, perverse, or suffers from a misreading of evidence – Highlighted the need for a high standard of proof in criminal cases – The Court reinforced the principle that if two views are possible, the one favoring the accused should prevail – Detailed discussion on the scope of appellate interference in acquittal cases and relevant jurisprudence [Paras 14-40].

Contradictions in Prosecution Evidence – Examination of discrepancies between witness testimonies and dying declarations – The Court noted the absence of direct evidence linking the respondents to the crime – Highlighted inconsistencies in the accounts of key prosecution witnesses and the lack of corroborative evidence – Analyzed the impact of these contradictions on the prosecution’s case and the overall reliability of the evidence presented [Paras 25-39].

Decision – Appeals dismissed – High Court’s acquittal affirmed – Supreme Court reinforced limited scope of interference in acquittal appeals and necessity for substantial evidence for conviction – The Court granted liberty to the State to seek appropriate legal recourse if new evidence surfaces – Detailed analysis of the evidence, procedural aspects, and legal principles governing dying declarations and acquittal appeals [Paras 14-40].

Partition Suit – Family Settlement – Plaintiffs sought partition and possession based on an agreement for the settlement of family property (Exhibit-A6) – Trial court divided the property but denied share to Plaintiff No. 2 – High Court reversed, allowing partition as per the agreement – Supreme Court upheld High Court’s decision, emphasizing mutual agreement among family members and admissibility of unregistered documents for collateral purposes [Paras 1-17].

Admissibility of Documents – Agreement for Settlement – Agreement dated 07.02.1992 (Exhibit-A6) not registered or stamped – Supreme Court held that despite non-registration, the document could be considered for proving the agreement among parties – Distinguished from a deed creating or transferring rights, which would require registration [Paras 12-15].

Mohammedan Law – Succession and Gifts – Plaintiff No. 2, a niece, claimed under family settlement – Defendants argued non-entitlement under Mohammedan law – Court observed that family arrangements intending to maintain peace and avoid disputes are to be given effect, recognizing the larger intent over strict legal entitlements [Paras 15-16].

Decision – Civil Appeal dismissed – Held – High Court’s decision upheld – Agreement for family settlement (Exhibit-A6) valid and enforceable – Plaintiff No. 2 entitled to the western portion of the property as agreed – No costs ordered [Paras 17].

Contract Law – Tender Cancellation – Arbitrariness – Appellant challenged the cancellation of the tender for maintenance of underpasses, arguing it was arbitrary and lacked proper justification. The Supreme Court held that the decision to cancel the tender must be based on valid grounds and cannot be arbitrary. The Court scrutinized the reasons provided by the respondent, including technical faults and non-specific terms in the tender, and found them unsatisfactory and unsubstantiated [Paras 19-55].

Judicial Review – Scope in Contractual Matters – The Supreme Court emphasized the evolving scope of judicial review in contractual matters involving the state. It highlighted that state actions, even in the contractual realm, must meet the standards of fairness, non-arbitrariness, and reasonableness under Article 14. The Court can review administrative actions to ensure they do not violate constitutional mandates [Paras 34-54].

Public Law Element – Contractual Disputes – The presence of a public law element in state contracts, such as the impact on public interest or the use of public funds, justifies judicial review. The Court held that the cancellation of the tender, involving public resources and affecting public services, bore such a public law element, making it amenable to writ jurisdiction [Paras 44-46].

Decision: Appeal allowed – High Court's order set aside – Cancellation of the tender by the respondent quashed. The Supreme Court directed the respondent to reinstate the tender awarded to the appellant and proceed in accordance with law. The Court also directed the respondent to pay costs to the appellant [Paras 81-83].

Contract Law – Specific Performance – Sham and Bogus Agreement – Appeal against the decree for specific performance of a sale agreement. Appellants contended that the agreement was sham and intended only to prevent the original owner from selling the property due to his vices. Supreme Court rejected the contention, holding that there was no reliable evidence to prove the agreement was not intended to be acted upon. The plea of the agreement being sham was not adequately raised during the trial [Paras 1-12].

Evidence – Admissibility – Sections 91 and 92 of Evidence Act – Sections 91 and 92 do not prevent parties from adducing evidence to show that the terms of a written document were not intended to be acted upon. However, the plea must be consistent and supported by credible evidence. In this case, the plea of sham agreement was introduced as an afterthought and lacked credibility [Paras 11-12].

Property Law – Bona Fide Purchasers – Notice and Registration – The sale agreement was registered, giving constructive notice to subsequent purchasers. The appellants failed to conduct due diligence to ascertain prior encumbrances. Therefore, they cannot be considered bona fide purchasers without notice of the original contract [Paras 13].

Specific Relief – Subsequent Sale Deeds – The absence of a prayer to cancel subsequent sale deeds does not bar a decree for specific performance if the subsequent purchasers are not bona fide. The court can direct subsequent purchasers to join in executing the sale deed without cancelling their transactions [Paras 14-16].

Land Reforms – Agricultural Land – Permission for Sale – Execution of the sale deed requires permission under the Zamindari Abolition Act for selling agricultural land to non-agriculturists. The court directed the defendants to seek necessary permissions and made the decree contingent upon obtaining such permissions [Paras 17-18].

Decision: Appeal partly allowed – The decree for specific performance modified to limit the sale to one-half undivided share in favor of the first plaintiff only. The defendants are directed to obtain necessary permissions for the sale. If permissions are not obtained, the first plaintiff is entitled to a refund with interest. The suit was dismissed concerning the second plaintiff [Paras 21].

Stamp Duty – Admissibility of Insufficiently Stamped Document – Appellant contested the High Court’s order which overturned the Trial Court’s direction to pay deficit stamp duty and penalty on a GPA – Trial Court had initially admitted the GPA without considering its insufficient stamping – High Court’s decision quashed, reaffirming the Trial Court’s right to revisit the document’s admissibility under its inherent powers [Paras 1-23].

Power of Court under Section 151 CPC – Inherent Powers – Discussed the applicability of Section 151 CPC in allowing a court to revisit the admissibility of a document due to insufficient stamping – Emphasized the court’s duty to ensure compliance with stamp duty regulations to prevent abuse of process and uphold fiscal interests [Paras 10-23].

Legislative Intent – Compliance with Stamp Duty Requirements – Court highlighted the necessity for judicial officers to apply their mind when admitting documents into evidence – Failure to do so undermines legislative intent and fiscal integrity [Para 21].

Decision: Appeal allowed – High Court order set aside – Trial Court's order requiring payment of deficit stamp duty and penalty restored – Trial Court instructed to expedite proceedings [Para 23].

Specific Performance – Readiness and Willingness – The appellant-defendant challenged the High Court's judgment confirming the appellate court's order which granted specific performance to the plaintiff-respondent. The Supreme Court analyzed whether the plaintiff was ready and willing to perform his part of the contract as required under Section 16(c) of the Specific Relief Act. The Court emphasized the need for continuous readiness and willingness, which the plaintiff failed to demonstrate due to prolonged inaction and unexplained delays [Paras 1-15].

Delay and Laches – The Supreme Court noted significant unexplained delays by the plaintiff in enforcing the agreement, including a two-year gap before issuing a legal notice and a further delay before filing the suit. The Court held that such delays indicate a lack of readiness and willingness, thereby disentitling the plaintiff to equitable relief of specific performance [Paras 9-13].

Equitable Relief – The Court reiterated that specific performance is a discretionary and equitable relief. It emphasized that unexplained and unreasonable delays undermine the plaintiff’s claim to such relief. The trial court’s original decision denying specific performance and granting an alternate relief of refund was upheld [Paras 10-15].

Decision: Appeal allowed – High Court and Appellate Court orders set aside – Trial Court's order restored, denying specific performance and ordering a refund with interest.