Criminal Law – Bail Application – Long Incarceration – Appellant in custody for over nine years for possession and circulation of counterfeit currency under Sections 489B, 489C IPC and Section 16 of UAP Act – Trial prolonged with minimal witness examination – Supreme Court grants bail considering prolonged detention and slow trial pace, emphasizing accused’s right to speedy trial [Paras 1-34].

Right to Speedy Trial – Fundamental Right – Court reiterates that an accused is entitled to a speedy trial under Article 21 of the Constitution – Denial of bail solely on the severity of charges unjustified if trial is unreasonably delayed – Prosecution’s inability to ensure timely trial cannot be grounds for prolonged detention [Paras 22-24].

Statutory Provisions – UAP Act – Section 43D(5) – Not an absolute bar to bail – Supreme Court clarifies that constitutional courts retain the power to grant bail despite statutory restrictions if prolonged incarceration violates fundamental rights – Highlights balance between legislative intent of restrictive bail provisions and constitutional guarantees of personal liberty [Paras 28-29].

Seriousness of Charges – Impact on Bail – Supreme Court acknowledges the gravity of charges under IPC and UAP Act but emphasizes the necessity of balancing this against the appellant’s right to a fair and speedy trial – Criticizes the slow pace of trial with only two witnesses examined over nine years [Paras 30-33].

Bail Conditions – Practical and Non-Arbitrary – Supreme Court mandates practical conditions for bail to ensure compliance without infringing on fundamental rights – Appellant required to surrender passport, attend trial regularly, and report to police fortnightly, ensuring presence without excessive restrictions [Para 34].

Decision: Appeal allowed – Bail granted subject to conditions including surrender of passport, regular attendance before the trial court, and fortnightly reporting to the police [Para 34].

Selection Process – Qualification Marks – Appeal against disqualification of a candidate for the post of City Manager – Appellant challenged High Court’s ruling that the respondent met the minimum qualifying marks – Supreme Court affirmed High Court’s decision, holding that the minimum qualifying marks should be interpreted as relating only to the written examination, not the aggregate of written examination and experience – Court emphasized proper interpretation of the Bihar City Manager Cadre Rules, 2014 [Paras 1-22].

Executive Orders vs. Statutory Rules – Discusses the precedence of statutory regulations over executive decisions – Executive Order dated 16.07.2007 could not override the provisions of the Bihar City Manager Cadre Rules, 2014 – Court upheld High Court’s interpretation giving primacy to statutory rules [Paras 13, 19].

Merit List Preparation – Clarified that candidates who met the minimum qualifying marks in the written examination should be considered for inclusion in the merit list, with their overall ranking determined by additional marks for experience – Disqualified candidate who met the written test threshold but lacked experience was entitled to be placed on the merit list [Paras 16-18].

Decision: Appeals dismissed – High Court’s judgment affirmed – Respondent to be included in the merit list for the post of City Manager, provided she met the minimum qualifying marks for the written examination.

Judicial Delay and Political Influence – Withdrawal of Prosecution – Case involving accused, including a politically influential individual, facing trial for double murder – Accused successfully delayed trial for nearly three decades through repeated adjournments – Trial Court allowed withdrawal of prosecution against one accused (Chhote Singh) citing good public image – High Court's repeated adjournments criticized – Supreme Court highlights misuse of political power to evade justice – Order of Trial Court allowing withdrawal of prosecution against Chhote Singh set aside – Directions for expeditious trial [Paras 1-18].

Withdrawal of Prosecution under Section 321, CrPC – Trial Court's order criticized for relying on accused's political standing rather than merits of the case – Withdrawal cannot be granted solely on good public image, especially in serious crimes – Need for strict scrutiny in cases involving influential individuals to prevent miscarriage of justice [Paras 11-12].

Prolonged Pendency of Criminal Revisions – High Court's multiple adjournments allowing dilatory tactics – Supreme Court directs High Court to expedite hearing of remaining criminal revisions and trial – Original Trial Court record to be sent back for timely conclusion of trial [Paras 13-18].

Decision – Appeal allowed – Criminal Revision No. 2107 of 2012 before Allahabad High Court allowed – Trial Court's order dated 19.05.2012 set aside with respect to Respondent No.2 (Chhote Singh) – High Court directed to re-evaluate pending revisions [Paras 16-18].

Discharge Application – Scope and Consideration – The Supreme Court reiterated that the scope of consideration under Section 227, Cr.PC, is confined to the 'record of the case and the documents submitted therewith' by the prosecution – Defence materials cannot be considered at this stage – The court must determine whether there is sufficient ground for proceeding against the accused based on prosecution materials alone [Paras 3-4, 12].

Legal Interpretation – Record of the Case – Emphasized that 'record of the case' under Section 227, Cr.PC, refers only to prosecution materials and not any defence materials – Highlighted the decision in State of Orissa v. Debendra Nath Padhi that clarified this legal position [Paras 3-4].

Criminal Conspiracy – Ingredients and Proof – For a charge of criminal conspiracy under Section 120B, IPC, there must be prima facie evidence of an agreement between two or more persons to commit an illegal act – Mere suspicion or conjecture is insufficient – The materials on record did not support an accusation of conspiracy against the appellant – Referred to R. Venkatakrishnan v. CBI and Ajay Aggarwal v. Union of India & Ors. for defining the essential ingredients of conspiracy [Paras 25-28].

Evaluation of Evidence – Limited Scope – The court must only sift the evidence to determine whether a prima facie case exists – It should not engage in a detailed evaluation of the evidence, which is the function of the trial – The decision to frame charges should be based on a strong suspicion arising from the prosecution's materials – Cited Yogesh alias Sachin Jagadish Joshi v. State of Maharashtra and State of Tamil Nadu v. N Suresh Rajan & Ors. for these principles [Paras 15-16, 19].

Procedure – Obligations of the Court – The court has an obligation to apply its judicial mind to the prosecution's materials to determine if there is sufficient ground for proceeding – The decision to discharge must be reasoned, especially when rejecting a discharge application, to facilitate appellate review [Paras 21-23].

Custodial Death – Lack of Evidence – In this case, the materials on record did not provide sufficient ground to proceed against the appellant for the custodial death – There was no evidence of his involvement in the alleged torture or conspiracy – The Trial Court's suspicion was not based on concrete evidence but on conjectures [Paras 22-23, 30].

Decision – Appeal allowed – The Supreme Court set aside the High Court's order dismissing the application under Section 482, Cr.PC, and the trial court's order rejecting the discharge application – The appellant was discharged from the case as there was no sufficient ground for proceeding against him based on the prosecution's materials – The court clarified that its observations were specific to the appellant and not applicable to the other accused in the case [Paras 35-36].

Overcharging – Recovery Powers – The NPPA issued demand notices for overcharging on the drug Roscilox, requiring the appellant to deposit both the overcharged principal amount and the interest – The NPPA's authority to recover overcharged amounts is rooted in Paragraph 13 of the DPCO, which empowers the government to recover amounts accrued from charging prices higher than those fixed or notified under the DPCO [Paras 4-5].

Definitions – Dealer and Distributor – The DPCO definitions of 'dealer,' 'distributor,' and 'wholesaler' show overlapping roles – A 'distributor' includes any stockist appointed by a manufacturer, which encompasses roles performed by 'dealers' – The appellant's dual role as a 'distributor' and 'dealer' does not exempt it from the ambit of Paragraph 13 of the DPCO [Paras 6, 10-11].

Judicial Review – Scope of Appeal – The appellant's attempt to question the validity of the demand and the computation under Paragraph 19 of the DPCO was not entertained by the Supreme Court, as these issues were not properly raised before the Delhi High Court – The Court restricted its review to whether the appellant falls within the reach of Paragraph 13 [Paras 7-8].

Corporate Veil – Piercing the Corporate Veil – The High Court's exercise of piercing the corporate veil to find overlapping identities between the appellant and its group companies was acknowledged but not re-evaluated by the Supreme Court – The appellant's own admissions in its replies to the NPPA confirmed its direct contact with the manufacturer [Paras 9-10].

Laudable Objective – Price Control – The DPCO aims to control drug prices to ensure affordability for the common man – The Court emphasized the importance of not restricting the interpretation of the DPCO's provisions, which are intended to prevent overcharging by those involved in the manufacture and marketing of drugs [Para 11].

Inconsistent Versions – Lack of Documentation – The appellant's inconsistent versions and failure to provide firm documentation about its arrangements with manufacturers undermined its claim of being merely a 'dealer' – The appellant could not establish a clear factual foundation to support its exemption from Paragraph 13 [Paras 12-13].

Decision – Appeal dismissed – The Supreme Court found no error in the High Court's rejection of the appellant's claim – The Court upheld the NPPA's demand notices and vacated the status quo order previously granted [Paras 14-15].

Exemption from Fees – Market Fee vs. Rural Development Fee – Appeal against the denial of exemption from Rural Development Fee under the 2003 Industrial Policy – Respondent sought exemption, claiming similarity with other industries granted such benefits – High Court dismissed initial writ and subsequent modification application – Supreme Court finds both fees distinct under separate statutes – Policy only explicitly exempts Market Fee, not Rural Development Fee – Exemption from Market Fee does not imply exemption from Rural Development Fee [Paras 7-30].

Interpretation of Industrial Policy, 2003 – Distinction between fees levied under different statutes – High Court’s non-adjudication on merits regarding the exemption – Supreme Court emphasizes clear separation of statutory provisions and objectives of the two Acts – Respondent’s assumption of combined exemption deemed overreaching policy’s scope [Paras 21-24].

Effect of State Communications – Analysis of various notes and letters relied upon by Respondent – Supreme Court notes withdrawal of key letters and clarifies non-application of exemptions – Subsequent clarifications reinforce separate consideration for exemptions under Market Fee and Rural Development Fee [Paras 25-27].

Decision – Appeals allowed – Orders dated 27.01.2010 and 24.09.2010 set aside – High Court’s dismissal of Civil W.P. No. 14847 of 2009 upheld – No exemption from Rural Development Fee granted – Pending applications disposed of [Para 30-31].

E-Auction Process – Bid Mistake – The appellant's bid of 140.10% in an e-auction for a mining lease, significantly higher than the preceding bid of 104.05%, was claimed to be a typographical error – The Supreme Court held that the system's lack of a mechanism to rectify such errors and the appellant’s immediate attempt to inform the respondents constituted a bona fide mistake – The Court recognized the principles of proportionality and reasonableness in addressing the appellant’s grievance [Paras 10-20].

Equitable Relief – Mistake in Bid – The Court applied the principles from W.B. State Electricity Board v. Patel Engg. Co. Ltd., allowing equitable relief when a mistake is promptly reported – The appellant’s actions were deemed bona fide, and the error was not intended to gain undue advantage [Paras 15-19].

Doctrine of Proportionality – Applying the doctrine, the Court noted that forfeiture of the entire security deposit for a bona fide error was punitive and disproportionate – Directed the appellant to pay Rs 3 crore instead, balancing state and private interests [Paras 23-25].

Decision – Appeal partly allowed – Impugned communication quashed – Directed fresh e-auction and appellant to pay Rs 3 crore to the first respondent, failing which the bank guarantee may be encashed – Part of the amount to be used for local charitable purposes [Paras 26-27].

Family Law – Interim Maintenance – Appellant sought full payment of arrears of interim maintenance – Respondent directed to pay only 20% of the total arrears by the High Court – Supreme Court modifies this, directing payment of Rs. 2 crores as a one-time settlement considering financial status, social standing, and ongoing litigation – Judgment reaffirms that maintenance is to prevent destitution rather than punishment [Paras 1-33].

Irretrievable Breakdown of Marriage – Dissolution – Marriage between parties found irretrievably broken down due to prolonged separation and multiple failed reconciliations – Supreme Court exercises its power under Article 142 of the Constitution to dissolve the marriage, underscoring the futility of continuing a dead marriage [Paras 14-21].

Maintenance Considerations – Permanent Alimony – Principles for determining alimony discussed – Factors include income, lifestyle, dependents, obligations, and future prospects of both parties – Balanced approach towards determining fair amount – Rs. 2 crores fixed as permanent alimony to be paid by respondent to appellant within four months [Paras 22-33].

Decision – Appeals allowed – Marriage dissolved under Article 142 – Permanent alimony of Rs. 2 crores awarded – All pending cases to be disposed of accordingly [Paras 34-37].

Constitutional Law – Scheduled Castes – Authority to Amend – The State Government of Bihar's resolution to merge the caste "Tanti-Tantwa" with 'Pan/Sawasi' in the Scheduled Castes list was challenged – Held, the State Government lacks the authority to amend or alter the Scheduled Castes list, which can only be done by Parliament through legislation – The resolution was found to be unconstitutional and was quashed [Paras 1-25].

Judicial Review – Competence of State Government – The Court emphasized that the competence to modify the Scheduled Castes list lies solely with Parliament under Article 341 – State Government's action was beyond its jurisdiction and deemed mala fide – High Court's support of the State's resolution was erroneous [Paras 12-36].

Impact on Beneficiaries – Posts filled under the impugned resolution – Directed that the posts under Scheduled Castes quota filled by "Tanti-Tantwa" members be returned to Scheduled Castes category – The affected members to be accommodated under their original category of Extremely Backward Classes [Paras 39-42].

Decision: Appeals allowed – Resolution dated 01.07.2015 quashed – Posts to be reallocated appropriately.