Criminal Law - Conviction for Murder - Appeal - Modification of Sentence - Sections 147, 148, 149, 302, 326, 34 IPC- Appeal against conviction under Section 302 IPC for causing death by inflicting grievous injuries with sharp weapons. High Court upheld conviction based on medical evidence linking the fatal injuries to the appellants. Supreme Court re-evaluates evidence, noting inconsistencies and lack of direct causation for death by injuries inflicted solely by appellants. Held, conviction under Section 302 IPC not sustainable due to inability to prove that inflicted injuries alone caused death. Conviction modified to Section 326 IPC for causing grievous hurt with dangerous weapons. Sentence reduced to rigorous imprisonment for 10 years with a fine of Rs. 5,000 each, and further imprisonment in default of payment of fine. [Paras 1-15]

Role of Accused - Analysis - Examination of the testimonies of eyewitnesses and medical evidence. Determination that appellants inflicted grievous injuries but did not solely cause death. High Court’s error in attributing all fatal injuries to appellants corrected. Evidence supports conviction under Section 326 IPC instead of Section 302 IPC. [Paras 7-13]

Decision - Modification of Conviction and Sentence- Supreme Court modifies the conviction from Section 302 IPC to Section 326 IPC due to lack of direct causation of death by injuries inflicted by appellants. Sentence reduced accordingly. Appeal partly allowed. [Paras 14-15]

Landlord-Tenant Relationship - Maintainability of Eviction Suit - Land Acquisition Act, 1894 - Transfer of Property Act, 1882 – Whether a landlord can maintain a suit for eviction after an award is passed under the Land Acquisition Act, 1894 – Held, affirmative. The Supreme Court ruled that despite the passing of an acquisition award, the suit for eviction is maintainable if possession has not been taken by the acquiring authority. [Paras 1-17]

Section 16 of the Land Acquisition Act, 1894 - Vesting of Property – Analysis – When an award is passed under Section 11 and possession is taken, the property vests in the government free from encumbrances. However, in this case, possession was not taken by the acquiring authority, hence the landlord retains the right to evict the tenant. [Para 12]

Tenant's Obligation - Continuation of Rent Payment – Despite claiming the landlord had no right post-award, the tenant continued paying rent, contradicting their position. This inconsistency supports the landlord's claim of maintaining the eviction suit. [Para 13]

Undertaking to Court - Compliance Issues – Highlighted the problem of non-compliance with High Court orders by tenants – Stressed the necessity for tenants to file undertakings before obtaining interim relief to uphold court authority and ensure compliance. [Paras 14-16]

Decision - Petitions Dismissed – Special leave petitions by tenants challenging eviction were dismissed – Supreme Court upheld the landlord's right to evict tenants where possession under the Land Acquisition Act, 1894 was not taken by the acquiring authority. [Para 17]

Civil Procedure - Specific Performance - Readiness and Willingness - Second Appeal - Substantial Question of Law – Appeal against High Court judgment setting aside the Trial and First Appellate Court’s decrees granting specific performance of contract – High Court erred by not formulating substantial question of law before deciding second appeal – Compliance with Section 16(c) of the Specific Relief Act regarding readiness and willingness satisfied through conduct and evidence – High Court’s decision reversed – Judgment and decree of the Trial and First Appellate Courts restored. [Paras 1-36]

High Court’s Procedure – Error – Substantial Question of Law – Held - High Court failed to comply with mandatory requirement of Section 100 CPC to formulate substantial question of law at admission stage - Appeal cannot be decided without such formulation – Procedure adopted by High Court was erroneous and the judgment is vitiated. [Paras 15-23]

Specific Performance – Readiness and Willingness – Compliance – Held - Plaintiff’s readiness and willingness to perform contractual obligations evidenced by conduct and sequence of events - Requirement of Section 16(c) of Specific Relief Act met – Trial and First Appellate Court’s finding upheld. [Paras 24-34]

Decision – Judgment and Decree of High Court Set Aside – Appeal Allowed – Judgment and decree of Trial Court and First Appellate Court restored - High Court’s judgment dismissing suit for specific performance set aside – No order as to costs. [Paras 35-36]

Industrial Disputes Act, 1947 - Maintainability of Civil Suit - Disciplinary Proceedings – Removal from Service – Civil Appeal challenging the maintainability of a civil suit filed by the respondent for his removal from service, where the appropriate forum should have been the Labour Court under the Industrial Disputes Act - Appellant Corporation contended the suit was not maintainable and argued that the disciplinary proceedings were conducted in accordance with law – Supreme Court held that the suit was not maintainable as the respondent being a workman ought to have approached the Labour Court - Judgments of the courts below quashed - Order of removal from service restored - Appeal allowed. [Paras 1-21]

Disciplinary Proceedings – Principles of Natural Justice – Sufficiency of Evidence – Analysis – Supreme Court found the findings of the lower courts were based on the unsubstantiated allegations by the respondent – Held that the disciplinary proceedings had been conducted in accordance with law, providing adequate opportunity to the respondent – Noted that failure to rebut the respondent's claims by the Corporation was not sufficient to declare the inquiry vitiated - Emphasized on the necessity of proper pleadings and evidence to support claims of procedural violations. [Paras 10-16]

Proportionality of Punishment – Misappropriation of Funds – Held – Dismissal from service is the appropriate punishment in cases of proven corruption or embezzlement irrespective of the amount involved – Court reiterated that any leniency in such cases is against public interest and the principle of proportionality does not apply. [Paras 19-20]

Decision – Appeal allowed – Judgments of the lower courts set aside – Order of removal from service restored – No order as to costs. [Para 21]

SARFAESI Act – Sale of Secured Assets – Appeals against High Court order validating sale – Allegation of non-compliance with mandatory provisions of the SARFAESI Act and Security Interest (Enforcement) Rules – Sale conducted without written terms agreed upon for private treaty – Violation of borrower’s rights under Article 300A – Held, sale null and void due to non-compliance with statutory requirements – High Court judgment affirmed, sale set aside – Direction for refund of sale consideration with interest and return of possession to borrowers. [Paras 1-29]

Mandatory Provisions – SARFAESI Act – Enforcement of Security Interest – Requirement for written terms in private treaty sales – Violation of Rule 8(8) of Security Interest (Enforcement) Rules – Borrowers’ rights protection – Held, absence of written agreement for sale by private treaty renders sale invalid – Compliance with statutory provisions essential for valid enforcement of security interest. [Paras 15-18]

Refund and Possession – Sale Consideration Refund – Calculation of interest – Appellants’ bona fide purchaser status – Sale invalidated due to procedural lapses by bank – Directions for bank to refund FDR proceeds with accrued interest – Borrowers to pay appellants sale consideration with 18% interest – Appellants to return possession upon receiving payment. [Paras 25-28]

Decision – Sale in favor of appellants null and void – High Court's judgment upheld – Sale set aside due to procedural violations – Appellants to be refunded with interest – Respondent Nos. 1 and 2 to regain possession of property after payment to appellants. [Paras 1-29]

Interpretation of Statutory Rules and Retrospective Application – Non-Construction Fee – Punjab Urban Planning Legislation – Held: The High Court misapplied the decision in Tehal Singh's case to the facts at hand, overlooking the specific conditions accepted by the respondent at the time of allotment and his subsequent conduct. The doctrine of "approbate and reprobate" was crucial, preventing the respondent from accepting the benefit of an extension while later challenging the fee.

Application of Doctrine of Estoppel – Doctrine of Election – Held: The respondent, having availed the extension under specific terms, is estopped from denying the validity of such terms later. The respondent's conduct falls within the scope of estoppel by election, barring him from contesting the extension fee after benefitting from the extended time for construction.

Decision – Appeal Allowed – High Court Order Set Aside – Costs: The Supreme Court allowed the appeals, set aside the High Court's order, and reinstated the validity of the extension fee notices. No costs were awarded.

Partition and Self-Acquired Property – Burden of Proof – Civil Appeal against High Court's judgment reversing trial court's findings – High Court error in placing burden on defendants to prove self-acquisition – High Court's incorrect presumption of property being joint – Trial court's findings on complete partition affirmed – Appeal allowed and plaintiffs’ suit dismissed. (Para15−22)

Partition of Joint Property – Family Arrangement – Analysis – Held – High Court's acceptance of trial court's finding on complete partition but misapplication in burden of proof regarding self-acquisition of Nageshwarwadi property – Presumption of jointness does not apply post-proven partition – Burden on plaintiffs to prove property remained joint. (Para19−21)

Decision – Reversal of High Court Judgment – Appeal allowed – High Court’s reversal of trial court’s finding on Issue No. III set aside – Trial court’s judgment on complete partition and self-acquisition of Nageshwarwadi property affirmed – Suit of the plaintiffs dismissed. (Para22)

Criminal Law - Murder Conviction - Dying Declarations - Criminal Appeal against conviction for murder under Sections 302, 304 read with Section 34 IPC - Conviction based on multiple dying declarations recorded by police and magistrate - Appellant argued inconsistencies in dying declarations and lack of corroborative evidence - Supreme Court found no material inconsistencies in the dying declarations, which were corroborated by other circumstantial evidence - Held that dying declarations were properly recorded, and the deceased was in a fit state to give her statement - Conviction and sentence upheld. [Paras 1-16]

Admissibility of Dying Declarations - Evidence Act, 1872 - Section 32 - Analysis of the legal principles surrounding the admissibility of dying declarations - Supreme Court reiterated that dying declarations, if found genuine and made in a fit state of mind, can form the sole basis for conviction without requiring corroboration - No substantial inconsistencies found in the dying declarations recorded by the police and magistrate - Statements consistent and supported by circumstantial evidence - Conviction based on dying declarations held valid. [Paras 6-10]

Intoxication and Intention to Kill - Penal Code, 1860 - Sections 300, 304 - Appellant argued that he was intoxicated and did not intend to kill - Supreme Court rejected the argument, holding that intoxication does not mitigate the offence - Appellant was presumed to know the consequences of his actions - Held that the appellant had the requisite intention to cause death despite being intoxicated - Conviction under Section 302 IPC upheld. [Paras 10-12]

Premature Release Guidelines - Consideration for premature release under the Government of Maharashtra Resolution for life convicts - Supreme Court directed the State Government to consider the appellant's case for premature release as per guidelines, given that he had already served more than 16 years of imprisonment without remission. [Paras 13-15]

Decision - Conviction and sentence of life imprisonment under Section 302 IPC upheld - Appeal dismissed - Supreme Court directed State Government to consider appellant’s case for premature release in accordance with relevant guidelines. [Paras 12-16]

Criminal Law - Circumstantial Evidence - Last Seen Theory – Criminal appeal against the High Court judgment affirming the conviction and sentence of the appellant for murder and causing the disappearance of evidence – Prosecution's reliance on circumstantial evidence and last seen theory – Supreme Court reiterates that in cases based on circumstantial evidence, the facts must be proven beyond reasonable doubt and should be closely linked to the main fact of the crime – Mere non-explanation by the accused cannot lead to proof of guilt – Held that the prosecution failed to establish motive and connectivity between the accused and the crime – Conviction based solely on suspicion is not sustainable - Conviction and sentence set aside – Appellant acquitted. [Paras 8-15]

Analysis of Evidence - Medical Evidence and Witness Testimonies – The post-mortem report confirmed homicidal death due to strangulation – Testimonies of prosecution witnesses, particularly on the last seen theory, and alleged motive of illicit relationship – Witness PW4 declared hostile – Lack of substantial evidence of motive and inconsistent witness testimonies – Court finds no incriminating evidence directly linking the accused to the crime. [Para 10-14]

Decision – Appeal Allowed – Conviction and Sentence Quashed – Court directs the release of the appellant, giving the benefit of doubt due to insufficient evidence establishing guilt beyond reasonable doubt. [Para 15]