Facts:

The petitioners filed interlocutory applications seeking the constitution of a Special Investigation Team (SIT) to investigate alleged unlawful activities based on incriminating documents recovered during raids on the premises of Aditya Birla Group and Sahara Group.

The materials presented by the petitioners included documents indicating suspicious transactions and possible involvement of influential personalities and corporate entities in unlawful activities.

Issues:

Whether the materials presented by the petitioners are sufficient to warrant the constitution of an SIT and direction for investigation.

Whether the documents provided have legal admissibility and evidentiary value.

Held:

The court held that the materials presented lacked legal admissibility and evidentiary value as they did not conform to the requirements of Section 34 of the Indian Evidence Act.

The documents provided were not maintained in the regular course of business and were deemed unreliable by the concerned authorities.

The Income Tax Settlement Commission had found the transactions noted in the documents to be doubtful and lacking evidentiary value.

Considering the principles laid down in previous cases such as C.B.I. v. V.C. Shukla and Lalita Kumari v. Government of Uttar Pradesh, the court emphasized the importance of reliable and admissible evidence in initiating investigations.

Therefore, the court dismissed the interlocutory applications, finding no merit in them.

Facts:

The appellant was charged with the murder of Anusha Sarkar and her mother Maya Sarkar under IPC Sections 302 and 34.

The prosecution alleged a motive based on a love affair between A1 and Anusha, leading to A1's desire to eliminate Anusha and her mother.

The appellant's involvement was based on circumstantial evidence, including the recovery of blood-stained clothes, a laptop, and fingerprints.

Issues:

Whether the prosecution proved the appellant's guilt beyond reasonable doubt.

Whether the circumstantial evidence was sufficient to establish the appellant's involvement in the crime.

Held:

The court concluded that there was no direct evidence linking the appellant to the crime and that the prosecution failed to establish a clear motive for his involvement (Paragraphs 6-8).

It was held that the recovery of blood-stained clothes and a laptop from the appellant's house was not sufficient to establish his guilt, as the evidence did not directly pertain to the commission of the crime (Paragraphs 6-8).

The court found the fingerprint evidence unreliable, as one crucial print was missing and others were inconclusive (Paragraph 10).

Based on the above factors, the court held that the appellant should be given the benefit of the doubt, and his conviction was set aside (Paragraph 11).

Facts:

The appellant, United Finance Corporation, purchased property through a court auction sale as a decree-holder.

The sale was made absolute on June 1, 2002, and a sale certificate was issued on March 17, 2003.

The respondent, M.S.M. Haneefa, the judgment-debtor, filed applications to set aside the auction sale, which were dismissed by the executing court.

The respondent also filed a revision before the High Court, which was dismissed on July 9, 2003.

The appellant filed an application under Order 21, Rule 95 CPC for delivery of possession on August 30, 2003.

Issues:

Whether the application filed under Order 21, Rule 95 CPC for delivery of possession was barred by limitation.

Determination of the date from which the limitation period should be reckoned for filing such an application.

Held:

The Supreme Court held that the application for delivery of possession was not barred by limitation. It concluded that the sale became absolute only when the revision filed by the judgment-debtor was disposed of on July 9, 2003.

Therefore, since the application for delivery of possession was filed on August 30, 2003, which was well within one year from the date the sale became absolute, the Court ruled that it was not barred by limitation.

The Court set aside the High Court's order and directed the Executing Court to restore the application and dispose of it in accordance with the law.

Facts:

The appeals arose from criminal proceedings pending in the Court of Additional Session Judge, Delhi, involving various offences under IPC based on an FIR.

The prosecuting agency sought to prosecute the appellant under Section 182 IPC without following the procedure prescribed in Section 195 CrPC.

The appellant challenged this action, leading to dismissal by the Trial Court and subsequent dismissal by the High Court.

Issues:

Whether the prosecution's action against the appellant under Section 182 IPC without following the procedure under Section 195 CrPC renders it void ab initio.

Held:

The Court, referring to the precedent set in Daulat Ram v. State of Punjab (AIR 1962 SC 1206), held that the prosecution's action under Section 182 IPC is void ab initio if not in accordance with the procedure outlined in Section 195 CrPC.

The Court emphasized that the procedural requirements of Section 195 CrPC are mandatory for prosecuting an offence under Section 182 IPC.

The Court allowed the appeals, setting aside the impugned orders of the lower courts, as the action taken by the prosecution against the appellant under Section 182 IPC was found to be void ab initio due to non-compliance with the procedural requirements.

The Court expressed no opinion on any subsequent application filed by the State in this regard, leaving it to be considered by the Trial Court on its own merits and in accordance with the law.

Facts:

The trial court, after the conclusion of the criminal trial, recorded in the order sheet that the accused persons had been acquitted as per a judgment separately typed, signed, and dated. However, the judgment was not dictated in open court, and there was only an incomplete judgment with no page signed by the presiding officer. On inquiry, it was found that the judgment was not available on record, leading to administrative action by the High Court. The High Court, in exercise of its administrative power, treated the trial as pending and transferred the case to another court for rehearing and disposal.

Issues:

Whether the recorded order by the trial court can be treated as a judgment of acquittal.

The competence of the High Court to transfer the case in exercise of its administrative power.

Held:

The provisions of the Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPC) mandate that the judgment must be pronounced in open court either by delivering the whole judgment, reading out the whole judgment, or reading out the operative part of the judgment. In this case, the judgment was not dictated in open court, and there was only an incomplete judgment with no signature by the presiding officer.

The absence of a complete and signed judgment renders it invalid as per Section 353 CrPC, and the trial cannot be concluded based on an incomplete document.

Article 227 of the Constitution confers powers of superintendence on the High Court over courts and tribunals within its territory, including the authority to exercise suo motu power.

The High Court, upon finding the absence of a valid judgment, was under a legal obligation to rectify the error.

Therefore, the transfer of the case by the High Court to another court for rehearing and disposal was within its jurisdiction and served the cause of justice.

Decision: The appeals were dismissed, affirming the importance of properly pronouncing judgment in open court and upholding the High Court's authority to rectify errors in legal proceedings to ensure the sanctity of justice.

Facts:

The respondent filed a suit seeking permanent and temporary injunctions against the defendants, claiming possession of the property known as Tej Kunj.

The property was owned by the deceased father of the respondent's mother.

The respondent and his maternal grandmother were residing in the property.

The defendants argued that the respondent and his grandmother were permitted to stay there out of love and affection and had no legal right to claim possession.

The property had been bequeathed to the defendants by the deceased father's will.

Issues:

Whether the respondent and his grandmother had any legal right to claim possession of the property.

Whether an interim injunction should be granted in favor of the respondent.

Held:

The Supreme Court held that a person holding property gratuitously, as a caretaker or servant, does not acquire any legal right or interest in the property, regardless of how long they have possessed it.

Therefore, the respondent, being a relative staying with his grandmother who was a gratuitous licensee, had no legal basis to claim possession.

The Court cited precedents to support its decision, emphasizing that protection of possession could only be granted to those with valid agreements, such as lease or license agreements.

The appeal was allowed, setting aside the High Court's judgment and reinstating the trial court's order.

The Court clarified that its observations should not be considered as conclusive, as the main suit was still pending and the merits would be decided at the appropriate stage.

Facts:

The prosecution alleged the appellant's involvement in the murder of Ramchandra Singh, based on the testimony of witnesses who claimed to have seen the deceased in the company of the appellant and others before his death. The identification parade was held more than two and a half months after the incident, and none of the witnesses provided specific identification marks or attributes of the accused. The confessional statement by another accused was discarded by the trial court.

Issues:

The sufficiency and reliability of identification evidence, considering the delay in holding the identification parade and the absence of specific identification marks provided by the witnesses.

Held:

The court held that the identification evidence alone was insufficient to establish guilt beyond a reasonable doubt. It emphasized the importance of cautiousness in cases of delay, as witnesses' memories may fade. The absence of any incident or crime taking place in the presence of the witnesses further weakened the prosecution's case.

The suspicion expressed by one witness was not deemed enough to convict the appellant. Consequently, the court extended the benefit of doubt to the appellant and acquitted him of all charges. The benefit of acquittal was also extended to the non-appealing accused.

Facts:

The appellant was accused of committing sexual intercourse on multiple occasions with the victim under the false promise of marriage.

The victim alleged that the appellant, his family treating her as their daughter-in-law, had sexually assaulted her. The trial court initially found the appellant to be a juvenile based on the victim's assertions regarding the last occurrence of intercourse. However, the High Court set aside this determination and remitted the matter back to the trial court.

Issues:

The determination of the appellant's juvenility at the time of the alleged offense and the validity of the trial court's decision in this regard. Additionally, the applicability of relevant legal provisions for age determination was in question.

Held:

The Supreme Court held that the trial court's determination of the appellant's juvenility was valid and in accordance with established legal principles. The court emphasized that age determination should primarily rely on documentary evidence and resort to medical opinion only if such evidence is unavailable. Furthermore,

it was noted that if the offense occurred on multiple occasions, the appellant's status as a juvenile on the date of the last occurrence was sufficient for consideration.

The High Court's decision to remit the matter back to the trial court was deemed incorrect, and the trial court's findings were restored. Thus, the appeal was allowed, and the matter was disposed of in accordance with the trial court's directions.

Facts:

The High Court refused to quash the FIR and consequential investigation in the case of The State of Telangana v. Habib Abdullah Jeelani & Ors. However, it directed that if the accused person surrenders before the trial magistrate, they shall be admitted to bail. The Supreme Court considered the legality and propriety of this order.

Issues:

The appropriateness of the High Court's direction to grant bail without satisfying the conditions of Section 438 of the CrPC.

Held:

The Supreme Court held that while declining to quash the FIR and investigation, the High Court could not extend the privilege to the accused person, which is in the nature of an anticipatory bail. The direction of the High Court amounted to an order under Section 438 of the CrPC, albeit without satisfying the conditions of the said provision. Such an order was deemed legally unsustainable.

Decision: The Supreme Court allowed the appeal, holding that the direction of the High Court was legally unacceptable as it amounted to granting anticipatory bail without satisfying the conditions prescribed by law. Such orders were deemed unsustainable and not within the purview of the relevant legal provisions.