Environmental Law – Classification of Zudpi Jungle as Forest – Historical Usage vs. Legal Interpretation – Forest Status Upheld – Despite historical non-forestry use and poor vegetative quality, Zudpi Jungle lands recorded as forest in revenue records must be treated as ‘forest’ for the purpose of Section 2 of the Forest (Conservation) Act, 1980 in view of the 12.12.1996 Godavarman order – Held: All such lands, unless de-notified in compliance with legal procedure, continue to attract forest conservation laws [Paras 29, 48, 55, 90].

Environmental Protection – CEC’s 2025 Report – Recommendations Accepted – Extensive data collection and district-wise analysis by CEC validated – Court accepted CEC’s findings and ordered conditional declassification of certain Zudpi lands, while maintaining protection over ecologically sensitive areas – Held: Recommendations in Paras 46(i)–(xii) of 2025 CEC Report accepted in full [Paras 47, 91, 93, 95].

Encroachments and Illegal Use – Regularisation of Post-1980 Allotments Denied – State directed to remove all commercial allotments and encroachments made after 25.10.1980 – Task Forces to be constituted in each district with mandate to act within two years – Held: Post-1980 encroachments and illegal commercial uses of Zudpi Jungle land to be treated as violations requiring eviction [Paras 91(viii)–(ix), 93(viii)–(ix)].

Revenue Records – Correction Allowed for Pre-1996 Allotments – Subject to Conditions – Court permitted reclassification of Zudpi Jungle lands used for non-forest purposes prior to 12.12.1996 via consolidated proposals under Section 2(i) of FC Act – No NPV or compensatory afforestation required – Held: Revenue entries may be updated for such lands, but future use must remain unchanged and hereditary only [Paras 43(A), 47(ii), 91(ii)].

Administrative Procedure – Simplified Framework for Proposal Processing – MoEF&CC and State to develop streamlined application format for diversion proposals in consultation with CEC – Held: Simplified process to be created within three months; CEC empowered to resolve any disputes [Paras 47(iii), 91(iii)].

Sustainable Development – Balancing Ecology and Local Needs – Zudpi Jungle lands provide crucial local community support – However, environmental conservation cannot be compromised – Held: Framework permits limited, justified deletions without precedent effect, balancing Article 48A and Article 21 [Paras 48, 55, 93].

Protected Forests – Unallotted Fragmented Parcels – Mandatory Protection – All unallotted Zudpi Jungle land under 3 hectares not adjoining any forest to be declared ‘Protected Forests’ under Section 29 of Indian Forest Act, 1927 – Held: Fragmented parcels protected from alienation; diversion only possible with Central Government approval under FC Act [Paras 91(v), 93(v)].

Forest Rights – Determination Using Satellite Data – Historical imagery permitted as supporting evidence in Forest Rights Act determinations – Held: Satellite data to assist in identifying traditional use and tenure [Para 91(vii)].

Compensatory Afforestation – Flexibility in Vidarbha Region – Court allowed double-area Zudpi Jungle lands to be used in lieu of non-forest land for compensatory afforestation in five districts – Held: Chief Secretary certificate of non-availability not required; afforestation must comply with MoEF guidelines [Para 91(xi)].

Judgment – Final Order – Applications Disposed – CEC directed to monitor progress of implementation, including forest transfers, eviction drives, and proposal approvals – Held: Applications disposed of in terms of accepted recommendations with liberty to CEC to submit reports and intervene in case of non-compliance [Paras 93–96].

Taxation Law - Customs – Duty Drawback – Circular No. 35/2010-Cus. – Clarificatory Nature – Retrospective Application – Dispute over denial of 1% AIR duty drawback to exporters of Soyabean Meal who availed Central Excise rebate – Supreme Court held that CBEC Circular No. 35/2010-Cus. was clarificatory in nature and must apply retrospectively – Circular did not introduce new benefit but clarified consistent practice under earlier notifications from 2006 to 2010 – Held: Circular operates retrospectively; appellant entitled to duty drawback for period before 20.09.2010 [Paras 1–5, 12–16, 20].

Fiscal Interpretation – Beneficial Circular – Presumption of Retrospectivity – Court applied the principle that beneficial or clarificatory circulars are to be construed as retrospective unless expressly stated otherwise – Notifications and circulars were consistent in treating the 1% rate as covering customs component regardless of CENVAT availed – Held: Doctrine of fairness and purposive construction warranted retrospective operation of Circular No. 35/2010 [Paras 9–18].

Statutory Construction – No Substantive Change – Circular Confirmed Existing Position – Language across all relevant notifications (2006 to 2010) consistent – Circular did not create new rights or burdens but clarified already available benefit – Held: Department’s denial of drawback prior to 20.09.2010 based on prospective interpretation was erroneous [Paras 13–15].

Judicial Review – Error by High Court – Improper Dismissal of Review Petition – High Court dismissed writ petition and review relying solely on effective date mentioned in Circular – Failed to assess its clarificatory nature and misapplied legal standards – Held: High Court's decision set aside for not appreciating fiscal legislative principles correctly [Paras 19–20].

Decision – Appeal allowed – Impugned orders of the Madhya Pradesh High Court dated 17.11.2014 and 01.04.2016 set aside – CBEC Circular No. 35/2010-Cus. dated 17.09.2010 held to be clarificatory and retrospective – Appellant entitled to 1% AIR duty drawback for exports of Soyabean Meal since 2008 [Para 20].

Criminal Law – Discharge – Limits under Section 239 CrPC – Special Court and High Court Orders Set Aside – Special Court and High Court discharged accused in ₹21 crore MSP fraud based on CCI's internal letter stating no loss – Supreme Court held this reliance was impermissible under Section 239 CrPC – Held: At charge stage, court can only consider prosecution material under Section 173 CrPC, not defence documents—Discharge orders illegal [Paras 13–28].

Corruption and Criminal Conspiracy – Cotton Procurement Scam – Prima Facie Case Made Out – Accused allegedly purchased cotton below MSP, hoarded it, and resold it via benami farmers to CCI at MSP using forged documents—Involvement of CCI officer (A-1) and son (A-3) established—Forgery confirmed by forensic analysis—Held: Material in charge sheet sufficient to proceed to trial—Discharge not warranted [Paras 6–8, 17–20, 27].

Judicial Process – Mini Trial at Discharge Stage Impermissible – Special Court’s evaluation of CCI's exoneration letter akin to a trial verdict rather than a charge analysis—Held: Courts below erroneously assessed defence case and presumed acquittal—Judicial discretion under Section 239 must not extend to considering accused’s evidence [Paras 20–26].

Criminal Procedure – Precedents – Accused Cannot Rely on External Evidence at Charge Stage – Court relied on State of Orissa v. Debendra Nath Padhi and State of Rajasthan v. Swarn Singh—Reiterated: Only prosecution's material under Section 173 CrPC can be examined at discharge—Accused cannot invoke right to file or rely on documents at framing of charge [Paras 24–26].

Decision – Criminal appeals allowed – Orders of discharge passed by Special Court and affirmed by High Court quashed – Discharge applications dismissed – Trial Court directed to reconsider charges strictly as per Section 239 CrPC, uninfluenced by defence material or observations in this judgment [Paras 27–28].

Service Law - Judicial Service – Probation Termination – Stigmatic Discharge Not Sustainable – The appellant, a probationer in Rajasthan Judicial Service, was discharged based on an inquiry alleging misconduct including non-disclosure of past employment and simultaneous academic degrees – The Court held that the allegations predated judicial service and were not grave enough to justify termination – Held: Discharge order stigmatic and violative of natural justice, termination set aside [Paras 17–18, 27, 31–32].

Natural Justice – Procedural Deficiency in Inquiry – Inquiry Conducted Without Full Participation – The appellant was not provided an effective hearing during the vigilance inquiry and the report was not supplied to her – Held: Violation of principles of natural justice and fair play warrants quashing of action based on such inquiry [Paras 7–8, 27].

Public Employment – Discharge on Probation – Applicability of Article 311 – The discharge was based on an inquiry concluding misconduct without formal proceedings – Held: Though on probation, the appellant was entitled to protection from stigmatic discharge under Article 311, requiring proper inquiry and opportunity of defence [Paras 24–26].

Women in Judiciary – Need for Diversity – Importance of Retaining Women Judges – The Court emphasized the systemic value of diversity and fair treatment in the judiciary – Held: Appellant, having succeeded despite systemic barriers, should not be excluded for minor procedural lapses [Paras 28–31].

Decision – Appeal Allowed – Discharge Order Quashed – Appellant Reinstated – The Supreme Court quashed the show cause notice and discharge order – Directed reinstatement with notional seniority and benefits except back wages – Probation deemed successfully completed [Paras 32–33].

Crimnal Law - Section 138 & 141 NI Act - Negotiable Instruments – Quashing Set Aside - Vicarious Liability of Director – Complaint Must Disclose Responsibility for Company’s Affairs – High Court quashed criminal proceedings under Section 138 NI Act against a director on the ground of insufficient averments—Supreme Court reversed, holding that complaint sufficiently alleged that respondent was “responsible for day-to-day affairs, management and working” of the company—Held: Averment satisfies the requirement under Section 141(1) NI Act—Complaint need not reproduce statutory language verbatim if substance is clear [Paras 2–6, 17–21, 27–30].

Director Liability – No Need to Parrot Section 141 – Substantive Allegations Sufficient – Supreme Court reiterated that complainants are not required to reproduce Section 141 verbatim—Complaint as a whole must show the director was in charge of and responsible for company’s business—Detailed Board resolutions and loan documents attached supported director’s active role—Held: Complaint sustainable against respondent no. 2 [Paras 18–21, 29–31, 34–39].

Precedents – S.M.S. Pharmaceuticals, Sabitha Ramamurthy, K.K. Ahuja, S.P. Mani – Applied – Court analyzed evolution of NI Act jurisprudence—Held: Complaint met the standards set in S.M.S. Pharmaceuticals (2005), Sabitha Ramamurthy (2006), K.K. Ahuja (2009), and S.P. Mani (2023)—Averments adequate to infer vicarious liability; no hyper-technical interpretation required [Paras 22–38].

Criminal Procedure – Quashing of Complaint – High Court Order Set Aside – High Court erroneously quashed proceedings under Section 482 CrPC—Held: Trial should proceed where complaint discloses sufficient prima facie material—A complaint cannot be dismissed solely for not using statutory language in precise terms [Paras 15–16, 39–40].

Decision – Appeal allowed – High Court order dated 10.01.2024 in Criminal W.P. No. 275 of 2022 quashed – Complaint restored against respondent no. 2 – Trial to proceed before Magistrate in accordance with law [Para 40].

Criminal Writ – PIL – Allegation of Fraudulent Cost Escalation – Prima Facie Rejected – Petitioner, a former MLA and PAC Chairman, alleged wrongful revision of estimates in PRRLIS causing Rs. 2,426.07 crores loss to public exchequer – Supreme Court upheld the High Court’s dismissal of the writ petition – Held: Allegations required factual adjudication not suitable for exercise of writ jurisdiction under Article 226 – Summary dismissal by High Court justified [Paras 1, 4, 10, 18].

CBI Investigation – Scope of Judicial Discretion – Writ Court’s Non-Interference Upheld – Petitioner sought CBI investigation into the alleged irregularities – Supreme Court held that the High Court was justified in refusing to refer the matter to CBI – Mere allegations unsupported by prima facie evidence or substantiated material do not mandate such referral – Discretion exercised by the High Court cannot be faulted in SLP proceedings [Paras 9, 19].

Res Judicata – Constructive Res Judicata – Repetitive Petitions by Same Petitioner – Earlier PILs by the same petitioner on related issues (Nos. 28/2016, 179/2016, 338/2017) were already disposed of – Present SLP found to be barred by principle of constructive res judicata – Also noted suppression of material facts by the petitioner – Held: Maintainability of repeated PILs on same subject matter is seriously questionable [Paras 13, 21].

Vigilance Report – CVC Finding Complaint Unsubstantiated – Evidentiary Value – Central Vigilance Commission had closed the complaint regarding PRRLIS packages 5 and 8 as unsubstantiated by order dated 12.09.2017 – Supreme Court noted this finding while rejecting prayer for further inquiry – Held: Findings of competent statutory body carry persuasive value in assessing prima facie case in PILs [Paras 14, 21].

Final Decision – No Interference Warranted – Supreme Court found no illegality in High Court’s decision – Held: No justification to reopen the matter or interfere with impugned judgment – Special Leave Petition dismissed [Paras 20, 22].

Criminal Law - Criminal Complaint – Bar of Limitation – Section 468 CrPC – Cognizance Set Aside – Magistrate took cognizance only under Section 323 IPC (maximum punishment: one year) after three years of the alleged incident – Held: Section 468 CrPC applies; the complaint is barred by limitation – The Magistrate's and High Court’s orders set aside; complaint quashed [Paras 3–11].

Interpretation – Section 468(3) CrPC – Scope Limited to Joint Trial – Not Applicable When Cognizance Taken for Single Offence – Though the complaint alleged multiple offences including one under Section 452 IPC (punishable with up to seven years), cognizance was taken only under Section 323 IPC – Thus, the benefit of extended limitation under Section 468(3) CrPC not available – High Court misread the provision [Paras 6–9].

Legal Principle – Act of Court Cannot Prejudice – Limitation Relates to Date of Offence – Where delay in cognizance is due to court’s process and not complainant’s fault, bar may not apply – However, no justification or extension under Section 473 CrPC invoked in this case – Hence, bar under Section 468 CrPC attracted [Para 8].

Final Relief – Complaint Quashed – Cognizance Beyond Limitation Invalid – Appeal Allowed – The Supreme Court quashed Complaint Case No.13176 of 2018 – Cognizance taken on 27 September 2019 was beyond limitation for an offence under Section 323 IPC, alleged to have occurred on 5 September 2015 [Paras 10–11].

Criminal Law - PMLA Offence – Bail – Predicate Offence Bail Granted – Relaxation of Section 45 PMLA – Bail Allowed – The appellant, a headmaster, was accused of conspiring to leak the question paper of a competitive government examination and was arrested along with 36 candidates found with the leaked paper – The Enforcement Directorate registered a separate ECIR under PMLA based on proceeds of crime arising from the predicate offences – The appellant was granted bail in the predicate FIR on 28.01.2025 – The Court noted that the ED investigation was ongoing and the case against the appellant, at present, rested on conspiracy – Held: In light of the nature of allegations and the fact that bail was granted in the predicate offence, rigours of Section 45 PMLA can be relaxed and the appellant released on bail with liberty to the ED to seek modification if further incriminating evidence emerges [Paras 6–10].

Decision – Appeal Allowed – Bail Granted – Supreme Court set aside the High Court's order denying bail and directed that the appellant be released on bail to the satisfaction of the Special Judge (PMLA) – Liberty granted to ED to move for recall/modification of order upon discovery of fresh material [Paras 9–11].

Criminal Law - Sections 420, 406, 467, 468, 473, 474, and 120B of the Indian Penal Code, 1860 - Quashing of FIR – Forged Lease Deed Used – FIR Restored – Allegation that accused used a forged lease deed to sell land and obtained ₹10 lakh as advance – Held: High Court erred in quashing FIR by relying on defence plea that accused were unaware of forgery or were willing to return money – Such issues are matters for trial – FIR restored for continuation of investigation and trial [Paras 2–10].

Plea of Defence – Not a Ground for Quashing – Accused Claimed to Be Victims Themselves – Rejected – Supreme Court reiterated that defence pleas cannot be considered at FIR stage – Even willingness to refund money does not negate commission of cognizable offence – Quashing order set aside [Paras 8–10].

Multiple FIRs – Distinct Transactions – Not Barred – Separate Victims, Separate Offences – Held: Presence of other FIRs relating to similar modus operandi does not make the current FIR a second FIR for the same offence – Each transaction with separate victim constitutes a distinct offence [Para 10].

Final Relief – FIR Quashing Set Aside – Criminal Proceedings to Continue – Supreme Court held that allegations made out a prima facie case – Investigation having culminated in a charge sheet, FIR and proceedings restored for trial – Appeal allowed [Paras 10–11].