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Service Law — Disciplinary proceedings post-superannuation — Where service regulations permit continuation of disciplinary proceedings initiated before superannuation, they can be concluded thereafter — Punishment of reduction in pay scale can be implemented by computing pension based on the reduced salary. Criminal Procedure Code, 1973 (CrPC) — Section 482 — Quashing of criminal proceedings — Summoning order based on complaint allegations lacking specific details of copyright infringement and without application of mind by Magistrate — Superior Court’s duty to examine proceedings for being frivolous, vexatious, or malicious — Held, allegations in complaint were bald and unsubstantiated, failing to disclose similarity between film and script. Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code, 2016 (IBC) — Section 31(1) — Corporate Insolvency Resolution Process (CIRP) — Resolution Plan — “Clean Slate” Principle — Effect of Approval — Claims not part of resolution plan stand extinguished — No affirmative relief can be granted for such claims — Division Bench judgment set aside. Forest (Conservation) Act, 1980 — Section 2 — Forest land — Deemed forest — Master Plan — Statutory plan prevails over subsequent growth of vegetation — Land earmarked for project under an approved Master Plan, which was not forest land at the time of the plan’s inception, cannot subsequently be declared as forest or deemed forest thereby overriding the Master Plan’s statutory force. Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988 read with Bihar Special Courts Act, 2009 (BSCA) — Confiscation proceedings against family members of a deceased public servant — Death of the public servant during pendency of appeal — Whether confiscation proceedings can continue against the family members — Held, the BSCA provides for specific circumstances for return of confiscated property, namely, modification/annulment by High Court or acquittal by Special Court — The Act does not provide for abatement of proceedings upon death of the public servant, especially when family members were also put to notice — proceedings against family members cannot be automatically set aside due to the death of the public servant, and appeals should be decided on merits.
Service Matters

Service Law — Disciplinary proceedings post-superannuation — Where service regulations permit continuation of disciplinary proceedings initiated before superannuation, they can be concluded thereafter — Punishment of reduction in pay scale can be implemented by computing pension based on the reduced salary.

2026 INSC 266 SUPREME COURT OF INDIA DIVISION BENCH VIRINDER PAL SINGH Vs. PUNJAB AND SIND BANK AND OTHERS ( Before : Pamidighantam Sri Narasimha and Manoj Misra, JJ. )…

Criminal Procedure Code, 1973 (CrPC) — Section 482 — Quashing of criminal proceedings — Summoning order based on complaint allegations lacking specific details of copyright infringement and without application of mind by Magistrate — Superior Court’s duty to examine proceedings for being frivolous, vexatious, or malicious — Held, allegations in complaint were bald and unsubstantiated, failing to disclose similarity between film and script.

SUPREME COURT OF INDIA DIVISION BENCH SUJOY GHOSH Vs. THE STATE OF JHARKHAND AND ANOTHER ( Before : Pamidighantam Sri Narasimha and Alok Aradhe, JJ. ) Criminal Appeal No….of 2026…

Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code, 2016 (IBC) — Section 31(1) — Corporate Insolvency Resolution Process (CIRP) — Resolution Plan — “Clean Slate” Principle — Effect of Approval — Claims not part of resolution plan stand extinguished — No affirmative relief can be granted for such claims — Division Bench judgment set aside.

2026 INSC 268 SUPREME COURT OF INDIA DIVISION BENCH UJAAS ENERGY LTD. Vs. WEST BENGAL POWER DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION LTD. ( Before : Dipankar Datta and Augustine George Masih, JJ. )…

Forest (Conservation) Act, 1980 — Section 2 — Forest land — Deemed forest — Master Plan — Statutory plan prevails over subsequent growth of vegetation — Land earmarked for project under an approved Master Plan, which was not forest land at the time of the plan’s inception, cannot subsequently be declared as forest or deemed forest thereby overriding the Master Plan’s statutory force.

2026 INSC 270 SUPREME COURT OF INDIA DIVISION BENCH NAVEEN SOLANKI AND ANOTHER Vs. RAIL LAND DEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY AND OTHERS ( Before : Dipankar Datta and Augustine George Masih, JJ.…

Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988 read with Bihar Special Courts Act, 2009 (BSCA) — Confiscation proceedings against family members of a deceased public servant — Death of the public servant during pendency of appeal — Whether confiscation proceedings can continue against the family members — Held, the BSCA provides for specific circumstances for return of confiscated property, namely, modification/annulment by High Court or acquittal by Special Court — The Act does not provide for abatement of proceedings upon death of the public servant, especially when family members were also put to notice — proceedings against family members cannot be automatically set aside due to the death of the public servant, and appeals should be decided on merits.

2026 INSC 272 SUPREME COURT OF INDIA DIVISION BENCH THE STATE OF BIHAR THROUGH VIGILANCE Vs. SUDHA SINGH ( Before : Sanjay Karol and Nongmeikapam Kotiswar Singh, JJ. ) Criminal…

Service Matters

Gratuity — Withholding of gratuity due to non-vacation of company-allotted accommodation — SAIL Gratuity Rules, 1978, Rule 3.2.1(c) expressly empowers management to withhold gratuity for non-compliance with company rules, including non-vacation of accommodation — No interest payable on gratuity withheld for period of unauthorized occupation — Management is entitled to adjust penal rent accrued for retention beyond permissible period from gratuity amount — Order of March 31, 2017 in Ram Naresh Singh’s case was a concession based on specific facts and not binding precedent, unlike the order of December 15, 2020 in S.L.P — (C) No — 11025 of 2020 which clarified principles of penal rent adjustment

2026 INSC 263 SUPREME COURT OF INDIA DIVISION BENCH THE MANAGEMENT OF STEEL AUTHORITY OF INDIA AND OTHERS Vs. SHAMBHU PRASAD SINGH AND OTHERS ( Before : Pankaj Mithal and…

Motor Vehicles Act, 1988 — Section 166 — Motor Accidents Claims Tribunal (MACT) — Assessment of compensation — Functional disability vs — Physical disability — High Court reduced functional disability from 63% assessed by Medical Board to 30% without providing cogent reasons, constituting an erroneous appreciation of evidence and misapplication of legal principles — Such reduction, without convincing evidence impeaching medical certificates and without assigning adequate reasons, was unjustified — Supreme Court, to do complete justice and avoid further delay, examined functional disability on merits, considering medical and neuropsychological reports indicating severe cognitive impairment, partial blindness, and orthopedic limitations — Held, functional disability for calculating loss of earning capacity should be assessed at 100% given the claimant’s managerial role and the profound impact of injuries on his cognitive and functional abilities — Compensation recalculated accordingly, enhancing the award from Rs — 35,61,000/- to Rs — 97,73,011/-.

2026 INSC 260 SUPREME COURT OF INDIA DIVISION BENCH R. HALLE Vs. RELIANCE GENERAL INSURANCE COMPANY LIMITED ( Before : Prashant Kumar Mishra and Sandeep Mehta, JJ. ) Civil Appeal…

Criminal Procedure Code, 1973 (CrPC) — Sections 221 and 222 — Conviction for offence not charged — High Court rightly reversed the conviction under Section 364 of IPC when the charge was for Section 302 of IPC, as Section 364 is not a minor or cognate offence to Section 302, making conviction without specific charge or notice prejudicial to fair trial

2026 INSC 256 SUPREME COURT OF INDIA DIVISION BENCH THE STATE OF UTTAR PRADESH Vs. RAM SWAROOP @ BARKAT ( Before : Aravind Kumar and Augustine George Masih, JJ. )…

Consumer Protection Act, 1986 — Section 2(1)(d) — Definition of “consumer” — Commercial purpose — Deposit of surplus funds by a company in a bank for earning interest does not automatically make it a commercial purpose, but if the deposit is made to leverage credit facilities for augmenting business, it would have a direct nexus with revenue generation/profits — The identity of the purchaser or the value of the transaction is not conclusive, but the dominant intention or purpose behind the transaction is determining.

2026 INSC 264 SUPREME COURT OF INDIA DIVISION BENCH SANT ROHIDAS LEATHER INDUSTRIES AND CHARMAKAR DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION LTD. Vs. VIJAYA BANK ( Before : Pamidighantam Sri Narasimha and Manoj Misra,…

Penal Code, 1860 (IPC) — Sections 406 and 420 — Criminal breach of trust and cheating — For an offence of cheating under Section 415 IPC, a fraudulent or dishonest intention must exist at the time of making the promise or representation — Mere failure to keep a promise subsequently does not automatically prove dishonest intention from the beginning — Every breach of contract does not amount to cheating, unless there was deception at the inception.

2026 INSC 265 SUPREME COURT OF INDIA DIVISION BENCH V. GANESAN Vs. STATE REP BY THE SUB INSPECTOR OF POLICE AND ANOTHER ( Before : Pamidighantam Sri Narasimha and Manoj…

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