Category: Acquittal

High Court misdirected itself in finding support for conviction on such unclinching evidence – The innocence of the appellants is a distinct possibility in the present matter and when two views are possible the benefit must go to the accused-Evidence Act, 1872 – Section 106 – Burden of Proof – As the burden to prove the guilt is always on the prosecution and cannot be shifted to the accused by virtue of Section 106

SUPREME COURT OF INDIA FULL BENCH SURENDRA KUMAR AND ANOTHER — Appellant Vs. STATE OF U.P. — Respondent ( Before : Rohinton Fali Nariman, B.R. Gavai and Hrishikesh Roy, JJ.…

(IPC) – Sections 302, 364-A, 376, 216 read with Section 120-B – Kidnapping Rape and Murder – Circumstancial evidence – Post-mortem report discloses that victim was sexually assaulted, the FSL Report on record does not establish any connection of accused with the sexual assault on the deceased victim – Record is again not clear as to when the present appellants were arrested and how and in what manner their disclosure statements led to the recovery of the dead body

SUPREME COURT OF INDIA DIVISION BENCH YOGESH — Appellant Vs. STATE OF HARYANA — Respondent ( Before : Uday Umesh Lalit and Indira Banerjee, JJ. ) Criminal Appeal No. 1306,…

Appeal against acquittal – Dying declaration – the accused is able to create a doubt not only with regard to the dying declaration but also with regard to the nature and manner of death, the benefit of doubt shall have to be given to the accused – Therefore much shall depend on the facts of a case – There can be no rigid standard or yardstick for acceptance or rejection of a dying declaration.

SUPREME COURT OF INDIA DIVISION BENCH NARESH KUMAR — Appellant Vs. KALAWATI AND OTHERS — Respondent ( Before : Navin Sinha and Krishna Murari, JJ. ) Criminal Appeal No. 35…

(IPC) – Ss 323, 504 & 506 – Voluntarily causing hurt -Trial courts have the power to not merely decide on acquittal or conviction of the accused person after the trial, but also the duty to nip frivolous litigations in the bud even before they reach the stage of trial by discharging the accused in fit cases

SUPREME COURT OF INDIA DIVISION BENCH KRISHNA LAL CHAWLA AND OTHERS — Appellant Vs. STATE OF U.P. AND ANOTHER — Respondent ( Before : Mohan M. Shantanagouda and R. Subhash…

Murder – Post-Mortem Report – No marks on the body which would suggest violence or struggle – In any case, the medical expert himself has not ruled out the possibility of suicidal death – Post-Mortem Report shows, that the cause of death was ‘asphyxia due to hanging’ – Appellant acquitted.

SUPREME COURT OF INDIA DIVISION BENCH SHIVAJI CHINTAPPA PATIL — Appellant Vs. STATE OF MAHARASHTRA — Respondent ( Before : R.F. Nariman and B. R. Gavai, JJ. ) Criminal Appeal…

Illegal gratification – presumption of innocence as would be there in the case of acquittal – High Court decision is based on totally erroneous view of law by ignoring the settled legal position – High Court in dealing/non – dealing with the evidence was patently illegal leading to grave miscarriage of justice – Matter deserves to be remanded

SUPREME COURT OF INDIA FULL BENCH STATE OF GUJARAT — Appellant Vs. BHALCHANDRA LAXMISHANKAR DAVE — Respondent ( Before : Ashok Bhushan, R. Subhash Reddy and M. R. Shah, JJ.…

Possession of Indian Flap Shell Turtle — the Turtle which has been seized is not that which is included in Part II of Schedule I. In the facts of the present case, on the face of it, the Turtle seized is not included in Schedule I Part II and the Turtle having already been freed on the second day of its seizure, the High Court did not commit any error in quashing the criminal proceedings

SUPREME COURT OF INDIA DIVISION BENCH TITTY ALIAS GEORGE KURIAN — Appellant Vs. THE DEPUTY RANGE FOREST OFFICER — Respondent ( Before : Ashok Bhushan and Indu Malhotra, JJ. )…

Acquittal – Dowry death – Presumption – Ingredients of the offence are well-settled – A marriage performed within seven years before the death of the wife – Death must be unnatural – Soon before the death, the deceased wife must have been at the receiving end of cruelty or harassment, on account of demand for dowry – It is described as dowry death – Relatives concerned, including husband, become liable – Section 113B of the Evidence Act comes to the rescue of the prosecutor by providing for a presumption that a person has caused dowry death

SUPREME COURT OF INDIA FULL BENCH SANDEEP KUMAR AND OTHERS — Appellant Vs. STATE OF UTTARAKHAND AND ANOTHER — Respondent ( Before : Rohinton Fali Nariman, K.M. Joseph and Aniruddha…