Supreme Court of India Judgements

47000 Judgements hosted as on 19/12/2025 - Search (FREE), Subscribe, Read & Download

Category: Acquittal

Acquittal

Murder—Injuries on Accused—No investigation in cross case—It causes serious prejudice to accused—Accused acquitted on benefit of doubt Statement of Accused—Burden of Proof—The fact that a defence may not have been taken by an accused under S.313 Cr PC cannot absolve the prosecution from proving its case beyond all reasonable doubt

Oct 13, 2019 sclaw

2019(3) Law Herald (SC) 2132 : 2019 LawHerald.Org 1340 IN THE SUPREME COURT OF INDIA Before Honble Mr. Justice Ashok Bhushan Hon’ble Mr. Justice Navin Sinha Criminal Appeal No (s).…

Acquittal

Murder—Delay in recording statement of eye witness—Even though they were available and police knew that they were alleged eye witnesses-Accused acquitted Murder—Non proving of blood group of recovered blood stains—It may assume importance where the accused pleads a defence or alleges mala fides or fabricating the evidence on the part of the prosecution, to wrongly implicate him

Oct 13, 2019 sclaw

(2019) 10 SCALE 415 :  2019(3) Law Herald (SC) 2123 : 2019 LawHerald.Org 1337 IN THE SUPREME COURT OF INDIA Before Hon’ble Mr. Justice N.V. Ramana Hon’ble Mr. Justice Mohan…

Acquittal

Penal Code, 1860 (IPC) – Sections 498A, 306, 323 and 149 – Dowry Prohibition Act, 1961 – Sections 3 and 7 – Committed suicide – Reliance cannot be placed on the sole testimony of PW1, on the basis of which the Appellant was convicted under Sections 498A, 114 and 323 as there is no corroboration by PW4 who is alleged to have given the information to him. Other than the above allegation, the Appellant stands on the same footing as of Accused Nos. 3, 4 and 5 who have been acquitted by the High Court. As the accusation of the physical assault by the appellant on the deceased is not proved, he is entitled to be acquitted.

Oct 8, 2019 sclaw

SUPREME COURT OF INDIA DIVISION BENCH  KANTILAL — Appellant Vs. THE STATE OF GUJARAT — Respondent ( Before : L. Nageswara Rao and Hemant Gupta, JJ. ) Criminal Appeal No.…

Acquittal

In the instant case, none of the circumstances relied upon by the prosecution have been proved beyond reasonable doubt, and there is no question of a complete chain of circumstances being formed that would point towards the guilt of the accused. In Court’s considered opinion, the benefit of doubt should therefore be granted in their favour – The Courts below erred in convicting Accused Nos. 1 and 2 for the offences of the abduction and murder of the deceased – Appeal allowed.

Sep 8, 2019 sclaw

SUPREME COURT OF INDIA FULL BENCH UMESH TUKARAM PADWAL AND ANOTHER — Appellant Vs. THE STATE OF MAHARASHTRA — Respondent ( Before : N.V. Ramana, Mohan M. Shantanagoudar and Ajay…

Acquittal

Murder~Circumstantial Evidence-¬ Acquittal-Private Complaint-Death due to overdose of drugs-Amount of the offending substance found in the blood of deceased was equal to injecting 40 ml of tidijesic -Deceased and the accused were sleeping in one room—Prosecution failed to prove that accused injected drug to deceased

Jun 28, 2019 sclaw

2019(2) Law Herald (SC) 1410 : 2019 LawHerald.Org 935 IN THE SUPREME COURT OF INDIA Before Hon’ble Mr. Justice Sanjay Kishan Kaul Hon’ble Mr. Justice Deepak Gupta Criminal Appeal No.…

Acquittal

ACQUITTAL :: Murder- -Culpable Homicide-Right of Private Defence-Acquittal-Appellant being a forest ranger had every reason to believe that due to suspicious moment of deceased party in the forest, they were trying to smuggle the sandal wood from the forest—Deceased party was aggressor as they first pelted stones and damaged the appellant’s vehicle shouting “fire them”–

Jun 9, 2019 sclaw

2019(2) Law Herald (SC) 1322 : 2019 LawHerald.Org 925 : (2019) AIR(SC) 1389 : (2019) 2 RCR(Criminal) 325 : (2019) 4 SCALE 490 IN THE SUPREME COURT OF INDIA Before…

Acquittal

Rape–Suicide–Dying declaration–There are several inconsistencies and contradictions–Eye-witnesses examined by the prosecution i.e. PWs 13 and 15 who happen to be the brother and the friend of the deceased did not support the prosecution version and resiled from their statement made during investigation–Acquittal upheld

Apr 14, 2019 sclaw

    2009(1) LAW HERALD (SC) 629 IN THE SUPREME COURT OF INDIA Before The Hon’ble Mr. Justice Arijit Pasayat The Hon’ble Mr. Justice Mukundakam Sharma Criminal Appeal No. 352…

You missed

Service

Cochin University of Science and Technology Act, 1986 — Section 31(10) and 31(11) — Selection and Appointment — Validity of Rank List and Communal Rotation — Harmonious Construction — Section 31(10) stipulates that the Rank List remains valid for two years, and vacancies arising during this period “shall be filled up from the list so published” — Section 31(11) mandates that “Communal rotation shall be followed category-wise” — These sub-sections operate in distinct spheres but are not mutually exclusive; the Rank List’s validity period (Sub-sec 10) co-exists with the mandatory application of communal rotation (Sub-sec 11) for every appointment made therefrom — Interpreting Sub-section (11) as becoming operative only after the Rank List expires would render the reservation/rotation requirement otiose during the list’s validity, defeating legislative intent and violating the doctrine of harmonious construction. (Paras 5, 5.2, 5.4, 5.5, 5.5.1, 5.5.2

Dec 19, 2025 sclaw
Acquittal I P C

Penal Code, 1860 (IPC) —Section 302 read with Sections 149 and 148 — Murder —Conviction affirmed by High Court — Appeal to Supreme Court — Sufficiency of evidence — Role of interested/related witnesses — Deposition of PW-4 (mother of deceased and alleged eyewitness) scrutinized closely — Material contradictions found in PW-4’s evidence regarding the manner of assault and who informed her — Failure of prosecution to examine key witness (deceased’s granddaughter, who initially informed PW-4) — Independent witnesses (PW-1, PW-2, PW-3 and PW-9) turned hostile — Recovery of weapons based on accused’s memorandum/statement rendered unreliable when supporting witnesses hostile. (Paras 4, 7, 8, 9, 10, 13, 14, 15)

Dec 19, 2025 sclaw
Constitution

Employees’ State Insurance Act, 1948 — Section 45A — Determination of contributions in certain cases — Preconditions for invoking Section 45A — Section 45A is a special provision for best-judgment assessment applicable only when an employer fails to submit, furnish, or maintain returns, particulars, registers, or records as required by Section 44, OR obstructs an Inspector or official in discharging duties under Section 45 — It is not an alternative mode of assessment available at the option of the Corporation — When records (ledgers, cash books, vouchers, etc.) are produced and the employer cooperates by attending multiple personal hearings, the mere allegation of inadequacy or deficiency of supporting documents does not satisfy the statutory threshold of “non-production” or “obstruction” to invoke Section 45A — Mere inadequacy of records does not confer jurisdiction under Section 45A. (Paras 14.6, 14.7, 24, 25, 27, 30)

Dec 19, 2025 sclaw
Tenders & Contracts

Tender and Contract — Eligibility Criteria — Interpretation of “prime contractor” and “in the same name and style” — Requirement of work experience — Where an NIT’s pre-qualification document requires “each prime contractor in the same name and style (tenderer)” to have completed previous work, and the term “prime contractor” is undefined, its meaning must be derived from common parlance as the tenderer primarily responsible for the contract offer; however, the requirement must be construed from the standpoint of a prudent businessman, considering the credentials and capacity to execute the work, not merely the name. (Paras 17, 20, 21.3)

Dec 19, 2025 sclaw