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Hindu Minority and Guardianship Act, 1956 — Section 8(3) — Unauthorized alienation of minor’s property — Such alienation is voidable, not void ab initio, and can be challenged by the minor upon attaining majority or by someone claiming under the minor. Criminal Procedure — Delay in Investigation and Filing of Charge Sheet — Speedy Trial — Right to Speedy Trial and Timely Completion of Investigation are integral parts of Article 21 of the Constitution — Statutory recognition in CrPC for prompt investigation — Investigations should be completed within a reasonable time, not endlessly — Lack of strict timelines in CrPC does not permit indefinite investigations — Inordinate delay without adequate justification warrants intervention by Courts. Contract Law — Statutory Amendment — Impact on existing contracts — Where a statutory amendment alters a fundamental aspect like royalty rates, a pre-existing contract cannot prevent the application of the amended law, especially when the payment of royalty is linked to the removal or consumption of minerals — [MMDR Act] Applicability of S.9 — Scope — Section 9 applies broadly to all entities engaged in removal/dispatch of minerals, not only direct mining lessees. Criminal Procedure — Passport — Return/Surrender of Passport — Accused facing serious criminal charges — Right to travel abroad vis-à-vis right to speedy trial — Balance between individual liberty and societal interest — Accused charged with abetment of suicide and criminal conspiracy since 2014, trial still at stage of committal despite lapse of over ten years — Accused, a US citizen, had misused interim protection in prior proceedings to leave the country without Court’s leave — Whether High Court justified in permitting accused to travel abroad on grounds of medical treatment — Held, not justified — High Court indulgent rather than judicially restrained — Medical facilities in India comparable to those abroad — High Court’s revisional order set aside — Accused restrained from travelling abroad without express permission of Sessions Court — Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, 2023, S. 442 — Constitution of India, Art. 21 Service Law — Promotion — Entitlement to promotion to Chief Medical Director (Higher Administrative Grade) in Indian Railway Medical Service — Appellant was denied promotion despite being eligible, with a junior officer being promoted instead — Appellant’s case was rejected by the Tribunal and High Court based on her grading in Annual Confidential Reports

Consumer Complaint – Deficiency of service or defect – Adverse reaction due to administration of vaccine Engerix-B – Non-mentioning of myositis being suffered as an adverse reaction in the literature accompanying the injection or on the vial not amounts to deficiency of service, more particularly when the adverse reaction was minimal only to the extent of 0.02 in one million – If the matter is looked at from its correct perspective it is seen that except for the appellant assuming that he has suffered myositis and the cause for the same was the Engerix-B vaccine being administered, the same has not been established with the minimal required evidence to conclude even on preponderance of probability – Complaint dismissed

(2023) 11 SCALE 325 SUPREME COURT OF INDIA DIVISION BENCH PRAKASH BANG — Appellant Vs. GLAXO SMITHKLINE PHARMACEUTICALS LTD. AND ANOTHER — Respondent ( Before : A.S. Bopanna and Prashant…

Cr P C – Section 482 – Second petition – Maintainability – A second petition not maintainable under Section 482 Cr.P.C. on grounds that were available for challenge even at the time of filing of the first petition – Filing of the charge sheet and cognizance thereof by the Court concerned were well before the filing of the first petition under Section 482 Cr.P.C., wherein challenge was made only to the sanction order – That being so, the petitioner was not at liberty to again invoke the inherent jurisdiction of the High Court in relation to the charge sheet and the cognizance order at a later point of time.

SUPREME COURT OF INDIA DIVISION BENCH BHISHAM LAL VERMA — Appellant Vs. STATE OF UTTAR PRADESH AND ANOTHER — Respondent ( Before : C.T. Ravikumar And Sanjay Kumar, JJ. )…

Constitution of India, 1950 – Article 142 – (CrPC) – S 125(3) – Maintenance to wife – Fails to comply with the order for payment of maintenance – Husband abandoned the wife, and virtually fled to Australia – Recovery of arrears of maintenance on the ground that she lives with her widowed mother, on whom she is dependent expenses. for including litigation expenses – This Court is not powerless, but can issue appropriate directions, and even decrees, for doing complete justice between the parties – In other words, the power under Article 142 is meant to supplement the existing legal framework – Directions issued for sale of joint/coparcenary property

SUPREME COURT OF INDIA DIVISION BENCH MANMOHAN GOPAL — Appellant Vs. THE STATE OF CHHATTISGARH AND ANOTHER — Respondent ( Before : S. Ravindra Bhat and Aravind Kumar, JJ. )…

Constitution of India, 1950 – Articles 15 (2), 17, 23 and 24 – Directions to Union of India and all the States and Union Territories to implement provisions of the Employment of Manual Scavengers and Construction of Dry Latrines (Prohibition) Act, 1993 and Prohibition of Employment as Manual Scavengers and Their Rehabilitation Act, 2013 – Union and States are duty bound to ensure that the practice of manual scavenging is completely eradicated – Directions issued

SUPREME COURT OF INDIA DIVISION BENCH DR. BALRAM SINGH — Appellant Vs. UNION OF INDIA AND OTHERS — Respondent ( Before : S. Ravindra Bhat and Aravind Kumar, JJ. )…

Criminal Procedure Code, 1973 (CrPC) – Section 439 – Penal Code, 1860 (IPC) – Sections 120B, 201 and 420 – Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988 – Sections 7, 7A, 8 and 12 – Prevention of Money-Laundering Act, 2002 – Sections 3, 4 and 45 – Delhi Excise Policy Scam – Granting liquor licenses to traders in exchange for bribes – Bail denied – Detention or jail before being pronounced guilty of an offence should not become punishment without trial – If the trial gets protracted despite assurances of the prosecution, and it is clear that case will not be decided within a foreseeable time, the prayer for bail may be meritorious -Liberty to appellant to move a fresh application for bail in case of change in circumstances, or in case the trial is protracted and proceeds at a snail’s pace in three months.

SUPREME COURT OF INDIA DIVISION BENCH MANISH SISODIA — Appellant Vs. CENTRAL BUREAU OF INVESTIGATION — Respondent ( Before : Sanjiv Khanna and S.V.N. Bhatti, JJ. ) Criminal Appeal No.of…

Penal Code, 1860 (IPC)- Sections 302, 376, 511, 454, 380 read with Section 34 – Murder and attempt to rape – Order of acquittal reversed by High Court – Appeal – Double Presumption – Non-Examination of Material Witnesses – When a circumstance has been brought to the notice of the Court by the defense and the Court is convinced that a prosecution witness has been deliberately withheld, as it in all probability would destroy its version, it has to take adverse notice – Anything contrary to such an approach would be an affront to the concept of fair play – Appellant is entitled to the benefit of doubt as the prosecution has not proved its case beyond reasonable doubt – Conviction and sentence set-aside – Appeal allowed.

SUPREME COURT OF INDIA DIVISION BENCH HARVINDER SINGH @ BACHHU — Appellant Vs. THE STATE OF HIMACHAL PRADESH — Respondent ( Before : M.M. Sundresh and J.B. Pardiwala, JJ. )…

Allotment of plot – Public auction – Defaults and failure to pay installment/balance payment – Earnest money paid by the respondent will be forfeited and will not be refunded – Rs.4,15,000/- (Rupees four lakhs fifteen thousand only), less the earnest money deposited by Respondent, will be refunded to him with simple interest at the rate of 8% per annum with effect from 01.01.2001

SUPREME COURT OF INDIA DIVISION BENCH JAMMU DEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY — Appellant Vs. S. PARAMJEET SINGH AND ANOTHER — Respondent ( Before : Sanjiv Khanna and S.V.N. Bhatti, JJ. ) Civil…

Constitution of India, 1950 – Articles 15 (2), 17, 23 and 24 – Directions to Union of India and all the States and Union Territories to implement provisions of the Employment of Manual Scavengers and Construction of Dry Latrines (Prohibition) Act, 1993 and Prohibition of Employment as Manual Scavengers and Their Rehabilitation Act, 2013 – Union and States are duty bound to ensure that the practice of manual scavenging is completely eradicated

SUPREME COURT OF INDIA DIVISION BENCH DR. BALRAM SINGH — Appellant Vs. UNION OF INDIA AND OTHERS — Respondent ( Before : S. Ravindra Bhat and Aravind Kumar, JJ. )…

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