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Criminal Procedure Code, 1973 (CrPC) — Anticipatory Bail — Power of Court to Direct Surrender — When an anticipatory bail application is rejected, the court does not have the jurisdiction to direct the petitioner to surrender — The rejection of anticipatory bail means that an application for pre-arrest bail has been denied, and the subsequent steps regarding arrest and regular bail should follow the normal procedure as per law. Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code, 2016 (IBC) — Sections 7, 3(10), 5(7), 5(8) — Corporate Insolvency Resolution Process (CIRP) — Admission of petition — Appeal against NCLAT order setting aside NCLT order and directing admission of Section 7 petition — Held, IBC is not a debt recovery legislation but for reorganisation and insolvency resolution — Initiation of CIRP as a substitute for execution of a civil court decree is an abuse of process. Arbitration and Conciliation Act, 1996 — Section 9 — Petition under Section 9 at post-award stage by unsuccessful party — Maintainability — Bombay, Delhi, Madras and Karnataka High Courts held such petitions not maintainable — Telangana, Gujarat and Punjab & Haryana High Courts held such petitions maintainable — Supreme Court held that any party to an arbitration agreement, including an unsuccessful party, can invoke Section 9 at the post-award stage, overruling the former judgments. Civil Procedure Code, 1908 — Order 6 Rule 17 — Amendment of pleadings — Permissibility while considering grant of leave to amend a plaint — Court can examine the merits/demerits of the case — Landlord filed suit for eviction based on bonafide need and other grounds — During appeal, landlord died — Legal heirs sought to amend plaint to incorporate their bonafide need, including that of appellant’s wife and son — Trial Court dismissed the suit — Appellate Bench allowed amendment, directing issue of bonafide requirement to be sent back to Trial Court for evidence — High Court, in writ petition, set aside amendment allowing fresh suit — Supreme Court held that High Court erred in interfering with the discretion of Appellate Bench under Article 227, as amendment was permissible. Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act, 1985 — Section 37(1)(b)(ii) — Grant of bail in commercial quantity cases — Twin Conditions — Mandatory nature — High Court must record satisfaction on reasonable grounds for believing accused is not guilty and not likely to commit offence while on bail — Failure to record satisfaction vitiates bail order — Speedy trial under Article 21 to be harmoniously read with Section 37, not to override it — Bail granted without recorded satisfaction is unsustainable.

In the present case, the clear legislative intent, of inserting a carefully worded entry, which was a “hybrid” one, i.e. describing an article that contained medicinal ingredients, as well as those used for cosmetics, and yet placing such a creature (“neither beast nor fowl” so to say) in the category of cosmetics, ruled out altogether any interpretive scope of classifying it as a medicinal preparation, or drug or medicine

SUPREME COURT OF INDIA DIVISION BENCH HEINZ INDIA LIMITED — Appellant Vs. THE STATE OF KERELA — Respondent ( Before : S. Ravindra Bhat and Dipankar Datta, JJ. ) Civil…

Gujarat Control of Terrorism and Organised Crime Act, 2015 – IPC – Earlier the FIR thereof having been quashed by the High Court, even prior to the filing of the charge-sheet, even for the sake of argument, if accepted, helps the Appellant and tilt the balance in his favour – The Appellant has succeeded in making out a prima facie case for the grant of bail – Appeal Allowed.

SUPREME COURT OF INDIA DIVISION BENCH ATULBHAI VITHALBHAI BHANDERI AND OTHERS — Appellant Vs. STATE OF GUJARAT — Respondent ( Before : Ajay Rastogi and Ahsanuddin Amanullah, JJ. ) Criminal…

Murder of Children by administrating poison – Illicit Relationship – Benefit of Premature Release – It cannot be simply bracketed as a ‘cruel and brutal’ offence as the Appellant herself was trying to end her life but was prevented by her niece in the nick of time – Appeal Allowed.

SUPREME COURT OF INDIA DIVISION BENCH  NAGARATHINAM — Appellant Vs. STATE THROUGH THE INSPECTOR OF POLICE — Respondent ( Before : Ajay Rastogi and Ahsanuddin Amanullah, JJ. ) Criminal Appeal…

Central Excise Tariff Act, 1985 – Mere broad-basing of the entries in Chapter 30 and Chapter 33 of the First Schedule to the Act 1985, by itself, could not have been the justification for an attempt at re-classification of the product – anything which is prepared for being used on the hair and carries the name “Hair Oil”, would lose its character as medicament if otherwise it has been prepared for therapeutic or prophylactic uses – Moreover, rewording and regrouping of different entries in medicaments are hardly of any impact on the character of the product in question.

SUPREME COURT OF INDIA DIVISION BENCH COMMISSSIONER OF CUSTOMS, CENTRAL EXCISE AND SERVICE TAX, HYDERABAD — Appellant Vs. ASHWANI HOMEO PHARMACY — Respondent ( Before : Dinesh Maheshwari and Vikram…

Mercy Petition – Supreme Court has rejected the request to reduce Balwant Singh Rajoana’s death sentence, but has permitted the central government to determine when to consider the mercy petition if needed — however, directed that the competent authority, in due course of time, would again as and when it is deemed necessary, may deal with the Mercy Petition, and take a further decision.

SUPREME COURT OF INDIA FULL BENCH BALWANT SINGH — Appellant Vs. UNION OF INDIA AND OTHERS — Respondent ( Before : B.R. Gavai, Vikram Nath and Sanjay Karol, JJ. )…

Companies Act, 2013 – Section 164(2)(b) – Insolvency Resolution Process – Unless a categorical finding was recorded in the competent forum as regards any such default and unless specific order disqualifying the resolution applicant as director because of such default came into existence, it could not have been taken by way of any process of assumption that the appellant-resolution applicant was disqualified

SUPREME COURT OF INDIA DIVISION BENCH M.K. RAJAGOPALAN — Appellant Vs. DR. PERIASAMY PALANI GOUNDER AND ANOTHER — Respondent ( Before : Dinesh Maheshwari and Vikram Nath, JJ. ) Civil…

UOI directing to Serious Fraud Investigation Office (SFIO) against respondents – protection sought u/section 140(5) Companies Act being ultra vires – HELD application/proceedings under section 140(5) of the Companies Act, 2013 are maintainable even after the resignation of the concerned auditors – Appeal accepted against Deloitte Haskins & Sells LLP

SUPREME COURT OF INDIA DIVISION BENCH UNION OF INDIA AND ANOTHER — Appellant Vs. DELOITTE HASKINS AND SELLS LLP AND ANOTHER — Respondent ( Before : M.R. Shah and M.M.…

Penal Code, 1860 (IPC) – Sections 302, 120-B, 506 read with 34 – Arms Act, 1959 – Section 27 – Conviction and sentence – Acquittal – The question is whether a convict has a fair chance of being acquitted based on palpable evidence – If the answer is yes, the convict should not be kept in custody for a long time until the appeal is decided

SUPREME COURT OF INDIA DIVISION BENCH OMPRAKASH SAHNI — Appellant Vs. JAI SHANKAR CHAUDHARY AND ANOTHER ETC. — Respondent ( Before : M.R. Shah and J.B. Pardiwala, JJ. ) Criminal…

Service Matters

Service Law – Dismissal from Service – Certain irregularities – Powers/Jurisdiction of Municipal Commissioner – Nature of Penalties – HELD per resolution the Commissioner was authorized to take action against any officer with regard to the lapses and/or negligence on the part of the officers in various works and purchases is concerned

SUPREME COURT OF INDIA DIVISION BENCH MUNICIPAL COMMISSIONER, JAMNAGAR MUNICIPAL CORPORATION AND ANOTHER — Appellant Vs. R.M. DOSHI — Respondent ( Before : M.R. Shah and J.B. Pardiwala, JJ. )…

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