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Criminal Procedure Code, 1973 (CrPC) — Sections 451 & 457 — Release of Seized Property — Trial Court rejecting release application for iron ore on grounds of applicant’s failure to substantiate ownership — High Court setting aside trial court’s order without examining correctness of its finding on ownership — High Court should have either agreed with trial court’s finding on ownership or recorded reasons for disagreeing — Failure to do so warrants interference and remand. Evidence Act, 1872 — Section 50 — Opinion as to relationship, when relevant — Opinion expressed by conduct of person with special knowledge on relationship is relevant — Essentials are court’s opinion, expression through conduct, and person having special knowledge — Conduct alone is not proof but an intermediate step to infer opinion — Opinion must be proved by direct evidence — Court needs to weigh evidence to form its own conclusion; Trial Court erred in treating opinion of witnesses as fact rather than evidence to be weighed and failed to independently assess credibility. Criminal Procedure Code, 1973 — Bail — Anticipatory Bail — Supreme Court granted leave to appeal against High Court’s rejection of bail in anticipation of arrest — Custodial interrogation not required — Appellant may be admitted to bail in anticipation of arrest upon arrest, subject to terms and conditions fixed by the trial court — Appellant directed not to dissuade witnesses from disclosing facts to authorities. Criminal Procedure Code, 1973 (CrPC) — Section 366 — Death Sentence Reference — Sentencing Procedure — Conviction and death penalty were pronounced on the same day without a proper inquiry into aggravating and mitigating circumstances, psychological evaluation, or jail conduct report. This haste violated established sentencing principles and vitiated the death sentence. Army Act, 1950 — Sections 63 and 69 — Possession of ammunition — Substitution of conviction — Tribunal can substitute conviction from a civil offence (Section 69) to an act prejudicial to good order and discipline (Section 63) if evidence supports the latter and the original court-martial could have lawfully found the accused guilty of the substituted offence.

HELD After a body has been buried, it is considered to be in the custody of the law; therefore, disinterment is not a matter of right. The law does not favour disinterment, based on the public policy that the sanctity of the grave should be maintained. Once buried, a body should not be disturbed.

SUPREME COURT OF INDIA DIVISON BENCH MOHAMMAD LATIEF MAGREY — Appellant Vs. THE UNION TERRITORY OF JAMMU AND KASHMIR AND OTHERS — Respondent ( Before : Surya Kant and J.B.…

Land Acquisition Case – In a democratic society governed by the rule of law, the rights of an individual carry immense importance and are the foundational blocks on which our legal, social, and political milieu thrives – Under no circumstances should the rights of individual citizens be trodden upon arbitrarily and any curtailment of them must be scrutinized with utmost care.

SUPREME COURT OF INDIA DIVISON BENCH DR. ABRAHAM PATANI OF MUMBAI AND ANOTHER — Appellant Vs. THE STATE OF MAHARASHTRA AND OTHERS — Respondent ( Before : Surya Kant and…

Constitution of India, 1950 – Article 14 – An appointment to the heirs of the employees on their retirement and/or superannuation shall be contrary to the object and purpose of appointment on compassionate grounds and is hit by Article 14 of the Constitution of India.

SUPREME COURT OF INDIA DIVISON BENCH AHMEDNAGAR MAHANAGAR PALIKA — Appellant Vs. AHMEDNAGAR MAHANAGAR PALIKA KAMGAR UNION — Respondent ( Before : M.R. Shah and B.V. Nagarathna, JJ. ) Civil…

IPC Sections 376(2)(n) and 506 – Going by the allegations made in the First Information Report that the incident in question had occurred five months before the First Information Report was lodged and the attending circumstances, in our view, the case of anticipatory bail is made out.

SUPREME COURT OF INDIA DIVISON BENCH BEERBAL PRASAD RAJORIYA — Appellant Vs. STATE OF MADHYA PRADESH — Respondent ( Before : Uday Umesh Lalit, CJI. and S. Ravindra Bhat, JJ.…

Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988 – Section 13(2) read with 13(1)(e) – It is for the accused to account satisfactorily for the money/assets in his hands – Onus in this regard is on the accused to give satisfactory explanation – Accused cannot make an attempt to discharge this onus upon him at the stage of Section 239 of the CrPC. State appeal allowed.

SUPREME COURT OF INDIA DIVISON BENCH STATE THROUGH DEPUTY SUPERINTENDENT OF POLICE — Appellant Vs. R. SOUNDIRARASU ETC. — Respondent ( Before : Dinesh Maheshwari and J.B. Pardiwala, JJ. )…

Urban Land (Ceiling and Regulation) Act, 1976 – Section 10(1), 10(3) and 10(5) – Once the land stood vested with the Government compensation paid no justification for the appellants to claim deemed possession of the subject land in question and even if they are in physical possession, no right could be claimed in reference to the subject land by the appellants.

SUPREME COURT OF INDIA DIVISON BENCH GOPALBHAI PANCHABHAI ZALAVADIA (DEAD) THR LRS — Appellant Vs. STATE OF GUJARAT AND OTHERS — Respondent ( Before : Ajay Rastogi and Abhay S.…

Benami ownership – Where the first plaintiff had proved that the properties had been purchased, with his funds, and the sons were minors, with no source of income – Plaintiff also proved that he had possession of the property, by adducing positive evidence of tenants, who paid rent to him – Elements necessary to establish benami ownership within the meaning of Section 4(3)(a) of the Act.

SUPREME COURT OF INDIA FULL BENCH PUSHPALATA — Appellant Vs. VIJAY KUMAR (DEAD) THR. LRS. AND OTHERS — Respondent ( Before : Uday Umesh Lalit, S. Ravindrabhat and Sudhanshu Dhulia,…

Central Excise Act, 1944 – Section 173­L – HELD returned goods may be treated as a raw material and therefore the “value” of the raw material can be considered for the purpose of “value” while determining the refund under Section 173­L cannot be accepted – Denial of the refund is in consonance of Section 173­L (v) of the Central Excise Act – Appeal dismissed.

SUPREME COURT OF INDIA DIVISON BENCH M/S PEACOCK INDUSTRIES LTD. — Appellant Vs. UNION OF INDIA AND OTHERS — Respondent ( Before : M. R. Shah and Krishna Murari, JJ.…

Reduction of sentence – Court is required to go by the principle of proportionality – If undue sympathy is shown by reducing the sentence to the minimum, it may adversely affect the faith of people in efficacy of law – It is the gravity of crime which is the prime consideration for deciding what should be the appropriate punishment.

SUPREME COURT OF INDIA DIVISON BENCH SAHEBRAO ARJUN HON — Appellant Vs. RAOSAHEB S/O KASHINATH HON AND OTHERS — Respondent ( Before : Surya Kant and Abhay S. Oka, JJ.…

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