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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.

Maharashtra Regional and Town Planning Act, 1966 – Sections 31(6) and 126 -The land owner cannot be deprived of the use of the land for years together. Once an embargo has been put on a land owner not to use the land in a particular manner, the said restriction cannot be kept open-ended for indefinite period – Appeal allowed.

SUPREME COURT OF INDIA DIVISION BENCH LAXMIKANT AND OTHERS — Appellant Vs. STATE OF MAHARASHTRA AND OTHERS — Respondent ( Before : Hemant Gupta and V. Ramasubramanian, JJ. ) Civil…

Service Matters

Armed Forces Tribunal Act, 2007 – Section 71(e) – Army Act, 1950 – Section 52(f) and 123 – Dismissal from service – Procurement of ration by Army purchase organisation – It cannot be said that the respondent has actually committed fraud or did any such act, which resulted in actual loss or wrongful gain to any person – Dismissal not sustainable

SUPREME COURT OF INDIA DIVISION BENCH UNION OF INDIA AND OTHERS — Appellant Vs. LT. GEN. (RETD.) S.K. SAHNI — Respondent ( Before : L. Nageswara Rao and B.R. Gavai,…

HELD it has to be prima facie established that due to such alleged act of cheating the complainant had suffered a wrongful loss and the same had resulted in wrongful gain for the accused – In absence of these elements, no proceeding is permissible in the eyes of law with regard to the commission of the offence punishable u/s 420 IPC

SUPREME COURT OF INDIA DIVISION BENCH VIJAY KUMAR GHAI AND OTHERS — Appellant Vs. THE STATE OF WEST BENGAL AND OTHERS — Respondent ( Before : S. Abdul Nazeer and…

Specific performance of agreement to sell – Relief of – Merely because in the document the purpose of sale of the property was stated to be for the marriage expenses, the document which otherwise can be said to be an agreement to sell, will not become a loan agreement and/or security document

SUPREME COURT OF INDIA DIVISION BENCH KIRPAL KAUR AND ANOTHER — Appellant Vs. RITESH AND OTHERS — Respondent ( Before : M.R. Shah and B.V. Nagarathna, JJ. ) Civil Appeal…

Land owners having had the benefit of interim orders granted in their favour in proceedings initiated by them against the acquisition cannot take benefit under Section 24(2) of the Act, 2013 – High Court or the civil courts which may have granted interim orders in favour of the land owners, ought to consider the aforesaid aspect before applying Section 24(2) of the Act, 2013 in favour of the land owners.

SUPREME COURT OF INDIA DIVISION BENCH THE AGRICULTURAL PRODUCE MARKETING COMMITTEE, BANGALORE — Appellant Vs. THE STATE OF KARNATAKA AND OTHERS — Respondent ( Before : M.R. Shah and B.V.…

Service Matters

Except stating that “it is noticed that there is apparent error on the face of record which calls for interference”, nothing has been mentioned on what was that error apparent on the face of the record – Therefore, the impugned order, allowing the review application being a cryptic and non-reasoned order, the same is unsustainable in law – Matter remitted to HC

SUPREME COURT OF INDIA DIVISION BENCH RATAN LAL PATEL — Appellant Vs. DR. HARI SINGH GOUR VISHWAVIDYALAYA AND ANOTHER — Respondent ( Before : M.R. Shah and B.V. Nagarathna, JJ.…

A consent award cannot be the basis to award and/or determine the compensation in other acquisition, more particularly, when there are other evidences on record – There may be different market prices/compensation with respect to different lands, may be in the same village and/or nearby location – remand the matter to the High Court

SUPREME COURT OF INDIA DIVISION BENCH SPECIAL LAND ACQUISITION OFFICER AND OTHERS — Appellant Vs. N. SAVITHA — Respondent ( Before : M.R. Shah and B.V. Nagarathna, JJ. ) Civil…

Service Matters

Merely because some other officers involved in the incident are exonerated and/or no action is taken against other officers cannot be a ground to set aside the order of punishment when the charges against the individual concerned – delinquent officer are held to be proved in a departmental enquiry

SUPREME COURT OF INDIA DIVISION BENCH THE STATE OF UTTAR PRADESH AND OTHERS — Appellant Vs. RAJIT SINGH — Respondent ( Before : M.R. Shah and B.V. Nagarathna, JJ. )…

Any contract of public service should not be interfered with lightly and in any case, there should not be any interim order derailing the entire process of the services meant for larger public good – Grant of interim injunction by the learned Single Bench of the High Court has helped no-one except a contractor

SUPREME COURT OF INDIA DIVISION BENCH M/S. N.G. PROJECTS LIMITED — Appellant Vs. M/S. VINOD KUMAR JAIN AND OTHERS — Respondent ( Before : Hemant Gupta and V. Ramasubramanian, JJ.…

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