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Penal Code, 1860 (IPC) — Sections 302, 449, 376, 394 — Appeal against High Court’s upholding of conviction and sentence — Case based on circumstantial evidence — Absence of direct evidence connecting appellant to offense — Falsely implicated — Prosecution failed to establish guilt beyond reasonable doubt — No scientific evidence linking appellant — Important witnesses not associated in investigation or produced in court — Appeal allowed, conviction and sentence set aside. Negotiable Instruments Act, 1881 — Section 138 — Dishonour of cheque — Quashing of proceedings — Cheques issued as security and not for consideration — Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) clearly stated cheques were for security purposes to show banks and not for deposit — Complainant failed to read the complete terms of MOU in isolation and misinterpreted it to claim cheques were converted into debt — Court empowered to consider unimpeachable documents at pre-trial stage to prevent injustice — Complaints under Section 138 NI Act liable to be quashed. Insurance Law — Fire Insurance — Accidental Fire — Cause of fire is immaterial if the insured is not the instigator and there is no fraud. The objective of fire insurance is to indemnify the insured against loss by fire. Tender Conditions — Interpretation — Ambiguity — The terms of a tender must be clear and unambiguous — If a tendering authority intends for a specific document to be issued by a particular authority, it must be clearly stated in the tender conditions — Failure to do so may lead to rejection of the bid being deemed arbitrary and dehors the tender terms. Public Interest Litigation (PIL) — Environmental Protection — Monitoring Committee — Powers and Scope — A PIL was filed concerning environmental issues in Delhi, leading to the appointment of a Monitoring Committee. The Supreme Court clarified that the committee was appointed to prevent misuse of residential premises for commercial purposes and not to interfere with residential premises used as such. Their power was limited to making suggestions to a Special Task Force regarding encroachments on public land, not to summarily seal premises.
Service Matters

Railways service benefits under Liberalized Active Retirement Scheme for Guaranteed Employment for Safety Staff (LARSGESS) Scheme – An employee who received service benefits till the date of superannuation, was not entitled to make a claim under the LARSGESS scheme – Benefit of the LARSGESS scheme could not be extended where an employee had attained the age of superannuation.

SUPREME COURT OF INDIA DIVISION BENCH THE CHIEF PERSONNEL OFFICER AND OTHERS — Appellant Vs. A NISHANTH GEORGE — Respondent ( Before : Dr. Dhananjaya Y. Chandrachud and A.S. Bopanna,…

Service Matters

Alibi of employee has not been accepted but that might be plausible and considering his 25 years of long service and fortunately it was a minor accident which resulted into some loss to the vehicle and considering the fact that the employee has since died – converting the punishment of dismissal to that of compulsory retirement, death-cum-retirement benefits as also the benefit of family pension, if any, shall be paid to the legal heirs of the deceased employee in accordance with law

SUPREME COURT OF INDIA DIVISION BENCH BRIJESH CHANDRA DWIVEDI (DEAD) THR. LRS. — Appellant Vs. SANYA SAHAYAK AND OTHERS — Respondent ( Before : M.R. Shah and B.V. Nagarathna, JJ.…

Arbitration & Conciliation Act, 1996 for appointment of a sole arbitrator – Courts had very limited jurisdiction under Section 11(6) of the Act. Courts are to take a ‘prima facie’ view, as explained therein, on issues relating to existence of the arbitration agreement. Usually, issues of arbitrability/validity are matters to be adjudicated upon by arbitrators. The only narrow exception carved out was that Courts could adjudicate to ‘cut the deadwood’. Ultimately the Court held that the watch word for the Courts is ‘when in doubt, do refer’.

SUPREME COURT OF INDIA FULL BENCH INTERCONTINENTAL HOTELS GROUP (INDIA) PRIVATE LIMITED AND ANOTHER — Appellant Vs. WATERLINE HOTELS PRIVATE LIMITED — Respondent ( Before : N.V. Ramana, CJI, Surya…

Compensation sought by the appellants cannot be granted as Section 12-B of MRTP Act empowers the Commission to grant compensation only when any loss or damage is caused to a consumer as a result of a monopolistic, restrictive or unfair trade practice – Appellants have failed to prove unfair trade practice on the part of the respondent, they are not entitled to any compensation.

UPREME COURT OF INDIA FULL BENCH B.B. PATEL AND OTHERS — Appellant Vs. DLF UNIVERSAL LIMITED — Respondent ( Before : L. Nageswara Rao, B.R. Gavai and B.V. Nagarathna, JJ.…

Reservation – No mandamus can be issued by the Court directing the State Government to provide for reservation – No writ of mandamus can be issued directing the State to collect quantifiable data to justify their action not to provide for reservation – If the under-representation of Scheduled Casts and Scheduled Tribes in public services is brought to the notice of the Court, no mandamus can be issued by the Court to the State Government to provide for reservation

SUPREME COURT OF INDIA DIVISION BENCH THE STATE OF PUNJAB — Appellant Vs. ANSHIKA GOYAL AND OTHERS — Respondent ( Before : M.R. Shah and B.V. Nagarathna, JJ. ) Civil…

Murder – Cancellation of bail – Accused is a history sheeter and is having a criminal antecedent and is involved in the double murder of having killed the father and brother of the informant – High Court releasing the accused on bail is absolutely unsustainable and the same cannot stand – Appeal allowed.

SUPREME COURT OF INDIA DIVISION BENCH SUNIL KUMAR — Appellant Vs. THE STATE OF BIHAR AND ANOTHER — Respondent ( Before : M.R. Shah and Sanjiv Khanna, JJ. ) Criminal…

(CrPC) – Sections 372 and 378(4) – Appeal against order of acquittal – Victim has not to pray for grant of special leave to appeal, as the victim has a statutory right of appeal under Section 372 proviso and the proviso to Section 372 does not stipulate any condition of obtaining special leave to appeal like subsection (4) of Section 378 Cr.P.C. in the case of a complainant and in a case where an order of acquittal is passed in any case instituted upon complaint – Right provided to the victim to prefer an appeal against the order of acquittal is an absolute right

SUPREME COURT OF INDIA DIVISION BENCH JOSEPH STEPHEN AND OTHERS — Appellant Vs. SANTHANASAMY AND OTHERS — Respondent ( Before : M.R. Shah and Sanjiv Khanna, JJ. ) Criminal Appeal…

Transfer of Property Act, 1882 – Sections 122 and 123 – Contract Act, 1872 – Section 16(3) – Gift deed – Ordinarily, no one is expected to sign or execute a document without knowing its contents, but if it is pleaded that the party executing the document did not know the contents thereof then it may, in certain circumstances, be necessary for the party seeking to prove the document to place material before the court to satisfy it that the party who executed the document had the knowledge of its contents

SUPREME COURT OF INDIA DIVISION BENCH KESHAV AND OTHERS — Appellant Vs. GIAN CHAND AND ANOTHER — Respondent ( Before : M.R. Shah and Sanjiv Khanna, JJ. ) Civil Appeal…

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