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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.

Civil Procedure Code, 1908 (CPC) – Section 115 and Order 22 Rule 5 – Hindu Succession Act, 1956 – Section 15 – Will – Legal representatives – Appellant is the sole claimant to the estate of the deceased on the basis of Will – Executing Court has found that the appellant is the legal representative of the deceased competent to execute the decree – Appellant as the legal representative is entitled to execute the decree and to take it to its logical end HELD The determination as to who is the legal representative under Order 22 Rule 5 will of course be for the limited purpose of representation of the estate of the deceased, for adjudication of that case. No rs judicata

SUPREME COURT OF INDIA DIVISION BENCH VARADARAJAN — Appellant Vs. KANAKAVALLI AND OTHERS — Respondent ( Before : L. Nageswara Rao and Hemant Gupta, JJ. ) Civil Appeal No. 5673…

Penal Code, 1860 (IPC) – Section 302 – Arms Act, 1959 – Section 25 – Criminal Procedure Code, 1973 (CrPC) – Section 313 – Evidence Act, 1872 – Sections 27 and 106 – Murder of wife – Burden of Proof – Where an offence like murder is committed in secrecy inside a house, the initial burden to establish the case would undoubtedly be upon the prosecution, but the nature and amount of evidence to be led by it to establish the charge cannot be of the same degree as is required in other cases of circumstantial evidence.

SUPREME COURT OF INDIA DIVISION BENCH NAWAB — Appellant Vs. STATE OF UTTARAKHAND — Respondent ( Before : Ashok Bhushan and Navin Sinha, JJ. ) Criminal Appeal No. 884 of…

Penal Code, 1860 (IPC) – Sections 34, 300, 302, 498-A, Section 304-Part II – Criminal Procedure Code, 1973 (CrPC) – Sections 313 – Evidence Act, 1872 – Section 106 – Murder of wife by throttling – Conviction and Sentence – Appeal against – In particular injuries suffered, it is quite clear that the act would fall within the scope of Section 300 of the IPC

SUPREME COURT OF INDIA DIVISION BENCH PAUL — Appellant Vs. STATE OF KERALA — Respondent ( Before : Sanjay Kishan Kaul and K.M. Joseph, JJ. ) Criminal Appeal No. 38…

Service Matters

Government of India Act, 1935 – Section 241(2)(b) – Enhancement of age of retirement HELD Appellant who attained the age of 60 years – Age of retirement which prevailed at the relevant time was not entitled to the benefit of the notification – not entitled to the enhanced age of retirement of 65 years

SUPREME COURT OF INDIA DIVISION BENCH CHANDRA MOHAN VARMA — Appellant Vs. STATE OF UTTAR PRADESH — Respondent ( Before : Dr Dhananjaya Y. Chandrachud and Ajay Rastogi, JJ. )…

Dowry Prohibition Act, 1961 – Sections 3 and 4 – Penal Code, 1860 (IPC) – Sections 406, 420 and 498A – Criminal Procedure Code, 1973 (CrPC) – Section 216 – Framing of additional charges – It is clear that Section 216 provides the court an exclusive and wide-ranging power to change or alter any charge

SUPREME COURT OF INDIA DIVISION BENCH DR. NALLAPAREDDY SRIDHAR REDDY — Appellant Vs. THE STATE OF ANDHRA PRADESH AND OTHERS — Respondent ( Before : Dr. Dhananjaya Y. Chandrachud and…

Service Matters

Karnataka State Civil Services (Unfilled Vacancies reserved for the persons belonging to the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes) (Special Recruitment) Rules, 2001 – Rule 6 – Eligibility for appointment HELD Merely because the 1st respondent had approached the High Court by filing of a writ petition, that would not be sufficient to exercise jurisdiction under Article 226 of the Constitution in over­reaching the rights of the candidates who were otherwise eligible for appointment – Appeal allowed

SUPREME COURT OF INDIA DIVISION BENCH THE KARNATAKA STATE SEEDS DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION LIMITED AND ANOTHER — Appellant Vs. SMT. H.L. KAVERI AND OTHERS — Respondent ( Before : Dr Dhananjaya…

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