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An unregistered agreement of sale is admissible as evidence of the contract in a specific performance suit, under the proviso to Section 49, Registration Act. Prosecution for obstructing public servant (S.186 IPC) requires mens rea and compliance with S.195 Cr.PC; absence renders proceedings an abuse of process. Freedom of Speech and Expression — Open Justice — Subjudice Principle — Contempt of Court – Such a direction, being a form of prior restraint, must satisfy twin tests of necessity and proportionality, applicable only in cases of real and substantial risk of prejudice to fairness of trial or proper administration of justice — Courts must be open to public observations, debates, and constructive criticism, even on subjudice matters, as open justice instills faith and checks judicial caprice Hostile witnesses — Effect — When a large number of witnesses, including eyewitnesses, turn hostile, prosecution case often collapses for want of evidence — While reasons for hostility can be varied (coercion, fear, monetary consideration, etc.), it cannot automatically lead to conviction based on prior S. 161 statements or IO’s testimony about such statements, as these are not substantive evidence — Court’s consternation at collapse of a serious case due to witness hostility cannot be a reason to convict on insufficient or inadmissible evidence, amounting to a moral conviction anathema to criminal jurisprudence. Sales Tax — Kerala General Sales Tax Act, 1963 (Kerala Act) — Section 5A — Tamil Nadu General Sales Tax Act, 1959 (Tamil Nadu Act) — Section 7A — Purchase Tax — Liability of assessee purchasing goods from dealers exempt from sales tax — Where goods are purchased from dealers who are exempt from payment of sales tax by virtue of notifications or exemptions under the Kerala Act or Tamil Nadu Act, such a purchase is considered a purchase of “goods, the sale or purchase of which is liable to tax” within the meaning of Section 5A of the Kerala Act or Section 7A of the Tamil Nadu Act

High Court gave finding that the Rent Appellate Tribunal allowed the appellant’s (landlady’s) appeal with a casual approach and failed to record any categorical finding on the plea of bona fide need—However, High Court neither remanded the case nor decided the appeal on merits—This approach of the High Court caused prejudice to the appellant (landlady) because there was no factual finding recorded either by the first appellate Court or the High Court on the question of bona fide need—Matter remanded back to Rent Appellate Tribunal

2018(4) Law Herald (SC) 3230 : 2018 LawHerald.org 1797 IN THE SUPREME COURT OF INDIA Before Hon’ble Mr. Justice Abhay Manohar Sapre Hon’ble Mrs. Justice Indu Malhotra Civil Appeal No.…

Quashing—Remand of Case—High Court dismissed the petition for quashing without referring to facts of the case with a view to appreciate factual controversy and to appreciates why such grounds are not made out under S.482 Cr.P.C-Matter remanded hack to High Court to be decided afresh—Impugned order set aside

2018(4) Law Herald (SC) 3228 : 2018 LawHerald.Org 1934 IN THE SUPREME COURT OF INDIA Before Hon’ble Mr. Justice Abhay Manohar Sapre Hon’ble Mr. Justice Indu Malhotra Criminal Appeal No.…

Execution of decree—Objections—Revisionary Court is under legal obligation to decide the legality and correctness of the findings recorded by the executing court on its merits rather than remanding it to executing court Execution of Decree—Objections—Revision—Additional evidence by way of documents not to be placed in revision against dismissal of objections by executing court

2018(4) Law Herald (SC) 3205 : 2018 LawHerald.Org 1930 IN THE SUPREME COURT OF INDIA Before Hon’ble Mr. Justice Abhay Manohar Sapre Hon’ble Mr. Justice Mohan M. Shantanagoudar Civil Appeal…

Auction Sale—Deposit of Bid amount—An amount of bid in which the decree holder is a purchaser can be set off—In present case, respondent-corporation is not only auction purchaser but also decree holder, there is no question of deposit of the auction amount as there was no other prospective buyer to offence bid.      

2018(4) Law Herald (SC) 3195 : 2018 LawHerald.Org 1928 IN THE SUPREME COURT OF INDIA Before Hon’ble Mrs. Justice R. Banumathi Hon’ble Mrs. Justice Indira Banerjee Civil Appeal No. 9651…

Murder–Dying Declaration—Acquittal- -Inconsistencies between dying declarations as recorded by Doctor and as recorded by Executive Magistrate (Tehsildar)–High Court acquitted accused by extending benefit of doubt—Held; when there are two reasonable views and the High Court adopted on possible view then no interference is called for in appeal

2018(4) Law Herald (SC) 3164 : 2018 LawHerald.Org 1924 IN THE SUPREME COURT OF INDIA Before Hon’ble Mrs. Justice R. Bhanumathi  Hon’ble Mr. Justice Vineet Saran Criminal Appeal No. 1791…

A proper administration of the criminal justice delivery system, therefore requires balancing the rights of the accused and the prosecution, so that the law laid down in Mohan Lal AIR 2018 SC 3853. is not allowed to become a spring board for acquittal in prosecutions prior to the same, irrespective of all other considerations. We therefore hold that all pending criminal prosecutions, trials and appeals prior to the law laid down in Mohan Lal AIR 2018 SC 3853. shall continue to be governed by the individual facts of the case

SUPREME COURT OF INDIA FULL BENCH VARINDER KUMAR — Appellant Vs. STATE OF HIMACHAL PRADESH — Respondent ( Before : Ranjan Gogoi, CJI, Navin Sinha and K.M. Joseph, JJ. )…

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