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Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act, 2012 — Section 4 — Section 376 (3) IPC — Rape — Conviction upheld — Evidence of victim’s mother and medical evidence — Reliability of victim’s mother’s testimony confirmed despite lengthy cross-examination, finding it natural and trustworthy and corroborated by other witnesses and medical evidence — Medical evidence, though partially presented by defense, conclusively supported sexual assault, citing perineal tear and abrasions around anus Hindu Succession Act, 1956 — Section 6 (as amended by Amendment Act, 2005) — Retrospective application — Validity of pre-amendment sale deeds — The prohibition contained in the amended Section 6 of the Hindu Succession Act, 1956, does not affect registered sale deeds executed prior to December 20, 2004 (date of introduction of the amending provision) — This principle aligns with the judgment in Vineeta Sharma v. Rakesh Sharma, (2020) 9 SCC 1. Judicial Process — Misuse of process — Challenging bail conditions previously offered voluntarily — Accused offering substantial deposits to secure bail and subsequently challenging the onerous nature of conditions or the counsel’s authority to make such offers — This practice is condemned for undermining the judicial process and preventing consideration of bail applications on their merits — Such conduct leads to setting aside of bail orders and remittal for fresh consideration. Social Media Posts — Content-Related Offenses — Retaliatory Action — Quashing of Proceedings — While the court made no final determination on the nature of the petitioner’s social media posts, it acknowledged the petitioner’s counsel’s submission that the tweets were ‘retaliatory’ and were made in response to an incident involving a social media influencer. This assertion formed part of the petitioner’s argument for quashing or consolidating the numerous FIRs, suggesting a motive beyond simple offensive content. Legal Profession — Autonomy and Independence — Administration of Justice — Role of Lawyers — Article 19(1)(g) of the Constitution of India — Impact of direct summons to defence counsel by Investigating Agencies on the autonomy of the legal profession and the independence of the administration of justice — Need for judicial oversight.
Service Matters

Central Civil Services Rules, 1965, Rule 10, Sub-rule 6 and 7–Suspension–Delay in reviewing suspension order–suspension of the respondent not extended–Central Administrative Tribunal quashed the suspension order of the respondent as became invalid on the expiry of 90 days from the date of suspension–High Court affirmed the orders of the Tribunal–Appeal–Held, that after the operation of Sub-rule 6 of Rule 10, since the review not been conducted within 90 days from the date of suspension, it became invalid after 90 days as neither was there any review nor extension within the said period

2010(1) LAW HERALD (SC) 130 IN THE SUPREME COURT OF INDIA Before The Hon’ble Mr. Justice Altamas Kabir The Hon’ble Mr. Justice Markandey Katju Special Leave Petition (Civil) No. 6661…

Indian Penal Code, 1860, S. 45 and 47–Criminal Procedure Code, 1973, S. 432, 433 and 433A–Premature release–Restriction on powers of remission or commutation in certain cases–A convict awarded life sentence has to undergo imprisonment for at least 14 years–While Sections 432 and 433 empowers the appropriate Government to suspend, remit or commute sentences, including a sentence of death and life imprisonment, a fetter has been imposed by the legislature on such powers by the introduction of Section 433A into the Code of Criminal Procedure by the Amending Act of 1978, which came into effect on and from 18th December, 1978–By virtue of the non-obstante clause used in Section 433A, the minimum term of imprisonment in respect of an offence where death is one of the punishments provided by laws or where a death sentence has been commuted to life sentence, has been prescribed as 14 years.  

2010(1) LAW HERALD (SC) 125 IN THE SUPREME COURT OF INDIA Before The Hon’ble Mr. Justice Altamas Kabir The Hon’ble Dr. Justice B.S. Chauhan Special Leave Petition (Criminal) No. 4614…

Service Matters

Service Law–Backwages–Respondent was appointed as a Constable in PAC (Provincial Armed Constabulary)–He was convicted in a criminal case–Therefore, his services were terminated–Later , respondent acquitted from the charges of the Criminal case–Respondent filed writ petition for his reinstatement which was allowed by Single Judge–Respondent accepted that he would not be entitled for back wages–Fact that the respondent would not be entitled to back ages accepted by the respondent–Appeal deserves to be disposed of with clarification that the respondent would not be entitled to back wages–Appellants not been directed by the Single Judge or by the Division Bench to pay back wages to the respondent–Clarified that the respondents would not be entitled to back wages at all

2010(1) LAW HERALD (SC)  124 IN THE SUPREME COURT OF INDIA Before The Hon’ble Mr. Justice J.M. Panchal The Hon’ble Dr. Justice Mukundakam Sharma Civil Appeal No. 2816 of 2007…

High Court held that the transfers not effected by the provisions of Section 47 and 50B of the 1950 Act and observed that the original plaintiff had lost his possession in the land when he executed the agreement for sale and made over possession of the lands in question to the intending purchaser–Appeal against–Plaintiffs at no point of time objected to the Agreement for Sale despite the same being adverse to their interest–High Court, correctly held that the possession of the defendants was adverse to the interests of the plaintiff—No interference to the impugned judgment of the High Court called for.                                        

2010(1) LAW HERALD (SC) 121 IN THE SUPREME COURT OF INDIA Before The Hon’ble Mr. Justice Altamas Kabir The Hon’ble Mr. Justice Cyriac Joseph Special Leave Petition (Civil) No. 24089…

Trial Court and the High Court disbelieved the Will in favour of the appellant and decreed the suit of the respondents even though substantial questions of law arose–Impugned orders of the High Court set aside and  case remitted back to the High Court for fresh disposal considering the substantial questions of law. 

2010(1) LAW HERALD (SC) 119 IN THE SUPREME COURT OF INDIA Before The Hon’ble Mr. Justice P. Sathasivam The Hon’ble Mr. Justice Asok Kumar Ganguly Civil Appeal Nos. 650-651 of…

Abetment of suicide–In order to convict a person under section 306 IPC there has to be a clear mens rea to commit the offence–It also requires an active act or direct act which led the deceased to commit suicide seeing no option and this act must have been intended to push the deceased into such a position that he commits suicide.

2010(1) LAW HERALD (SC) 113 IN THE SUPREME COURT OF INDIA Before The Hon’ble Mr. Justice Dalveer Bhandari The Hon’ble Mr. Justice A. K. Patnaik Criminal Appeal No. 1301 Of…

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