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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.

Election Petition–An election petition must clearly and unambiguously set out all the material facts which the appellant is to rely upon during the trial, and it must reveal a clear and complete picture of the circumstances and should disclose a definite cause of action. Electoral Roll–Once an electoral roll is published, it becomes the final electoral roll of the constituency.

2010(1) LAW HERALD (SC)  42 IN THE SUPREME COURT OF INDIA Before The Hon’ble Mr. Justice D.K. Jain The Hon’ble Mr. Justice H.L. Dattu Civil Appeal No. 4201 of 2008…

Criminal Procedure Code, 1973, S 482–Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act, 1960 , S. 11(1)(d)–Bombay Animal Preservation Act, 1954, S. 5, 6 and 8–Cruelty to Animals-Quashing Of FIR–Illegal and unauthorized transportation and slaughtering of animals–High Court arrived at a pre-mature conclusion that no offences under Section 279 IPC and under Sections 5, 6 and 8 of the Bombay Animal Preservation Act, 1954 were made out against the accused and quashed the criminal proceedings–Such a relief to the accused, who had not approached the High Court for quashing the FIR, could not have been granted in a petition filed by the owners of goats and sheep seeking custody of the live stock notwithstanding wide amplitude of power available under Article 226 of the Constitution–Order of HC , set aside.               

2010(1) LAW HERALD (SC)  33 IN THE SUPREME COURT OF INDIA Before The Hon’ble Mr. Justice Harjit Singh Bedi The Hon’ble Mr. Justice J.M. Panchal Criminal Appeal No. 2020 of…

Unprotected worker–Definition of–Every worker, who is doing manual work and is engaged or to be engaged in any scheduled employment, would be covered by that definition and would become an unprotected worker–Merely because some workmen are manual workers and not casual workers, that by itself, would not make any difference.

2010(1) LAW HERALD (SC) 1 IN THE SUPREME COURT OF INDIA Before  The Hon’ble Mr. Justice Tarun Chatterjee The Hon’ble Mr. Justice V.S.Sirpurkar Civil Appeal No. 8452 of 2009 [Arising…

Attempt to Murder—Improvement in Statement—In FIR complainant stated, shot was fired by unknown person but before court he stated that he recognised appellant as person who fired shot as he was known to him earlier—Appellant acquitted.

2018(3) Law Herald (SC) 2590 : 2018 LawHerald.Org 1601 IN THE SUPREME COURT OF INDIA                                              Before Hon’ble Mr. Justice Ranjan Gogoi Hon’ble Mr. Justice Navin Sinha Criminal Appeal No.…

Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006, S.30–Prohibition on sale of Tobacco–FIR for transportation and sale of Gutka/Pan Masala-Two questions were framed by High Court for consideration- Whether the Food Safety Officers can lodge complaints for offences punishable under the IPC? Whether the acts complained amounted to any offence punishable under the provisions of the IPC? Since all the submissions were not raised before High Court—Matter remanded back with liberty to parties to raise detailed submissions-Directions issued that no coercive action should be taken by police during pendency of matter before High Court—Indian Penal Code, 1860, S.272 & S.328.

2018(3) Law Herald (SC) 2587 : 2018 LawHerald.Org 1600 IN THE SUPREME COURT OF INDIA Before Hon’ble Mr. Justice S.A. Bobde Hon’ble Mr. Justice L. Nageswara Rao Criminal Appeal No.…

Forest Land—Unauthorized Construction—Construction was allowed on forest land (Aravalli Hills near Faridabad, Haryana) unauthorizedly by town planning authorities in blatant violation of notification declaring the area as Forest Land—State directed to demolish all the constructions—Developer to pay the investors the invested amount with interest and cost of construction thereon Punjab Land Preservation Act, 1900–Unauthorized Construction-Construction was allowed on forest land (Aravalli Hills near Faridabad, Haryana) unauthorizedly by competent authorities and construction was raised in blatant violation of notification dated 10th August 1992 and subsequent order of court prohibiting any kind of construction—Area was declared forest land since 1980 much before said notification—In fact, building plans and sanction plans were approved by concerned authorities—It has caused great irreversible damage to environment and ecology of the area—Badkal lake has dried up and there is water scarcity in the areas—Following directions issued regarding constructions and land sold after date of notification as follows: (i) Developer would refund full amount to land purchaser along with 18% interest p.a. payable entirely by developer; (ii) State of Haryana to demolish all the illegal and unauthorized constructions before 31st December 2018; (iii) Developer and Town Planning Department to bear equally the cost of constructions which are ordered to be demolished—Amount quantified at Rs. 50 lakhs to be paid by 31th Dec 2018; (iv) If anyone who’s construction is demolished and is not satisfied with amount of Rs. 50 lakhs they can claim more by way of civil suit; (v) According to developer they have invested Rs. 50 crores in developing a housing complex—Developer directed to deposit 10% of said amount for rehabilitation of damaged area—Haryana Development & Regulation of Urban Areas Act, 1975, S.23.

2018(3) Law Herald (SC) 2422 : 2018 LawHerald.Org 1518 IN THE SUPREME COURT OF INDIA Before Hon’ble Mr. Justice Madan B. Lokur Hon’ble Mr. Justice Deepak Gupta W.P. (C)No. 4677…

Adultery—A law which deprives women of the right to prosecute, is not gender-neutral—Wife of the adulterous male, cannot prosecute her husband for marital infidelity—S.497 IPC struck down being unconstitutional. Adultery—It is not a criminal offence but undoubtedly is a moral wrong qua the spouse and the family Adultery—Section 497 is a denial of the constitutional guarantees of dignity, liberty, privacy and sexual autonomy which are intrinsic to Article 21 of the Constitution

                                 2018(3) Law Herald (SC) 2462 : 2018 LawHerald.Org 1598 IN THE SUPREME COURT OF…

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