Supreme Court of India Judgements

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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.
Acquittal

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.

Nov 2, 2025 sclaw
Cheque Dishonour

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.

Nov 2, 2025 sclaw
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.
Acquittal
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.
Cheque Dishonour
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.
General Insurance
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.
Tenders
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.
Election Laws

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.

Nov 9, 2018 sclaw

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…

Cr P C

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.               

Nov 9, 2018 sclaw

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…

Labour Cases

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.

Nov 9, 2018 sclaw

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…

Acquittal

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.

Nov 8, 2018 sclaw

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.…

I P C

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.

Nov 8, 2018 sclaw

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.…

Constitution

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.

Nov 8, 2018 sclaw

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…

I P C

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

Nov 8, 2018 sclaw

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

You missed

Acquittal

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.

Nov 2, 2025 sclaw
Cheque Dishonour

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.

Nov 2, 2025 sclaw
General Insurance

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.

Nov 2, 2025 sclaw
Tenders

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.

Nov 2, 2025 sclaw