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Motor Vehicles Act, 1988 — Sections 165, 166 — Death allegedly caused by murder inside a motor vehicle — Claim for compensation — Requirement of causal link between death and “use” of motor vehicle — Held, mere presence of a motor vehicle in the chain of circumstances leading to death does not attract liability under MVA — Some nexus between the vehicle and the death must be established. Maharashtra Housing and Area Development Act, 1976 — Section 2(25) — “Occupier” — Scope of definition — The MHAD Act defines only “occupier,” which includes any person liable to pay rent, an owner in occupation, a rent-free tenant, a licensee, or one liable to pay damages for use and occupation — Occupancy is not a statutory tenancy dependent on the owner’s will, and even a person in possession without formal rent liability may claim occupancy status for reallotment purposes. Stamp Act, 1899 — Section 26, proviso — Mining lease — Stamp duty on instrument with indeterminate value — Determinant of stamp duty — Where value of subject-matter is indeterminate at execution, proviso to S.26 specifically governs mining leases, directing that estimated royalty or value of share, as estimated by the Collector where State is lessor, suffices for stamp duty purposes — Proviso held not inconsistent with main provision — actual value of mining lease is ascertainable only once mining operations commence Service Law — Modified Assured Career Progression Scheme (MACPS) — Grade Pay convergence — Effect on promotions within cadre — Convergence of Grade Pay pursuant to Sixth Central Pay Commission does not obliterate separate identity of promotional posts within a cadre — Promotions carry promotional increments, enhanced running-duty allowances and post-specific benefits, remaining financially meaningful notwithstanding constancy of Grade Pay. Multiple FIRs across States cannot be quashed or clubbed under Article 32 where they relate to distinct transactions, victims, and offences despite similar modus operandi. A. Cyber Fraud — Multiple FIRs across States — Clubbing declined — Clubbing/consolidation of FIRs registered in different States was declined where each FIR was lodged by a different complainant induced to part with money on separate occasions, with distinct victims, amounts and transactions, notwithstanding a common bank account and similar modus operandi; clubbing at a nascent investigation stage involving complex cyber-forensic tracing would impede fair investigation and cause hardship to complainants.

Rape on a minor girl–Defence that they were falsely implicated due to enmity–Alleged dispute over a common wall was not of such a grave nature compeling the entire family of the prosecutrix to go to the extent of the putting at stake its reputation and fair name of a young girl child to settle the scores with the accused.

2010(1) LAW HERALD (SC) 538 IN THE SUPREME COURT OF INDIA Before The Hon’ble Mr. Justice B. Sudershan Reddy The Hon’ble Mr. Justice J.M. Panchal Criminal Appeal Nos. 70-72 of…

Accident–Liability of insurance company–Death of a person travelling in a private car–Whether the insurance policy covered the risk of the passenger travelling in the car–Such person indisputably would come within the purview of the liability to third party–There being no limitation with regard to coverage, in terms of the provisions of the Act, no upper limit is fixed–Liability of the insurer, thus unlike the old Act, may not be limited–Matter requires consideration by a Larger Bench

2010(1) LAW HERALD (SC) 513 IN THE SUPREME COURT OF INDIA Before The Hon’ble Mr. Justice S.B. Sinha The Hon’ble Mr. Justice Dr. Mukundakam Sharma Civil Appeal No. 3335 of…

Criminal Procedure Code, 1973, S. 427 and 428–Set off–Benefit of set off–Whether a person, who has been convicted in several cases and has suffered detention or imprisonment in connection therewith, would be entitled to the benefit of set-off in a separate case for the period of detention or imprisonment undergone by him in the other case–Held; No

2010(1) LAW HERALD (SC) 509 IN THE SUPREME COURT OF INDIA Before The Hon’ble Mr. Justice Altamas Kabir The Hon’ble Mr. Justice Cyriac Joseph Criminal M.P. No. 13384 of 2009…

Indian Penal Code, 1860, S. 498-A and 406–Quashing of complaint–Cruelty to wife-Wife filed complaint under Section 498-A, 406 I.P.C. against husband and his parents–Major allegations against husband with only minor reference to the in-laws–Death of husband during pendency of trial–Husband already dead complaint against in-laws quashed.

2010(1) LAW HERALD (SC) 507 IN THE SUPREME COURT OF INDIA Before  The Hon’ble Mr. Justice V.S.Sirpurkar The Hon’ble Mr. Justice Deepak Verma Criminal Appeal No. 949 of 2003 Neelu…

Suicide by bride within two years of marriage–Mother-in-law made accused, because in a letter to her husband deceased had stated that she was horrible and custody of child should not be given to her–Old mother-in-law was made scapegoat relying on the age old concept of bickering between the mother-in-law and daughter-in-law–Order of conviction set aside.

  2010(1) LAW HERALD (SC) 504 IN THE SUPREME COURT OF INDIA Before The Hon’ble Mr. Justice V.S.Sirpurkar The Hon’ble Mr. Justice Deepak Verma Criminal Appeal No. 1198 of 2003…

Indian Penal Code, 1860, S. 307 and 326–Attempt to murder–Grievous Hurt–Altercation between both parties–Accused caused two injuries on the person of complainant, one on the chest and other on the shoulder with a knife– Victim had remained in hospital for fifteen days due to the injuries caused to him, makes out a case of grievous hurt–Conviction under Section 307 I.P.C.  converted to one under Section 326–Accused faced trial for 22 years–Sentence reduced from 2 years to period already under gone.                                                  

2010(1) LAW HERALD (SC) 499 IN THE SUPREME COURT OF INDIA Before The Hon’ble Mr. Justice Harjit Singh Bedi The Hon’ble Mr. Justice Deepak Verma Criminal Appeal No. 1012 of…

Criminal Procedure Code, 1973, S. 160, 170(2) and 171–Constitution of India, Article 21–Identification of Prisoners Act, 1920, S. 3, 4 and 5–M.P. Police  Regulations, Regn. 2–Identification of prisoners–Impersonation–High Court directed the State Govt. to make amendment in Rules and to provide for taking of photographs of accused, important witness and prisoners etc. as a safeguard to avoid impersonation–Directions given by the High Court upheld but modified.       

  2010(1) LAW HERALD (SC) 495 IN THE SUPREME COURT OF INDIA Before The Hon’ble Mr. Justice Arijit Pasayat The Hon’ble Mr. Justice D.K. Jain The Hon’ble Mr. Justice Mukundakam…

Revisional Jurisdiction–Revisional jurisdiction, when invoked by a private complainant against an order of acquittal, cannot be exercised lightly and that it can be exercised only in exceptional cases where the interest of public justice require interference for correction of manifest illegality or the prevention of gross miscarriage of justice.

2010(1) LAW HERALD (SC) 487 IN THE SUPREME COURT OF INDIA Before The Hon’ble Mr. Justice R.V. Raveendran The Hon’ble Mr. Justice J.M. Panchal Criminal Appeal No. 2420 of 2009…

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