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Motor Vehicles Act, 1988 — Compensation for Death of a Child — Calculation of Compensation — Deceased 14-year-old schoolboy — Principles adopted for calculating compensation for death of child — Notional monthly income adopted based on Minimum Wages Act, 1948 for a Class B city (Rs. 5400/- per month) — Addition of 40% for future prospects — Multiplier of 15 adopted based on Reshma Kumari v. Madan Mohan — Deduction of one-half for personal expenses — Statutory heads of compensation (loss of estate, funeral expenses) awarded at Rs. 15,000/- each — Loss of filial consortium awarded at Rs. 40,000/- per parent — Compensation for pain and suffering of the deceased child, who died a day after the accident, awarded at Rs. 25,000/- to inure to the benefit of legal heirs — Total compensation enhanced to Rs. 8,65,400/- with interest at 7.5% per annum. (Paras 7, 8, 9) Motor Vehicles Act, 1988 — Compensation — Assessment of income of deceased — Standard of proof — Where claimants assert a high monthly income (Rs. 95,000/-) for the deceased (a transport contractor owning two trucks), which exceeds the taxable limit, failure to produce Income Tax Returns (ITR) is highly relevant and undermines the claim — The contention that high EMI payments (approx. Rs. 42,500/-) imply double the income is an unfounded assumption, amounting to mere surmises and conjectures. (Paras 3, 6) Hindu Marriage Act, 1955 — Sections 13(1)(i-a) and 13(1)(i-b) — Divorce — Desertion and Cruelty — Irretrievable Breakdown of Marriage — Where parties have been living separately for a long period (24 years in this case) without any prospect of reconciliation, this long period of separation amounts to mental cruelty to both parties, justifying dissolution of marriage — The marriage is deemed to have broken down irretrievably — Fact that spouses hold strongly views and refuse to accommodate each other also constitutes cruelty. (Paras 20, 21, 23, 24, 25, 26, 33, 34) Income Tax Act, 1961 — Sections 37(1), 44C — Deduction of Head Office Expenditure in case of Non-Residents — Interpretation of Section 44C and ‘Head Office Expenditure’ — Distinction between ‘Common’ and ‘Exclusive’ Expenditure — Section 44C, being a special provision with a non-obstante clause, governs the quantum of allowable deduction for any expenditure incurred by a non-resident assessee that qualifies as ‘head office expenditure’ — The definition of ‘head office expenditure’ in the Explanation to Section 44C does not distinguish between common expenditure (shared among branches) and exclusive expenditure (incurred solely for Indian branches) — The term ‘attributable to’ in Section 44C(c) is broad enough to include both common and exclusive head office expenditure; exclusivity is a form of strong attribution — Therefore, Section 44C applies to head office expenditure regardless of whether it is common or exclusive, subjecting the deduction to the statutory ceiling. (Paras 2, 26, 43-45, 47-49, 59-63, 71, 86, 88)

Bail–Anticipatory Bail–Grant of–It is granted at a stage when the investigation is incomplete and, therefore, it is not informed about the nature of evidence against the alleged offender–It is, therefore, necessary that such anticipatory bail orders should be of a limited duration only. Bail–Anticipatory Bail–Use of the expression ‘reason to believe’ shows that the applicant may be arrested must be founded on reasonable grounds–Mere “fear” is not ‘belief’. Bail–Anticipatory Bail–Grant of–Normally a direction should not issue to the effect that the applicant shall be released on bail “whenever arrested for whichever offence whatsoever”–Such ‘blanket order’ should not be passed. Bail–Anticipatory Bail–Grant of– Reference to particular portions of case diary–The papers which are to be supplied to the accused have been statutorily prescribed–The Courts should take serious note when the accused or the informant refers to the case diary to buttress a stand.

  2007(5) LAW HERALD (SC) 4045   IN THE SUPREME COURT OF INDIA Before The Hon’ble Mr. Justice Dr. Arijit Pasayat The Hon’ble Mr. Justice Lokeshwar Singh Panta Criminal Appeal No.…

Wakf— Notified list—If any property had been omitted to be included in the list of auqaf by inadvertence or otherwise, then it was/is for the Wakf Board to take action within a period of one year from the date of publication of the Gazette notification. Rejection of Plaint—If clever drafting of the plaint has created the illusion of a cause of action, the court will nip it in the bud at the earliest so that b of us litigation will end at the earlier stage

2017(2) Law Herald (SC) 1619 : 2017 LawHerald.Org 1043 IN THE SUPREME COURT OF INDIA Before The Hon’ble Mr. Justice R.K.Agrawal The Hon’ble Mohan M. Shantanagoudar Civil Appeal No. 5368…

Narcotics—Conscious Possession—Presumption against the accused of culpability are rebuttable—It does not dispense with the obligation of the prosecution to prove the charge beyond all reasonable doubt. Narcotics—Non-joining of independent witness—If an independent witness is available, and the prosecution initially seeks to rely upon him, it cannot suddenly discard the witness because it finds him inconvenient, and place reliance upon police witnesses only.

2017(2) Law Herald (SC) 1592 : 2017 LawHerald.org 1140 IN THE SUPREME COURT OF INDIA Before Hon’ble Mr. Justice Navin Sinha Criminal Appeal No. 1053 of 2016 Naresh Kumar Alias…

Admissibility of Document—Objection as to method—An objection relating to the mode or method of proof has to be raised at the time of making of the document as an exhibit and not later. Admissibility of document—Objections regarding admissibility of documents which are per se inadmissible can be taken even at the appellate stage because it is a fundamental issue. Electronic Record—Objection as to admissibility—Call records of mobile was admitted during trial without any objection that required certificate is not tendered—Such objection regarding mode or method of proof cannot be taken a t appella te stage.

2017(2) Law Herald (SC) 1578 : 2017 LawHerald.org 1135 IN THE SUPREME COURT OF INDIA Before Hon’ble Mr. Justice S. A. Bobde Hon’ble Mr. Justice L. Nageswara Rao CRIMINAL APPEAL…

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