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Environment Law — Environmental Clearance — Prior clearance — Mandatory character — Prior environmental clearance under EIA Notification, 2006 is mandatory, being founded on the precautionary principle and couched in imperative terms — Word “prior” and the graded four-stage screening, scoping, public consultation and appraisal process render an anterior assessment the sine qua non of the clearance regime — Decriminalisation of contraventions under Jan Vishwas (Amendment of Provisions) Act, 2023 does not alter this mandatory character. Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, 2023 — Section 415 — Appeal — Maintainability — Conviction recorded for first time by appellate court reversing acquittal — An appeal under Section 374 CrPC (Section 415 BNSS) is not maintainable against a judgment of conviction recorded by a Sessions Court while exercising appellate jurisdiction and reversing an order of acquittal passed by the Trial Court — No such second appeal is contemplated under CrPC or BNSS — The only remedy available is revision under Section 397 r/w 401 CrPC (Section 438 r/w 442 BNSS) Income Tax Act, 1961 — Section 44B — “Carriage” of passengers — Meaning and scope of — Cruise operations by non-resident shipping entity — Held, the word “carriage” under Section 44B cannot be restrictively construed to mean movement only from Port A to Port B. A round-trip cruise voyage, where passengers have the option to disembark at intermediate ports without compulsion to return to the originating port, constitutes carriage of passengers within the meaning of Section 44B. Provision of incidental on-board entertainment and hospitality does not alter the essential character of the activity as carriage of passengers. Criminal Procedure Code, 1973 (CrPC) — Section 482 — Quashing of FIR — Scope of inquiry — Mini-trial impermissible — At the stage of considering quashing of an FIR, the Court’s inquiry is confined to whether the allegations, taken at face value, prima facie disclose commission of a cognizable offence — Court cannot conduct a “mini-trial” by sifting evidence, assessing probabilities, or evaluating witness credibility — High Court exceeding these limits by examining trap proceedings, absence of personal recovery, and departmental enquiry findings, held impermissible. Succession Act, 1925 — Sections 33, 35 and 38 — Hindu/Christian Succession — Applicability of S. 33 confined to property owned by deceased male; erroneous application by High Court set aside — Where property was purchased and registered in the joint names of two wives, the same is owned by them and not by the husband, notwithstanding that he provided the consideration — Section 33, which governs devolution on intestacy of a male’s property between his widow and lineal descendants, is not attracted to property never vested in the husband’s name — High Court’s application of S. 33 to the entirety of the suit property held misconceived.

Penal Code, 1860 (IPC) – Section 304 – Custodial death – Nature of offence – Injuries found on body of deceased were confined to skin and upper level of body – In this case of custodial death it is found by the medical evidence that the injuries were confined to the skin and upper level of the body. Grievous injuries were not found on vital parts of the body like head, liver, spleen, heart, lungs, etc. The duration of the injuries were widely variant.

  (2006) ACJ 1002 : AIR 2005 SC 402 : (2005) CriLJ 320 : (2004) 10 JT 547 : (2004) 9 SCALE 390 : (2005) 9 SCC 631 : (2004)…

Criminal Procedure Code, 1973 (CrPC) – Section 406 – Delhi Special Police Establishment Act, 1946 – Section 6 – Transfer of CBI case – Once a State Government issues notification transferring investigation to CBI, for all intents and purposes, CBI is entitled to exercise the same powers as State Police, in relation to investigation transferred to it

  AIR 2011 SC 1549 : (2011) CriLJ 997 : (2010) 12 JT 641 : (2011) 1 RCR(Criminal) 120 : (2010) 12 SCALE 199 : (2011) 1 SCC 307 :…

Criminal Procedure Code, 1973 (CrPC) – Section 161 – Statement to police – Delay in recording – Delay of 13 days in recording statement of informant, who allegedly lodged FIR within half an hour of incident – In this case of murder there was a delay of almost 13 days in recording the statement of the informant under Section 161, Cr.P.C. Moreover, the High Court found the explanation given by the Investigating Officer rather unconvincing.

  AIR 2005 SC 762 : (2005) CriLJ 892 : (2005) 1 JT 89 : (2005) 10 SCC 399 : (2005) AIRSCW 359 : (2005) 1 Supreme 263 SUPREME COURT…

Constitution of India, 1950 – Article 32 -Conduct of the investigation – A complaint by the Finance Minister that ‘N’ was an agent of foreign intelligence agency and was indulging in anti national activities and had built up a business empire of Rs. 300 crores within a period of nine years, a decision was taken that the matter needs to be probed

  (2013) 13 SCALE 201 : (2014) 1 SCC 93 SUPREME COURT OF INDIA RATAN N. TATA — Appellant Vs. UNION OF INDIA (UOI) AND OTHERS — Respondent ( Before…

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