Latest Post

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.

Essential Commodities—Act of 1981 did not preclude the authorities from applying the provisions of the MCOCA for offence under Section 3 & 7 of the 1955 Act as well as the 1981 Act. Organized Crime—Sanction of—Investigation—Stringent provisions—Concerned authorities would have to be bound down to the strict observance of the provisions.

2007(1) LAW HERALD (SC) 746 IN THE SUPREME COURT OF INDIA Before The Hon’ble Mr. Justice Dr. AR. Lakshmanan The Hon’ble Mr. Justice Altamas Kabir Special Leave Petition (criminal) Nos.…

Wakf—Once a wakf is created, the wakif stands divested of his title to the properties which after the creation of the wakf vests in the Almighty. Wakf—Once a wakf is created it continues to retain such character which cannot be extinguished by any act of the Mutwalli or anyone claiming through him.

2007(1) LAW HERALD (SC) 740 IN THE SUPREME COURT OF INDIA Before The Hon’ble Mr. Justice Tarun Chatterjee The Hon’ble Mr. Justice Altamas Kabir Civil Appeal No. 4816 of 2000…

Member of Legislative Assembly—Disqualification for Membership—Leader of BSP party recommended dissolution of the Assembly—13 members of BSP giving a letter requesting the Governor to call upon the leader of Samajwadi Party to form a Government—The act itself would amount to an act of voluntarily giving up the membership of the party on the ticket they had got elected. Defection–Split in party–Mere claim is not enough–To be proved; prima facie, by relevant material.

2007(1) LAW HERALD (SC) 717 IN THE SUPREME COURT OF INDIA Before The Hon’ble Mr. Chief Justice K.G. Balakrishnan The Hon’ble Mr. Justice Sema The Hon’ble Mr. Justice Dr. AR.…

Evidence—Murder–Variation between medical evidence and ocular evidence—Oral evidence has to get primacy and medical evidence is basically opinionative. Evidence—Murder–Variation between ocular evidence and medical evidence—To discard the testimony of an eyewitness simply on the strength of such opinion expressed by the medical witness is not conducive to the administration of criminal justice.

  2007(1) LAW HERALD (SC) 710 IN THE SUPREME COURT OF INDIA Before The Hon’ble Mr. Justice Dr. Arijit Pasayat The Hon’ble Mr. Justice S.H. Kapadia Criminal Appeal No. 215…

You missed