The Proof of Valid Wills II

A circumstance is ‘suspicious’ when it is not normal. The suspicious features must be ‘real, germane and valid’ and not merely a ‘fantasy of doubting mind’ [Shivakumar, Civil Appeal No. 6076 of 2009]. An individual factor may not be decisive. If after taking all factors together, conscience of Court is not satisfied, Will in question […]

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First Information Report II

Broadcasts on Republic TV on 16.04.2020 and R Bharat on 21.04.2020, in relation to an incident at Gadchinchle [Palgarh, Maharashtra], led to lodging of multiple First Information Reports against Arnab Ranjan Goswami. The broadcast is the foundation of the allegation, offences have been committed. To allow a journalist to be subjected to pursuit of remedies […]

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Review of Death Penalty XIX

“Ravishankar v. State of Madhya Pradesh, (2019) 9 SCC 689 held that, “This Court has increasingly become cognizant of ‘residual doubt’ in many recent cases which effectively create a higher standard of proof over and above the ‘beyond reasonable doubt’ standard used at the stage of conviction, as a safeguard against routine Capital Sentencing, keeping […]

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The Problem of Drug Addicts

“The problem of drug addicts is international and the mafia is working throughout the world. It is a crime against society and it has to be dealt with iron hands. Use of drugs by young people in India has increased. The drugs are being used for weakening of the nation. The view, in the mixture […]

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The Confession

Raja and 13 others enrolled themselves in ‘Tamilar Pasarai’ to blast ‘Namakkal Kavignar Maligai’. “The law of confession is embodied in Sections 24 to 30 of The Indian Evidence Act, 1872. It is well­-settled, a confession which is not free from doubt about its voluntariness, is not admissible in evidence. A confession caused by inducement, […]

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Celebratory Gunshots

On 21.04.2007, around 5:30 PM, as soon as the marriage procession reached the courtyard, Bhagwan Singh fired celebratory gunshots from a licensed gun. The pellets struck 5; 2 succumbed to their injuries. The shots were fired towards the roof and were not aimed at any of the victims. Trial Court as well as High Court […]

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My Precious Bitcoin

My Lord, Satoshi Nakamoto? “He still remains anonymous.” Reserve Bank of India, on 06.04.2018, in exercise of the powers conferred by Section 35A read with Section 36(1)(a) and Section 56 of The Banking Regulation Act, 1949 and Section 45JA and 45L of The Reserve Bank of India Act, 1934 and Section 10(2) read with Section […]

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Extraditable Fugitives I

A certain someone, associated with Dawood Ibrahim and Chhota Rajan in the past, was on the run since the ’90s. It has been pointed out earlier that, no fugitive or mastermind is going to flee to Chile, Netherlands, Switzerland or Belgium. This one fled to Burkina Faso and won hearts by doing social work; the […]

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Monstrosity of Winnability I

“When criminality enters into the grass-root level as well as at the higher levels there is a feeling that ‘monstrosity’ is likely to wither away the multitude and eventually usher in a dreadful fear that would rule supreme creating an incurable chasm in the spine of the whole citizenry” [Hon’ble Justice Dipak Misra, 05.02.2015]. In […]

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The Photo Album

I have written on Supratim Sarkar’s previous 3 books here, here and here. His latest effort – The 7 Stories, (Ananda, 2020) – has not been translated into English yet. It would be unfair if I don’t even attempt the same. There were interesting bits on i) an Irish woman who had arrived to assist […]

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Anticipatory Bail II

“Gurbaksh Singh Sibbia, (1980) 2 SCC 565 holds the field for number of years and the same has been followed by all Courts in the country. Therefore, Siddharam Satlingappa Mhetre, (2011) 1 SCC 694 is not correct law in light of the observations made in Paragraphs 42 and 43 in Gurbaksh Singh Sibbia. Salauddin Abdulsamad […]

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MV Hennry

“The Indian Coast Guard received some intelligence inputs with regard to suspicious activities of MV Hennry. MV Hennry was flying a flag of Panama. The Master of the Ship, Suprit Tiwari, was not in possession of any licence, permit and could not even produce any document pertaining to departure from last port of call i.e. […]

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Tihar to Tihar

Aftab was lodged in Tihar when he met Asif Reza Khan. Asif introduced Aftab to Omar Sheikh who had a profound effect. December, 1999: Government of India was forced to release Omar Sheikh in exchange for a safe return of IC 814. Aftab Ansari, soon after, was issued a Pakistan Passport [J872142, Safir Mohammad Rana]. […]

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Section 2(33), The Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Act, 2015

Section 2(33), The Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Act, 2015: “heinous offences” includes the offences for which the minimum punishment under The Indian Penal Code, 1860 or any other law for the time being in force is imprisonment for 7 years or more; xxx xxx xxx Learned Senior Counsel, Sidharth Luthra submitted, ‘petty […]

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Section 499, Indian Penal Code V

“What is the meaning to be attached to the words ‘making of an imputation’ and ‘publishing of an imputation’? This question has been set out with clarity in Mohd. Abdulla Khan v. Prakash K., (2018) 1 SCC 615. “The difference between ‘making’ of an imputation and ‘publishing’ the same is: If ‘X’ tells ‘Y’ that […]

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An Intoxicated Murder

“Nothing is on record to show that Suraj was ‘highly’ inebriated. It can safely be said Suraj was very much in the senses and was conscious of the fact that if kerosene is poured and match­ stick is lit and put on the body, a person might die due to burns. Kalu Ram v. State […]

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The De Facto Doctrine

Justice Mookerjee held the following in Pulin Behari Das v. King Emperor, 16 CWN 1105. The acts of officers de facto performed by them within the scope of their assumed official authority, in the interest of the public or third persons and not for their own benefit, are generally as valid and binding as if […]

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