Colorable Investigation

There is a subtle difference between a defective investigation and one brought forth by a calculated and deliberate action or inaction. While dealing with a defective investigation, Court is expected to sift evidence available and find out truth. Every case involves a journey towards truth. We are distressed to note, investigation has not been conducted […]

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Claim of Juvenility I

A claim of juvenility may be raised at any stage of a criminal proceeding, even after a final disposal. An application claiming juvenility could be made either before Court or JJ Board. It is neither feasible nor desirable to lay down an abstract formula to determine age of a person. It has to be on […]

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Ut Res Magis Valeat Quam Pereat

The act of ‘touching’ sexual part of body or any other act involving ‘physical contact’, if done with ‘sexual intent’, would amount to ‘sexual assault’ within meaning of Section 7 of The Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act, 2012. Restricting interpretation of words ‘touch’ or ‘physical contact’ to ‘skin to skin contact’ would not […]

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Repugnancy II

An interpreter, to deviate from defined meaning, should record reasons to show word/expression in a particular provision carries a different meaning; contrary context is not to be assumed or accepted easily, in absence of indication and reason to differ from defined meaning. Repugnancy is not indicated and does not arise in context of clause 22(ix)(a) […]

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Time of Essence

Welspun Specialty Solutions Limited was formerly known as Remi Metals Gujarat Limited. Arbitral Tribunal held, merely having a clause in contract making ‘time of essence’ would not be determinative. Learned Senior Counsel, appearing for Remi Metals (now Welspun), submitted, view taken by Arbitral Tribunal was reasonable, plausible and can be sustained. We need to ascertain […]

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Injured Eye-Witness

Refaz Kotwar stabbed Mohd. Jamil Kotwar with a dagger. We see no reason to doubt testimony of witnesses examined. PW7 and PW8 are injured eye-witnesses. State of Madhya Pradesh v. Mansingh, (2003) 10 SCC 414 held, evidence of an injured eye-witness has great evidentiary value and unless compelling reasons exist, their statements are not to […]

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Retrospective v. Retroactive II

It manifests, legislative intent is to make The Real Estate (Regulation and Development) Act, 2016 applicable not only to projects which were yet to commence after RERA became operational but also to bring under its fold ongoing projects. The distinction between retrospective and retroactive has been explained in Jay Mahakali Rolling Mills v. Union of […]

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Review of Death Penalty XX

High Court of Karnataka confirmed Death Sentence for Irappa Siddappa Murgannavar. Shanti Devi v. State of Rajasthan, (2012) 12 SCC 158 had considered, factum of recovery of body at instance of accused is a strong circumstance for conviction. Similar is Ranjit Kumar Haldar v. State of Sikkim, (2019) 7 SCC 684. On an overall view […]

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Vicarious Liability

Girdhari Lal Gupta v. D.H. Mehta, (1971) 3 SCC 189; State of Karnataka v. Pratap Chand, (1981) 2 SCC 335; Municipal Corporation of Delhi v. Ram Kishan Rohtagi, (1983) 1 SCC 1; Municipal Corporation of Delhi v. Purshotam Dass Jhunjunwala, (1983) 1 SCC 9; National Small Industries Corporation Limited v. Harmeet Singh Paintal, (2010) 3 […]

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91 Predictions

Greenstone Lobo has dedicated 91 Predictions, (Westland, 2021) to a ‘genius scientist’ who will restore Pluto’s dignity, honor and its rightful place as a Planet. The wish is to exhibit, astrology is a science and a subject worthy of attention, exploration, serious study and application. An excerpt. Everything comes in cycles. Indian an Western systems […]

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Preventive Detention Statute II / The Revival of Ray LXXIV

Sarabjeet Singh Mokha is said to have procured fake Remdesivir injections which were administered to patients during COVID-19 pandemic to make illegal profits. Article 22 of the Constitution provides specific protections to undertrials and detainees in India. The communication of grounds is in aid of facilitating right of detenu to submit a representation against ‘order […]

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The Nature of Judicial Power: Pegasus

“If you want to keep a secret, you must also hide it from yourself.” ­- George Orwell, 1984. Orwellian concern. September, 2018 – Citizen Lab released software capabilities of a ‘spyware suite’ called Pegasus, produced by NSO Group. Historically, privacy rights have been ‘property centric’ rather than ‘people centric’. In 1604, in Semayne’s case, 77 […]

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Section 511, Indian Penal Code

There is a visible distinction between ‘preparation’ and ‘attempt’ to commit an offence and it all depends on statutory edict coupled with nature of evidence produced in a case; stage of ‘preparation’ consists of deliberation, devising or arranging means or measures, which would be necessary; an ‘attempt’ starts immediately after completion of ‘preparation’; ‘preparation’ or […]

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Blood of Human Origin III

Two-Judges in Kansa Behra v. State of Orissa, (1987) 3 SCC 480 observed, “few small blood-stains on clothes of a person may even be of his own blood.” Do remember one Raghav, who had earlier been convicted of murdering his First Wife and Son, based on circumstantial evidence. Dead bodies were/are still missing. Relevant Serologist […]

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The Rules of The Game Principle III

As was subtly recognized, State of Haryana v. Subash Chander Marwaha, (1974) 3 SCC 220, unnoticed in P.K. Ramachandra Iyer, Durgacharan Misra, Umesh Chandra Shukla, Rajendra Bhimrao Mandve and K. Manjusree, carries instructions on the Tej Prakash Pathak issue. Subash Chander Marwaha is crucial to understand the time when the ‘process of ascertaining eligibility’, before […]

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Investigation II

Gauri Lankesh was shot dead by unknown assailants, near her house at Rajarajeshwari Nagar [Bengaluru], on 05.09.2017. _____  This is limited to consideration of whether prior approval by Commissioner of Police [Bengaluru City], in connection with offence registered as Crime No. 221/2017, is valid or otherwise. We hold, same does not suffer from any infirmity. […]

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Investigation I

H N Rishbud v. State of Delhi, (1955) 1 SCR 1150; Ramsinh Bavaji Jadeja v. State of Gujarat, (1994) 2 SCC 685; Union of India v. Prakash P. Hinduja, (2003) 6 SCC 195. What emerges is, an investigation commences upon receipt of information by Police which discloses commission of a cognizable offence. However, mere receipt […]

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Furlough I

Mota Bhagwan Asaram was also convicted under Section 377, IPC. The Prisons (Bombay Furlough and Parole) Rules, 1959 were made pursuant to Section 59 of The Prisons Act, 1894 and are applicable in State of Gujarat. State of Maharashtra v. Suresh Pandurang Darvakar, (2006) 4 SCC 776 distinguished parole from furlough. The difference was also […]

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