Criminal Law

The Supreme Court held that an accused person does not have an indefeasible right to seek a narco-analysis test to lead the evidence. The decision brings clarity to the law following several conflicting High Court judgements on the issue. The Patna High Court had allowed narco-analysis tests for all the accused persons in a dowry

The Supreme Court held that a conviction in a rape case does not expressly hinge on the statement of the minor victim or child witness. It can be secured based on other available evidence. The Rajasthan High Court had acquitted a person, reasoning that the child witness had submitted no statements upon examination. No other

The Supreme Court clarified that 90-day default bail under Section 167(2)(a)(i) of the Code of Criminal Procedure, 1973 applies only to offences with a minimum punishment of 10 years. The Delhi High Court granted default bail to Rajeev Sharma after 60 days under Section 167(2)(a)(ii) as the investigation was incomplete. Sharma was charged with an

The Supreme Court held that a restitution of conjugal rights decree does not absolve a husband from paying maintenance under Section 125 of the Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPC), if the wife has valid reasons to live separately.  Rina Kumari married Dinesh Kumar Mahto in 2014 but left in 2015, citing cruelty, dowry demands and lack of basic amenities.

The Supreme Court held that the transfer of a prisoner from one jail to another is an administrative decision. Therefore, Courts must interfere in the matter sparingly. A decision to transfer a prisoner is not arbitrary if a profound rationale supports it. The respondent, Vikash Tiwary, a gangster, was serving life imprisonment at Lok Nayak

The Supreme Court held that physical recovery of contraband is not necessary to determine conspiracy and facilitation of a crime in a narcotics smuggling operation. Harpreet Singh Talwar was accused of facilitating the import of a consignment containing heroin and carrying out a transnational smuggling operation linked to Afghan-based syndicates, with proceeds alleged to have