Tag: Court Ruling

Supreme Court Upholds Rape Conviction, Rules Victim’s Testimony Alone Is Enough
Supreme Court

Supreme Court Upholds Rape Conviction, Rules Victim’s Testimony Alone Is Enough

The Supreme Court upheld that a rape conviction can be based solely on the sole, credible testimony of the prosecutrix. Corroboration through medical evidence is not a legal necessity. The absence of injuries does not disprove the offense, especially when the victim's account is consistent and inspires confidence. Facts Of The Case: On April 3, 2018, at approximately noon, a 15-year-old victim and her 11-year-old brother were alone at their home in Rajnandgaon, Chhattisgarh, as their parents had gone to a nearby village to attend a funeral. The appellant-accused, Deepak Kumar Sahu, who was known to the family and lived in the neighbourhood, entered the house. Finding the victim alone, he sent her younger brother away to buy chewing tobacco. Once the brother left, the accused forced the v...
Betrayal of Trust is Demonic: Supreme Court’s Powerful Stand on Incest & POCSO Act Upholds Life Term for Father Who Raped Minor Daughter
Supreme Court

Betrayal of Trust is Demonic: Supreme Court’s Powerful Stand on Incest & POCSO Act Upholds Life Term for Father Who Raped Minor Daughter

The Supreme Court upheld the conviction under POCSO Act Section 6 and IPC Section 506, affirming the statutory presumption of guilt under Section 29. It emphasized that a child victim's credible testimony requires no corroboration and denied bail, highlighting the severity of familial sexual abuse and the imperative for stringent punishment. Facts Of The Case: The case involved the appellant, Bhanei Prasad @ Raju, who was convicted for repeatedly committing aggravated penetrative sexual assault on his own minor daughter. The victim was approximately ten years old at the time of the incidents, which were not isolated but constituted sustained assaults within the family home. The prosecution case was built primarily on the unwavering and credible oral testimony of the victim (PW-3), ...
Supreme Court: Jail Overcrowding Can’t Be a Ground for Granting Bail in Heinous Crimes
Supreme Court

Supreme Court: Jail Overcrowding Can’t Be a Ground for Granting Bail in Heinous Crimes

The Supreme Court held that the High Court erred in granting bail without properly considering the absence of "new circumstances" as mandated by the Court's earlier judgment cancelling bail. The impugned order lacked cogent reasoning, relied on irrelevant factors like jail overcrowding, and failed to accord due deference to the Supreme Court's previous decision, warranting its quashing. Facts Of The Case: The case involves an appeal by the informant, Ajwar, against an order of the Allahabad High Court granting bail to the accused, Waseem. Waseem was charged under various sections of the IPC, including Section 302 (murder). His bail was initially granted by the High Court in 2022 but was cancelled by the Supreme Court. A subsequent grant of bail by the High Court was again cancelled by th...
Supreme Court Reduces Life Term in POCSO Case, Cites Constitutional Protection Against Harsher Retroactive Penalties
Supreme Court

Supreme Court Reduces Life Term in POCSO Case, Cites Constitutional Protection Against Harsher Retroactive Penalties

The Supreme Court upheld the conviction under Section 6 of the POCSO Act but modified the sentence. Relying on Article 20(1) of the Constitution, it held that the enhanced punishment of imprisonment for the remainder of natural life, introduced by the 2019 amendment, could not be applied retrospectively to an offence committed prior to its enactment. Facts Of The Case: On May 20, 2019, the appellant, Saturam Mandavi, was accused of luring a five-year-old girl to his house and raping her while her parents were away attending a marriage ceremony in the village. The victim's mother, upon returning and being unable to locate her daughter, confronted the appellant at his house, after which he fled. An FIR was subsequently registered against him. The Trial Court convicted the appellant under S...
SARFAESI Act’s Section 11: Supreme Court Affirms Mandatory Arbitration for Financial Institutions
Supreme Court

SARFAESI Act’s Section 11: Supreme Court Affirms Mandatory Arbitration for Financial Institutions

The Supreme Court, in Bank of India vs. M/s Sri Nangli Rice Mills Pvt. Ltd., ruled that Section 11 of the SARFAESI Act is mandatory, requiring inter-se disputes between banks and financial institutions concerning secured assets to be resolved through arbitration. No explicit arbitration agreement is needed; the provision legally mandates it, thereby divesting DRT of jurisdiction in such matters. Facts Of The Case: In the case of Bank of India vs. M/s Sri Nangli Rice Mills Pvt. Ltd. & Ors., the core dispute involved the priority of charge over secured assets (stocks of paddy and rice) belonging to a common borrower, M/s Sri Nangli Rice Mills Pvt. Ltd., between two public sector banks: Bank of India (appellant) and Punjab National Bank (respondent). Both banks had extended credit facil...
Grounds for Arrest: The Supreme Court’s Latest Verdict on Constitutional Safeguards
Supreme Court

Grounds for Arrest: The Supreme Court’s Latest Verdict on Constitutional Safeguards

The Supreme Court addressed the legality of arrest and compliance with constitutional mandates under Article 22, specifically concerning the prompt furnishing of grounds for arrest. The judgment deliberated on the application of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS) and the Prevention of Corruption Act, affirming adherence to due process in arrest procedures. Facts Of The Case: This appeal originated from a writ petition filed before the High Court of Andhra Pradesh, seeking a writ of habeas corpus on the grounds of alleged illegal arrest and unlawful detention of Kessireddy Raja Shekhar Reddy, the appellant's son. He was arrested by the CID in connection with offenses purportedly committed under the Indian Penal Code and the Prevention of Corruption Act. The core contention in t...