(741) R.MUNIYANDI @ CHANDRAN Vs. COMMISSIONER OF LAND ADMINISTRATION, EZHILAGAM AND OTHERS[MADRAS HIGH COURT] 20-03-2025 Tamil Nadu Estates (Abolition and Conversion into Ryotwari) Act, 1948 (Act XXVI/1948) — Grant of Ryotwari Patta — Limitation — G.O.Ms.No.714, Commercial Taxes & Religious Endowments Department, dated 29.06.1987 — Res Judicata / Issue Estoppel — Where the High Court, in a prior writ petition between the predecessors-in-title of the petitioner and the respondents, had specifically considered and set aside an order rejecting an application for ryotwari patta on the ground of delay under G.O.Ms.No.7 India Law Library Docid # 2424464
(742) A. PALANICHAMY AND OTHERS Vs. REVENUE DIVISIONAL OFFICER, PALANI TALUK, DINDIGUL DISTRICT AND OTHERS[MADRAS HIGH COURT (MADURAI BENCH)] 20-03-2025 Land Law — Government Grants — Assignment of Land — Cancellation for Breach of Conditions — Limitation — Reasonable Time — G.O.Ms.No.2555, Revenue Department dated 14.05.1973 — Cancellation of land assignments granted by the Government prior to 14.05.1973 (the date of G.O.Ms.No.2555) on the ground of breach of conditions (such as alienation) must be initiated within three years from the date of assignment. G.O.Ms.No.2555, conferring power to cancel assignments without a time limit for breach of India Law Library Docid # 2424465
(743) RANVIRSINH KAYAMSINH BHADORIA AND OTHERS Vs. STATE OF GUJARAT[SUPREME COURT OF INDIA] 20-03-2025 Criminal Law — Evidence — Appreciation — Partially Disbelieved Eyewitnesses — Corroboration Need — When key eyewitnesses have been disbelieved by the appellate court regarding the involvement of some accused leading to their acquittal, extreme caution is necessary before convicting other accused based on the same witnesses’ testimony, especially without strong independent corroboration or clear India Law Library Docid # 2424532
(744) MUNIMASTHAIAH Vs. THE STATE OF KARNATAKA AND OTHERS[SUPREME COURT OF INDIA] 20-03-2025 Service Law — Reckoning Suspension Period — Exoneration due to Dropped Proceedings — Karnataka Civil Services Rules, 1958 (KCSRs) — Rule 99(1) and 99(2) — Where disciplinary proceedings culminating in dismissal are eventually rendered infructuous due to the employer’s failure to act upon directions for re—determination/reconciliation for a prolonged period (nine years), leading to the prohibition of further inquiry, the employee is considered effectively exonerated for India Law Library Docid # 2424539
(745) SMT. SHANTABEN THAOKRDAS BANSAL (DEAD) THR. LR. Vs. RAMANBHAI CHHOTUBHAI PATEL AND ANOTHER[SUPREME COURT OF INDIA] 20-03-2025 Bombay Rents Hotel and Lodging House Rates Control Act, 1947 — S. 12(3)(a), Explanation I — Dispute Regarding Standard Rent — Procedure — For a tenant to validly raise a dispute regarding standard rent under Explanation I to Section 12, the tenant must, before the expiry of one month after receiving the notice under S. 12(2), make an application to the Court under S. 11(3) for fixation of standard rent India Law Library Docid # 2424540
(746) MARY JOSEPH AND ANOTHER Vs. THOMAS JOSEPH AND OTHERS[KERALA HIGH COURT] 20-03-2025 Guardianship and Wards Act, 1890 — Order appointing a guardian under the Act does not automatically confer the status of an adoptive parent, even if the application expressed an intention to treat the child as their own with inheritance rights. India Law Library Docid # 2424573
(747) XXX Vs. YYY[SUPREME COURT OF INDIA] 20-03-2025 Civil Procedure Code, 1908 — S. 25 — Transfer Petition — Matrimonial Dispute — Constitution of India — Art. 142 — Dissolution of Marriage — Irretrievable Breakdown — Petition filed by husband seeking transfer of divorce case (filed by wife in Jaipur u/s 12(1)(a) & 13(1)(ia) HMA) to Delhi, as both parties (lawyers by profession) reside in Delhi — During pendency, wife filed I.A. invoking Art. 142 seeking divorce on ground of irretrievable breakdown, citing separation since March 2022 and failure India Law Library Docid # 2424606
(748) M/S PROGRESSIVE CONSTRUCTIONS LIMITED Vs. RITHWIK PROJECTS PRIVATE LIMITED[TELANGANA HIGH COURT] 20-03-2025 Civil Procedure Code, 1908 — Section 96 — Arbitration and Conciliation Act, 1996 — Section 37 — Appeal from Orders — Leave to Appeal by Non-Party — Principles governing grant of ‘Leave to Appeal’ to a person not party to the original suit or proceeding — While Section 96 CPC does not restrict appeals only to parties, a non-party/stranger may prefer an appeal only with the leave of the Court — The threshold requirement for grant of leave is that the proposed appellant must demonstrate that they a India Law Library Docid # 2424758
(749) RADHA KISHAN RAO Vs. THE STATE OF TELANGANA[TELANGANA HIGH COURT] 20-03-2025 Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, 2023 — Section 528 (CrPC S. 482) — Quashing of FIR — Grounds — Lack of Ingredients, Delay, Second FIR, Ulterior Motive — High Court may quash FIR under inherent powers if: (i) allegations lack essential ingredients of offences; (ii) there is unexplained abnormal delay; (iii) it constitutes an impermissible second FIR on same facts; or (iv) proceedings appear vexatious or motivated by ulterior reasons. India Law Library Docid # 2424742
(750) THANNEERU HARISH RAO Vs. THE STATE OF TELANGANA[TELANGANA HIGH COURT] 20-03-2025 Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, 2023 — Section 528 (CrPC S. 482) — Quashing of FIR — Scope — Lack of Ingredients & Ulterior Motive — High Court exercising inherent powers can quash FIR if allegations, even taken at face value, do not constitute the offences alleged, or if the proceedings are manifestly attended with mala fides or instituted with an ulterior motive — In such cases, the court must look beyond FIR averments and consider surrounding circumstances. India Law Library Docid # 2424744
(751) THE STATE OF A.P Vs. S LAKSHMINARYANA AND OTHERS[ANDHRA PRADESH HIGH COURT] 20-03-2025 Penal Code, 1860 — Section 120-B — Criminal Conspiracy — Proof Requirements — To establish a charge of criminal conspiracy under Section 120-B IPC, the prosecution must adduce independent evidence proving an agreement or meeting of minds between the alleged conspirators — Evidence merely showing post-event conduct, such as recovery of stolen goods from one accused (A1) or sale thereof (via PW.6), without establishing a prior agreement or A1’s direct involvement in the dacoity plan with other acc India Law Library Docid # 2424818
(752) FEDERATION OF MINOR MINERALS INDUSTRY (FEMM) AND OTHERS Vs. THE STATE OF AP AND OTHERS[ANDHRA PRADESH HIGH COURT] 20-03-2025 Mines and Minerals (Development and Regulation) Act, 1957 — Sections 14 & 15 — Rule Making Power of State for Minor Minerals — Scope — Section 14 explicitly excludes the applicability of Sections 4 to 13 (inclusive) of the Act to minor minerals — Consequently, the power to make rules for regulating the grant of quarry leases, mining leases, or other mineral concessions in respect of minor minerals vests exclusively with the State Government under Section 15(1) — This power is co-extensive with t India Law Library Docid # 2424871
(753) THAKUR RANGJI MAHARAJ VIRAJMAN MANDIR, VRINDAVAN Vs. UNION OF INDIA THROUGH ITS SECRETARY AND OTHERS[SUPREME COURT OF INDIA] 20-03-2025 Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Sites and Remains Act, 1958 — Sections 20A, 27 & 28 — Land within Prohibited Area — Use for Green Belt/Environmental Improvement — Owner’s Right to Compensation — Where land admittedly owned by a private entity (appellant Temple Trust) falls within the ‘prohibited area’ (100 meters) of a protected monument (Taj Mahal) as defined under Section 20A(1) of the 1958 Act, and such land is utilized by the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) or the Government for cr India Law Library Docid # 2425142
(754) SRI MUSAFIR RAI AND OTHERS Vs. THE STATE OF WEST BENGAL AND OTHERS[CALCUTTA HIGH COURT] 20-03-2025 Penal Code, 1860 — Section 324 — Voluntarily Causing Hurt by Dangerous Weapons or Means — Proof — Injured Witness Testimony — Corroboration — Conviction under Section 324 IPC is sustainable when the testimony of the injured witness (PW13) detailing the assault with a specific weapon (iron rod/crowbar) by the accused is found consistent, cogent, and trustworthy — Such testimony gains significant corroboration from ocular accounts of other witnesses present at the scene who witnessed the assault, India Law Library Docid # 2425215
(755) SARASHI ROY SINCE DECEASED SRI NAGENDRANATH SINGH Vs. GOURHARI GHOSH AND OTHERS[CALCUTTA HIGH COURT] 20-03-2025 Evidence Act, 1872 — S. 114(g) — Civil Procedure Code, 1908 — Order 41 R. 31 — Execution of Document by Illiterate/Rustic/Pardanashin Woman — Burden of Proof — Test of Understanding — In transactions involving deeds executed by illiterate, rustic, or pardanashin women (a category extended by judge-made law to encompass those vulnerable due to age, infirmity, ignorance, illiteracy, etc.), the burden of proof lies heavily upon the person seeking to sustain the transaction — It must be established India Law Library Docid # 2425216
(756) SUNITA AND OTHERS Vs. VINOD SINGH AND OTHERS[SUPREME COURT OF INDIA] 19-03-2025 Motor Vehicles Act, 1988 — Evidence Act, 1872 — Section 47 — Determination of Deceased's Age for Compensation — Deceased's age can be determined based on scientific assessment (Post-Mortem Report) over contradictory documentary evidence — The Court relied on the Post-Mortem Report to fix the deceased's age at 45 years, overriding the discrepancy in documentary evidence India Law Library Docid # 2423597
(757) SUPREME COURT BAR ASSOCIATION AND ANOTHER Vs. STATE OF UTTAR PRADESH AND OTHERS[SUPREME COURT OF INDIA] 19-03-2025 Advocates Act, 1961 — Section 30 — Supreme Court Rules, 2013 — Order 4 Rule 1(b) — Advocates' Right to Appear and Get Appearances Marked — Advocates do not have an indefeasible right to appear or get appearances marked without being duly authorized. India Law Library Docid # 2423598
(758) RAJU NAIDU Vs. CHENMOUGA SUNDRA AND OTHERS[SUPREME COURT OF INDIA] 19-03-2025 Transfer of Property Act, 1882 — Section 53A — When an appellate court modifies the decree of a trial court, the trial court's decree merges into the appellate decree — The appellate decree becomes the operative decree for execution purposes — An executing court can extend the time for compliance with the appellate decree if the appellate court did not specify a time limit — Section 53A of the Transfer of Property Act, 1882, may not be applicable India Law Library Docid # 2423606
(759) NAGANNA (DEAD) BY LRS./ SMT. DEVAMMA AND OTHERS Vs. SIDDARAMEGOWDA (SINCE DECEASED) BY LRS. AND OTHERS[SUPREME COURT OF INDIA] 19-03-2025 Civil Procedure Code, 1908 — Revenue records do not constitute proof of title to immovable property — A plaintiff seeking recovery of possession must establish their own valid title to the suit property — The burden of proof lies on the plaintiff to demonstrate ownership and lawful possession — Failure to produce title deeds or establish a clear claim of ownership can lead to the dismissal of a suit for cancellation of a sale deed and recovery of possession. India Law Library Docid # 2423607
(760) MOHAMMAD JUNAID RAINA Vs. UNION TERRITORY OF J&K THROUGH POLICE[JAMMU AND KASHMIR AND LADAKH HIGH COURT AT SRINAGAR] 19-03-2025 Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act, 1985 — Section 37 — Bail — A High Court can consider granting bail on humanitarian grounds, such as serious illness of a close family member requiring the convict’s presence, even when there are statutory restrictions on bail, particularly when the appeal is pending and likely to take time — The High Court allowed interim applications for suspension of sentence and grant of bail to a convict under the NDPS Act, primarily on humanitarian grounds due India Law Library Docid # 2423787