(641) LALE @ LALLU RAVAT Vs. THE STATE OF MADHYA PRADESH[MADHYA PRADESH HIGH COURT] 24-02-2026 Penal Code, 1860 (IPC) — Section 450 and Section 376 r/w POCSO Act, Section 3/4 — Conviction for house trespass to commit offense punishable with death, and rape of a child — The appellant was convicted under Section 450 IPC for entering a house with the intention of committing an offense punishable with death, and under India Law Library Docid # 2440269
(642) SMT. CHHOTI DEVI TOMAR Vs. THE STATE OF MADHYA PRADESH AND OTHERS[MADHYA PRADESH HIGH COURT (GWALIOR BENCH)] 24-02-2026 Suspension of Government Servant — Payment of Allowances — A government servant placed under suspension due to arrest in a criminal case is not entitled to full pay and allowances for the suspension period if the criminal prosecution was not at the instance of the department, even if subsequently acquitted. Fundamental Rule 54 India Law Library Docid # 2440270
(643) SHRIDHAR LAL ATERIA Vs. THE STATE OF MADHYA PRADESH THR AND OTHERS[MADHYA PRADESH HIGH COURT (GWALIOR BENCH)] 24-02-2026 Constitution of India, 1950 — Article 226 — Judicial Review of Administrative Actions — Orders of Disciplinary and Appellate Authorities — Punishments imposed must be based on valid and justifiable reasons and cannot be arbitrary. India Law Library Docid # 2440271
(644) PAWAN KUMAR Vs. THE STATE OF HIMACHAL PRADESH AND OTHERS[HIMACHAL PRADESH HIGH COURT] 24-02-2026 Civil Services — Regularization — Contractual service for seniority and other benefits — Petitioner appointed on contract basis on recommendations of selection committee, later regularized without break — Contractual service to be counted for seniority, pay fixation, and other consequential benefits, with actual benefits from India Law Library Docid # 2440483
(645) RAM PYARI Vs. STATE OF H.P.AND OTHERS[HIMACHAL PRADESH HIGH COURT] 24-02-2026 Land Acquisition Act, 1894 — Section 54 — Appeal against award in land acquisition case — Appellant failed to produce evidence before Reference Court multiple times — Evidence of appellant closed and reference petition dismissed — However, appellant applied to produce additional evidence of another award India Law Library Docid # 2440484
(646) SHRI SURMUKH SINGH AND OTHERS Vs. STATE OF HIMACHAL PRADESH AND OTHERS[HIMACHAL PRADESH HIGH COURT] 24-02-2026 Criminal Procedure Code, 1973 (CrPC) — Section 482 — Quashing of FIR and consequential proceedings — Compromise between parties — Extent of High Court's power — High Court has inherent power to quash criminal proceedings even in non-compoundable cases on the basis of a compromise, but this power must be exercised India Law Library Docid # 2440485
(647) STATE OF H.P. Vs. DHRUV DEV[HIMACHAL PRADESH HIGH COURT] 24-02-2026 Penal Code, 1860 (IPC) — Sections 279, 337, 338 — Appeal against acquittal — High Court can interfere with acquittal only if judgment is perverse, based on misreading or omission of evidence, or leads to a conclusion no reasonable person could reach. India Law Library Docid # 2440486
(648) HANSA DEVI Vs. DIWAKAR DUTT[HIMACHAL PRADESH HIGH COURT] 24-02-2026 Negotiable Instruments Act, 1881 — Section 138 — Dishonour of cheque — Revision petition challenged conviction and sentence for dishonour of cheque — Complainant received the entire compensation amount and had no objection to compounding the offence — Held, offence can be compounded even after conviction under Section 147 of the Act, as per Supreme Court guidelines — Impugned judgments quashed and accused acquitted — Accused to pay 5% of cheque amount as compounding fee. India Law Library Docid # 2440487
(649) RAKESH KUMAR ALIAS SHANU Vs. STATE OF HIMACHAL PRADESH[HIMACHAL PRADESH HIGH COURT] 24-02-2026 Narcotic Drugs & Psychotropic Substances Act, 1985 — Section 37 — Bail application — Commercial quantity — Contraband recovered did not fall under commercial quantity, hence Section 37 of ND&PS Act not applicable. Conditions for bail can be imposed for other apprehensions. Application allowed. India Law Library Docid # 2440488
(650) CHHOTU LAL Vs. STATE OF HIMACHAL PRADESH[HIMACHAL PRADESH HIGH COURT] 24-02-2026 Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act, 1985 (NDPS Act) — Section 37 — Grant of bail in cases involving commercial quantity — Court can grant bail if satisfied that the accused has been falsely implicated and is unlikely to commit further offences, after hearing the public prosecutor — Prolonged incarceration can override India Law Library Docid # 2440489
(651) RAJU ALIAS BADARI LAL Vs. THE STATE OF RAJASTHAN[RAJASTHAN HIGH COURT (JAIPUR BENCH)] 24-02-2026 Penal Code, 1860 (IPC) — Section 302 — Murder — Appeal against conviction — Conviction based on ocular and medical evidence — Doubts cast on reliability of eye witnesses due to contradictions with site plan, inconsistent statements regarding blood stains, and recovery of weapon — Prosecution failed to prove guilt beyond reasonable doubt. India Law Library Docid # 2440194
(652) M/S DEEPAK AGRO INDUSTRIES Vs. STATE OF HIMACHAL PRADESH AND OTHERS[HIMACHAL PRADESH HIGH COURT] 24-02-2026 Finance Act, 2017 — Section 73(8) — Construction of — Payment of tax, interest, and penalty prior to adjudication — Proceedings are deemed concluded — However, this does not preclude adjudication if such payment is made under protest and a detailed reply is filed. India Law Library Docid # 2440383
(653) SHESH RAJ Vs. STATE OF HIMACHAL PRADESH AND OTHERS[HIMACHAL PRADESH HIGH COURT] 24-02-2026 Service Law — Withdrawal of Office Order — Petitioner aggrieved by withdrawal of service benefits due to an office order — Subsequent office orders declaring the original order infructuous and withdrawing it with immediate effect — Petition deemed disposed of as grievance is addressed. India Law Library Docid # 2440384
(654) STATE OF HIMACHAL PRADESH AND ANOTHER Vs. SONAM HISHEY[HIMACHAL PRADESH HIGH COURT] 24-02-2026 Limitation Act, 1963 — Section 5 — Condonation of delay — Appeal filed by State was barred by 323 days — Application for condonation of delay supported by affidavit citing non-receipt of intimation from Advocate General's office and departmental knowledge gained upon filing of execution petition — Court found India Law Library Docid # 2440385
(655) KUNDAN LAL (DECEASED) THROUGH HIS LRS SALOCHANA DEVI Vs. STATE OF HIMACHAL PRADESH AND OTHERS[HIMACHAL PRADESH HIGH COURT] 24-02-2026 Himachal Pradesh Cooperative Societies Act, 1968 — Section 93 — Award passed under — Appeal against award dismissed as barred by limitation — Writ petition filed later on coming to know about recovery proceedings — Single Judge dismissed the writ petition on delay — Held, Single Judge should have called for reply to India Law Library Docid # 2440386
(656) STATE OF HIMACHAL PRADESH AND OTHERS Vs. ANUJ KUMARI[HIMACHAL PRADESH HIGH COURT] 24-02-2026 Limitation Act, 1963 — Section 5 — Condonation of delay in filing appeal — State's appeal filed after inordinate delay of 709 days — Delay explained by bureaucratic indifference and inaction — Delay not condoned as condonation cannot be claimed as a right and explanation offered was a lame excuse — Appeal dismissed. India Law Library Docid # 2440387
(657) STATE OF CHHATTISGARH Vs. PHILOMINA KERKETTA AND OTHERS[CHHATTISGARH HIGH COURT] 24-02-2026 Criminal Procedure Code, 1973 (CrPC) — Section 378(1) — Appeal against acquittal — High Court's power to re-appreciate evidence — Interference in acquittal judgment is warranted only when the trial court's approach is vitiated by manifest illegality or the conclusion is perverse — If two views are possible, the appellate court cannot interfere India Law Library Docid # 2440624
(658) RAM KHILAVAN Vs. STATE OF CHHATTISGARH[CHHATTISGARH HIGH COURT] 24-02-2026 Penal Code, 1860 (IPC) — Sections 376 and 450 — Rape and House Trespass — Conviction based on prosecutrix's testimony — Accused acquitted — Court held that while conviction can be based solely on prosecutrix's testimony, it must be of sterling quality, unimpeachable, consistent, and corroborated by surrounding circumstances including medical and scientific evidence — In this case, absence of medical corroboration for alleged injuries, non-production of FSL report, hostility of seizure witness, a India Law Library Docid # 2440625
(659) ASHOK KUMAR AGRAWAL Vs. SMT. BADKA DAI BAIRAGI AND OTHERS[CHHATTISGARH HIGH COURT] 24-02-2026 Civil Procedure Code, 1908 (CPC) — Order 9 Rule 13 — Setting aside ex parte award — Petitioner failed to appear because he had shifted residence and was unaware of proceedings — Court found sufficient cause for delay in filing application to set aside award — Ex parte award set aside and case restored for fresh adjudication. India Law Library Docid # 2440626
(660) M/S SHRI BAJRANG POWER AND ISPAT LIMITED Vs. STATE OF CHHATTISGARH AND OTHERS[CHHATTISGARH HIGH COURT] 24-02-2026 Mines and Minerals (Development and Regulation) Act, 1957 — Mineral Concession Rules, 1960 — Rule 27(2)(k) and 27(3) — Imposition of additional conditions in mining lease — State Government can impose further conditions for mineral development with prior approval of Central Government or at its instance; however, conditions related to indemnity against third-party claims do not require such approval — Petitioner India Law Library Docid # 2440627