Criminal law

The provisions in the criminal law, which are meant for the protection and empowerment of women, are sometimes being used by certain women more for purposes that they are never meant for, says the Supreme Court (SC) in Rinku Baheti v Sandesh Sharda [2024 INSC 1014].

Normally, quashing of criminal proceedings would be sought and done in exercise of the inherent power of the High Court under Section 482 Code of Criminal Procedure Code, 1973 (CrPC). But, that does not mean that it could not be done in invocation of the extraordinary power under Article 226 of the Constitution of India, says the Supreme Court ( SC) in Kim Wansoo v State of Uttar Pradesh & Others [2025 INSC 8].

The Supreme Court says in Naresh Kumar & Anr. v The State of Karnataka & Anr [2024 INSC 196] that the High Court should not hesitate in quashing such criminal proceedings which are essentially of a civil nature.

The prosecution of the offence of perjury or forgery coming under Section 195 Indian Penal Code, 1860 (IPC) as the part of judicial proceedings can be done by a special procedure provided under 340 of the Criminal Procedure code, 1973 (CrPC).

The Supreme Court, in Arjun s/o Ratan Gaikwad v The State of Maharashtra & Another [2024 INSC 968], says preventive detention is a harsh measure, which cannot be invoked against every alleged breach of peace. The power can be invoked only when the act of the proposed detainee had a tendency of disturbing "public order”.

The Supreme Court (SC) Issued detailed procedural guidelines to be followed by the executive as well as the judiciary for handling mercy petitions and execution of death sentences so as to prevent delays in the process, in its judgement in State of Maharashtra and Others v Pradeep Yashwant Kokade and Another with Connected Case [ 2024 INSC 947].

An Original Petition (OP) under Article 227 of the Constitution is not possible against an appellate order issued by the Court of Session under Section 29 of the Protection of Women from Domestic Violence Act (DV Act), but what is possible is a Criminal Revision Petition under Section 397 of the Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPC) as stated in Kunjumon C K v State of Kerala [ 2024 (6) KHC 45].

While considering discharge of an accused, the documents which form part of the charge sheet alone can be used, but not the ones which were never part of it, says the Supreme Court (SC) in Rajnish Kumar Biswakarma v State of NCT of Delhi & Another.

Two different versions of the same incident resulting into two criminal cases are described as “case and counter case” by some High Courts or just “cross cases” by some others, says the High Court of Kerala in Faizal v State of Kerala [2024 (3) KHC 322].

The accused right to access documents, including digital documents excluding those which affect the privacy of the victim, says the High Court of Kerala in Aji v State of Kerala [2024:KER:83377].