Criminal law

Challans or Charge Sheets filed by police under Section 173 of the Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPC) cannot be put on public domain or website, says the Supreme Court in Sarav Das v Union of India [2023 (1) KHC 451 (SC)].

An accused has the right to get copies of (or examine) the unmarked and unexhibited documents, which are not being relied on by the prosecution, in a criminal proceeding, as per the Supreme Court ( SC) judgement in V K Sasikala v State Rep. By Superintendent Of Police and some other related judgements.

The trial judge usually cannot examine any material produced by the accused at the time of charge framing or discharge of the accused, says the Supreme Court (SC) in State of Orissa v Debendra Nath Padhi.

The Supreme Court in Teesta Atul Setalvad v State of Gujarat states that the factors, which are essentially considered at the stage of granting of bail under Sections 437 and…

On a reference for confirmation of sentence of death, the High Court is required to proceed in accordance with Sections 367 and 368 respectively of the CrPC and the provisions of these Sections make it clear that the duty of the High Court, in dealing with the reference, is not only to see whether the order passed by the Sessions Judge is correct, but to examine the case for itself and even direct a further enquiry or the taking of additional evidence if the Court considers it desirable in order to ascertain the guilt or the innocence of the convicted person.

The Narcotic Drugs & Psychotropic Substances Act (NDPS Act) is a complete code of legal provisions, to control and regulate operation of Narcotic Drugs & Psychotropic substances in India. It has been formulated by consolidating the then existing Opium Act, 1878 and The Dangerous Drugs Act, 1930. It applies to all persons in India and outside, and on ships and aircrafts registered in India.

Police Custody means that police have the physical custody of the accused, while Judicial Custody means an accused is in the custody of the concerned Magistrate. In the former, the accused will be detained in police lockup while in latter, he will be detained in jail.

In Rehna Fatima v State of Kerala & Another, the High Court of Kerala quashed the charge of nudity and other ones levelled against the activist Ms Rehna Fatima under the penal code and other laws, for posting a video on internet depicting her minor children painting on her bare torso under the hashtag “Body art and Politics”.

Even if the High Court is not inclined to grant anticipatory bail while considering the application for anticipatory bail, it can grant protection from arrest for some time, says the Supreme Court (SC) in Nathu Singh and Another v State of UP and Others.

Summoning a person, without there being any crime registered against him and retaining him, would be violative of basic principles in criminal law, says the Supreme Court (SC) in Khaliq M A and others v Ashok Kumar and Another.

The Supreme Court (SC) declares, in a Constitutional Bench decision in Neeraj Dutta v State ( Govt of NCT, New Delhi) [2023(1) KLD 1 (SC), that the proof of demand and acceptance of illegal gratification by a Public Servant is a sine qua non to establish the guilt under Section 7 & 13(1) (d) (i) of the PCA.