Supreme court
'Last Seen' Theory Alone Can't Sustain Conviction Without Corroborative Evidence : Supreme Court Acquits Murder Accused
The Supreme Court set aside an individual's conviction for murder, holding that a prosecution case resting entirely on circumstantial evidence cannot be sustained solely on the “last seen” theory in the absence of other corroborative evidence. “The present is a case where except for the evidence of last seen together, there is no other corroborative evidence against the appellant. Therefore, the conviction only on the basis of last seen together cannot be sustained.”, observed a bench of...
Forest Land Cannot Be Leased Or Used For Agriculture Without Centre's Prior Approval Under Forest Conservation Act: Supreme Court
The Supreme Court on Thursday held that forest land cannot be leased or used for agricultural purposes without the prior approval of the Central Government under Section 2 of the Forest (Conservation) Act, 1980, and that any such lease granted in violation of the law is illegal and cannot be continued.“This Court in a catena of decisions has passed numerous mandatory directions prohibiting de reservation of forest. Granting permission to cultivate the forest land would essentially require...
S. 389 CrPC | Gravity Of Offence And Role Of Accused Must Guide Suspension Of Sentence : Supreme Court
The Supreme Court set aside the Patna High Court's order suspending the sentence and granting a bail to the convict, who was convicted for the offence of murder and sentenced to life imprisonment, holding that the High Court committed a clear and serious error in granting relief despite the gravity of the offence and the active role attributed to the accused. “…having regard to the relevant considerations such as nature of accusation, events in the crime and even the attribution of role of the...
S. 37 Arbitration | Arbitral Awards Not Liable To Set Aside On Mere Error In Law Or Misappreciation Of Evidence : Supreme Court
The Supreme Court on Thursday (December 18) overturned the Chhattisgarh High Court's judgment, holding that the High Court had exceeded its jurisdiction under Section 37 of the Arbitration and Conciliation Act, 1996 by effectively acting as an appellate court, re-appreciating the evidence, and substituting its own interpretation in place of the arbitral award. “High Court, in exercise...
CUSAT Act | When Selected Candidate Resigns, Vacancy To Be Filled By Communal Rotation & Not From Rank List : Supreme Court
The Supreme Court has held that the rule of communal rotation in university appointments continues to operate even during the validity period of a rank list, and that a waitlisted candidate does not acquire an automatic right to appointment merely because a selected candidate resigns.A bench of Justices Aravind Kumar and NV Anjaria dismissed appeals filed by Radhika T., a Scheduled Caste candidate, challenging the refusal of the Cochin University of Science and Technology (CUSAT) to appoint her...
Permission To Cut Trees Must Follow Definition Of 'Forest' In Godavarman Decision Though Land Not Notified As Forest: Supreme Court
The Supreme Court has clarified that any permission to cut or remove trees has to be given by following the definition of forest given by the Court in its 1997 T.N. Godavarman Thirumulkpad v. Union of India, irrespective of whether the land in question has been formally notified as a reserve forest.As per the 1997 judgment, the Court gave a wider meaning to forest land and said that it will also include any area recorded as forest in the Government record, irrespective of the ownership.The...
Supreme Court Daily Round-Up : December 18, 2025
Links to today's reports :Cheque Dishonour | Supreme Court Doubts Precedent Exempting Convicted Company Directors From S.148 NI Act Deposit; Refers To Larger BenchIf Judicial Order Is Based On Dishonest Or Extraneous Factors, Why Not Take Disciplinary Action Against Judge? Supreme Court'Facilitates Access To Justice' : Supreme Court Dismisses Plea Challenging Formation Of Bombay High...
Contradictions In Sole Eyewitness Testimony Fatal To Prosecution Case, Supreme Court Acquits Four In Murder Case
The Supreme Court on Thursday (December 18) acquitted four persons convicted of murder, holding that discrepancies in the testimony of the sole interested eyewitness rendered it unreliable, and that a conviction could not be sustained solely on such evidence in the absence of corroboration. A Bench comprising Justice Prashant Kumar Mishra and Justice Vipul M. Pancholi heard a criminal appeal in which the appellants-convicts assailed their conviction, contending that the sole eyewitness, the...