(221) THE CUSTOMS Vs. FARIDAH NAKANWAGI[SUPREME COURT OF INDIA] 18-03-2026 Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act, 1985 (NDPS Act) — Sections 8, 21, 23, 28 — Bail — Accused foreign national unable to furnish solvent surety due to financial constraints — Supreme Court directed release on furnishing personal bond of Rs — 25,000/- while ensuring she does not leave the country and remains in a detention centre until trial conclusion. [Paras 4 to 11, 14] India Law Library Docid # 2441419
(222) LOVEJEET SINGH Vs. STATE OF PUNJAB[SUPREME COURT OF INDIA] 18-03-2026 Criminal Procedure Code, 1973 (CrPC) — Bail — Grant of bail — Appeal against rejection of bail by High Court — Appellant incarcerated since March 10, 2023, trial underway, appellant not named in FIR and implicated by co-accused, co-accused on bail — Supreme Court granted bail considering trial had commenced and possibility of prolonged incarceration — Observations made for limited purpose of grant of bail, not on merits of case. [Paras 1-2] India Law Library Docid # 2441433
(223) LUCKY PATIDAR Vs. STATE OF MADHYA PRADESH AND ANOTHER[SUPREME COURT OF INDIA] 18-03-2026 Criminal Procedure Code, 1973 (CrPC) — Bail — Ad-interim bail for examinations — Court granted ad-interim bail to a student petitioner for appearing in board examinations, but the lower court set a surrender date without court direction — Supreme Court held that the lower court should not have fixed a surrender date on its own when the original order was silent on this — Considering the petitioner's age, student status, co-accused bail, and injured discharged, Supreme Court ordered immediate rel India Law Library Docid # 2441446
(224) SANYA SURI Vs. VIPUL SURI[SUPREME COURT OF INDIA] 18-03-2026 Constitution of India, 1950 — Article 142 — Divorce by mutual consent — Parties entered into a Settlement Agreement after mediation proceedings — All disputes settled and parties agreed to abide by the terms of the Settlement Agreement — Court invoked its jurisdiction under Article 142 to grant a decree of divorce by mutual consent dissolving the marriage as per the Settlement Agreement — Settlement Agreement, including all pending cases between the parties, to form part of the order and all dis India Law Library Docid # 2441587
(225) MEDHA RAIZADA Vs. RUPESH RAIZADA[SUPREME COURT OF INDIA] 18-03-2026 Constitution of India, 1950 — Article 142 — Dissolution of marriage — Where parties to matrimonial proceedings have arrived at a settlement, and have jointly applied for dissolution of marriage by mutual consent, the Supreme Court, invoking its powers under Article 142, can pass a decree of dissolution of marriage in terms of the settlement agreement. [Paras 5-9] India Law Library Docid # 2441593
(226) SHIVANI SHUKLA Vs. SAURABH SHUKLA[SUPREME COURT OF INDIA] 18-03-2026 Civil Procedure Code, 1908 (CPC) — Section 25 — Transfer of matrimonial case — Wife seeking transfer of case from Chandigarh to Unnao, Uttar Pradesh, due to financial constraints and difficulty in defending proceedings at a long distance — Court allowed the transfer petition, directing the transfer of records and appearance of parties on a specified date, with the husband permitted to attend proceedings virtually unless his physical presence is required. [Paras 1-9] India Law Library Docid # 2441599
(227) PADAM KUMAR PURWAR AND OTHERS Vs. STATE OF UTTAR PRADESH ETC.[SUPREME COURT OF INDIA] 18-03-2026 Constitution of India, 1950 — Article 142 — Dissolution of marriage by mutual consent and quashing of pending proceedings — Parties entered into a Settlement Agreement, fully complying with its terms for dissolution of marriage by mutual consent — Supreme Court exercised jurisdiction under Article 142 to do complete justice by dissolving the marriage and quashing all pending legal proceedings between the parties, as per the terms of the settlement agreement. [Paras 3, 7 to 11] India Law Library Docid # 2441604
(228) KISHORE BARKU GAIKWAD Vs. ASHA SHANKAR GAIKWAD AND ANOTHER ETC.[SUPREME COURT OF INDIA] 18-03-2026 Criminal Procedure Code, 1973 (CrPC) — Bail — Grant of bail by High Court after Supreme Court's refusal — High Court lacks jurisdiction to grant bail on same grounds if Supreme Court has already rejected bail application "for the present", unless there is a material change in circumstances — Re-agitation of same grounds undermines consistency and certainty in justice administration and amounts to forum India Law Library Docid # 2441606
(229) THENMUGAM VELLODU MOONRUKARAI SATHANTHAI KULAMAKKAL SANGAM Vs. THE STATE OF TAMIL NADU AND OTHERS[SUPREME COURT OF INDIA] 18-03-2026 Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments Act, 1959 (HR & CE Act) — Rule 5A of Collection of Income and Incurring of Expenditure Rules — Principle of natural justice requires affording an opportunity of being heard before taking action with civil consequences, even if not explicitly stated in the rule — A final decision under Rule 5A can only be taken after hearing the concerned parties, though interim orders can be passed based on a prima facie view — High Court upheld freezing of bank account India Law Library Docid # 2441610
(230) SHAIKH KHADER MASTHAN Vs. GOVERNMENT OF ANDHRA PRADESH AND ANOTHER[SUPREME COURT OF INDIA] 18-03-2026 Constitution of India, 1950 — Article 32 — Remission of sentence — Law on remission is well-settled: the relevant policy is the one applicable on the date of conviction, unless a subsequent policy offers a more beneficial regime — Petitioner's plea for remission to be considered based on the 2004 policy as there was nothing in it India Law Library Docid # 2441766
(231) VISHVJEET AND OTHERS Vs. STATE OF UTTAR PRADESH AND ANOTHER[SUPREME COURT OF INDIA] 17-03-2026 Constitution of India, 1950 — Article 32 — Writ Petition (Criminal) — Fundamental Rights — Personal Liberty — Denial of bail and curtailment of liberty for over two months for an incident that did not warrant such severe action is unjustified and violates Article 21 of the Constitution — Extraordinary writ India Law Library Docid # 2440928
(232) M. KRISHNAN Vs. N. SHANKARAN (DEAD) THR. LR.[SUPREME COURT OF INDIA] 17-03-2026 Landlord and Tenant Disputes — Eviction and Recovery of Dues — Where a tenant sued for recovery of security deposit and interest, and the landlord later sued for eviction and arrears of rent, the core dispute was the net amount owed between parties, with the tenant willing to vacate upon receiving the security deposit and the landlord willing to accept possession upon payment of rent arrears — Parties were referred to mediation to resolve the conflicting claims. [Paras 2 to 9] India Law Library Docid # 2441479
(233) BIPIN KUMAR AND ANOTHER Vs. THE STATE OF ASSAM[SUPREME COURT OF INDIA] 17-03-2026 Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act, 1985 (NDPS Act) — Section 20(b)(ii)(c) — Suspension of sentence and release on bail — Appellants convicted under Section 20(b)(ii)(c) of NDPS Act sentenced to 15 years imprisonment — Co-accused enlarged on bail — Considering parity and period of custody of appellants being more than co-accused, Supreme Court suspended substantive jail sentence and directed release on bail, subject to no adverse orders and liberty to State to seek cancellation of su India Law Library Docid # 2441508
(234) RAMNIWAS Vs. THE STATE OF RAJASTHAN AND OTHERS[SUPREME COURT OF INDIA] 17-03-2026 Criminal Procedure Code, 1973 (CrPC) — Section 319 — Summoning of additional accused — High Court erred by only relying on statements recorded under Sections 161 and 164 Cr.P.C — to set aside a summoning order when the victim had been examined on oath during trial — Trial Court's order upheld, and case remanded to High Court for fresh decision. [Paras 2-4] India Law Library Docid # 2441511
(235) SHREE PRAKASH GUPTA Vs. JASWANT SINGH AND OTHERS[SUPREME COURT OF INDIA] 17-03-2026 Constitution of India, 1950 — Article 227 — Review of High Court order passed on settlement — High Court order disposing of a petition under Article 227 based on an alleged oral settlement, without verification of the settlement by all parties and in the absence of some parties, is unsustainable in law. India Law Library Docid # 2441690
(236) MURALI Vs. KANAGARAJ AND ANOTHER[SUPREME COURT OF INDIA] 17-03-2026 Criminal Procedure Code, 1973 (CrPC) — Section 154 — Registration of FIR — High Court's direction to register FIR without preliminary inquiry is not legally permissible — Preliminary inquiry must be conducted first, and only if incriminating material is found, can an FIR be registered — Order of High Court to register FIR set India Law Library Docid # 2441696
(237) AJAI LALL Vs. THE STATE OF MADHYA PRADESH AND ANOTHER[SUPREME COURT OF INDIA] 17-03-2026 Criminal Procedure Code, 1973 (CrPC) — Section 482 — Stay of further proceedings in trial — Leave to appeal granted by Supreme Court — Further investigation continuing despite framing of charges — Trial proceedings stayed by Supreme Court — Extensive hearing required — Interim order to continue till further orders — No coercive steps against petitioner. [Paras Nil] India Law Library Docid # 2441699
(238) MOHAMMAD KALEEM Vs. STATE OF UTTAR PRADESH AND OTHERS[SUPREME COURT OF INDIA] 17-03-2026 Criminal Procedure Code, 1973 (CrPC) — Section 319 — Summoning additional accused — Trial Court rejected application to summon additional accused — High Court set aside order and directed summoning — Supreme Court found Trial Court applied stricter standard than necessary — Trial Court erred in isolating inconsistencies and not considering cumulative weight of evidence — Supreme Court held testimony of complainant and India Law Library Docid # 2440805
(239) SHARLA BAZLIEL Vs. BALDEV THAKUR AND OTHERS[SUPREME COURT OF INDIA] 17-03-2026 Criminal Procedure Code, 1973 — Section 482 — Quashing of FIR — High Court quashed FIR during investigation based on speculation and without awaiting forensic report on alleged forged documents — Such action is unjustified and premature, especially when allegations of forgery and fraud are made and expert examination is underway. India Law Library Docid # 2440806
(240) CHARAN PREET SINGH Vs. MUNICIPAL CORPORATION CHANDIGARH AND OTHERS[SUPREME COURT OF INDIA] 17-03-2026 Constitution of India, 1950 — Article 31B and Ninth Schedule — Immunity from judicial review — Laws placed in Ninth Schedule are not absolutely immune from judicial review merely on the ground of violation of fundamental rights, as they are subject to the test of basic structure of the Constitution. India Law Library Docid # 2440807