(481) RAJU LAKRA Vs. STATE OF JHARKHAND[JHARKHAND HIGH COURT] 28-01-2026 Penal Code, 1860 (IPC) — Sections 302/34 & 201/34 — Murder and Disposal of Dead Body — Appeal against conviction — Acquittal ordered — sole eye-witness's testimony found unreliable due to material contradictions, infirmities, and inherent improbability — Conviction based on such testimony set aside. India Law Library Docid # 2439413
(482) PASUPATI PANDEY @ BUCHU PANDEY AND OTHERS Vs. STATE OF JHARKHAND[JHARKHAND HIGH COURT] 28-01-2026 Penal Code, 1860 (IPC) — Sections 302, 201/34 — Murder and Causing Disappearance of Evidence — Conviction based on 'last seen' evidence from a distance in the dark, by witnesses who did not inform the informant or police promptly, and whose statements had material contradictions and omissions — Held unsafe and unreliable. India Law Library Docid # 2439425
(483) AMIT MUKHI Vs. STATE OF JHARKHAND[JHARKHAND HIGH COURT] 28-01-2026 Criminal Procedure Code, 1973 (CrPC) — Sections 302, 34 IPC — Appeal against conviction for murder — Sole accused convicted for life imprisonment — Court found material improvements in prosecution witness testimonies and significant omissions in statements recorded during investigation, amounting to contradictions. India Law Library Docid # 2439426
(484) JITENDRA AZAD Vs. MEENA GUPTA[JHARKHAND HIGH COURT] 28-01-2026 Hindu Marriage Act, 1955 — Section 9 — Restitution of conjugal rights — For a decree of restitution of conjugal rights, the court must be satisfied that one spouse has withdrawn from the society of the other without reasonable excuse, and no other legal ground exists for refusal. The burden of proving a reasonable excuse lies on the spouse who has withdrawn. India Law Library Docid # 2439427
(485) MR. MANJESH KUMAR AND OTHERS Vs. UNION OF INDIA AND OTHERS[KARNATAKA HIGH COURT] 28-01-2026 National Highways Fee (Determination of Rates and Collection) Rules, 2008 — Rule 8(1) — Toll Plaza Location — Violation — Greater Bangalore Authority (GBA) jurisdiction extended to Somanahalli Village after toll plaza construction but before operationalization — Toll plaza now within GBA limits, violating the rule requiring establishment beyond 10 km from municipal limits. India Law Library Docid # 2439671
(486) ARVIND CHARAN Vs. THE STATE OF RAJASTHAN AND OTHERS[RAJASTHAN HIGH COURT] 28-01-2026 Rajasthan Civil Services (Pension) Rules, 1996 — Rule 53(1) — Compulsory retirement — Public interest — Power to compulsorily retire can only be exercised in public interest and based on a holistic assessment of the employee's entire service record, including performance, integrity, efficiency, and past conduct. It is not meant as a punishment and cannot be based on isolated incidents or selective reliance on India Law Library Docid # 2439982
(487) SHRIRAM GENERAL INSURANCE CO. LTD Vs. SMT. LAXMI W/O LATE SHRI RAWAL RAM AND OTHERS[RAJASTHAN HIGH COURT] 28-01-2026 Motor Vehicles Act, 1988 — Section 10(2)(d) and 2(21) — Driving Licence — Light Motor Vehicle — Competency to drive transport vehicle — A person holding a licence to drive a light motor vehicle is competent to drive a transport vehicle of the same weight class without separate endorsement — Overruling insurance company's objection on this ground. India Law Library Docid # 2439983
(488) PRADEEP ALIAS SANDEEP AND OTHERS Vs. STATE OF RAJASTHAN[RAJASTHAN HIGH COURT] 28-01-2026 Penal Code, 1860 (IPC) — Sections 366 and 368 — Conviction and Sentencing — Probation of Offenders Act, 1958 — Section 4 — Mandatory consideration of mitigating factors such as age, character, antecedents, and social/economic background are essential for sentencing decisions, especially when determining probation. Denial of probation without considering these factors is legally flawed. India Law Library Docid # 2439984
(489) STATE OF RAJASTHAN Vs. NARENDRA[RAJASTHAN HIGH COURT] 28-01-2026 Criminal Procedure Code, 1973 (CrPC) — Section 378(3) & (i) — Appeal against acquittal — Appellate Court's power to interfere — High Court can interfere with an acquittal if the trial court's judgment is illegal, perverse, contrary to evidence, or based on misreading of material evidence. India Law Library Docid # 2439985
(490) ANAMIKA BHARDWAJ Vs. STATE OF RAJASTHAN[RAJASTHAN HIGH COURT] 28-01-2026 Criminal Procedure Code, 1973 (CrPC) — Section 397/401 — Revision against framing of charges — Court's duty at charge framing stage — Court must apply its judicial mind, not act mechanically — Order must reflect conscious application of mind and cannot be a ritualistic endorsement of prosecution version — Reiteration of charges without analytical scrutiny is insufficient, especially after remand for reasoned order. India Law Library Docid # 2439986
(491) A. K. JAIN Vs. THE CHIEF GENERAL MANAGER & APPELLATE AUTHORITY STATE BANK OF INDIA AND OTHERS[MADHYA PRADESH HIGH COURT (GWALIOR BENCH)] 28-01-2026 Constitution of India, 1950 — Article 226 — Writ Petition — Dismissal order and confirmation order — Quashed — Petitioner sought quashing of dismissal order and confirmation order from statutory authorities — Authorities dismissed petitioner on grounds of alleged irregularities in sanctioning loans — Petitioner argued that dismissal was irrational, harsh, discriminatory, and disproportionate to penalties India Law Library Docid # 2439056
(492) MEENAKSHI KHARE AND ANOTHER Vs. THE STATE OF MADHYA PRADESH AND OTHERS[MADHYA PRADESH HIGH COURT] 28-01-2026 Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988 — Section 19(1)(b) and (c) — Grant of Sanction — Arbitrary and Unreasonable — Court's power to interfere — Sanction order granting permission to prosecute a public servant must be based on due application of mind and consideration of all material facts, particularly the India Law Library Docid # 2439122
(493) UCO BANK Vs. M/S ASHA OIL INDUSTRIES AND OTHERS[MADHYA PRADESH HIGH COURT (GWALIOR BENCH)] 28-01-2026 Securitisation and Reconstruction of Financial Assets and Enforcement of Security Interest Act, 2002 (SARFAESI Act) — Section 13(4)(a) and Section 14 — Taking Possession of Secured Assets — Mandatory recourse to Section 14 not required for banks — Bank can take physical possession under Section 13(4) itself without India Law Library Docid # 2439123
(494) MOHD. SHAMIM AND OTHERS Vs. THE STATE OF MADHYA PRADESH AND OTHERS[MADHYA PRADESH HIGH COURT] 28-01-2026 Constitution of India, 1950 — Article 226, 213, 14, 16, 309 — Appointment of Class III employees in District Court establishments — Prior to 2016, no statutory rules governed appointments — High Court circulars and District Judge's discretion were the basis for appointments — Appointments made in this manner were not India Law Library Docid # 2439124
(495) M.P. BRICKS COMPANY Vs. THE STATE OF MADHYA PRADESH AND OTHERS[MADHYA PRADESH HIGH COURT] 28-01-2026 Mines and Minerals (Development and Regulation) Act, 1957, Section 9A — Madhya Pradesh Minor Mineral Rules, 1996, Rule 30 — Dead Rent — Liability of lessee — A lessee is liable to pay dead rent from the date of execution of the lease until the lease lapses, regardless of whether the lease is operational or not. Dead rent is a fixed minimum annual payment, payable regardless of mineral extraction, and is India Law Library Docid # 2439125
(496) THE STATE OF MADHYA PRADESH Vs. RAM DAS AND OTHERS[MADHYA PRADESH HIGH COURT] 28-01-2026 Penal Code, 1860 (IPC) — Section 306 read with Section 34 — Abetment of suicide — Essential ingredients — Prosecution must prove instigation, conspiracy, or intentional aid leading to suicide — Vague and general allegations of harassment are insufficient. India Law Library Docid # 2439126
(497) AKTAR AND ANOTHER Vs. MOHD. SALEEM AND ANOTHER[PUNJAB AND HARYANA HIGH COURT] 28-01-2026 Motor Vehicles Act, 1988 — Section 166 — Motor accident claims — Quantum of compensation — Appeal for enhancement — Issue confined to quantum of compensation awarded by Motor Accident Claims Tribunal — Appellants contended award was on lower side, respondent Insurance Company argued it was rightly passed — Held, appeal allowed with modified award for enhanced compensation. India Law Library Docid # 2439234
(498) MUNICIPAL CORPORATION, PANIPAT THROUGH ITS COMMISSIONER Vs. BALWAN SINGH AND OTHERS[PUNJAB AND HARYANA HIGH COURT] 28-01-2026 Limitation Act, 1963 — Section 5 — Condonation of delay — Appeal filed with a delay of 30 days — Grounds explained satisfactorily — Delay condoned in the interest of justice. India Law Library Docid # 2439376
(499) MANDEEP KAUR AND OTHERS Vs. BEANT SINGH AND OTHERS[PUNJAB AND HARYANA HIGH COURT] 28-01-2026 Motor Vehicles Act, 1988 — Section 166 — Claim for enhancement of compensation — Age of deceased — Driving license correctly relied upon by Tribunal to assess age as 31 years, despite conflicting mention in the award. India Law Library Docid # 2439377
(500) SHRI. SKING RYMBAI Vs. STATE OF MEGHALAYAq[MEGHALAYA HIGH COURT] 28-01-2026 Penal Code, 1860 (IPC) — Section 376 and 506 (Part II) — Rape and Criminal Intimidation — Appeal against conviction and sentence — Delay in FIR lodging — Explained by the fact that the informant mother was away for 9 days attending to another daughter in hospital — Court noted that in rape cases, delay in FIR, if natural, doesn't benefit the accused. India Law Library Docid # 2438836