Real judgements, distilled
Court judgements broken down into the case type, how the decision played out, and the lesson worth remembering, with the full judgement available as a PDF.
Criminal Appeal · 2026 INSC 1073
In circumstantial-evidence cases, forensic and DNA evidence must actually corroborate the alleged crime: a conviction cannot survive where the most crucial scientific evidence, on its own terms, points away from rather than toward the prosecution's theory.
Criminal Appeal · 2026 INSC 1074
A conviction based purely on circumstantial evidence requires every link in the chain, timeline, witness credibility, forensic matches, and motive, to be proven beyond reasonable doubt; gaps or suppressed evidence at any link entitle the accused to the benefit of the doubt, even in a serious case like a double murder.
Criminal Miscellaneous Case · 2026:DHC:8505
Courts will not quash a criminal case merely because the accused has a plausible alibi-type defence; unless that defence is conclusive and undisputed, the matter must be tested through the ordinary trial process.
Criminal Miscellaneous Case · 2026:DHC:8547
A private compromise between victim and accused cannot by itself secure quashing of a case involving serious, heinous allegations like attempted murder with a weapon: such matters must proceed to trial regardless of settlement.
First Appeal from Order · 2026:DHC:8563
Railway Claims Tribunals cannot reject a bona fide passenger's death claim based on speculative inferences when there is no direct evidence of an alternative cause of death; the compensation scheme under the Railways Act is to be interpreted generously in favour of victims' families.
Criminal Miscellaneous Case · 2026:DHC:8559
In matrimonial offences, courts can and do quash criminal proceedings once a genuine compromise is verified directly with the complainant, sparing both parties a prolonged and pointless trial.
Bail Application · 2026:DHC:8541
A co-accused's bail does not automatically extend to another accused where their actual roles in the offence differ materially; delay caused by one's own defence counsel cannot later be used as a ground for bail.
Execution Petition · 2026:DHC:8567
An arbitral award must be adequately stamped before a court can enforce it; courts give only a limited window to cure such defects, after which the award becomes legally unusable until the deficiency is fixed.
Arbitration Petition · 2026:DHC:8555
A genuine settlement reached through mediation renders a pending arbitration-related court petition moot, allowing parties to close out litigation quickly once they resolve their dispute privately.
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Legal Case Shots is a searchable database of Supreme Court of India judgments, each broken down into the case type, the court's key holding, and a practical lesson learnt, with the full judgment available as a PDF for citation or deeper reading.
In 1986, Rakesh Kumar entered into an agreement to purchase land in Mehrauli, Delhi from Kalawati and others for Rs.1,32,000 per acre, paying Rs.30,000 as advance. When the sellers allegedly failed to obtain a required "no objection certificate," he sued for specific performance in 1987; the trial court dismissed the suit in 2013 (after decades of delay) on the ground that Rakesh Kumar lacked the funds to pay the balance and was therefore not "ready and willing" to perform, but the Delhi High Court reversed this and decreed specific performance in his favour.
The Supreme Court restored the trial court's view, holding that a plaintiff seeking specific performance must prove continuous readiness and willingness, including financial capacity, throughout the litigation, not merely good intentions. The evidence showed Rakesh Kumar had low income, a modest bank balance, and had borrowed money only for his business rather than for the land purchase, showing he could not have afforded both. The Court found the contractual clause about a "no objection certificate" too vague to excuse the buyer's own lack of readiness, and held the High Court erred in overturning the trial court's factual finding. The appeal was allowed, the High Court's decree set aside, and the original dismissal of the suit restored, with no costs awarded.
In a suit for specific performance of a contract to sell property, merely wanting to go through with the deal is not enough: the buyer must prove they actually had the financial means to pay the balance price at all relevant times, from the agreement date right up to the court's decision.
