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.
Civil Appeal · 2026 INSC 1094
An older qualification must still satisfy the eligibility rules governing the appointment sought. Here, the certificate's early date did not secure reinstatement, and rejection of eligibility should not be confused with a conclusive finding that the certificate was forged.
Civil Appeal · 2026 INSC 1095
A party benefiting from a conditional stay must meet its deposit requirement or face enforcement. The additional ₹15 crore deposit secures the pending dispute; it does not settle the land's final compensation or amount to an immediate payment to the landowners.
Criminal Appeal · 2026 INSC 1093
An alleged attempt to kill does not become a lesser offence simply because the victim avoided a fatal injury. Restoring this charge means the accusation must be tried; it does not establish that the accused is guilty.
Civil Appeal · 2026 INSC 1090
For the assessment in this case, assistance reducing ordinary manufacturing costs was taxable even though the government wanted to encourage industry. The purpose and actual operation of the particular subsidy mattered more than its general development label.
Criminal Appeal · 2026 INSC 1091
Proof that someone caused a serious injury does not by itself prove the additional ingredients of robbery. A court can substitute a lesser offence supported by the evidence; the sentencing reduction here depended on Appa's particular circumstances.
Special Leave Petition (Civil) · 2026 INSC 1092
Someone challenging an election must ensure that the personal-presentation requirement is met and can be proved. Merely entering the court building does not establish compliance, and a filing defect can end the challenge before the election allegations are examined.
Civil Appeal · 2026 INSC 1088
An employee who retires on 30 June may be entitled to the increment that falls due on 1 July after completing a year of service. Authorities that delay paying the amounts due must pay interest after the deadline set by the court.
Civil Appeal · 2026 INSC 1089
Recruitment must follow the qualifications stated in the advertisement and the governing Recruitment Rules. A court will not override a merit-based eligibility decision made under those rules merely because the candidate concerned was higher in the written test.
Writ Petition (Criminal) · 2026:DHC:8797
A person who occupied property only because of employment has no independent right to remain once the employment and decree end. Even when a petition fails, courts can make practical arrangements to let a person recover personal belongings.
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Log in to see moreThe appellant (Accused No. 1) was convicted by the trial court under Sections 302 (murder) and 364 (kidnapping) and 201 (destroying evidence) of the Indian Penal Code for the killing of an auto driver, and was sentenced to life imprisonment. The High Court confirmed the conviction. The prosecution's case rested substantially on the "last seen together" theory and testimony of witnesses, two of whom (PW-5 and PW-6) turned hostile at trial.
The Supreme Court found that with two key witnesses turning hostile, there was no reliable evidence either that the deceased was kidnapped or that he was last seen in the appellant's company. Applying the well-established "panchsheel" (five golden principles) for convictions based on circumstantial evidence, the Court held the prosecution had "miserably failed" to prove its case beyond reasonable doubt. It held both the trial court and High Court had erred by misreading the evidence, set aside both judgments, acquitted the appellant of all charges, and ordered his immediate release (if not held in any other case).
A criminal conviction based purely on circumstantial evidence must satisfy strict, well-established legal tests, and cannot stand if key prosecution witnesses turn hostile and no other credible evidence independently establishes guilt. Courts must acquit rather than assume guilt from suspicion alone.
