Criminal Procedure

Bombay High Court orders the CBI to register an FIR and probe Disha Salian's 2020 death, applying the Lalita Kumari mandatory-FIR doctrine six years after a closure report was accepted.

A 1981 double murder took 45 years to reach the Supreme Court. Five of the six accused died waiting. The Court has impleaded the Union of India over 'shocking' criminal appeal pendency.

The Supreme Court holds the UP Gangsters Act 'stillborn' — it punishes the status of 'gangster' without ever creating the offence its punishment clause presupposes, quashing cases against two advocates.

The Supreme Court has held that a bail hearing cannot be indefinitely stalled due to non-payment of a bail undertaking amount, reinforcing procedural fairness in criminal law.

The Supreme Court has reaffirmed that criminal courts cannot alter or review their own judgments once signed, except in narrow statutory exceptions under Section 362 CrPC. The ruling clarifies the doctrine of functus officio, reinforcing the finality of criminal convictions and sentences. For practitioners, this limits scope for post-conviction relief and shapes appellate strategy in criminal law practice.

Kerala HC: No passport denial if no chargesheet filed or court cognizance taken FIR alone isn’t a “pending proceeding.”

Supreme Court clarifies that courts can summon additional prosecution witnesses under Section 311 CrPC for a just decision.

Explore the transformative impact of BNS on conviction appeals, highlighting key sections and landmark judgments for successful advocacy.

Streamline justice with BNSS: Navigate appeals for petty offenses efficiently and uphold rights under the new legal framework.