⚖ PART I – 50 Landmark Criminal Law Cases

(Constitution + IPC + CrPC + Evidence + Bail + Investigation)

🔹 A. FIR / Investigation / Arrest

1. Lalita Kumari v. Govt. of Uttar Pradesh – Registration of FIR is mandatory in cognizable offences.

2. State of Haryana v. Bhajan Lal – Categories for quashing FIR under 482 CrPC.

3. Joginder Kumar v. State of U.P. – Arrest cannot be routine; must be justified.

4. D.K. Basu v. State of West Bengal – Arrest guidelines; custodial safeguards mandatory.

5. Arnesh Kumar v. State of Bihar – No automatic arrest in offences punishable up to 7 years.

6. T.T. Antony v. State of Kerala – Second FIR for same occurrence not permissible.

7. Vinay Tyagi v. Irshad Ali – Supplementary charge sheet permissible.

8. Siddharth v. State of U.P. – Arrest not mandatory before filing charge sheet.

🔹 B. Bail & Default Bail

9. Uday Mohanlal Acharya v. State of Maharashtra – Default bail is indefeasible right.

10. Rakesh Kumar Paul v. State of Assam – 60 vs 90 days computation clarified.

11. Satender Kumar Antil v. CBI – Comprehensive bail guidelines.

12. Sanjay Chandra v. CBI – Bail is rule; jail is exception.

13. P. Chidambaram v. Directorate of Enforcement – Gravity alone cannot deny bail.

14. Union of India v. K.A. Najeeb – Long incarceration justifies bail.

🔹 C. Evidence Law

15. Sharad Birdhichand Sarda v. State of Maharashtra – Five golden principles of circumstantial evidence.

16. Hanumant Govind Nargundkar v. State of M.P. – Circumstances must be fully established.

17. State of U.P. v. Krishna Gopal – Minor contradictions immaterial.

18. Tomaso Bruno v. State of U.P. – Adverse inference for non-production of CCTV.

19. Anvar P.V. v. P.K. Basheer – Section 65B certificate mandatory for electronic evidence.

20. Arjun Panditrao Khotkar v. Kailash Kushanrao – 65B compliance reaffirmed.

🔹 D. Confession & Accused Rights

21. State of Bombay v. Kathi Kalu Oghad – Scope of Article 20(3).

22. Nandini Satpathy v. P.L. Dani – Right to silence during interrogation.

23. Selvi v. State of Karnataka – Narco/Polygraph without consent unconstitutional.

🔹 E. Dying Declaration

24. Laxman v. State of Maharashtra – Doctor certification not mandatory.

25. P.V. Radhakrishna v. State of Karnataka – Can convict solely on reliable dying declaration.

🔹 F. Criminal Trial Principles

26. Hussainara Khatoon v. State of Bihar – Speedy trial is fundamental right.

27. Maneka Gandhi v. Union of India – Fair procedure under Article 21.

28. Kartar Singh v. State of Punjab – Fair trial central to criminal justice.

29. Zahira Habibullah Sheikh v. State of Gujarat – Retrial ordered for miscarriage of justice.

🔹 G. Sentencing

30. Bachan Singh v. State of Punjab – Rarest of rare doctrine.

31. Machhi Singh v. State of Punjab – Death penalty guidelines expanded.

32. State of Punjab v. Prem Sagar – Sentencing must be proportionate.

🔹 H. Double Jeopardy

33. Maqbool Hussain v. State of Bombay – Customs adjudication not prosecution.

34. S.A. Venkataraman v. Union of India – Departmental inquiry ≠ prosecution.

🔹 I. Miscellaneous Important

35. Kehar Singh v. State (Delhi Admn.) – Conspiracy can be proved by circumstantial evidence.

36. State of Rajasthan v. Kashi Ram – Last seen theory.

37. Kaliyaperumal v. State of Tamil Nadu – Ingredients of dowry death.

38. Gurbaksh Singh Sibbia v. State of Punjab – Anticipatory bail principles.

39. Sushila Aggarwal v. State (NCT of Delhi) – No fixed time limit for anticipatory bail.

40. Nikesh Tarachand Shah v. Union of India – Twin bail conditions under PMLA struck down (later amended).

(10 more quick exam staples)

41. Shreya Singhal v. Union of India – Section 66A IT Act struck down.

42. Navtej Singh Johar v. Union of India – Section 377 partially struck down.

43. Joseph Shine v. Union of India – Adultery decriminalized.

44. Vishaka v. State of Rajasthan – Workplace harassment guidelines.

45. Prakash Singh v. Union of India – Police reforms directives.

46. People’s Union for Civil Liberties v. Union of India – Telephone tapping safeguards.

47. Dharam Pal v. State of Haryana – Sessions court can summon additional accused.

48. Hardeep Singh v. State of Punjab – Section 319 CrPC power explained.

49. Manu Sharma v. State (NCT of Delhi) – Fair trial vs media trial.

50. Subramanian Swamy v. Union of India – Criminal defamation upheld.