Week: October 26 – October 31, 2025
1. Dowry-Death Conviction Upheld, Murder Charge Dropped
Case: State of Chhattisgarh v. Pranjal Rathore’s Husband & Mother-in-Law
Bench: Division Bench – Oct 27, 2025
Key Issue: Whether conviction for both murder (Sec. 302) and dowry death (Sec. 304-B IPC) could stand together.
Held: The Court upheld conviction under Sec. 304-B but set aside Sec. 302, finding no independent proof of homicidal intent.
Takeaway: Dowry-death and murder charges operate in distinct legal spheres; concurrent convictions need distinct proof.
Citation: 2025 Local Law (CG) 837
2. Sukma Constable Murder : Life Sentence Affirmed on DNA & Fingerprints
Case: Suresh Sarkar @ Chhotu v. State of Chhattisgarh
Bench: C.J. Ramesh Sinha & J. Bibhu Datta Guru — Oct 27 2025
Held: Life imprisonment confirmed; forensic links (DNA in victim’s fist, fingerprint on bottle) completed the circumstantial chain.
Citation: 2025 Local Law (CG) 829
3. Rajnandgaon Murder : Acquittal for Gaps in Circumstantial Proof
Case: State v. Two Accused (Rajnandgaon Case)
Bench: J. Rajani Dubey & J. Amitendra K. Prasad — Oct 31 2025
Held: “Last-seen” testimony delayed and uncorroborated; forensic traces inconclusive; benefit of doubt granted.
Citation: 2025 Local Law (CG) 841
4. POCSO Appeals : Acquittals for Failure to Prove Victim’s Age
(a) Prem Nirmalkar v. State of Chhattisgarh — Oct 31 2025 — Citation: 2025 Local Law (CG) 843
(b) Bhaykaran Sonwani v. State of Chhattisgarh — Oct 31 2025 — Citation: 2025 Local Law (CG) 844
Held: School-register copies unreliable; medical proof absent; possible ulterior motive noted in one case.
Takeaway: Original records and credible corroboration are essential in POCSO prosecutions.
5. Bhatapara Sword-Attack Sentences Reduced to Time Served
Case: Sonu @ Laxman Chelak & Shekhar Chelak v. State of Chhattisgarh
Bench: J. Naresh K. Chandravanshi — Oct 27 2025
Held: Convictions under Sec. 307 IPC maintained, but sentences reduced considering custody period and individual roles.
Citation: 2025 Local Law (CG) 834
6. VRS Withdrawal Allowed, but No Service Benefits (M.L. Yadav)
Bench: J. Sanjay K. Agrawal & J. Radhakishan Agrawal
Held: Withdrawal valid before effective date; yet petitioner barred from claiming continuity due to post-retirement engagement.
Citation: 2025 Local Law (CG) 830
7. Motor-Accident Compensation Enhanced to ₹15.62 Lakh
Bench: J. Rakesh Mohan Pandey — Oct 28 2025
Held: Deduction for personal expenses corrected; consortium extended to all dependents; insurer to pay first, recover later.
Citation: 2025 Local Law (CG) 831
8. Insurer Absolved : Owner Liable for Fatal Tractor Accident
Bench: Oct 30 2025
Held: No valid insurance contract; cheque not encashed, agent unauthorized; owner solely liable for ₹4.39 lakh award.
Citation: 2025 Local Law (CG) 838
9. SARFAESI Auction Quashed for Procedural Lapses
Case: WPC No. 156/2019
Bench: J. Narendra K. Vyas — Oct 30 2025
Held: Bank failed to reply to borrower’s Sec. 13(2) representation and violated sale-deposit rules; auction invalid.
Citation: 2025 Local Law (CG) 839
10. Anti-Conversion Hoardings PIL : Use PESA Remedies First
Cases: WPPIL Nos. 83 & 86 of 2025
Bench: C.J. Ramesh Sinha & J. Bibhu Datta Guru — Oct 31 2025
Held: Petitioners must first seek review under Rule 14 PESA before invoking Art. 226; constitutional questions left open.
Citation: 2025 Local Law (CG) 842
11. Pension Recovery Quashed for Retired Deputy Ranger
Case: Uttam Singh Baghel v. State of Chhattisgarh
Bench: J. Deepak K. Tiwari — Oct 6 2025
Held: Recovery of ₹31,978 after retirement unjustified; error administrative, not fraudulent; pension to be released.
Citation: 2025 Local Law (CG) 833
12. Cheque-Dishonour Complainant Allowed to Appeal as “Victim”
Case: Satyanarayan Singh Thakur v. Smt. Champa Ueke
Bench: J. Naresh K. Chandravanshi — Oct 27 2025
Held: Complainant may file appeal before Sessions Judge under proviso to Sec. 372 CrPC within 60 days.
Citation: 2025 Local Law (CG) 835
13. Bail for Stabbing of Uncle-in-Law
Case: Chandan Utkel v. State of Chhattisgarh
Bench: C.J. Ramesh Sinha — Oct 10 2025
Held: Bail granted; injuries simple; trial delay expected; stringent appearance conditions imposed.
Citation: 2025 Local Law (CG) 827
14. Confirmation and Promotion Dispute Dismissed
Case: Soni v. Registrar, High Court of Chhattisgarh
Bench: C.J. Ramesh Sinha & J. Bibhu Datta Guru — Oct 27 2025
Held: No illegality in deferred confirmation; promotion claim rejected as premature.
Citation: 2025 Local Law (CG) 826
15. State’s Appeal Dismissed in Neighbourhood Caste-Abuse Case
Case: State v. Yogeshwar & Chandrakiran Sahu
Bench: J. Radhakishan Agrawal — Oct 10 2025
Held: Trial-court acquittal affirmed; inconsistencies and lack of corroboration fatal to prosecution.
Citation: 2025 Local Law (CG) 836
16. POCSO/Abduction Appeal Dismissed : Girl Left Voluntarily
Case: State v. Maniram Verma & Parmeshwar Yadav
Bench: J. Sanjay S. Agrawal & J. Sanjay K. Jaiswal — Oct 30 2025
Held: Prosecutrix left by choice; no inducement proved; acquittal affirmed.
Citation: 2025 Local Law (CG) 840
