Conviction for 20 years – Gang rape case -- Applicant has already undergone more than 5 years and 4 months of his actual sentence -- There are many debatable points in the appeal and the appeal is not likely to be heard in near future keeping in view the prevailing pandemic situation -- Sentence of applicant suspended during pendency of the appeal.

(P&H HC) Decided on: 28.10.2020

POCSO matter -- Rape with minor – Conviction for 12 years – 3 year 10 months sentence undergone – No date or time about the incident given by the victim -- Prosecutrix was got recovered by the police after a period of more than 5 months -- Specific stand of the applicant-appellant that there were friendly relations between them -- Victim has deposed that she was kept in a rented room for about five months -- Thus, she has every opportunity to escape from the custody of the applicant during the said period -- No specific proof of age of the victim -- Further sentence of applicant-appellant suspended during pendency of the appeal.

(P&H HC) Decided on: 28.10.2020

NDPS case -- Commercial quantity -- Conviction for R.I. for 10 years along with fine of Rs.1 lac – 66 kgs poppy husk allegedly recovered from the cabin of the truck – Appeal admitted along with stay of recovery of fine on 20.02.2020 – Applicant/appellant no. 1 already undergone 02 years, 03 months and 03 days of actual sentence as on 19.08.2020 -- He is not involved in any other NDPS case, though he is involved in the offence under IPC -- Appeal is of the year 2020, it may take some time in its final culmination -- Application allowed -- Remaining sentence of the applicant-appellant No.1 ordered to be suspended, during the pendency of the appeal.

(P&H HC) Decided on: 25.09.2020

Kidnapping – Conspiracy – Appellants facilitating procurement of Sim Card – Sim card was allegedly used by co-accused and his colleagues in the commission of offence of kidnapping -- Whether the appellant was a party to the agreement to do or caused to do the illegal act of kidnapping to be a member of the criminal conspiracy -- No substantial evidence that the appellant was aware that the sim card would be later on or was likely to be used in the commission of the offence of kidnapping -- Sentence suspended during the pendency of the criminal appeal pending before High Court.

(SC) Decided on: 24.09.2020

NDPS matter – Long custody during pendency of appeal -- Rigors of Section 37 of NDPS Act -- would have to be met before the sentence of a convict is suspended and bail granted and mere passage of time cannot be a reason for the same.

(SC) Decided on: 11.09.2020

Bail is rule and jail is an exception -- There is a difference between grant of bail u/s 439 of the CrPC in case of pre-trial arrest and suspension of sentence u/s 389 of the CrPC and grant of bail, post-conviction -- In the earlier case there may be presumption of innocence, which is a fundamental postulate of criminal jurisprudence, and the courts may be liberal, depending on the facts and circumstances of the case, on the principle that bail is the rule and jail is an exception -- In case of post-conviction bail, by suspension of operation of the sentence, there is a finding of guilt and the question of presumption of innocence does not arise. Nor is the principle of bail being the rule and jail an exception attracted, once there is conviction upon trial.

(SC) Decided on: 14.08.2020

Cancellation of Suspension of sentence -- Death took place within 7 or 8 months and there is oral evidence of the parents of cruelty and torture immediately preceding the death -- Also evidence of payment of Rs.2,50,000/- to the Respondent-Accused by the victim’s brother -- Respondent No.2-accused has not been able to demonstrate any apparent and/or obvious illegality or error in the judgment of the Sessions Court, to call for suspension of execution of the sentence. Held, in considering an application for suspension of sentence, the Appellate Court is only to examine if there is such patent infirmity in the order of conviction that renders the order of conviction prima facie erroneous -- Where there is evidence that has been considered by the Trial Court, it is not open to a Court considering application under Section 389 to re-assess and/or re-analyze the same evidence and take a different view, to suspend the execution of the sentence and release the convict on bail -- Appellant spent money beyond his financial capacity, at the wedding of the victim and had even gifted an I-10 car -- Failure to lodge an FIR complaining of dowry and harassment before the death of the victim is inconsequential -- Parents and other family members of the victim obviously would not want to precipitate a complete breakdown of the marriage by lodging an FIR against the Respondent No.2 and his parents, while the victim was alive. Impugned order of the High Court is set aside and the Respondent No.2 is directed to surrender for being taken into custody -- The bail bonds shall stand cancelled.

(SC) Decided on: 14.08.2020

Conviction for dowry death – Appellant is confined in jail from 15.12.2016 onwards and father of the appellant was diagnosed with pancolitis – Appeal pending before the High Court – Without going into the merits of the matter, considering the submissions and other material placed on record and further taking into account that the appellant is in jail since 15.12.2016, sentence suspended.

(SC) Decided on: 14.08.2020

Principles to be adopted -- In view of mandate of Section 389(3) of the CrPC, the principles are different in the case of sentence not exceeding three years and/or in the case of bailable offences -- Discretion u/s 389(1) is to be exercised judicially, the Appellate Court is obliged to consider whether any cogent ground has been disclosed, giving rise to substantial doubts about the validity of the conviction and whether there is likelihood of unreasonable delay in disposal of the appeal.

(SC) Decided on: 14.08.2020

Strong and compelling reason -- Court considering an application for suspension of sentence and grant of bail, is to consider the prima facie merits of the appeal, coupled with other factors -- There should be strong compelling reasons for grant of bail, notwithstanding an order of conviction, by suspension of sentence, and this strong and compelling reason must be recorded in the order granting bail, as mandated in Section 389(1) of the Cr.P.C.

(SC) Decided on: 14.08.2020