Legal Maestros

In a classic case, the Supreme Court set aside criminal cases against distant relatives, who had been falsely dragged into a dowry harassment case. The ruling adds strength to the point that general and lackluster claims of criminality are not sufficient to allow trial that will weaken innocent family members against the frivolous use of the law.

In this case, the Supreme Court struck down a penalty imposed on a senior retired Assistant Engineer, Ram Prakash Singh, under Rule 27 of Tripura Administrative Services Rules on procedural lapse and violation of due process, leaving it clear that departmental inquiry is subject to strict adherence to due process which entails production of evidence, timely conclusions and fair hearing opportunities.