Case Details

• Criminal Appeal No.: 1238/2011 (along with connected matters Crl.A. Nos. 1239-1240/2011)

• Diary No.: 15008/2011

• Court: Supreme Court of India (Court No. 3, Section II-C)

• Bench: Hon’ble Mr. Justice Prashant Kumar Mishra and Hon’ble Mr. Justice Manmohan (Partial Court Working Days Bench)

• Type of Proceeding: Criminal Appeal

Key Proceedings

1. Hearing Date: 11-Jun-2025

2. Appearances:
   Appellant (Chet Ram):
   AORs Mr. Yash Pal Dhingra and Mr. Bharat Bhushan
   Advocates Mr. Keshav Bansal and Mr. Parteek Ahlawat.
   Respondent (State of Himachal Pradesh):
   AOR Mr. Abhishek Gautam
   Advocates Mr. Vivek Kumar, Mr. Vive, Dr. Ravinder Kumar Singh, and Mr. Shivansh Rajput.

3. Court’s Order:
   Death of Appellant: Counsel for the appellant in connected matters (Crl.A. Nos. 1239-1240/2011) informed the Court that Chet Ram (appellant in Crl.A. No. 1238/2011) had passed away, and his counsel was absent.
   Direction to State: The State was instructed to verify the appellant’s death and submit a death certificate on record.
   Adjournment: The matter was listed for the first week of August 2025.

Judgment Research Format

1. Case Citation

Chet Ram vs. The State of Himachal Pradesh, Criminal Appeal No. 1238/2011 (Supreme Court of India, Order dated 11-Jun-2025).

2. Issues Raised

• Procedural Issue: Whether the criminal appeal abates due to the appellant’s death (subject to verification).

• Substantive Issue: The merits of the appeal could not be addressed pending confirmation of the appellant’s demise.

3. Court’s Direction

• Verification of Death: The State must confirm the appellant’s death and file a death certificate.

• Future Listing: Matter adjourned to August 2025 for further steps, likely to address abatement or substitution of legal heirs.

4. Legal Significance

• The order highlights the procedural requirement to address the status of appeals upon the death of a party, as per Section 394 of the CrPC (abatement of appeals in criminal cases, except certain exceptions).

• The State’s role in verifying such facts underscores the Court’s reliance on official records for judicial decisions.

5. Next Steps

• The State’s compliance with submitting the death certificate will determine whether the appeal abates or if legal heirs can be substituted to continue the proceedings.

Conclusion

The Supreme Court’s order prioritizes procedural clarity by halting proceedings until the appellant’s death is officially confirmed. The future course—abatement or continuation—will depend on the State’s verification and potential involvement of legal representatives.