In Brief
The appellant challenged the High Court's order directing framing of additional charges under Sections 406 and 420 IPC (criminal breach of trust and cheating) before the Supreme Court. The core issue was whether a trial court could add charges so late in proceedings—after evidence was recorded, arguments heard, and judgment reserved. The Court held that Section 216 of the Code of Criminal Procedure grants courts wide power to alter or add charges anytime before judgment, provided the material on record has a nexus with the offence ingredients. At the charge-framing stage, courts need not evaluate evidence deeply but only determine if material suffices to presume the offence. The High Court had properly assessed available materials and found reasonable ground to add the charges. The appeal was dismissed.
The lawyer headnote and full judgment text are available to registered users.