LANDMARK CASE
Reg. v. Govinda
(1876) ILR 1 Bom 342 · Bombay High Court · Criminal law
At a glance
- Citation: (1876) ILR 1 Bom 342
- Court: Bombay High Court
- Area of law: Criminal law
- In one line: It was culpable homicide not amounting to murder. Melvill J explained the difference between the two offences.
1 Facts
The accused knocked his wife down and struck her face, causing death by brain haemorrhage.
2 Issue
Was it murder or culpable homicide not amounting to murder?
3 What the court decided
It was culpable homicide not amounting to murder. Melvill J explained the difference between the two offences.
4 Why it matters
Classic for distinguishing murder from culpable homicide.
5 Think about it
Why is the degree of probability of death the key difference?
6 Analyse it yourself
Read the full judgment from an official source or a law database, then brief it in seven steps: facts, issues, arguments, decision, ratio, obiter and significance. Always check the citation before you rely on it.
7 More cases on Criminal law
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- Amish Devgan v. Union of India (2021) 1 SCC 1
- Bachan Singh v. State of Punjab (1980) 2 SCC 684
- Balwant Singh v. State of Punjab (1995) 3 SCC 214
- Barendra Kumar Ghosh v. Emperor AIR 1925 PC 1
- Basdev v. State of PEPSU AIR 1956 SC 488
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