{"id":5296,"date":"2025-03-29T03:43:22","date_gmt":"2025-03-28T22:13:22","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/fawyerz.in\/judgments\/?p=5296"},"modified":"2025-04-20T14:40:20","modified_gmt":"2025-04-20T09:10:20","slug":"kasturilal-v-state-of-u-p-1965-case-summary","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/fawyerz.in\/judgments\/torts-law\/kasturilal-v-state-of-u-p-1965-case-summary\/","title":{"rendered":"Kasturilal v. State of U.P 1965 (Case Summary)"},"content":{"rendered":"\t\t<div data-elementor-type=\"wp-post\" data-elementor-id=\"5296\" class=\"elementor elementor-5296\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-52d00e74 elementor-section-full_width elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default wpr-particle-no wpr-jarallax-no wpr-parallax-no wpr-sticky-section-no wpr-equal-height-no\" data-id=\"52d00e74\" data-element_type=\"section\" data-e-type=\"section\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-36aacb3d\" data-id=\"36aacb3d\" data-element_type=\"column\" data-e-type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-2460268c elementor-widget elementor-widget-heading\" data-id=\"2460268c\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"heading.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<h1 class=\"elementor-heading-title elementor-size-default\">Kasturilal v. State of U.P 1965 (Case Summary)<\/h1>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-11c238c7 elementor-widget elementor-widget-image\" data-id=\"11c238c7\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"image.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img fetchpriority=\"high\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1536\" height=\"864\" src=\"https:\/\/fawyerz.in\/judgments\/wp-content\/uploads\/Elegant-Cinematic-Wedding-Thumbnail-HD-169-4-1536x864.png\" class=\"attachment-1536x1536 size-1536x1536 wp-image-5297\" alt=\"Kasturilal v. State of U.P 1965\" srcset=\"https:\/\/fawyerz.in\/judgments\/wp-content\/uploads\/Elegant-Cinematic-Wedding-Thumbnail-HD-169-4-1536x864.png 1536w, https:\/\/fawyerz.in\/judgments\/wp-content\/uploads\/Elegant-Cinematic-Wedding-Thumbnail-HD-169-4-300x169.png 300w, https:\/\/fawyerz.in\/judgments\/wp-content\/uploads\/Elegant-Cinematic-Wedding-Thumbnail-HD-169-4-1024x576.png 1024w, https:\/\/fawyerz.in\/judgments\/wp-content\/uploads\/Elegant-Cinematic-Wedding-Thumbnail-HD-169-4-150x84.png 150w, https:\/\/fawyerz.in\/judgments\/wp-content\/uploads\/Elegant-Cinematic-Wedding-Thumbnail-HD-169-4-768x432.png 768w, https:\/\/fawyerz.in\/judgments\/wp-content\/uploads\/Elegant-Cinematic-Wedding-Thumbnail-HD-169-4.png 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1536px) 100vw, 1536px\" title=\"\">\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-4f0d40a5 elementor-grid-0 elementor-widget elementor-widget-wpr-sharing-buttons\" data-id=\"4f0d40a5\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"wpr-sharing-buttons.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"wpr-sharing-buttons elementor-grid wpr-sharing-official wpr-sharing-label-off wpr-sharing-label-tr\"><div class=\"elementor-grid-item\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer.php?u=https:\/\/fawyerz.in\/judgments\/torts-law\/kasturilal-v-state-of-u-p-1965-case-summary\/\" class=\"wpr-sharing-icon wpr-sharing-facebook-f\" title=\"\" target=\"_blank\"><i class=\"fab fa-facebook-f\"><\/i><\/a><\/div><div class=\"elementor-grid-item\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/shareArticle?mini=true&url=https:\/\/fawyerz.in\/judgments\/torts-law\/kasturilal-v-state-of-u-p-1965-case-summary\/&title=Kasturilal v. State of U.P 1965 (Case Summary)&summary=This case is a landmark decision in Indian tort law that upheld the doctrine of sovereign immunity, ruling that the State is not liable for wrongful acts committed by its employees during the performance of sovereign functions.\n&source=https:\/\/fawyerz.in\/judgments\/torts-law\/kasturilal-v-state-of-u-p-1965-case-summary\/\" class=\"wpr-sharing-icon wpr-sharing-linkedin-in\" title=\"\" target=\"_blank\"><i class=\"fab fa-linkedin-in\"><\/i><\/a><\/div><div class=\"elementor-grid-item\"><a href=\"mailto:?subject=Kasturilal v. State of U.P 1965 (Case Summary)&body=https:\/\/fawyerz.in\/judgments\/torts-law\/kasturilal-v-state-of-u-p-1965-case-summary\/\" class=\"wpr-sharing-icon wpr-sharing-envelope\" title=\"\" target=\"_blank\"><i class=\"fas fa-envelope\"><\/i><\/a><\/div><div class=\"elementor-grid-item\"><a href=\"https:\/\/api.whatsapp.com\/send?text=*Kasturilal v. State of U.P 1965 (Case Summary)*%0ahttps:\/\/fawyerz.in\/judgments\/torts-law\/kasturilal-v-state-of-u-p-1965-case-summary\/\" class=\"wpr-sharing-icon wpr-sharing-whatsapp\" title=\"\" target=\"_blank\"><i class=\"fab fa-whatsapp\"><\/i><\/a><\/div><\/div>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-5764c991 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"5764c991\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">This case is a landmark decision in Indian tort law that upheld the doctrine of sovereign immunity, ruling that the State is not liable for wrongful acts committed by its employees during the performance of sovereign functions.<\/span><\/p><div id=\"ez-toc-container\" class=\"ez-toc-v2_0_82_2 ez-toc-wrap-left counter-hierarchy ez-toc-counter ez-toc-custom ez-toc-container-direction\">\n<div class=\"ez-toc-title-container\">\n<p class=\"ez-toc-title\" style=\"cursor:inherit\">Table of Contents<\/p>\n<span class=\"ez-toc-title-toggle\"><a href=\"#\" class=\"ez-toc-pull-right ez-toc-btn ez-toc-btn-xs ez-toc-btn-default ez-toc-toggle\" aria-label=\"Toggle Table of Content\"><span class=\"ez-toc-js-icon-con\"><span class=\"\"><span class=\"eztoc-hide\" style=\"display:none;\">Toggle<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-icon-toggle-span\"><svg style=\"fill: #000000;color:#000000\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" class=\"list-377408\" width=\"20px\" height=\"20px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" fill=\"none\"><path d=\"M6 6H4v2h2V6zm14 0H8v2h12V6zM4 11h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2zM4 16h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2z\" fill=\"currentColor\"><\/path><\/svg><svg style=\"fill: #000000;color:#000000\" class=\"arrow-unsorted-368013\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"10px\" height=\"10px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" version=\"1.2\" baseProfile=\"tiny\"><path d=\"M18.2 9.3l-6.2-6.3-6.2 6.3c-.2.2-.3.4-.3.7s.1.5.3.7c.2.2.4.3.7.3h11c.3 0 .5-.1.7-.3.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7zM5.8 14.7l6.2 6.3 6.2-6.3c.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7c-.2-.2-.4-.3-.7-.3h-11c-.3 0-.5.1-.7.3-.2.2-.3.5-.3.7s.1.5.3.7z\"\/><\/svg><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/a><\/span><\/div>\n<nav><ul class='ez-toc-list ez-toc-list-level-1 ' ><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-1\" href=\"https:\/\/fawyerz.in\/judgments\/torts-law\/kasturilal-v-state-of-u-p-1965-case-summary\/#Facts_of_Kasturilal_v_State_of_UP\" >Facts of Kasturilal v. State of U.P.<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-2\" href=\"https:\/\/fawyerz.in\/judgments\/torts-law\/kasturilal-v-state-of-u-p-1965-case-summary\/#Issues_framed\" >Issues framed<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-3\" href=\"https:\/\/fawyerz.in\/judgments\/torts-law\/kasturilal-v-state-of-u-p-1965-case-summary\/#Subordinate_Court_Judgment\" >Subordinate Court Judgment<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-4\" href=\"https:\/\/fawyerz.in\/judgments\/torts-law\/kasturilal-v-state-of-u-p-1965-case-summary\/#Judgment_of_Kasturilal_v_State_of_UP\" >Judgment of Kasturilal v. State of U.P.\u00a0<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-5\" href=\"https:\/\/fawyerz.in\/judgments\/torts-law\/kasturilal-v-state-of-u-p-1965-case-summary\/#Refer_to_the_Judgment_below\" >Refer to the Judgment below.\u00a0<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/nav><\/div>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Facts_of_Kasturilal_v_State_of_UP\"><\/span><span style=\"color: #993300;\"><b>Facts of Kasturilal v. State of U.P.<\/b><\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2><ol><li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Kasturilal, a businessman, was carrying gold and other valuable goods when he was arrested by the police on suspicion of possessing stolen property.\u00a0<\/span><\/li><li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The gold was seized and stored in the police custody in Meerut.<\/span><\/li><li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">When Kasturilal was released, the gold was not returned because a police constable had misappropriated it and fled.\u00a0<\/span><\/li><li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Kasturilal sued the state of Uttar Pradesh, claiming compensation for the loss caused by the negligence of its employees.<\/span><\/li><\/ol><h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Issues_framed\"><\/span><span style=\"color: #993300;\"><b>Issues framed<\/b><\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2><ol><li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Whether the State can be held liable for the wrongful acts of its employees performed during the course of sovereign functions?<\/span><\/li><li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Whether the doctrine of sovereign immunity exempt the State from liability in such cases?<\/span><\/li><\/ol><h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Subordinate_Court_Judgment\"><\/span><span style=\"color: #993300;\"><b>Subordinate Court Judgment <\/b><\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The trial court ruled in favor of Kasturi Lal, holding the State liable for the negligence of its police officer (Employee). The court awarded damages to the plaintiff, considering the negligence of the police officers as actionable under the law.<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The Allahabad High Court overturned the Civil Judge&#8217;s ruling, holding that the State was not liable for the loss, as the actions of the police officers were performed in the exercise of sovereign functions. Consequently, the suit was dismissed.<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The Plaintiff being aggrieved by the High Court order appealed to the Hon\u2019ble Supreme Court of India.\u00a0<\/span><\/p><h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Judgment_of_Kasturilal_v_State_of_UP\"><\/span><span style=\"color: #993300;\"><b>Judgment of Kasturilal v. State of U.P.\u00a0<\/b><\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The Hon\u2019ble Supreme Court analyzed the doctrine of sovereign immunity as derived from English Common Law and its applications in India.\u00a0<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The Court held that the act of taking property into custody by the police was a sovereign function of the state. The judgment drew a distinction between sovereign and non sovereign functions, holding that sovereign immunity applied only to the former. <\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The Supreme Court dismissed Kasturilal\u2019s claim upholding the High Court\u2019s decision. The court stated that for the acts done in exercise of sovereign functions, the State is not liable for the negligence or wrongful acts of its employees.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p><h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Refer_to_the_Judgment_below\"><\/span><span style=\"color: #993300;\"><b>Refer to the Judgment below.\u00a0<\/b><\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-2e1c413a elementor-widget elementor-widget-pdfjs-viewer\" data-id=\"2e1c413a\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"pdfjs-viewer.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<iframe width=\"\" height=\"700\" src=\"https:\/\/fawyerz.in\/judgments\/wp-content\/plugins\/pdfjs-viewer-for-elementor\/\/assets\/js\/pdfjs\/web\/viewer.html?file=https:\/\/fawyerz.in\/judgments\/wp-content\/uploads\/Kasturilal-Ralia-Ram-Jain-vs-The-State-Of-Uttar-Pradesh-on-29-September-1964-1.pdf\"><\/iframe>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>This case is a landmark decision in Indian tort law that upheld the doctrine of sovereign immunity, ruling that the State is not liable for wrongful acts committed by its employees during the performance of sovereign 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