Madan Lal Kapoor vs Rajiv Thapar & Ors

The Supreme Court held that a criminal matter cannot be dismissed for default and must be decided on merits, emphasizing the importance of a reasoned order in criminal proceedings. The Court set aside the High Court's order dismissing the Criminal Revision Petition for non-prosecution, as it failed to consider the merits of the case. The appeal was allowed, and the matter was remitted back to the High Court for a decision on merits within four months.