High Courts Weekly Round- Up

Allahabad High Court

The Allahabad High Court, on Thursday, upheld the State’s refusal of sanction for prosecution of Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath in relation to the 2007 Gorakhpur riots.

Bombay High Court

The Bombay High Court dismissed the PIL filed by advocate Ulhas Naik challenging the elevation of Justice SK Shinde to the bench and imposed a cost of Rs. 1 lakh for levelling reckless allegations against the judge.

Delhi High Court

The Delhi High Court allowed a petition filed by National Human Right Commission under Section 391 CrPC seeking permission to adduce additional evidence in the appeal against acquittal of accused in Hashimpura Massacre.

The High Court recently rapped District and Sessions Judges for their non-compliance with its earlier order whereby it had directed them to conduct a “risk assessment” of cases where undertrials have been unable to secure release from jail despite grant of bail.

The High Court vacated the injunction order passed against Caravan magazine in the Rs 50 crore defamation suit filed by IIPM (Indian Institute of Planning and Management) founder and dean Arindam Chaudhari while upholding the magazine’s defence of truthfulness.

The High Court recently ruled that file notings made by junior officers to their seniors are not exempt from disclosure under Section 8 of the Right to Information Act, 2005.

The High Court expressed deep anguish over the manner in which posts were being circulated on social media without any “sense of responsibility” and authenticity of its source.

In a setback to Special Investigation Team probing the 1984 anti-Sikh riots case, the Delhi High Court on Thursday upheld the anticipatory bail granted to Congress leader Sajjan Kumar by a trial court in two of the cases registered against the killing of three persons in the riots.

Disturbed at the growing menace of drug abuse among children, the High Court directed the police to enforce Section 77 of the Juvenile Justice (JJ) Act, 2015 which provides for punishment to anyone giving intoxicating liquor/ drugs to children by treating thinners, whiteners, correction fluids, vulcanising solutions/ sulochans as “intoxicating liquor”.

The High Court recently slammed the Indian Institute of Technology, Delhi (IIT-D) for expelling a disabled student who had failed to clear the first semester, opining that it was the institute’s responsibility to provide adequate support and guidance to such disabled students who are unable to cope with the syllabus.

Jharkhand High Court

The Jharkhand High Court on Friday rejected the bail plea of RJD surpremo Lalu Prasad in fodder scam case related to fraudulent withdrawal of Rs 89 lakhs from Deoghar treasury in Jharkhand.

Kerala High Court

The High Court of Kerala quashed the FIR registered against former Kerala Chief Minister Oommen Chandy and former Chief Secretary Bharat Bhushan in which they were alleged to have committed acts of corruption by giving undue benefits to a private builder. The Managing Director and two Executive Directors of the Kerala Water Authority (KWA) were also arrayed as accused in the FIR.

Madhya Pradesh High Court

The Madhya Pradesh High Court recently made a suggestion to the counsel to do one hour of community service instead of imposing costs while allowing restoration application.

Rajasthan High Court

The Rajasthan High Court allowed a student, accused of raping a co-student, to continue his studies and attend the classes in the college. ‘A human being has to be given a real chance in life which comes from education, resultant employment and consequent family. The above three components in life ordinarily at least, create human worth and self-dignity and makes one an integral part of society, not a disgruntled citizen going whichever way,’ Justice Alok Sharma observed while allowing the plea.

A division bench of the High Court directed all marriage officers in the state not to despatch notices to the residence of the applicants who seek solemnization of their marriage under the Special Marriages Act, 1954.