Gujarat High Court Directs FIR Against 'Unknown Person' Over Alleged Custodial Death Of Trade Service Officer In CBI Custody

The Gujarat High Court has directed registration of an FIR "against an unknown person" and investigation by Deputy Inspector General of Police, CID Crime, into the alleged custodial death of Indian Trade Service officer who allegedly died in CBI custody in connection with an illegal gratification case. [2026 LiveLaw (Guj) 273]The deceased's wife had approached the high court claiming that...

Suicide Note Naming Accused Does Not Establish Abetment Without Proximate Instigation, Mens Rea: Chhattisgarh High Court

The Chhattisgarh High Court has held that mere reference to an accused's name in a suicide note cannot, by itself, establish abetment of suicide under Section 306 IPC. The Court observed that there must be a direct or indirect act of instigation in close proximity to the suicide, coupled with the requisite mens rea to abet the commission of suicide. [2026 LiveLaw (Chh) 137]Justice Naresh...

Kerala High Court Refuses To Quash Cruelty Case Against In-Laws Accused Of Calling Woman 'Servant', 'Cancer In Their Life'

The Kerala High Court recently refused to quash the matrimonial cruelty case against the parents-in-law of a woman, who allegedly referred to her as 'servant without wages' and 'cancer in their lives'. [2026 LiveLaw (Ker) 557]Justice G. Girish observed that there are multiple incidents of matrimonial cruelty attributed against the husband's parents and that the same are prima facie sufficient...

High Court Should Not Suggest Custodial Interrogation Of Accused: Supreme Court

The form of interrogation is best left to the discretion of the investigating officer, the Court said.

Tendency To Colourize Civil Disputes Into Criminal Offences An Open Secret : Supreme Court

The Supreme Court has reiterated that a purely civil dispute cannot be converted into a criminal prosecution unless the foundational ingredients of the alleged offences are made out. “The tendency of litigants to colourize civil disputes into criminal offences is an open secret in the present times. The courts have tried to put their foot down to prevent the litigants from obliterating...

S.69 BNS | Hiding Live-In Relationship, Child With Another Amount To 'Deceitful Means' To Have Sexual Intercourse With Woman: Kerala High Court

The Kerala High Court recently held that hiding live-in relationship with another woman and child born in it would amount to 'deceitful means' employed to have sexual intercourse with a woman as per Section 69 BNS. [2026 LiveLaw (Ker) 556]Justice A. Badharudeen made the observation while considering a plea for anticipatory bail under Section 18A of the SC/ST Prevention of Atrocities Act.“At...

Sending FIR To Wrong Court Is Mere Irregularity, Not Ground To Quash: State Tells Karnataka High Court In Case Against BJP's Pratap Simha

The Karnataka High Court was on Monday told that merely sending an FIR to a court lacking jurisdiction would amount to a procedural irregularity and would not, by itself, warrant quashing of the criminal proceedings against BJP leader and former MP Pratap Simha.State Public Prosecutor made the submission while opposing Simha's challenge to two FIRs registered against him in connection with...

Harassment Allegations Against Husband's Close Relatives Living Separately Or In Another City Need Greater Scrutiny: AP High Court

The Andhra Pradesh High Court has held that allegations of harassment against the husband's close relatives require careful scrutiny when they live in different cities and rarely or never visit the complainant's residence. [2026 LiveLaw (AP) 233]Such allegations, the Court said, have an “entirely different complexion” and must be examined with “great care and circumspection”. The...

Cruelty FIR Can Be Quashed Where Parties Have Genuinely, Amicably Settled Differences: AP High Court

The Andhra Pradesh High Court quashed a cruelty FIR lodged by a wife against her husband and his relatives after the parties entered into a settlement of the matrimonial dispute, holding that cases where parties have genuinely, amicably settled their differences and where conviction possibility is remote can be quashed. [2026 LiveLaw (AP) 232]The Court observed that continuing...

Supreme Court Quashes Rape Case Over Alleged False Promise Of Marriage After Three-Year Consensual Relationship

The Supreme Court has recently quashed criminal proceedings against a man accused of sexually exploiting a woman under the pretext of marriage, holding that a three-year consensual relationship could not be said to be based on coerced consent or misrepresentation.A bench of Justice JB Pardiwala and Justice K Vinod Chandran allowed the appeal against the Chhattisgarh government and...

Delhi High Court Flags 'Political Selectivity' In Pleas Seeking FIR Against Politicians Over Alleged Hate Speeches During Delhi Riots

The Delhi High Court on Monday (October 5) said that there were elements of “political selectivity” in pleas seeking FIR registration against various politicians, including BJP leaders Anurag Thakur and Parvesh Verma for alleged hate speeches in connection with the 2020 Delhi Riots. The court said this while dismissing a batch of petitions seeking SIT or independent investigation into...

'Investigating Officer Must Not Create Evidence' : Supreme Court Upholds Acquittal After Finding Witnesses Were 'Set Up'

An investigative agency cannot manufacture a chain of circumstances by introducing witnesses without explaining why, when and under what circumstances it recorded their statements, the Court said.