Kerala High Court Grants Pre-Arrest Bail To Lawyer Accused Of Sexually Harassing Junior Lady Advocate

The same lawyer was earlier granted bail by HC in a case initiated by another lady advocate accusing him of the same offence.

Can Trial Court Entertain Second Plea U/S 216 CrPC To Add Or Alter Charge After Earlier Rejection? Allahabad High Court Answers

The Allahabad High Court has observed that a trial court can entertain a second application seeking alteration or addition of a charge under Section 216 CrPC, even after an earlier application for the same relief was rejected.A bench of Justice Saurabh Srivastava, however, clarified that the power to entertain such plea is available only before pronouncement of judgment of the...

Kerala High Court Quashes Film Producer's ₹1.9 Crore Cheating Case Against Nivin Pauly, Abrid Shine; Notes Settlement

The Kerala High Court on Monday (October 26) quashed the crime registered against Malayalam film actor Nivin Pauly and director Abrid Shine at the instance of producer P.S. Shamnas alleging commission of fraud of ₹1.9 crore. [2026 LiveLaw (Ker) 601]The Court also quashed the criminal case initiated against Shamnas alleging forgery of Nivin's signature in documents submitted to the Kerala...

'Advocate Cannot Be Criminally Prosecuted Merely Because Legal Opinion Turns Out Incorrect': Patna High Court

The Patna HC has held that an advocate cannot be subjected to criminal prosecution merely because a legal opinion furnished in the course of professional duties subsequently turns out to be incorrect. The Court clarified that criminal liability may arise where an advocate deliberately provides a false or misleading opinion in collusion with others to facilitate fraud.A Single Judge Bench...

'Questions Under Section 313 CrPC Must Be Explained To Accused In Language He Understands': Jharkhand High Court

The Jharkhand HC has held that an accused must be questioned under Section 313 CrPC in a language he understands, and that improper recording of his statement, causing prejudice to his right to explain incriminating circumstances, can itself be a ground for acquittal. The Court set aside the murder conviction and life sentence of an illiterate man whose statement had been recorded entirely...

S. 319 CrPC | Cross-Examination Cannot Be Ignored Before Summoning Additional Accused : Supreme Court

The Supreme Court has set aside the arraignment of a woman as an additional accused under Section 319 Cr.P.C. (now Section 358 BNSS), observing that the court had failed to consider the cross-examination of the witness whose testimony formed the basis for summoning her as an accused. A bench of Justice Manoj Misra and Justice Nongmeikapam Kotiswar Singh emphasised that the witness's...

'Love Thy Neighbour': Karnataka High Court Refuses To Quash Cross-Cases Over Garbage Dispute, Emphasises Civility And Tolerance

Grievances ought not to become contests of ego in which neither side is willing to exercise restraint, Court said.

Police Can Seek Permission To Probe Non-Cognizable Offences Without First Referring Informant To Magistrate: Karnataka High Court

The Karnataka High Court has held that a permission under Section 155 (2) CrPC to investigate non-cognizable offences can be sought by a Station House Officer, and an investigation initiated pursuant to such permission is valid in law.“Permission under Section 155(2) of the Cr.P.C. may be sought either by the informant or by the Station House Officer. Therefore, it is not necessary that...

Retention Of 'Istridhan' After Divorce Is Not A Continuing Offence For Limitation Purposes: HP High Court

The Himachal Pradesh High Court has held that the alleged retention of a wife's 'Istridhan' may not constitute a continuing offence once the marriage has been dissolved by a decree of divorce. Distinguishing divorce from judicial separation, the Court observed that the legal relationship between the spouses continues in the latter case but stands severed upon dissolution of marriage,...

Patna High Court Quashes Case Against Husband's Parents, First Wife In Alleged Bigamy Case, Says They Cannot Be Directly Booked

The Patna HC has held that offences relating to concealment of a previous marriage and fraudulently going through a marriage ceremony under Sections 495 and 496 IPC cannot be directly invoked against the family members of a person accused of bigamy. The Court observed that these provisions apply to the person contracting the subsequent marriage, while family members may be implicated where...

Patna High Court Cancels Anticipatory Bail Granted 8 Years Ago, Says False Statement On Oath Cannot Be Excused

The Patna HC has held that a person who makes a false statement on oath while seeking anticipatory bail cannot justify the misrepresentation by arguing that the correct facts were already disclosed in the FIR annexed to the bail application. The Court cancelled anticipatory bail granted nearly eight years ago, holding that the absence of subsequent misconduct cannot validate an order...

Major Unmarried Daughter Can Claim Maintenance Under Section 125 CrPC Despite Alternative Remedy Under HAMA: Bombay High Court

The Bombay High Court has held that the availability of an alternative remedy under the Hindu Adoptions and Maintenance Act, 1956 (HAMA) does not bar a major unmarried daughter from claiming maintenance under Section 125 of the Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPC). The Court observed that maintenance could not be denied to the daughter merely because she could pursue a separate remedy under...