Mother Can't Settle POCSO Case Registered Against Father For Sexually Assaulting Minor Daughter: Kerala High Court

The Kerala High Court recently observed that the mother of a minor cannot settle or compromise the criminal case initiated against the father for sexually assaulting or sexually harassing their minor daughter. [2026 LiveLaw (Ker) 437]Dr. Justice Kauser Edappagath denied bail to a man, who was arrested for sexually assaulting his minor daughter, and refused to accept that the case has...

'Police Can't Conduct Roving Enquiry In Guise Of Inquest': Karnataka High Court Quashes Notices To Hospital, Staff In Unnatural Death Case

The Karnataka High Court has on August 10 [Monday] quashed the multiple notices under Section 94 and Section 179 of BNSS issued by the police to Cloud Nine Hospital and its staff-including its female employees, in connection with the unnatural death of a patient following a polypectomy procedure. [2026 LiveLaw (Kar) 290]“….when the petitioners have responded to every notice, furnished...

Telangana High Court Quashes Police Notice To X Seeking User Details Of Person Not Named In FIR

The Telangana High Court quashed a Section 94 BNSS notice issued by the police to social media platform 'X' (formerly Twitter) seeking details of a user/account holder, after noting that user's name did not feature in the FIR under investigation and hence there was no prima facie basis for issuance of the notice. [2026 LiveLaw (Tel) 126]For context Section 94 empowers Courts and police...

Can A Sessions Court Hold A Joint Trial Despite Separate Committal Orders? Supreme Court Explains

The Supreme Court has clarified that committal orders do not determine whether a trial would be conducted jointly or separately, holding that the decision rests exclusively with the trial court. “…the committal order/s is/are not determinative of whether the trial is single/separate/joint; which is at the exclusive discretion of the Court.”, observed a bench of Justice Sanjay Kumar...

Acid Attack Victims Must Be Compensated Irrespective Of Fine Imposed On Offender: Kerala High Court

The Kerala High Court recently gave relief to acid attack victims by holding that victims must be given compensation whether or not a fine has been imposed on the offender. [2026 LiveLaw (Ker) 432]Justice Jobin Sebastian clarified that compensation payable as per the Victim Compensation Scheme in accordance with Section 357A Cr.P.C. is in addition to the fine awarded to the offender under...

Telephone Interception Cannot Be Retrospectively Validated By MHA Confirmation Order: Chhattisgarh High Court

The Chhattisgarh High Court has held that a confirmation order issued by the Ministry of Home Affairs under the Telecommunications (Procedure and Safeguards for Lawful Interception of Messages) Rules, 2024 is only confirmatory in nature and cannot retrospectively validate or enlarge the scope of an interception authorisation. [2026 LiveLaw (Chh) 107]The Court observed that Telephone...

Irrespective Of Rank, Police Officials Cannot Order Further Investigation During Trial Without Court's Permission: Allahabad High Court

The Allahabad High Court has held that no police officer, irrespective of rank, can direct further investigation in a criminal case during the pendency of trial without first obtaining the permission of the court trying the case.A bench of Justice JJ Munir and Justice Tarun Saxena noted that this was a settled position of the law under Section 173(8) CrPC, however, now it has been...

Keeping Person In Police Custody Under Guise Of 'Voluntary Cooperation' Violates Article 22: Chhattisgarh High Court

The Chhattisgarh High Court has held that investigating agencies cannot keep a person in their custody under the guise of "voluntary cooperation" to circumvent the constitutional safeguards against arrest, observing that such a course would violate Article 22 of the Constitution. The Court ruled that a mere endorsement on a notice stating that a person is voluntarily accompanying the...

Chhattisgarh High Court Refuses To Quash SC/ST Act Case Against Woman Over Instagram Remarks On Dr. B.R. Ambedkar

The Chhattisgarh High Court has refused to quash criminal proceedings against a woman accused of posting objectionable remarks against Dr. B.R. Ambedkar on Instagram, holding that the allegations in the charge-sheet, if taken at their face value, prima facie disclose the commission of cognizable offences. The Court further held that disputed questions relating to the alleged remarks,...

PC Act | Strong Suspicion, Not Proof Of Guilt, Is Required At Stage Of Framing Charges: Allahabad High Court Refuses Relief To Ex-GST Officer

Refusing relief to a former GST Official in a Corruption case, the Allahabad High Court on Wednesday observed that at the stage of framing charges, the court is only concerned with a "strong suspicion" that the accused has committed an offence and the final test of proof of guilt is not to be applied."…at the stage of consideration of question of discharge of the accused/ revisionist a...

Trial Court Cannot Examine Witness At Pre-Cognizance Stage To Generate Fresh Evidentiary Material: Allahabad High Court

The Allahabad High Court has held that a trial court cannot examine a witness at the pre-cognizance stage to generate fresh evidentiary material, as such a course is "wholly" outside the scheme of Section 190 CrPC.A Bench of Justice Santosh Rai observed that a court which has not yet taken cognizance does not possess a "free-standing power" to collect additional or corroborative evidence, as...

Loan Amount Not 'Entrusted Property'; Mere Failure To Repay Doesn't Constitute Criminal Breach Of Trust: Jharkhand High Court

The Jharkhand High Court has held that money advanced as a loan cannot be treated as property “entrusted” to the borrower for the purpose of constituting criminal breach of trust under Section 406 of the Indian Penal Code. The Court observed that a borrower is free to use the loan amount, unlike a person who receives property through entrustment and must deal with it subject to the...