Insult To Prime Minister Doesn't Attract S.352 BNS Without Intent To Provoke Breach Of Peace: Karnataka High Court

The Karnataka High Court has recently quashed criminal proceedings against a man who was booked by Athani Police for allegedly putting up barricades in front of his shop and making insulting remarks against the Prime Minister when he was questioned by a social worker. [2026 LiveLaw (Kar) 378]The single judge bench of Justice Venkatesh Naik T held that the complaint did not disclose...

2010 Attack Case: Bengaluru Court Acquits Congress MLA Sangamesha, Others; Orders Action Against Officials For 'Defective' Probe

A Special Court in Bengaluru on Tuesday (September 22) acquitted Congress MLA B.K. Sangamesha and four others in a 2010 case involving charges of criminal conspiracy, rioting, attempt to murder and voluntarily causing grievous hurt.While acquitting the accused, the court found several defects in the investigation and directed the State to place the case before the Acquittal Review Committee...

Magistrate Cannot Revert To Pre-Cognizance Stage And Invoke S.156(3) Cr.P.C. Once Inquiry Is Taken Up U/ S 202: Bombay High Court

The Bombay High Court has held that once a Magistrate takes cognizance of a complaint and proceeds under Chapter XV of the Cr.P.C., the Magistrate cannot revert to the pre-cognizance stage and invoke Section 156(3) to direct police investigation. The Court observed that the Magistrate's order directing investigation under Section 156(3) after calling for a report under Section 202 was contrary...

Supreme Court Dismisses Karnataka Plea Against HC Order To Pay Rs 5 Lakh Compensation For Illegal Arrest

The Supreme Court on Tuesday (22 September) dismissed a Special Leave Petition filed by the State of Karnataka against a Karnataka High Court order which had declared the arrest of a homestay owner illegal and directed the State to pay him compensation of Rs. 5,00,000.A bench of Justice Vikram Nath and Justice Sandeep Mehta was hearing the Karnataka government's challenge to the judgement...

WhatsApp Status Shared With Contacts Not Enough To Attract Offence Of Communal Enmity U/S 505(2) IPC: Karnataka High Court

The Karnataka High Court has held that posting a statement as a WhatsApp status does not constitute “publication or circulation” on a public forum so as to amount to a statement which creates or promotes enmity, hatred or ill-will between classes under Section 505(2) IPC.In doing so the court quashed an FIR under Section 505(2) IPC against a man accused of posting a WhatsApp status...

Can't Use Courts To Recover Money: Bombay High Court Says Costs Should Be Imposed In Pleas To Quash Matrimonial, Commercial FIRs

Observing that 'courts' cannot be used as 'recovery mechanisms', the Bombay High Court recently opined that courts must impose costs in case of quashing First Information Report (FIR) on mutual consent, particularly in commercial and matrimonial disputes.Single-judge Justice Milind Jadhav explained that criminal law cannot be used as a 'bargaining chip' or a tool to settle personal scores...

'Penetration To Any Extent' Sufficient For Aggravated POCSO Assault: Himachal Pradesh High Court Upholds 20-Year Sentence

The Himachal Pradesh High Court has held that “penetration to any extent” is sufficient to constitute penetrative sexual assault under Section 3 of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act, 2012 (POCSO Act), even in the absence of physical injuries on the child. The Court made the observation while dismissing an appeal filed by Shyam Veer against his conviction under Section 6...

'Instagram Chat With Student Cannot Be Sole Material To Deny Bail': Bombay High Court Grants Bail To Tuition Teacher In POCSO Case

The Bombay High Court has granted bail to a senior citizen running private tuition classes, who was booked under Sections 4, 8, 10 and 18 of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act, 2012, observing that an Instagram chat relied upon by the prosecution could not be the sole material for denying bail. The Court noted that the chat did not explicitly describe the alleged offence or...

'Cyber Crime Is Like An Addiction, It's All Easy Money': Supreme Court Refuses Bail

The Supreme Court has today (23 September) refused to grant bail to a man accused of cyber crime, remarking that cyber crime is like an addiction. It took note of the fact that the petitioner (accused) had three identical criminal antecedents against him. Noting that only one witness has been examined since last one year, it directed that the trial be completed within six months.A bench...

Vadakara MDMA Case: Kerala High Court Grants Bail To Two Teachers Booked Under NDPS Act

The Kerala High Court granted bail to two teachers, Kavya K. and Keerthana K.C., who were arrested in the Vadakara MDMA case. [2026 LiveLaw (Ker) 523]The case relates to the drug trafficking case, involving school teachers and special educators as financial intermediaries.Dr. Justice Kauser Edappagath today granted bail to third accused Kavya, who was arrested on July 25. The judge had,...

Scheduled Castes Commission Cannot Adjudicate Criminal Charges Or Declare Offences Proved: Chhattisgarh High Court

The Chhattisgarh High Court has held that the State Scheduled Castes Commission exceeded its jurisdiction by recording that a charge under Section 3(1) of the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, 1989 was proved and recommending registration of an FIR against the petitioner. The Court observed that such a determination rests with the criminal Court. [2026...

Allahabad High Court Acquits Mother Sentenced To Death For Killing 3 Children, Finds Child Witness's Testimony 'Tutored'

The Allahabad High Court has acquitted a mother who was sentenced to death for killing her three children while stating that the prosecution had failed to establish their guilt beyond a reasonable doubt. The Court found that the testimony of the 8-year-old surviving child witness suffered from "irreconcilable contradictions" and exhibited "clear hallmarks of tutoring". A Bench of...