Criminal Law
Andhra Pradesh High Court Acquits Accused In ACB Trap Case, Says FIR Lodged After Investigation Began
The Andhra Pradesh High Court has acquitted two persons accused of bribery in a trap operation after finding that the investigating officer had conducted what the court described as a “table investigation”, holding that the FIR and crucial investigation records were prepared after the trap proceedings and not in accordance with law.[2026 LiveLaw (AP) 107]The accused no. 1 was a...
Bihar Tender Scam | Media Cannot Portray Accused As 'Scamster', 'Mastermind' Before Trial: Patna High Court
The Patna High Court has restrained print, electronic, digital and social media platforms from portraying Bihar contractor Rishu Shree as guilty in connection with the alleged tender scam being investigated by the Special Vigilance Unit (SVU). The Court observed that while media is free to report factual developments relating to the case, imputing criminal liability upon an accused...
Belated POSH Complaints Can't Be Rejected At Threshold Without Considering Reasons For Delay: Allahabad High Court
The Allahabad High Court has reiterated that sexual harassment complaints under the Sexual Harassment of Women at Workplace (Prevention, Prohibition and Redressal) Act, 2013 cannot be rejected at threshold due to delay, without specific consideration of reasons.While remitting the matter back to the internal complaints committee for fresh inquiry into the complaints against Associate...
Juvenile Justice Act Prioritises Reform Over Punishment; Seriousness Of Alleged Offence Not Ground To Refuse Bail: Patna High Court
The Patna High Court has observed that the seriousness of the alleged offence and the age of a juvenile are not relevant considerations for denial of bail under the Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Act, 2015. The Court reiterated that the Juvenile Justice Act is a reformative statute aimed at rehabilitation of children in conflict with law and not their punishment.A Single...
Karnataka High Court Cancels Vachanananda Swami's Anticipatory Bail In POCSO Case
The Karnataka High Court on Thursday (June 25) cancelled the anticipatory bail granted by a sessions court to Vachanananda Swami booked in a POCSO case over allegations of sodomy, remarking that it was troubled by the manner in which bail was granted. [2026 LiveLaw (Kar) 218]The court was hearing the complainant's plea challenging Sessions Court's May 2 order granting anticipatory bail...
S.311 CrPC Meant To Elicit Truth, Not Favour Either Side: Rajasthan High Court Allows Summoning Of Prosecutrix's School Record In POCSO Case
While allowing an application under Section 311 CrPC at the "fag end" of a POCSO trial, the Rajasthan High Court held that the purpose of the provision is not to favour or disfavour the prosecution or the accused, but to naturally unravel the truth to exercise just decision in a case. [2026 LiveLaw (Raj) 263]Section 311 CrPC empowered the courts to summon, recall, or re-examine any witness or...
MP High Court Closes Defamation Case Against Rahul Gandhi After He Expresses Regret
The Madhya Pradesh High Court closed a defamation case lodged by Kartikey Singh Chauhan–son of former Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chauhan, against Congress leader Rahul Gandhi alleging that the latter made false and defamatory statements against Singh during an election rally in 2018. [2026 LiveLaw (MP) 235]Gandhi had moved the high court challenging a 2024 trial court order taking...
Possession Of Cough Syrup With Less Than 2.5% Codeine Attracts NDPS Act If Held Without Authorisation: Patna High Court
The Patna High Court has held that cough syrup containing codeine in a concentration of less than 2.5% of the total preparation does not fall outside the ambit of the NDPS Act merely on that ground. The Court further observed that such preparations are classified as essential narcotic drugs and their possession, sale, purchase, transport, import and export remain regulated under the NDPS Act...
Summoning Under POCSO Act Impermissible When Allegations In Complaint Are Absent From Pre-Summoning Evidence: Uttarakhand High Court
The Uttarakhand High Court has held that an accused cannot be summoned under Section 354A IPC and Sections 11/12 of the POCSO Act merely on the basis of allegations made in the complaint when such allegations are not supported by the statements recorded under Sections 200 and 202 CrPC. The Court observed that if the ingredients of the alleged offences are absent from the statements of...
Jharkhand High Court Directs Judicial Probe Into Alleged Custodial Death In Palamu, Seeks Inquiry U/S 196(2) BNSS
The Jharkhand High Court has ordered a judicial inquiry into allegations of custodial torture leading to the death of a man in Palamu district. The Court was hearing a contempt petition alleging violation of the safeguards laid down by the Supreme Court in D.K. Basu v. State of West Bengal.A Division Bench of Justice Sujit Narayan Prasad and Justice Anubha Rawat Choudhary observed that...
Can Production Warrant Override A Subsisting 'No Coercive Action' Order? Orissa High Court Answers
The Orissa High Court has held that a 'production warrant' under Section 267 of the Code Criminal Procedure (CrPC) cannot be issued against an accused, violating an interim protection order of the higher Court, merely because he is already lodged in the judicial custody in connection with another case. [2026 LiveLaw (Ori) 65]While setting aside production warrant and subsequent police...