Odisha POCSO Court Sentences Youth To 30 Years' Rigorous Imprisonment For Rape Of 2-Year-Old Girl

A Special Court in Odisha, constituted under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act, 2012 (the 'POCSO Act'), has recently convicted a 24-year-old man for committing aggravated penetrative sexual assault and rape on a 2 and ½-year-old girl and sentenced him to undergo rigorous imprisonment for 30 years.While finding the accused guilty of the heinous offence, Saroj Kumar Sahoo,...

'Being Advocate No Ground For Anticipatory Bail': Punjab & Haryana High Court Denies Relief To Lawyer Accused Of Forging Bail Order

The Punjab and Haryana High Court has dismissed the anticipatory bail plea filed by an Advocate accused of cheating, forging a bail order to defraud complainants of over ₹10 lakh. [2026 LiveLaw (PH) 207]Justice Deepak Gupta said, “Merely because the petitioner is a practicing advocate cannot constitute a ground for grant of anticipatory bail. The status of a profession neither places a...

Convicts' Leave, Temporary Release Can't Be Indefinitely Suspended Due To Pending Appeal: Madras High Court 5-Judge Bench

A 5-judge bench of the Madras High Court recently observed that leave and temporary release are facets of human dignity which cannot be suspended indefinitely merely due to pendency of appeal. [2026 LiveLaw (Mad) 276] “We must reaffirm that incarceration does not render the fundamental rights a "parchment promise."..The power of this Court under Article 226 to ensure the protection...

Claimant's Guilty Plea To Rash Driving Acts As Admission Of Negligence, Disentitles Him To Accident Compensation: Uttarakhand High Court

The Uttarakhand High Court has held that where a claimant has pleaded guilty in a criminal case arising out of a motor accident, such a plea amounts to an admission that the accident occurred due to his rash and negligent driving. The Court observed that while the effect of a finding recorded in a criminal case may stand on a different footing, a voluntary plea of guilt by the claimant...

Delay In Investigation Not A Ground To Quash Corruption FIR Unless Accused Shows Prejudice To Fair Trial: HP High Court

The Himachal Pradesh High Court has held that an FIR registered under the Prevention of Corruption Act cannot be quashed merely on the ground of delay in investigation or filing of the charge-sheet, unless the accused demonstrates that such delay has caused prejudice affecting a fair trial. Dismissing a petition seeking quashing of corruption proceedings arising from alleged irregularities in...

Section 348 BNSS | Power To Recall Witness Should Not Be Used To Confer Second Innings To Negligent Litigant: Madras High Court

The Madras High Court recently held that the power of a trial court to recall a witness under Section 348 of the BNSS [corresponding to Section 311 of the CrPC] cannot be used to give a second chance to a negligent litigant to improve their case at the end of the trial. [2026 LiveLaw (Mad) 275] Justice Victoria Gowri observed that the criminal trial was not a game of strategy between...

Law Doesn't Require Eyewitnesses To Sign Inquest Report; Testimony Unaffected If Their Names Absent From Police Papers: Allahabad High Court

The Allahabad High Court recently affirmed the life imprisonment of a man convicted of a brutal daylight murder in 1998, as it clarified that the testimony of a credible eyewitness cannot be discarded merely because they did not sign the inquest report and other police papers, including spot recovery memos. A bench of Justice Salil Kumar Rai and Justice Ajay Kumar-II added that there...

Promise To Marry After Initial Sexual Assault Cannot Shield Accused: Calcutta High Court Upholds Rape Conviction

The Calcutta High Court has upheld the conviction of a man for rape, holding that a subsequent promise to marry after an initial act of forcible sexual assault cannot absolve the accused of criminal liability. The Court observed that while the parties later entered into a physical relationship on the accused's repeated assurances of marriage, the initial act was without the victim's consent...

Social Media Must Regulate Intimidating Posts: Karnataka High Court While Denying Bail To 4 Over 'Obscene Posts' Against Darshan's Wife

The Karnataka High Court last month denied bail to four persons who have been booked for making obscene posts on social media against actor Darshan's wife Vijaylakshmi Darshan. [2026 LiveLaw (Kar) 212]Justice S Rachaiah dismissed the bail petitions in four separate orders and noted:"No doubt, freedom of speech of expressions are guaranteed to its citizens under the Constitution...

Speedy Justice Requires Stakeholders To Act With Due Diligence: Uttarakhand High Court Directs State To Assist Trial Courts In Long-Pending Trials

The Uttarakhand High Court has granted bail to a murder accused who had remained in judicial custody since 13.07.2016, reiterating that the right to speedy trial is an integral facet of Article 21 of the Constitution of India and that prolonged incarceration of an undertrial prisoner without likelihood of early conclusion of trial cannot be countenanced indefinitely.Importantly, the Court...

Allahabad HC Acquits Rape Accused Who Spent 9 Yrs In Jail; Cites Inconsistencies In 8 Y/O Victim's Testimony, No Medical Evidence

The Allahabad High Court recently acquitted a man who spent over 9 years in jail on the allegations of committing rape and offences under the POCSO Act against an 8-year-old girl. Considering the inconsistencies and improvements in the minor victim's testimony, the conduct of her father and the absence of corroborative medical evidence, a Bench of Justice Siddhartha Varma and Justice...

Supreme Court Stays Order Granting Rs. 10 Lakh Compensation To Man Illegally Arrested By UP Police

The Supreme Court on Monday (June 22) stayed the Allahabad High Court's order which had directed the State Government to make a payment of Rs. 10 lakhs as compensation to a man for over three months' illegal detention after illegal arrest.A Bench of Justice Prashant Kumar Mishra and Justice Sanjeev Sachdeva was hearing the State's appeal challenging the High Court's decision on the limited...