Supreme Court Explains S.69 BNS : No Offence Of Deceitful Sex By Breach Of Genuine Marriage Promise

The Supreme Court has recently quashed an FIR registered under Section 69 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023 (BNS), which criminalises sexual intercourse for which consent was obtained by deceitful means, such as false promise to marry, after finding that the complaint itself disclosed a consensual relationship rather than a deceitful inducement. It also noted that refusal to marry because...

Even If S.376 IPC Charge Not Framed, Rape Conviction Possible When POCSO Case Fails For Not Proving Victim's Age : Supreme Court

The Supreme Court on Thursday (September 10) held that the prosecution's failure to prove the victim's age, essential for sustaining a conviction under the POCSO Act, does not automatically absolve the accused of liability for rape under Section 376 of the IPC. The Court added that even in the absence of a formal charge under Section 376, the accused can be convicted under that provision as it...

Muslim Man's Second Marriage Not 'Void', Offence Of Bigamy Under S.494 IPC Not Made Out: Telangana High Court

The Telangana High Court has held that where the parties are governed by Muslim Personal Law, a man's second marriage would not be rendered "void" on the ground of mere subsistence of first marriage and thus offence of bigamy under Section 494 IPC would not be attracted. [2026 LiveLaw (Tel) 149]A Single Judge Bench of Justice N. Tukaramji quashed bigamy proceedings against a Muslim man,...

No Supplementary Lease Deed Needed For Statutorily Extended Mining Lease: Karnataka High Court Quashes ₹482 Crore Penalty On ACC

The Karnataka High Court has on September 8 [Tuesday] quashed a Rs 482.69 crore penalty imposed on ACC Limited- a part of the Adani Group- holding that mining operations during a statutorily extended lease term won't be deemed as 'unlawful' merely because a Supplementary Lease Deed was not executed to that effect.A Division Bench of Chief Justice Vibhu Bakhru and Justice K.S. Hemalekha...

'Publishing News On True Facts Not Defamation': Himachal Pradesh High Court Quashes Case Against Newspaper Editor

The Himachal Pradesh High Court has quashed a defamation complaint against the editor of a newspaper, holding that publication of a news report based on true and undisputed facts, particularly where the complainant's clarification was also sought and published, could not amount to defamation. The Court observed that the report was based on factually correct information and that the newspaper...

S.262(1) BNSS | Not Mandatory To Wait 60 Days For Framing Charge But 'Reasonable Interval' Be Given For Seeking Discharge: Orissa High Court

The Orissa High Court has ruled that the sixty-days period provided to accused for filing discharge application under Section 262(1) of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS) is not a rigid or non-negotiable “moratorium” and that trial court may proceed to frame charge after allowing a “reasonable interval” to elapse after supply of police papers to accused under Section 230 of...

Exhibiting Private Parts To Minor Child Not Sexual Assault But Sexual Harassment: Madras High Court Modifies Sentence

The Madras High Court recently modified the sentence imposed on a man, accused of showing his male private organ to a minor boy. [2026 LiveLaw (Mad) 436]. Justice S Karthikeyan noted that the act attributed to the man was that he had shown his male organ to the child. The court remarked that such an act would not constitute sexual assault under Section 7 of the POCSO Act but would...

'No Person Can Practise As Advocate Without Enrolment': Rajasthan High Court Imposes ₹50,000 Costs On 'Fake Lawyer'

The Rajasthan High Court has imposed a cost of Rs. 50,000/- on a man accused under Section 319(2) BNS, for representing himself to be an advocate without enrolment with the Bar Council and making appearances before the trial court. Section 319(2) prescribed punishment for the offence of cheating by personation. The bench of Justice Ravi Chirania opined,"No person can be permitted to practise...

News Reporter Publishing Report Based On Police Officer's Statement Not Liable For Defamation: Jharkhand High Court

The Jharkhand High Court has held that a reporter cannot be fastened with criminal liability for publishing a news report based on a statement made by a police officer, where the reporter merely reports what was stated by the officer. The Court observed that the respondent was “merely a Reporter” who had published what had been stated by the SDPO and that “the publication of a news item...

Mere Participation In Protest Not Offence: AP High Court Quashes Assault FIR Against YSR Congress Leaders During Political Rally

The Andhra Pradesh High Court has quashed FIR against political leaders Yuvajana Sramika Rythu (YSR) Congress Party leaders Devineni Avinash, former MLA Monditoka Jagan Mohana Rao and MLC Monditoka Aruna Kumar over allegations of assault, organizing unlawful assembly, obstructing public servants during “Annadata Poru” rally.[2026 LiveLaw (AP) 211]Reportedly, the state-wide protest rally...

Prosecution Story Of Taking Dead Body To Police Station Suspicious : Supreme Court Acquits Two Murder Convicts

The Supreme Court on Tuesday (08.09.2026) acquitted two persons convicted of murder, holding that the prosecution's own case of taking the body of the deceased to the police station instead of the hospital, raises suspicion, and that this conduct along with other infirmities in the investigation and eyewitness testimony raised a reasonable hypothesis of innocence.A bench of Justice JB...

Madras High Court Acquits Death Row Prisoner Accused Of Sexually Abusing 5 Minors, Says 'Draconian' POCSO Provisions Weaponised

The Madras High Court recently set aside the death sentence imposed on a man accused of sexually abusing 5 minor children. [2026 LiveLaw (Mad) 434] The bench of Justice Anand Venkatesh and Justice KK Ramakrishnan observed that the prosecution case suffered from material inconsistencies, omissions and deficiencies which create a reasonable doubt. The court added that when such...