NDPS | Supreme Court Issues Directions To Curb Fake Sureties In Foreigners' Bail In Drug Cases

The Court also issued slew of directions to ensure that foreigners granted bail in NDPS cases remain traceable.

Speedy Trial Also A Right Of Victim; Accused Cannot Use Pending Gangsters Act Case To Stall Other Trials : Supreme Court

Observing that a right to a speedy trial is not only the prerogative of the accused, but is also a valuable right of the victim, the Supreme Court on Monday (August 17) set aside the Allahabad High Court's order which had kept a murder trial against an accused in abeyance merely because a proceeding under the UP Gangsters Act was pending against him. Allowing the complainant's appeal, a...

Declared Foreigner Who Re-Entered India After Expulsion Not Entitled To Bail Despite Prolonged Detention: Gauhati High Court

The Gauhati High Court recently held that a declared foreigner who was expelled from the country and re-entered the country illegally cannot claim bail on the ground of prolonged detention. The bench of Justice Kalyan Rai Surana and Justice Susmita Phukan Khaund held that the Immigration and Foreigners Order 2025 empowered the State to impose restrictions on the movement of...

Mere Official Reprimand By Superior Not Abetment Of Suicide Without Intent To Drive Subordinate To Death : Supreme Court

The Supreme Court has held that ordinary administrative directions, disciplinary supervision, adverse remarks on official performance or even stern behaviour by a superior officer cannot, by themselves, be treated as abetment of suicide under Section 306 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC), unless there is additional material showing a conscious intention to drive the subordinate to take her...

Complainant Who Arranges 'Trap Money' To Expose Corruption Can't Be Made To Wait Years For Its Return: Karnataka High Court

What is required is preservation of its evidentiary value, not prolonged deprivation of lawful owner's rights, Court said.

Gujarat High Court Refuses To Quash FIR Against Journalist Ravi Nair Over Article Alleging Govt Directed LIC Investments In Adani Group

The Gujarat High Court has refused to quash the Forgery FIR against Journalist Ravi Nair registered at the instance of Adani Ports and SEZ Ltd. over a Washington Post article alleging that the LIC made investments in the Adani Group on the instructions of the Central Government. [2026 LiveLaw (Guj) 221]Justice M. R. Mengdey observed that mere pendency of a private complaint on the same set...

Police Cannot Register FIR On Same Allegations If They Initially Treated Complaint As 'Non-Cognizable': Chhattisgarh High Court

The Chhattisgarh High Court has held that where the police initially treated a complaint as a non-cognizable dispute, registering an FIR on the very same allegations without any fresh material indicates that the dispute has been given a criminal colour. The Court further observed that non-fulfilment of a promise or breach of contractual terms cannot attract criminal liability in the absence...

Fleeing After Friend's Drowning, Though Reprehensible Conduct, Not Per Se Suggestive Of Murder: Supreme Court

The Supreme Court has held that fleeing from the spot after witnessing a friend drown and failing to inform the deceased's family, though “reprehensible” conduct, cannot by itself be treated as an incriminating circumstance to establish murder.A bench of Justice J.B. Pardiwala and Justice K. Vinod Chandran acquitted two individuals who were convicted over the death of a deceased...

Siblings-In-Law Can Claim Accident Compensation As Dependents If Financial Dependency Is Proved: Sikkim High Court

The Sikkim High Court has held that siblings-in-law of a deceased can be treated as dependents for the purpose of claiming compensation under the Motor Vehicles Act, provided their financial dependency is established through evidence. The Court observed that there is no hard-and-fast rule for determining dependency and that the question must be decided on the facts and evidence of each...

Mere Participation in Protest March Does Not Make One Part of Unlawful Assembly: HP High Court

The Himachal Pradesh High Court has held that mere participation in a protest march does not, by itself, make a person a member of an unlawful assembly under Section 149 of the IPC. The Court observed that where the petitioners, after witnessing the violence, separated themselves from the unruly mob and attempted to save the teachers being assaulted, they could not be treated as members of...

Courts Must Strictly Follow 45-Day Timeline Under BNSS For Disposal Of Seized Property: Karnataka High Court

The Karnataka High Court has held that courts dealing with seized property under Section 497 BNSS must strictly adhere to the prescribed timelines for its disposal, requiring preparation of the property's statement within 14 days of its production before the court and an order regarding its disposal, destruction, confiscation or delivery within the subsequent 30 days. [2026 LiveLaw...

Journalist's News Report Causing Embarrassment Doesn't By Itself Constitute Criminal Defamation: Kerala High Court

The Kerala High Court has recently held that a journalist would not be criminally liable for the offence of defamation for reporting on the arrest and registration of crime against a person. [2026 LiveLaw (Ker) 447]Justice C.S. Dias referred to Sections 499 [Defamation], 501 [Printing or engraving matter known to be defamatory] and 502 [Sale of printed or engraved substance containing...