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...

Gujarat High Court Quashes Abetment Of Suicide FIR, Says Accused Lodging Land Grab Case Against Deceased Not Enough To Invoke Offence

The Gujarat High Court quashed an FIR against a man accused of abetting complainant's suicide against whom the former had lodged a land grab case, observing merely lodging of land grabbing complaint does not mean that it was intended to compel the deceased to commit suicide as the petitioner was only invoking legal right. [2026 LiveLaw (Guj) 175]The petitioner had sought quashing of an FIR...

17-Yr-Old Victim Had 'Worldly Knowledge Of Consequences': Karnataka High Court Grants Bail In POCSO Case, Notes She Married Accused

The Karnataka High Court has granted bail to a 28-year-old man accused of marrying a 17-year-old girl and indulging in sexual relations with her on the ground that the girl had worldly knowledge about the consequences of her actions. [2026 LiveLaw (Kar) 217]The single judge bench of Justice S. Vishwajith Shetty noted in the order that the accused and the survivor were in love and got married at...

'Medical Evidence Alone Can't Prove Authorship Of Crime': Orissa High Court Acquits Man In 2002 Witchcraft Murder

The Orissa High Court on Tuesday (June 23) acquitted a man who was convicted by a Sessions Court in 2003 for committing murder of a person suspecting him to be practising witchcraft.Finding lack of evidence against the appellant/convict and significant gaps in the prosecution case, the Bench of Justice Manash Ranjan Pathak and Justice Sashikanta Mishra held–“Defence has not disputed...

Rajasthan High Court Grants Bail To Cyber Fraud Accused Subject To Disclosure Of Crypto Holdings, Digital Wallets

While granting bail in a cyber-fraud case, Rajasthan High Court prohibited the applicants from obtaining/using any new SIM, phone; opening new bank account; or creating any social medial account, domain name or website without prior intimation to the Investigating Officer. The bench of Justice Ravi Chirania further directed the accused persons against using any VPN, TOR Browser, Proxy Server...