Insurer Not Liable If Learner's Licence Holder Not Accompanied By Instructor With Valid License At The Time Of Accident: Karnataka High Court

The Karnataka High Court has held that an insurance company won't be liable if a vehicle driven by a learner's license holder met with an accident, and the driver failed to prove compliance with Rule 3 of the Central Motor Vehicles Rules, 1989, such as being accompanied by an instructor with valid license when the accident happened. [2026 LiveLaw (Kar) 360]The single judge bench of...

Kerala High Court Grants Pre-Arrest Bail To Lawyer Accused Of Sexually Harassing Lady Advocate, Notes Prior Counter Case

The Kerala High Court recently granted anticipatory bail to a lawyer, who is accused of sexually harassing a lady advocate outside a Palakkad court. [2026 LiveLaw (Ker) 509]Dr. Justice Kauser Edappagath noted that a prior crime was registered against the complainant at the instance of the petitioner lawyer and went on to grant him bail. The Court was of the view that custodial interrogation...

JJ Act | Rajasthan High Court Directs 1% Reservation For Youth Leaving Care Homes, Flags 'Mechanical' Juvenile Assessments

Taking serious note of the lapses in preliminary assessments of a minors under Section 15 of the Juvenile Justice Act (“JJ Act”), the Rajasthan High Court has ordered constitution of a panel of Clinical psychologists, psychiatrists, and experts in Child psychology in each district.The bench of Justice Anoop Kumar Dhand further highlighted the harsh reality faced by the “care leavers”,...

Predicate Offence Acquittal Must Attain Finality To End PMLA Proceedings; Appeal Can't Be 'Blanket Shield': Jharkhand High Court

The Jharkhand High Court has held that an acquittal in a predicate offence must attain finality before it can bring money laundering proceedings against the accused to an end, observing that an acquittal which remains open to appellate challenge cannot be used as a “blanket shield” against proceedings under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act, 2002 (PMLA).A Single Judge Bench of...

Second Wife Unaware Of Husband's First Marriage Can't Be Prosecuted For Cruelty, Bigamy: Madras High Court

The Madras High Court recently held that a woman who was unaware of her husband's first marriage could not be prosecuted for the offence of bigamy under Section 82 of BNS. The court also noted that the second wife will not fall within the definition of “relative of husband” and cannot be prosecuted under Section 85 of BNS (corresponding to Section 498A of the IPC).[2026 LiveLaw...

Bail Applications Without Details Of Criminal Antecedents, Prior Pleas Not To Be Numbered: Kerala High Court

The Kerala High Court has directed that bail applications not disclosing criminal antecedents and details of prior bail pleas as mandated by the Apex Court in Zeba Khan v. State of U.P. and Others, cannot be numbered. [2026 LiveLaw (Ker) 504]Dr. Justice Kauser Edappagath observed that bail applications rarely comply with the afore directions and the administrative mandate contained in the...

Karuvatta Murder Case: Kerala High Court Upholds JJB Order Allowing Escorted Movement Of Minors For Evidence Collection

The Kerala High Court on Tuesday (September 15) upheld the order of the Juvenile Justice Board, Alappuzha that allowed the escorted movement of the children in conflict with law (CCLs) for evidence collection in the Karuvatta murder case. [2026 LiveLaw (Ker) 505]The case refers to the murder of a 67-year-old man on August 17, 2026 allegedly by his 13-year-old granddaughter and three other...

MACT | Pay Protection No Bar To Compensation For Loss Of Future Income If Post Is Reduced Following Accident: Karnataka High Court

The Kalaburagi Bench of the Karnataka High Court has held that a Motor Accident Claims Tribunal (MACT) cannot deny compensation under the head of loss of future income merely because the claimant's salary has been protected pursuant to being assigned a lower position/reduction in post after a road accident. The court said that reliance on pay protection benefit without examining the loss...

Witness Protection In UAPA Cases Can't Be Prosecution's Sword To Curtail Right Of Cross-Examination: Madras High Court Issues Directions

The Madras High Court recently held that the provision of witness protection under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act is aimed at protecting the witness from any threat and should not be used as a sword in the prosecution's hand to curtail the accused's right to cross-examination. The bench of Justice Anita Sumanth and Justice Sunder Mohan added that whenever the prosecution files...

Bombay High Court Quashes Process Against TV9 Managing Directors For Allegedly Defaming Mumbai Police Officer

The Bombay High Court recently quashed the process issued against the Directors of TV9 News Channel named in a defamation case filed by a Mumbai Police Officer over a video aired on their channel, wherein the said officer was allegedly assaulted by another man and a woman in a public place. Single-judge Justice Ranjitsinha Bhonsale noted the case of the complainant - Rajesh Sawane that while...

NDPS Conviction Can't Be Recorded Mechanically On Guilty Plea: Manipur High Court Criticises 'One & Half Line' Conviction Order

The Manipur High Court has set aside an NDPS conviction after finding that the Special Court failed to properly exercise the discretion vested in it under Section 229 of the Code of Criminal Procedure, 1973 while convicting the accused on her plea of guilty. The Court observed that the conviction order was merely “one and half line”, indicating that the trial Judge had not undertaken...

High Rich Ponzi Case: Kerala High Court Directs Special Court To Reconsider Prime Accused's Bail After ED Challenge

The Kerala High Court in a recent order, directed the Special Court for PMLA cases, Ernakulam to consider afresh the bail application of K.D. Prathapan, the prime accused in the High Rich Pozhi Scheme case, while considering a plea preferred by the Directorate of Enforcement to cancel the bail granted. [2026 LiveLaw (Ker) 500]Justice C.S. Dias directed the Special Court to reconsider...