Keeping Seized Vehicles In Police Custody For Years Serves No Purpose; Record Video, Release After Verification: Punjab & Haryana High Court

The Punjab and Haryana High Court has observed that keeping seized vehicles in police custody for years serves no useful purpose and results in depreciation, decay, and environmental harm. The Court underscored that modern technology allows for digital documentation — including video and photographs — to serve as sufficient evidence, thereby enabling timely release of vehicles to...

Execution Petition Not Maintainable Merely Because Award Debtor's Bank Has Branches In State; Jurisdiction Lies Where Account Is Kept: HP High Court

The Himachal Pradesh High Court has held that an execution petition is not maintainable in any state where the award debtor's bank has branches. The Court remarked that it will only be maintainable in the State where the award debtor maintains a bank account.Justice Ajay Mohan Goel remarked that: “Simply because the award debtor has an account in a bank in Chhattisgarh, which bank also has...

'Proof Beyond Reasonable Doubt Not Needed To Prove Defection, Speaker's Decision Perverse': Calcutta High Court Disqualifies MLA Mukul Roy

The Calcutta High Court has held that proof beyond reasonable doubt is not the standard for establishing defection under the tenth schedule of the Indian Constitution. The Court clarified that such proceedings are civil in nature and therefore governed by the test of preponderance of probabilities.A Division Bench of Justice Debangsu Basak and Justice Md. Shabbar Rashidi set aside the order...

Ex-Servicemen Need Not Prove Entitlement To Disability Pension, Benefit Of Doubt Must Favour Them More Liberally: J&K High Court

The Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh High Court has reaffirmed the welfare-oriented approach governing disability pension claims, holding that a claimant is not required to prove entitlement, and that the benefit of every reasonable doubt must be given to the serviceman more liberally so in field or afloat service cases.A Division Bench comprising Justice Sanjeev Kumar and Justice Sanjay...

Customs | Traveller Entitled To Release Of Goods If SCN Not Issued Within Time, No Liability To Pay Fine Or Penalty: Delhi High Court

The Delhi High Court has clarified that a traveller, whose goods are seized by the Customs, is not liable to pay a redemption fine or penalty for the release of goods if the Department failed to issue a show cause notice within the statutory timeframe.A division bench of Justices Prathiba M. Singh and Madhu Jain observed,“It is the settled position in law, after Union of India &Anr....

Punjab & Haryana High Court Grants Pre-Arrest Bail To Chartered Accountants In Case Involving ₹1,596 Crore SRS Group Fraud

The Punjab & Haryana High Court recently granted anticipatory bail to a group of Chartered Accountants accused by the Serious Fraud Investigation Office (SFIO) in connection with the alleged ₹1,596.94 crore fraud by the SRS Group of Companies. The Court, by a common order, disposed of multiple pending bail applications of eight Chartered Accountants by classifying them into two...

Delhi High Court Restrains Manufacture, Sale of Glucose Test Strips Copying Chinese Company Sinocare

The Delhi High Court has temporarily restrained several Indian firms from manufacturing, marketing, or selling blood glucose test strips or any other medical devices under the brand names “Safe AQ” and “Safe Accu”, after Chinese medical device maker Changsha Sinocare Inc. raised objection. The injunction will remain in place until March 3, 2026.A single bench of Justice Tejas...

'Vindictive': AP High Court Raps State For Withholding Occupancy Certificate Of YSRCP Party Office

The Andhra Pradesh High Court has strongly criticised the State authorities (respondents) for denying occupancy certificate for a building constructed for use as party office by the petitioners, who were members of YSRCP, despite the building being fit for occupation.Noting that State authorities are duty-bound to issue occupancy certificate for the building once it is fit for...

'No Incriminating Evidence, Complete Media Trial': Prajwal Revanna Tells Karnataka High Court Seeking Bail In Rape Case

While seeking suspension of life sentence and grant of bail in a rape case, convicted former Member of Parliament Prajwal Revanna contended that the prosecution's case is shaky and the linkage of evidence is not made out and that he should not be kept in custody. Senior Advocate Sidharth Luthra, appearing for the appellant, submitted that, “My submission is where the substratum of...

Jail Superintendent Cannot Initiate Disciplinary Proceedings Against Medical Officer On Deputation From Health Department: Rajasthan HC

The Rajasthan High Court has held that the Superintendent, Central Jail, being a separate administrative department, had no authority or competence to initiate disciplinary proceedings against a Medical Officer deputed from the Medical and Health Department.The bench of Justice Farjand Ali made these observations while quashing the transfer orders of the petitioner that also included a...

UAPA Convict Writes Book In Jail, Kerala High Court Asks State To Expeditiously Decide If It Can Be Published

The Kerala High Court recently directed the State government to consider a prisoner's application for permission to publish his book and to communicate its decision to him, within 3 months.Justice V.G. Arun observed that incarceration or conviction does not take away the fundamental rights of a person completely and that the Kerala Prisons and Correctional Services (Management) Rules, 2014...

Non-Disclosure Of Pending Criminal Case While Filing PIL Shows Lack Of Good Faith, Later Acquittal Irrelevant: Jharkhand HC Imposes ₹2 Lakh Cost

The Jharkhand High Court has recently observed that not disclosing a pending criminal case while filing a PIL, even if the petitioner was later acquitted, shows lack of good faith. A Division Bench of the High Court comprising Chief Justice T.S. Chauhan and Justice Rajesh Shankar dismissed a Public Interest Litigation alleging irregularities and illegalities in the...