“Not Safe To Allow Local Police To Continue Investigation”: Calcutta High Court Transfers Khejuri Murder Probe To CID

The Calcutta High Court has directed the state CID to investigate the murder of two men who were brutally killed in West Bengal's Khejuri.Justice Tirthankar Ghosh held: “Having regard to the factum of instilling public confidence in an investigation both in respect of the manner of investigation process, the difference in the opinion of the Autopsy Surgeons and the fact that the...

Kerala High Court Slaps 25K On PIL Litigant For 'Suppressing Personal Interest', Says Parties' Credentials Must Be Disclosed At Threshold

The Kerala High Court imposed Rs. 25,000 fine on a public interest litigant who suppressed his "personal interest" in the matter and did not disclose proper credentials which amounts to abuse of law. In doing so the court emphasized that there is a need to disclose the full credentials of petitioners in Public Interest Litigations (PILs) by way of detailed affidavits at the threshold, to...

Delhi High Court Denies Bail To Man Accused Under UAPA For Supplying Weapons To 'Bambiha' Gang, Says Arrest Not Illegal

The Delhi High Court on Monday (August 25) denied bail to a UAPA accused, booked for supplying arms and ammunition to the Bambiha Gang, in furtherance of alleged conspiracy to commit terrorist activities in the country, particularly the national capital.A division bench of Justices Subramonium Prasad and Harish Vaidyanathan Shankar observed that a huge cache of arms and ammunition was...

Kerala High Court Suspends Judicial Officer Accused Of Sexual Impropriety

The Kerala High Court has suspended Sri. Udayakumar V., judicial officer at the Motor Accidents Claims Tribunal, Kollam, while initiating disciplinary action against him on a sexual harassment allegation.He was previously serving as Judge of the Family Court, Chavara when allegations of sexual impropriety were raised against him by a litigant. Following the same, he was transferred from there...

'Mere Prospect Of Filing Review Not Grounds To Hold Seized Goods': Delhi High Court Orders Customs To Release Woman's Gold Jewellery

The Delhi High Court has granted relief to a Muslim woman whose gold bangles were seized by the Customs Department on return from Mecca and were withheld despite an order of the Adjudicating Authority, directing release.A division bench of Justices Prathiba M. Singh and Shail Jain observed that merely because the Department plans to seek a review of the order for return, as upheld by...

PIL In Delhi High Court Against LG Notification Allowing Recording Of Police Officials' Evidence From Police Stations

A public interest litigation has been filed in the Delhi High Court against a notification issued by the Delhi Lieutenant Governor (LG) VK Saxena declaring all police stations in the national capital as “designated places” for recording deposition of police officers through video conferencing.The petition has been filed by Advocate Kapil Madan, through Advocates Gurmukh Singh Arora and...

Department Can't Withhold Refund In Terms Of S.54(11) GST Act Unless Appeal Against Refund Order Is Filed: Delhi High Court

The Delhi High Court has made it clear that the power to withhold refund under Section 54(11) of the Central Goods and Service Tax Act 2017 cannot be exercised by the Department in absence of an appeal against the refund order.The provision stipulates that where an order giving rise to a refund is the subject matter of an appeal and the Commissioner is of the opinion that grant of such refund...

Ex-Kollam Bar Association President Alleges Contempt, Kerala High Court Seeks State's Stand On Theft Case Probe

Former Kollam Bar Association President, Adv. Dheeraj Ravi, has initiated contempt proceedings before the Kerala High Court against the Kollam City Police Commissioner for allegedly not complying with the Court's direction to conduct a Crime Branch investigation into a theft that occurred in his residence.When the matter came up for admission, Justice P.V. Kunhikrishnan directed the...

'No Blanket Orders Can Be Passed Directing Service Of Notice Before Arrest': P&H High Court Reject's Former SAD Member Ranjit Gill's Plea

The Punjab and Haryana High Court has said that no blanket protection can be granted to an accused, requiring the investigating agency to serve prior notice before arrest, as the same will amount to curtailing its authority against a person alleged to have committed a non-bailable offence.The observation came while dismissing a petition filed by former Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) member...

Recreational Clubs Selling Liquor Becoming 'Nuisance', Govt Allowing It Because Owners Are Influential/ Politicians: Madras High Court

Noting that several recreational clubs were only engaged in selling alcohol, the Madras High Court has issued directions to ensure that the licenses are issued only after verification and to take appropriate action. The bench of Justice SM Subramaniam and Justice G Arul Murugan noted that these clubs were becoming a nuisance for the people living near them. The bench also noted that...

Gujarat High Court Advocates' Association Resolves To Go On Strike Opposing Proposal To Transfer HC Judge

The Gujarat High Court Advocates' Association (GHCAA) has unanimously resolved that the members of the bar will abstain from work with immediate effect, opposing the proposed recommendation to transfer Justice Sandeep Bhatt. There is no official communication/ collegium resolution regarding the proposed transfer uploaded on the Supreme Court's website as of now. The GHCAA has also decided to...

Order VI Rule 17 CPC | Written Statement Can Only Be Amended By Defendant Who Files It, Not Those Who Have Adopted It: Karnataka HC

The Karnataka High Court has said that only the defendant who has filed a written statement, in a suit seeking partition and separate possession, can seek amendment of the written statement filed by him, other defendants who have adopted the written statement are not permitted to amend it.Justice Suraj Govindaraj held thus while dismissing a petition filed by Seeta Nayak and others. He said...