'Pedantic Literalism': Kerala High Court Directs Tribunal Not To Insist On Separate Petitions For Exempting Court Fees & Legal Benefit Fund

The Kerala High Court recently directed a Motor Accidents Claims Tribunal to number a claim petition without insisting on separate petitions for exemption from payment of court fees and legal benefit fund (LBF).The plea before Justice Mohammed Nias C.P. was preferred by a person claiming around Rs. 15 lakhs for an injury sustained in a motor accident. He filed a claim petition before the...

“Resources Completely Wasted Away”: Delhi High Court Fines Customs For Delaying Release Of Seized Goods Despite Order

The Delhi High Court has criticised the Customs Department for wasting public resources by withholding seized goods despite an adjudication order already having directed its unconditional release, eventually leading to avoidable litigation.A Division Bench of Justices Prathiba M. Singh and Shail Jain observed,“The present is a case which shows how the resources of the Customs Department...

'Insurance Company Cannot Claim Non-Receipt Of Premium When It Was Negligent In Handling Cheque': Bombay High Court

The Bombay High Court held that an insurance company cannot avoid liability by pleading non-receipt of the insurance premium when the cheque towards the premium was received in time but was negligently handled by the insurer itself. The Court observed that where the insurer assumes risk after receiving the premium cheque and issues a renewed policy, it cannot subsequently repudiate the claim...

Sunglasses Not Covered Under 'Spectacles' Entry; Taxable As Residuary Goods At 12.5% VAT: Punjab & Haryana High Court

The Punjab and Haryana High Court held that the sunglasses are classified as a residuary item, as they did not fall under any specified Schedule, and therefore are exigible to VAT (Value Added Tax) at the rate of 12.50%. Justices Lisa Gill and Meenakshi I. Mehta stated that sunglasses are indeed a distinct commodity, which is not covered under Entry 110 of Schedule B of PVAT Act...

Delhi High Court Issues Notice On Plea Against Release Of Web Series 'UP 77' Based On Slain Gangster Vikas Dubey's Life

The Delhi High Court on Tuesday (December 23) issued notice on a plea against release of web series “UP 77” purportedly based on the life of gangster Vikas Dubey who was killed in a police encounter in July 2020. The series is slated to release on December 25 on Waves OTT platform. Justice Sachin Datta sought response of the Union Government, the OTT platform and maker of the web...

Bombay High Court Declines To Temporarily Injunct Use Of 'Saat Samundar Paar' In Upcoming Dharma Film

The Bombay High Court on Tuesday declined to grant ad‑interim relief to Trimurti Films Pvt. Ltd. in a copyright infringement suit concerning the use of the song “Saat Samundar Paar” in the upcoming Hindi film 'Tu Meri Main Tera Main Tera Tu Meri'. The court has refused to injunct the use of the song in the upcoming Dharma Products movie slated for a Christmas Release.A single judge Bench...

Delhi High Court Suspends Life Sentence Of Kuldeep Singh Sengar In Unnao Rape Case

The Delhi High Court on Tuesday (December 23) suspended the life sentence awarded to expelled BJP leader Kuldeep Singh Sengar, who was convicted and sentenced to life imprisonment by the trial court in the Unnao rape case.A division bench comprising of Justice Subramonium Prasad and Justice Harish Vaidyanathan Shankar while pronouncing the order said:"We are suspending the sentence. Personal...

Delhi High Court Upholds ₹9.73 Crore Duty On Import Of IPL Broadcast Equipment, Reduces Penalty For Misdeclaration

The Delhi High Court recently upheld the import duty imposed by the Customs, Central Excise & Service Tax Settlement Commission on a company authorised by BCCI to provide broadcast equipment and associated services for covering the Indian Premier League in 2012.A division bench of Justices Prathiba M. Singh and Shail Jain observed that under normal circumstances, this duty would have...

Allahabad High Court Quashes Forgery Case Against Shooter Vartika Singh Who Accused Smriti Irani Of Corruption

The Allahabad High Court (Lucknow Bench) last week quashed criminal proceedings against international shooter and President's Awardee Vartika Singh, who was facing charges of forgery and defamation after she alleged that she was asked Rs. 25 Lakh as a bribe in return for a berth in the National Commission for Women. A bench Justice Rajeev Singh observed that there was absolutely...

Karnataka High Court Acquits Husband Convicted In Wife's Murder Case Over Allegedly Objectionable Facebook Post Against His Paramour

The Karnataka High Court allowed an appeal and acquitted Arun Kumar M, who had been convicted and sentenced to life imprisonment for allegedly murdering his wife after she made an objectionable post on Facebook against his alleged paramour.A Division Bench of Justice K.S. Mudagal and Justice Venkatesh Naik T observed, “The chain of events being sought to be projected is laden with...

Sabarimala Gold Theft: Jeweller Roddam Govardhan Moves Kerala High Court Seeking Bail, Claims SIT Forcibly Took His Gold

Roddam Pandurangaiah Naga Govardhan, one of the accused persons in the high-profile Sabarimala gold theft case, has moved the Kerala High Court seeking bail.He is arrayed in both the crimes registered by the Crime Branch regarding the misappropriation of gold from the dwarapalaka idols and the doorframes/lintels of the Sreekovil in Sabarimala.The prosecution allegation was that the...

Dadri Lynching | Victim Akhlaq's Wife Moves High Court Against UP Govt's Proposal To Withdraw Charges Against Accused

[NOTE : After the publication of this story, a court in Gautam Budh Nagar (UP) rejected the Uttar Pradesh Government's application to withdraw the prosecution against the accused in the 2015 Mohammad Akhlaq lynching case. Consequently, the petition filed by the victim's wife (details of which are contained in the news piece below) in the High Court has effectively been rendered infructuous....