'Ruse To Avoid Conviction': Delhi High Court Refuses To Quash POCSO Case Despite Marriage Between Accused, Prosecutrix

The Delhi High Court has refused to quash criminal proceedings under the POCSO Act despite the accused and the prosecutrix having married each other and having a child together, holding that such cases require a “careful and sensitive consideration” and that marriage cannot automatically justify closure of prosecution.Justice Prateek Jalan dismissed a petition filed under Section 528 of...

“Administrative Lethargy Can Never Be Sufficient Cause”: Delhi High Court Refuses To Condone DDA's 1600-Days Delay

The Delhi High Court has refused to condone a delay of 1600 days by the Delhi Development Authority (DDA) in filing an appeal against a trial court decree, holding that “administrative lethargy and laxity” cannot constitute sufficient cause for condonation of delay.Justice Neena Bansal Krishna dismissed DDA's application seeking condonation of delay in filing a Regular First Appeal against...

Delhi High Court Says Commercial Quantity Heroin Case Collapsed Due To “Extreme Carelessness” Of DRI Officers

The Delhi High Court has acquitted a man convicted in a 2012 heroin recovery case involving commercial quantity narcotics, while strongly criticising the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) for what it termed an “extreme carelessness” and “lackadaisical approach” in handling the prosecution.Justice Chandrasekharan Sudha set aside the conviction and 10-year sentence imposed on...

Delhi High Court Orders Perjury Proceedings Against Company Over Prima Facie False Pleadings, Fabricated NDAs

The Delhi High Court has directed initiation of perjury proceedings against a company after finding prima facie that it had made false averments and relied on fabricated Non-Disclosure Agreements (NDAs) in a civil suit filed against a rival company and former employees.Justice Subramonium Prasad passed the order while allowing an application filed under Section 340 read with Section 195(1)(b)...

Delhi High Court To Pass Order Protecting Personality Rights Of Congress MP Shashi Tharoor

The Delhi High Court on Friday (May 8) said that it will be passing an interim order protecting the personality rights of Congress MP Shashi Tharoor.Issuing notice on the application for interim injunction and summons in Tharoor's main suit seeking protection of his personality rights, Justice Mini Pushkarna while dictating the order said,"Orders will be passed in terms of prayers a, b , c and d". Appearing for Tharoor senior advocate Amit Sibal submitted that there are "three specific...

“Not An Explanation But A Lame Excuse”: Delhi High Court Rejects State's Plea To Condon 541-Day Delay In POCSO Appeal

The Delhi High Court has refused to condone State's delay of 541 days in filing an appeal seeking conviction of an accused under graver charges of penetrative sexual assault under the POCSO Act and rape under the IPC, terming the explanation offered by the prosecution as “a lame excuse.”A division bench of Justices Navin Chawla and Ravinder Dudeja dismissed the State's application...

Delhi High Court Denies Interim Bail To PFI Leader Seeking Release To Meet Family Before Haj

The Delhi High Court has refused to grant interim bail to Popular Front of India leader Anis Ahmed in a UAPA case, observing that his release even for meeting family members travelling for Haj pilgrimage could pose a security threat.A division bench comprising Justice Prathiba M. Singh and Justice Madhu Jain dismissed Ahmed's appeal challenging a trial court order rejecting his interim bail...

Shashi Tharoor Moves Delhi High Court Seeking Protection Of His Personality Rights, Hearing Tomorrow

Congress MP Shashi Tharoor has moved the Delhi High Court seeking protection of his personality rights. Tharoor's suit will be heard tomorrow by Justice Mini Pushkarna. Tharoor has named various individuals as defendants, including John Does (unknown individuals).It may be noted that the Court has been protecting the personality rights of Entrepreneur Aman Gupta, Telugu actor Allu...

“I Did Not Sing It”: Honey Singh Denies Performing Controversial Song 'Volume 1' Before Delhi High Court

Singer Honey Singh on Thursday opposed before the Delhi High Court a claim that he sang a few verses of the controversial song titled “Volume 1” at an event at Indira Gandhi Indoor Stadium on March 01 last year.Senior Advocate Rajshekhar Rao appearing for the singer told Justice Purushaindra Kumar Kaurav that no such incident had happened and that he did not sing the song. “I did not...

Husband Can't Seek To Strike Off Wife's Defence In Matrimonial Proceedings After Failing To Pay Litigation Expenses: Delhi High Court

The Delhi High Court has held that a husband cannot seek to strike off his wife's defence in matrimonial proceedings for delay in filing a written statement after himself failing to comply with the Family Court's direction to pay litigation expenses.A division bench of Justices Vivek Chaudhary and Rajneesh Kumar Gupta dismissed an appeal filed by a husband challenging a Family Court order...

Delhi High Court Upholds Maintenance To Woman From Second Marriage Despite No Formal Divorce From First Husband

The Delhi High Court has upheld a Family Court order granting maintenance to a woman from her second marriage despite the absence of a formal divorce decree from her first husband, observing that the expression “wife” under Section 125 CrPC must receive a liberal interpretation to further the provision's social justice objective.Justice Saurabh Banerjee dismissed a revision petition filed...

Prolonged Pre-Trial Incarceration In Circumstantial Evidence Case Violates Article 21: Delhi High Court

The Delhi High Court has granted bail to a man accused in an abduction-for-ransom and murder case, observing that prolonged pre-trial incarceration in a case resting on circumstantial evidence militates against the constitutional guarantee of speedy trial under Article 21 of the Constitution.Justice Anup Jairam Bhambhani granted regular bail to accused Ranjit Mehto, who had been in custody...