'Govt Not Ordinary Litigant Seeking To Win By Hook Or Crook': Jharkhand HC Slams State's 'Belligerent Litigation', Imposes ₹1 Lakh Cost

The Jharkhand High Court recently observed that the State is not an ordinary litigant seeking to win a case against one of its own citizens by hook or by crook. The Court directed that henceforth all litigation on the appellate or revisional side at the behest of the State must be initiated only after complying with the Jharkhand State Litigation Policy.A Division Bench comprising Chief...

Ex-Servicemen In Special Auxiliary Police Force Cannot Claim Superannuation As Regular Govt Servant: Jharkhand High Court

The Jharkhand High Court recently held that ex-servicemen engaged on a contractual basis under the State's Special Auxiliary Police Force (SAP) battalions cannot claim continuation of service beyond the tenure prescribed under the governing scheme.A Single Judge Bench of Justice Ananda Sen was hearing a case wherein the petitioners were ex-servicemen appointed in terms of a scheme. The scheme...

'Liberty Of Squadron Leader Serving Country At Stake': Jharkhand High Court Grants Anticipatory Bail To IAF Officer Booked In Cruelty FIR

The Jharkhand High Court on Tuesday (December 16) granted anticipatory bail to a Squadron Leader serving in the Indian Air Force accused of receiving dowry and inflicting cruelty upon his wife, noting that the circumstances were exceptional and peculiar where liberty of an officer serving the country was at stake. In doing so the court also noted that the petitioner was not absconding and...

Villagers' Attempts To 'Resolve' Rape Case Through Mediation Explains Delay In Lodging FIR: Jharkhand High Court Upholds Conviction

The Jharkhand High Court recently observed that delay in lodging an FIR in rape cases may be justified where it is shown that local residents first attempted to resolve the matter amicably within the village.A Single Judge Bench of Justice Arun Kumar Rai was hearing an appeal against the order of the Trial Court whereby the appellant had been convicted under Section 376 IPC and sentenced to...

Jharkhand High Court Commutes Death Sentence Due To Split Verdict Between Division Bench

Recently, the Jharkhand High Court commuted a death sentence to life imprisonment on the ground that a split opinion of the Division Bench on the question of conviction made it impermissible to affirm the capital punishment, even in the absence of any mitigating circumstances.Justice Gautam Kumar Choudhary was hearing a death reference after a Division Bench of the Jharkhand High Court...

Jharkhand High Court Sets Aside Shared Parenting Order; Says Welfare Of Child Overrides Father's Status As Natural Guardian

The Jharkhand High Court recently held that Section 6 of the Hindu Minority and Guardianship Act must be read in conjunction with Section 13, and that the welfare of the child remains the primary consideration even though the father is designated as the natural guardian. The Court set aside the Family Court's order directing a “shared parenting arrangement” and granting custody to the...

'Minor Offence': Jharkhand High Court Exempts CM Hemant Soren From Personal Appearance In Case U/S 174 IPC

The Jharkhand High Court recently allowed Hemant Soren's application seeking exemption from personal appearance in a Section 174 IPC case, holding that his role as Chief Minister and the minor nature of the offence did not warrant requiring his personal attendance.A Single Judge Bench comprising Justice Anil Kumar Choudhary was hearing a petition under Section 528 of the Bharatiya...

Jharkhand High Court Directs Principal Secy To File Personal Affidavit Highlighting Number Of Custodial Deaths From 2018 Onwards

In an order dated 27.11.2025, the Jharkhand High Court directed the Principal Secretary, Department of Home, Prison and Disaster Management, Government of Jharkhand, to file a personal affidavit indicating all cases of deaths occurring in police custody as well as during police transit.A Division Bench comprising Chief Justice Tarlok Singh Chauhan and Justice Rajesh Shankar passed this order...

Jharkhand High Court Directs Inspection Of Jails To Assess Quality Of Food Given To Inmates

The Jharkhand High Court has directed various District Legal Services Authorities to conduct inspections of different jails to assess the quality of food provided to inmates and to check if it is as per the jail manual. The court further directed that DLSA or Jharkhand State Legal Services Authority shall frequently conduct such inspections on food quality supplied in prisons.The court...

Criminal Revision Before HC Is Maintainable, But Sessions Court Should Ordinarily Be Approached First: Jharkhand High Court

The Jharkhand High Court recently held that the revisional jurisdiction of the Sessions Judge and the inherent powers of the High Court operate concurrently, and invoking one does not bar recourse to the other. However, as a matter of judicial discipline, the High Court will ordinarily refrain from exercising its inherent powers when an equally efficacious remedy before the Sessions Judge...

Preventive Detention Can Be Extended Without Advisory Board's Review After Initial Confirmation: Jharkhand High Court

The Jharkhand High Court recently clarified that once the Advisory Board has approved a preventive-detention order and the State Government has issued a confirmatory order, no further approval of the Board is required for subsequent extensions.A Division Bench of Justice Sujit Narayan Prasad and Justice Arun Kumar Rai made these observations while dismissing a writ petition challenging an...

“Crime Against Country's Economic Health, Has Cascading Effect on Taxpayers”: Jharkhand HC Denies Bail In Rs 522 Cr PMLA Case

The Jharkhand High Court has refused to grant bail to Amit Gupta (applicant), who was accused of coordinating 135 shell companies allegedly to generate fake invoices, irregular Input Tax Credit (ITC), and fraudulent e-way bills, causing a purported loss of over Rs.522.91 crores to Government exchequer.As the applicant had miserably failed to satisfy the Court that reasonable grounds existed...