'Deep-Rooted, Systemic Failure': Kerala High Court Directs Probe Into Alleged ₹35 Lakh Embezzlement Of Ghee Sales At Sabarimala

Flagging the embezzlement of around Rupees 35 lakhs in the sale of ghee at Sabarimala within a span of less than two months, the Kerala High Court on Tuesday (January 13) directed the Director of the Vigilance and Anti-Corruption Bureau (VACB) to constitute a team to investigate into the same.The Division Bench of Justices Raja Vijayaraghavan V. and K.V. Jayakumar passed the order while considering a suo motu petition initiated on the basis of a report by the Sabarimala Special Commissioner. It...

Cheque Dishonour | Substitution Of Complainant & Accused Not Permissible At Appellate Stage: Kerala High Court

The Kerala High Court recently held that the names of the complainant and the accused cannot be substituted at the appellate stage by an amendment application as there is no enabling provision in the CrPC, specially when the amendment plea was moved 27 years after filing of the complaint. Justice Johnson John was considering an appeal filed by the complainant in a cheque dishonour case challenging the acquittal of the accused under Section 138 of the Negotiable Instruments Act, 1881.The...

MLA Uma Thomas Stadium Fall: Kerala High Court Stays 'Attempt To Culpable Homicide' Case Against Third Accused

The Kerala High Court on Tuesday (January 13) granted an interim stay of further proceedings against the 3rd accused in the crime relating to attempt to commit culpable homicide of Thrikkakkara MLA Uma Thomas.Justice C.S. Dias today admitted the plea and issued notice to the parties. The bench granted a stay of one month.The crime relates to an incident that happened in 2024, when MLA Uma Thomas fell down from a stage and injured herself, when she was attending a programme in Jawaharlal Nehru...

Bharat Mata Portrait Row: Kerala High Court Stays Memo Of Charges Issued By Kerala University VC Against Former Registrar

The Kerala High Court on Monday (12 January) stayed the memo of charges which the Kerala University's Vice Chancellor in-charge had issued to its former Registrar K S Anilkumar.Justice PV Kunhikrishnan issued the interim order in a writ petition filed by the former Registrar of Kerala University challenging the authority of the Vice Chancellor to issue the memo of charges. It was submitted that the Vice-Chancellor invoked Section 10(13) of the Kerala University Act, 1974. According to the...

Suraj Lama Missing Case: Kerala High Court Expresses Displeasure Over Delay In Forensic Identification

The Kerala High Court on Monday (12 January) granted two weeks time to the Forensic laboratory, Thiruvananthapuram to examine the body recovered from Kalamassery, suspected to be that of Suraj Lama— an Indian citizen deported from Kuwait who allegedly went missing after landing at Kochi International Airport.A Division Bench comprising Justice Devan Ramachandran and Justice M B Snehalatha...

Sabarimala Gold Theft: Kerala High Court Suggests State To Enact Law With Penal Provisions To Protect Temple Properties

The Kerala High Court on Monday (January 12) orally suggested the Additional Director General of Prosecution to make a recommendation to the State to make a law for protecting temple properties that would also contain penal provisions for violation of duties.Justice A. Badharudeen was considering the bail pleas of former Travancore Devaswom Board President A. Padmakumar, TDB ex-official...

'Justice Must Be Accessible, Timely And Meaningful': Justice Soumen Sen Assumes Office As 40th Chief Justice Of Kerala High Court

The Kerala High Court on Monday (12 January) welcomed Justice Soumen Sen, who assumed office as the 40th Chief Justice of the Kerala High Court, in a full court reference attended by judges, members of the Bar.Chief Justice Soumen Sen, beginning with a greeting in Malayalam, expressed deep gratitude for the warmth and affection extended to him. Reflecting on his journey from Calcutta,...

Martin Antony Moves Kerala High Court Challenging Rape Conviction & Sentence In 2017 Actress Assault Case

Martin Antony, the second accused in the 2017 actress abduction and rape case moved the Kerala High Court on Monday (January 12) challenging his conviction and sentence passed by the Principal District and Sessions Court Ernakulam.The Sessions Court had found him to be guilty of the offences under Sections 109, 120B, 342, 354, 354(b), 366, 355(b), 357, 354B and 376D of the Indian Penal Code...

Kerala High Court Weekly Round-Up : January 05 - January 11, 2026

Nominal Index [Citations: 2026 LiveLaw (Ker) 5 - 21]Shereefa Munvara and Anr. v. Muhammed Kabeer, 2026 LiveLaw (Ker) 5Mathews J. Nedumpara v. Union of India and Ors., 2026 LiveLaw (Ker) 6Raju Abraham and Anr v. State of Kerala and Ors, 2026 LiveLaw (Ker) 7Shaduli P.M. v. State of Kerala and Ors., 2026 LiveLaw (Ker) 8Velayudhan and Anr v Kuttooli and Ors, 2026 LiveLaw (Ker) 9XXX v. Gopalan...

Kerala High Court Directs State To Pay ₹14 Lakh Compensation To NRI Man & Kin For Wrongful Detention

The Kerala High Court recently directed the State government to pay Rs. 14 Lakhs compensation to a NRI man and family after he was imprisoned for a period of 54 days in judicial custody based on false charges.Justice P.M. Manoj awarded Rs. 10 lakhs to the man and Rs. 1 lakh each to four of his family members as a compensation for the mental agony, trauma, defamation and harassment faced by...

Magistrate Taking Cognizance Based On Protest Complaint Must Pass Speaking Order & Consider Refer Report: Kerala High Court

The Kerala High Court has ruled that a magistrate taking cognizance based on a protest complaint must consider the refer report filed by the police and pass a speaking order.Referring to the decisions in Parameswaran Nair v. Surendran [2009 (1) KLT 794] and C.R. Chandran v. State of Kerala [ILR 2024 (3) Ker. 245], Justice C. Pratheep Kumar observed:“Therefore, it is evident that while...

Victim Cannot File Second Appeal Against Order Affirming Acquittal By Seeking Special Leave From HC U/S 419(4) BNSS: Kerala High Court

The Kerala High Court recently passed a judgment holding that a victim cannot file a second appeal against the acquittal of an accused by seeking special leave from the High Court as per Section 419(4) of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita.Relying on the Supreme Court's observations in Asian Paints Limited v. Ram Babu and Another, Justice Bechu Kurian Thomas remarked:“It is evident from...