P&H High Court Refuses To Quash FIR In Dera Samadh Trust Misappropriation Case, Orders Expeditious Probe

The Punjab and Haryana High Court has refused to quash an FIR alleging embezzlement, forgery and misappropriation of funds belonging to Dera Samadh charitable trust, holding that the allegations required a thorough investigation and cannot be adjudicated in proceedings under Section 482 Cr.P.C.Justice H.S. Grewal noted, "the complaint in question contains specific allegations against...

Punjab & Haryana High Court Imposes ₹50,000 Cost On Party For Suppressing Foreign Citizenship, Denies Permission To Travel Abroad

The Punjab and Haryana High Court has dismissed an application seeking permission to travel abroad filed by a man after finding that he had suppressed a material fact regarding his citizenship–that he was a citizen of a foreign country, Republic of Vanuatu and was not an Indian citizen. The Court also imposed costs of ₹50,000 to be deposited with the Poor Patients Welfare Fund,...

'Can't Be Left Remediless': P&H High Court Orders Temporary Power Supply To 500+ Families In Abandoned Housing Project

The Punjab and Haryana High Court has issued interim directions to provide temporary electricity connections to residents of Sushma Valencia Apartments, an allegedly abandoned housing project in Zirakpur, while calling upon authorities to evolve a comprehensive solution to the crisis.Justice Sanjay Vashisth said, "The citizen of this country are residing in a welfare state and they cannot be...

Cut-Off Date In Recruitment Not Arbitrary, Candidates Must Possess Qualification By Last Date Of Application: P&H High Court

The Punjab and Haryana High Court has held that prescribing the last date of submission of applications as the cut-off date for determining eligibility in recruitment processes is neither arbitrary nor unconstitutional, reiterating that candidates must possess the requisite qualifications by the stipulated date.Dismissing a writ petition filed by a candidate seeking relaxation of...

NDPS Act| Vehicles Turn To Junk, Value Goes Down The Drain: P&H High Court Slams Idle Confiscation, Orders Release

The Punjab and Haryana High Court has ordered the release of a truck seized in an NDPS case on financial bonds, emphasizing that keeping vehicles idle for prolonged periods leads to deterioration, economic loss, and serves no useful purpose.Justice Anoop Chitkara and Justice Sukhvinder Kaur said, "...when any confiscated vehicle is kept out of use by placing it in a parking lot, it serves...

'No Malicious Intention': P&H High Court Quashes FIR Against Actor Rajkumar Rao Over 'Hurting Religious Sentiments' During Film Promotion

While quashing an FIR against Bollywood actor Rajkumar Rao over allegations of hurting religious sentiments through a promotional poster of the film “Behen Hogi Teri”, the Punjab & Haryana High Court held that mere depiction in a creative work, absent deliberate and malicious intent, does not attract criminal liability under Section 295-A IPC.The plea sought quashing of FIR lodged...

P&H High Court Uses Suo Motu Revisional Power In Pre-Arrest Bail Plea, Says Custodial Interrogation Can't Be Used To Extract Information After Recovery

The Punjab and Haryana High Court has granted anticipatory bail to a man booked under the Punjab Excise Act, holding that custodial interrogation cannot be justified merely to extract further information once recovery has already been effected and the accused has cooperated with the investigation.Justice Sanjay Vashisth said, "Once the recovery stood effected, the plea for custodial...

Accurate Reporting Of Orally Dictated Order Before Signing Not Contempt : P&H High Court Drops Proceedings Against Media

The Punjab and Haryana High Court has dismissed criminal contempt proceedings initiated suo motu against editors and reporters of leading newspapers, holding that publication of a fair and accurate report of a judgment dictated in open court does not amount to contempt, even if the judgment had not yet been formally signed.Justice Jasgurpreet Singh Puri and Justice Amarjot Bhatti, referring...

Recovery From Store Room Behind Shop Not Enough To Infer Criminality: P&H High Court Discharges Licensed Chemist In NDPS Case

The Punjab and Haryana High Court has held that recovery of medicines from a location slightly different from the licensed premises, by itself, cannot establish criminal liability under the NDPS Act, particularly when the accused is a licensed dealer.Justice H.S. Grewal said, "It is apt to notice that merely because the medicines were allegedly recovered from the store room situated behind...

Grievous Hurt Charge Cannot Be Framed Without Supporting Medical Evidence: P&H High Court Modifies Charges In Assault Case

The Punjab and Haryana High Court has held that in cases where the nature of injuries forms the foundation of criminal charges, courts must primarily rely on objective medical evidence, and cannot proceed on speculative or exaggerated claims. The Court modified the charges framed against the accused, holding that offences relating to “grievous hurt” were not made out in the absence...

Invoking Wrong Provision No Bar To Challenge Curtailment Of Liberty: P&H High Court Grants Man Bail Accused Of Putting Pro-Khalistan Posters

The Punjab and Haryana High Court has held that invoking an incorrect statutory provision while filing a bail appeal under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, 1967 (UAPA) cannot defeat an accused's substantive right to challenge curtailment of liberty. In doing so the Court granted bail to an accused booked under UAPA, noting his prolonged incarceration of over four and a half years...

Single Incident Of Spouse Meeting Former Partner Would Not Alone Amount To Adultery: Punjab & Haryana High Court

The Punjab and Haryana High Court has upheld a family court order which had held that a single instance of a spouse meeting a former partner alone cannot, by itself, amount to adultery. At the same time, the Court reiterated that making false and reckless allegations against a spouse and their family members constitutes mental cruelty warranting divorce.Justice Gurvinder Singh Gill and...