Touching Child's Chest With Sexual Intent Attracts POCSO Act, 'Chest' And 'Breast' Distinction Immaterial: Kerala High Court

The Kerala High Court has held that an accused grabbing a child's chest with sexual intent would satisfy the requirement of sexual assault prescribed under Section 7 POCSO Act, and that the anatomical different between chest and breast is immaterial. [2026 LiveLaw (Ker) 386]For context, Section 7 states that whoever, with sexual intent, touches the vagina, penis, anus or breast of the child...

Repeatedly Calling Child Victims In POCSO Cases To Relive Trauma Violates Their Right To Life: Madras High Court

The Madras High Court recently observed that a child victim in POCSO cases cannot be called to the court repeatedly and made to relive the trauma. [2026 LiveLaw (Mad) 329] Justice Bharatha Chakravarthy remarked that society does not often understand the mental trauma that a child experiences when subjected to sexual harassment. The court added that though the Protection of Children...

Seized Money Can't Be Retained After Acquittal: Rajasthan High Court Orders Release Of ₹7.35 Lakh In Gambling Case, Seeks I-T Verification

The Rajasthan High Court has held that once a party stands acquitted in a gambling case, based on withdrawal of the criminal case, there is no reason to retain the seized money in the Treasury or in the Government Fund. The bench of Justice Anoop Kumar Dhand thus directed the authorities to release the amount seized from the petitioner, subject to the condition that the petitioner shall...

Major Unmarried Daughter Can Seek Educational Expenses For Post-Graduation Under Domestic Violence Act: Karnataka High Court

The Karnataka High Court has held that a father is obligated to bear the educational expenses of his unmarried daughter pursuing postgraduate medical studies under the Protection of Women from Domestic Violence Act, 2005, even after she has attained majority, observing that the parental obligation to provide education does not cease merely because the child has become an adult. [2026...

NI Court, Commercial Court Proceedings Stand On Equal Footing; Accused Entitled To Original Records For Defence: Rajasthan High Court

The Rajasthan High Court has held that proceedings before a Court established under the Negotiable Instruments Act and a Commercial Court stand on an equal footing, and an accused cannot be denied access to original records necessary for his defence merely because they have been summoned in parallel proceedings. The bench of Justice Baljinder Singh Sandhu observed that the right to a fair...

JJ Act | Media Can't Publish Identity Of Child Victim On Ground That It Was Done In Child's Interest: Karnataka High Court

The Karnataka High Court has recently dismissed a criminal petition filed by a journalist and an editor of a Newspaper Daily, accused of publishing a news report disclosing the identity of a child victim of assault. 2026 LiveLaw (Kar) 257The single judge bench of Justice Anant Ramanath Hegde upheld the ongoing prosecution under Section 74(1) of the Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection...

Passenger's Failure To Take Precaution Subordinate To Public Bus Operator's Duty Of Care: AP High Court Enhances Accident Compensation

The Andhra Pradesh High Court has observed that a public transport operator's duty of care outweighs a passenger's failure to exercise caution. [2026 LiveLaw (AP) 131]It thus enhanced the compensation payable to the family of a man who died after being run over by an APSRTC bus— from Rs. 3.85 lakh to Rs. 8.40 lakh. A Single Judge Bench of Justice A. Hari Haranadha Sarma dismissed...

Chhattisgarh High Court Increases Accident Compensation By ₹37 Lakh, Says Victim's IT Returns Cannot Be Discarded During Calculation

The Chhattisgarh High Court has held that Income Tax Returns, once duly produced and exhibited, constitute relevant documentary evidence for determining the income of a deceased while assessing compensation under the Motor Vehicles Act. The Court held that such returns cannot be discarded merely on the ground that the income disclosed therein is based on estimation. [2026 LiveLaw (Chh)...

Calcutta High Court Grants Bail To Woman Accused In High-Value NDPS Case, Cites Advanced Stage Of Pregnancy

The Calcutta High Court has granted interim bail to a woman accused in a high-value narcotics trafficking case under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act, holding that while pregnancy is not by itself a ground for bail, humanitarian considerations relating to the health of the mother and the unborn child justified her temporary release.Justice Tirthankar Ghosh passed...

35 Years On, Rajasthan High Court Enhances Compensation In Electrocution Death Case; Says Electricity Boards Strictly Liable

After around 35 years of the incident, Rajasthan High Court upheld the liability of the State for paying compensation in a case of death by electrocution due to a live wire that had broken and fallen on the ground. The bench of Justice Sandeep Taneja took into account the fact that the electricity line had not been repaired for a long time, and there was also negligence on part of the...

POCSO | Can Penetration Be Inferred From Alleged Bleeding When Medical Report Shows No Injury? Allahabad High Court Answers

The Allahabad High Court has observed that the absence of injuries does not, by itself, disprove allegations of rape or penetrative sexual assault; however, inferring penetration from alleged bleeding becomes highly doubtful when a contemporaneous medical report completely rules out any bodily injury without a satisfactory explanation.A bench of Justice Salil Kumar Rai and Justice Vinai...

Dowry Harassment In Love Marriage 'Difficult To Believe': Karnataka High Court Grants Bail To Husband In Suicide Case

The Karnataka High Court has recently granted bail to a software professional accused of abetting his wife's suicide, observing that allegations of dowry demand become 'difficult to be believed" when the marriage is a love marriage. [2026 LiveLaw (Kar) 254]The single judge bench of Justice S Vishwajith Shetty, while allowing the bail petition of accused, noted that the accused and the...