Belated POSH Complaints Can't Be Rejected At Threshold Without Considering Reasons For Delay: Allahabad High Court

The Allahabad High Court has reiterated that sexual harassment complaints under the Sexual Harassment of Women at Workplace (Prevention, Prohibition and Redressal) Act, 2013 cannot be rejected at threshold due to delay, without specific consideration of reasons.While remitting the matter back to the internal complaints committee for fresh inquiry into the complaints against Associate...

Juvenile Justice Act Prioritises Reform Over Punishment; Seriousness Of Alleged Offence Not Ground To Refuse Bail: Patna High Court

The Patna High Court has observed that the seriousness of the alleged offence and the age of a juvenile are not relevant considerations for denial of bail under the Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Act, 2015. The Court reiterated that the Juvenile Justice Act is a reformative statute aimed at rehabilitation of children in conflict with law and not their punishment.A Single...

Possession Of Cough Syrup With Less Than 2.5% Codeine Attracts NDPS Act If Held Without Authorisation: Patna High Court

The Patna High Court has held that cough syrup containing codeine in a concentration of less than 2.5% of the total preparation does not fall outside the ambit of the NDPS Act merely on that ground. The Court further observed that such preparations are classified as essential narcotic drugs and their possession, sale, purchase, transport, import and export remain regulated under the NDPS Act...

17-Yr-Old Victim Had 'Worldly Knowledge Of Consequences': Karnataka High Court Grants Bail In POCSO Case, Notes She Married Accused

The Karnataka High Court has granted bail to a 28-year-old man accused of marrying a 17-year-old girl and indulging in sexual relations with her on the ground that the girl had worldly knowledge about the consequences of her actions. [2026 LiveLaw (Kar) 217]The single judge bench of Justice S. Vishwajith Shetty noted in the order that the accused and the survivor were in love and got married at...

Rajasthan High Court Grants Bail To Cyber Fraud Accused Subject To Disclosure Of Crypto Holdings, Digital Wallets

While granting bail in a cyber-fraud case, Rajasthan High Court prohibited the applicants from obtaining/using any new SIM, phone; opening new bank account; or creating any social medial account, domain name or website without prior intimation to the Investigating Officer. The bench of Justice Ravi Chirania further directed the accused persons against using any VPN, TOR Browser, Proxy Server...

AP High Court Transfers Cheque Bounce Case For 'Convenience' Of Female Accused

The Andhra Pradesh High Court has transferred a cheque bounce case instituted against a woman from Sullurpet to Nellore, observing that convenience of parties specially of woman litigants is a relevant factor which must be taken into account while considering transfer petitions. [2026 LiveLaw (AP) 106]Justice Venkata Jyothirmai Pratapa allowed a criminal revision petition filed by a woman...

Odisha POCSO Court Sentences Youth To 30 Years' Rigorous Imprisonment For Rape Of 2-Year-Old Girl

A Special Court in Odisha, constituted under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act, 2012 (the 'POCSO Act'), has recently convicted a 24-year-old man for committing aggravated penetrative sexual assault and rape on a 2 and ½-year-old girl and sentenced him to undergo rigorous imprisonment for 30 years.While finding the accused guilty of the heinous offence, Saroj Kumar Sahoo,...

Delay In Investigation Not A Ground To Quash Corruption FIR Unless Accused Shows Prejudice To Fair Trial: HP High Court

The Himachal Pradesh High Court has held that an FIR registered under the Prevention of Corruption Act cannot be quashed merely on the ground of delay in investigation or filing of the charge-sheet, unless the accused demonstrates that such delay has caused prejudice affecting a fair trial. Dismissing a petition seeking quashing of corruption proceedings arising from alleged irregularities in...

Allahabad HC Acquits Rape Accused Who Spent 9 Yrs In Jail; Cites Inconsistencies In 8 Y/O Victim's Testimony, No Medical Evidence

The Allahabad High Court recently acquitted a man who spent over 9 years in jail on the allegations of committing rape and offences under the POCSO Act against an 8-year-old girl. Considering the inconsistencies and improvements in the minor victim's testimony, the conduct of her father and the absence of corroborative medical evidence, a Bench of Justice Siddhartha Varma and Justice...

Orissa High Court Directs DGP To Ensure Arrest Memos Mention Written Grounds Of Arrest In Language Understood By Arrestee

The Orissa High Court has ordered the Director General of Police (DGP) to put out a circular mandating all the concerned police officials of the State to mandatorily provide grounds of arrest in the arrest memorandum in a language understood by the accused/arrestee. [2026 LiveLaw (Ori) 59]While declining to quash the arrest and remand of certain persons accused of peddling ganja in excess...

NDPS Act | Separate Contraband Recoveries Can't Be Treated As Commercial Quantity Absent Proof Of Joint Possession: Gauhati High Court

The Gauhati High Court has held that separate recoveries of contraband cannot be treated as a single commercial quantity, in the absence of evidence showing that the accused were acting together or were in joint possession of the contraband. [2026 LiveLaw (Gau) 82]On that basis, the Court modified the conviction of three appellants under the NDPS Act and reduced their sentence from 15...

Considering Teenage Hormonal Changes, Madras High Court Reduces Life Sentence In POCSO Case To 10 Years

The Madras High Court has observed that the impact of hormonal changes during teenage years can be a relevant factor while deciding the sentence in cases arising out of romantic relationships, even though consent or a romantic relationship is no defence under the POCSO Act.The bench of Justice Anand Venkatesh and Justice KK Ramakrishnan reduced the life sentence imposed on the convict, who...