Mere Absence Of Train Ticket Cannot Defeat Railway Compensation Claim : Supreme Court Reiterates

The Supreme Court on Friday (25 September) has held that mere absence of a railway ticket with an accident victim cannot by itself defeat a claim for compensation, especially where the victim remained hospitalised for over a month before succumbing to his injuries, making it “quite unlikely” that the ticket would have survived. A bench of Justice Ujjal Bhuyan and Justice Atul S...

Supreme Court Dismisses BJP MLAs' Plea Challenging Quashing Of Corruption Complaint Against Karnataka Energy Minister KJ George

The Supreme Court on Friday (25 September) dismissed a Special Leave Petition (SLP) against the Karnataka High Court's judgment which had quashed criminal complaint against Karnataka's Energy Minister KJ George and Bangalore Electricity Supply Company Limited (BESCOM) officials over alleged irregularities in the tender procurement and installation of smart electricity meters in Karnataka. A...

Preventive Detention Cannot Rest On Bare Assumption That Detenu Will Obtain Bail: Bombay High Court

The Bombay High Court has held that preventive detention cannot be sustained where the Detaining Authority's satisfaction that the detenu was likely to be released on bail was based only on the assumption that the offence was not compulsorily punishable with death sentence. The Court observed that such satisfaction was not based on cogent material relating to the investigation.A division bench...

Know The Law | Where Can A Motor Accident Claim Be Filed? Supreme Court Explains

The Supreme Court has recently explained the scope of the territorial jurisdiction clause in the motor accident compensation claims, holding that a claimant cannot invoke the jurisdiction of a Motor Accidents Claim Tribunal (MACT) merely because the insurance company has an office there.A bench of Justice Ujjal Bhuyan and Justice Atul S Chandurkar held so while dismissing an appeal filed by...

Cow Slaughter Act | Owner Travelling In Vehicle Carrying 80 Kg Beef Can't Escape Confiscation By Pleading Ignorance: Allahabad High Court

The Allahabad High Court has held that the owner of a vehicle who was himself travelling in it when beef was recovered cannot resist confiscation under the Uttar Pradesh Prevention of Cow Slaughter Act, 1955 by pleading that the meat belonged to passengers who had hired the vehicle. It held that once the seized meat is confirmed to be beef by an authorised laboratory, the presumption...

'No Mens Rea', Act Appears Rash & Negligent: Gujarat High Court Grants Bail To Father Accused Of Applying Burning Wicks On 'Possessed' Daughter

The Gujarat High Court granted regular bail to a father booked for causing death of his daughter by applying burning cotton wicks on her body on her instructions, as she believed she was possessed. [2026 LiveLaw (Guj) 258]The applicant had moved the high court seeking regular bail in an FIR for offences under Sections 105(culpable homicide not amounting to murder), 212(Furnishing...

Valid Prosecution Sanction For Corruption Case Can't Be Withdrawn In Absence Of New Material Warranting Review: AP High Court

The Andhra Pradesh High Court has held that a valid prosecution sanction under the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988 cannot be withdrawn once it has been acted upon and criminal proceedings have commenced and that only fresh material can warrant such reconsideration. [2026 LiveLaw (AP) 224]The Court accordingly dismissed a challenge by a retired Executive Engineer in the Municipal...

Cheque Bounce Case | Authenticated Bank Return Memo Can Be Produced Later To Correct Defect: Rajasthan High Court

The Rajasthan High Court has held that an authenticated bank return memo bearing the bank's seal and signature can be produced and exhibited later in a cheque-dishonour case to correct an inadvertent defect in an earlier return memo, and such subsequent production does not amount to filling a lacuna in the complainant's case.Justice Sunil Beniwal further observed that merely exhibiting a...

POCSO Act | Absence Of Genital Injury, Sperm Don't Disprove Sexual Abuse Allegations: Madras High Court Upholds Stepfather's Life Sentence

The Madras High Court recently upheld the life sentence imposed on a stepfather for sexually assaulting his stepdaughter. [2026 LiveLaw (Mad) 462] The bench of Justice AD Jagadish Chandira and Justice B Murugesan rejected the step-father's evidence that there was no medical evidence to suggest sexual assault. The court observed that medical evidence was only supportive and...

Motor Accident Tribunal Duty Bound To Award 'Just Compensation': Gujarat High Court Enhances Award To ₹24 Lakh

The Gujarat High Court enhanced the compensation granted to the family of a deceased pillion rider to over Rs.24 Lakhs, noting that the Motor Accident Tribunal had not properly considered the deceased's monthly income as well as damages under general and non-pecuniary heads. [2026 LiveLaw (Guj) 255]Justice JC Doshi observed that the tribunal should have a liberal approach while determining...

Supreme Court Lays Down Safeguards To Prevent Misuse Of POCSO Act In Child Custody Cases, Quashes False FIR Against Father

The Court cautioned against automatic arrest in such cases, and directed the invovlement of a child psychiatrist in the investigation.

'Penetration To Any Extent' Sufficient For Aggravated POCSO Assault: Himachal Pradesh High Court Upholds 20-Year Sentence

The Himachal Pradesh High Court has held that “penetration to any extent” is sufficient to constitute penetrative sexual assault under Section 3 of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act, 2012 (POCSO Act), even in the absence of physical injuries on the child. The Court made the observation while dismissing an appeal filed by Shyam Veer against his conviction under Section 6...