Punjab and Haryana High Court
P&H High Court Commutes Death Sentence In Child's Rape-Murder Case, Awards 50 Yr Imprisonment & ₹75 Lakh Fine
The Punjab and Haryana High Court has held that though the conviction for rape and murder of a minor under the POCSO Act and IPC was fully established, the case did not fall within the “rarest of rare” category, warranting the death penalty. The Court observed that a sentence of 50 years' actual imprisonment without remission would adequately balance the gravity of the offence with...
Litigant Can't Disown Counsel's Statement To Reopen Case, Such Pleas Undermine Judicial Process: Punjab & Haryana High Court
The Punjab & Haryana High Court has held that a litigant cannot later disown a statement made by his counsel in court by alleging lack of instructions, terming such an attempt a “procedural heresy” and an abuse of the judicial process.Justice Sumeet Goel said, "The judicial process operates on the foundational presumption that statements made by a counsel at the Bar are made with...
Punjab & Haryana High Court Refuses Reclassification Of Punjab Kesari Group Hotel As Commercial Building Amid Setback Violations
The Punjab and Haryana High Court has dismissed a writ petition filed by Chopra Hotels Pvt. Ltd., Jalandhar owner by Punjab Kesari Newspaper Group, seeking permission to treat its hotel building as a commercial building under the Punjab Unified Building Rules, 2025, holding that such a request cannot be entertained after completion of construction and submission of a completion...
National Lok Adalat At Punjab & Haryana High Court Settles 225 Cases, Awards ₹9.44 Crore In Motor Accident Claims
As part of the nationwide initiative of the National Legal Services Authority (NALSA), a National Lok Adalat was organised on Saturday at the Punjab and Haryana High Court in coordination with the High Court Legal Services Committee.The Lok Adalat was conducted under the overall supervision of Justice Sheel Nagu, Chief Justice of the High Court and Patron-in-Chief of the High Court Legal...
P&H High Court Denies Bail To YouTuber Jyoti Rani Accused Of Spying For Pakistan
The Punjab and Haryana High Court has refused bail to a YouTuber accused of espionage and sharing sensitive information with operatives linked to Pakistan intelligence agencies, holding that the allegations involve serious offences affecting the security and sovereignty of the State.Justice Surya Partap Singh dismissed the bail plea filed by Jyoti Rani alias Jyoti Malhotra, observing that...
P&H High Court Suspends Sentence Of 73-Year-Old Convicted Under PMLA, Orders Plantation Of 20 Saplings
The Punjab and Haryana High Court has suspended the sentence of a 73-year-old man convicted in a money laundering case under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act, 2002 (PMLA), noting that his appeal is unlikely to be heard soon and that he has already spent over a year in custody and directed to plant 20 saplings during monsoon session.Chief Justice Sheel Nagu and Justice Sanjiv Berry...
P&H High Court Flags Poor Nutrition Of Dogs In Chandigarh's Prevention Of Cruelty To Animals Society, Orders Local Commissioner To Monitor
The Punjab and Haryana High Court recently raised serious concerns over the functioning of the Society for Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SPCA), Chandigarh, after a court-appointed Local Commissioner reported issues including non-payment of staff salaries, inadequate nutrition for animals and concerns regarding their upkeep.Taking note of the report, the Court directed the SPCA to file...
Spurious Liquor Death: Punjab & Haryana High Court Refuses Bail To Man Accused Of Supplying ENA, Orders Expeditious Trial
Observing that refusal of bail in serious offences must be balanced with the constitutional mandate of speedy trial, the Punjab and Haryana High Court held that where bail cannot be granted despite prolonged custody, courts must ensure expeditious conclusion of trial to prevent a “travesty of justice.”The court was dealing with a case involving an accused who had allegedly supplied...
All Cheque Dishonor Cases Must Be Referred To Mediation After Accused Is Served: Punjab & Haryana High Court
The Punjab and Haryana High Court has directed that in all cheque bounce cases under the Negotiable Instruments Act, 1881, trial courts must refer matters to mediation immediately after service of the accused, emphasising that such disputes are primarily compensatory and better resolved through negotiated settlement.The Court said that every trial court and sessions court dealing with NI...
Natural Justice Violated: Punjab & Haryana High Court Sets Aside Expulsion Of MBBS Student In Exam Scam Case
The Punjab and Haryana High Court recently set aside an order expelling an MBBS student from Pt. B.D. Sharma University of Health Sciences in connection with an alleged examination scam, holding that the punishment was imposed without complying with the principles of natural justice.In doing so, the Court directed the university's Vice Chancellor to reconsider the matter after supplying...
Stray Remark Like “Take Poison And Die” Not Abetment To Suicide Without Mens Rea: Punjab & Haryana High Court
The Punjab and Haryana High Court has acquitted a woman convicted for abetment of suicide of her step-daughter, holding that suspicion cannot substitute proof and that stray remarks, without intention to provoke suicide, do not amount to abetment under law.The Court found that the only allegation against stud accused was that when the deceased complained about her father's conduct, she...
Hybrid Hearings Are Here To Stay, AI Cannot Replace Human Adjudication : Judges At Chandigarh Panel Discussion
A panel discussion on “Judges: Present and Future” was organised by the Chandigarh International Arbitration Centre in collaboration with Indian International Disputes Week at the Punjab and Haryana High Court.The discussion brought together members of the judiciary from India and abroad to deliberate on the evolving role of judges amid rapid technological advancements in the legal...