'Frivolous Contempt Plea Against Judicial Officer Is Abuse Of Process': Punjab & Haryana High Court Imposes ₹1 Lakh Costs

The Punjab and Haryana High Court has held that levelling false allegations of non-compliance of court orders against a judicial officer amounts to gross abuse of the process of law and warrants imposition of exemplary costs. The Court observed that the allegation of disobedience of this Court's order against a sincere, competent and hard-working Judicial Officer demands indulgence of this Court. Justice Sudeepti Sharma was hearing a contempt petition filed by the petitioner alleging deliberate...

Arms Act Case Based On Social Media Photos Unsustainable; No Proof Of Possession: P&H High Court Quashes FIR

The Punjab and Haryana High Court has held that prosecution under Sections 25(1-B)(a) and 29(B) of the Arms Act cannot be sustained in the absence of essential ingredients such as unlawful possession, delivery of arms, or requisite mens rea. The Court observed that the prosecution appeared to have been initiated in the backdrop of political rivalry as the petitioner is a political figure, being...

Authority Must Share Adverse Material With Accused Before Passing Orders In Electricity Theft Cases: Punjab & Haryana High Court

The Punjab and Haryana High Court has held that in cases of alleged theft of electricity under Section 135 of the Electricity Act, the assessing authority is duty-bound to confront the consumer with adverse material and grant an opportunity of hearing before passing an assessment order. The Court observed that any determination of civil liability, even under Section 135, must comply...

Every Section 498A IPC Conviction Can't Automatically Translate To Offence Of Moral Turpitude: Punjab & Haryana High Court

The Punjab and Haryana High Court has observed that there is no general rule that every offence under Section 498-A IPC due to its very nature must automatically translate into an offence involving moral turpitude for the purpose of civil consequences in employment, promotion or higher education. In doing so the court granted relief to a former SBI branch manager who was discharged from...

Punjab & Haryana High Court Stays Probe Against 32nd Avenue CEO Dhruv Dutt Sharma In Multiple FIRs Barring One Cheating Case

The Punjab and Haryana High Court last week stayed probe in multiple FIRs registered against Gurgaon's 32nd Avenue CEO Dhruv Dutt Sharma who has been accused of selling the same unit to several buyers. The high court however made clear that investigation in one FIR (FIR No.262 of 2025) lodged under IPC Sections 409(Criminal breach of trust by public servant or by banker, merchant or agent,...

Punjab & Haryana High Court Stays Trial Against Singer Guru Randhawa Accused Of Defaming Jatt-Sikh Community In 'Sirra' Song

The Punjab and Haryana High Court in an interim order on Friday (March 20) stayed criminal proceedings against Punjabi singer and composer Guru Randhawa accused of defaming Jatt-Sikh community by using certain lyrics in his 2025 hit song "Sirra". The petition states that the defamation complaint arises from a lyric in the Petitioner's song "Sirra," which states, "Jammeya nu gudti ch mildi...

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...