The Nagpur bench of the Bombay High Court has ordered a stay on the demolition of the houses of two accused, including Fahim Khan, in the violence case, criticizing the administration for "high-handedness." The court questioned why the owners were not given a hearing before the demolition of alleged illegal portions. The action was taken without providing a hearing to the property owners, the bench noted. The court sought a response from the government and civic authorities and posted the matter for further hearing on April 15. If the court concludes that the demolition was illegal, the authorities would have to pay for the damage caused.
Legal experts have lauded Chief Justice of India Sanjiv Khanna's decision to make public crucial documents related to a controversy surrounding the alleged discovery of cash from Delhi High Court judge Yashwant Varma's residence. They also welcomed the formation of an in-house committee to further investigate the matter. While some expressed concerns about the incident's impact on the judiciary's image, others emphasized the need for transparency and a fair inquiry. The Supreme Court released the inquiry report by Delhi High Court Chief Justice D K Upadhyaya, which included photos and videos of the alleged cash discovery. Justice Varma has denied the allegations, calling them a "conspiracy to frame and malign him."
The Madhya Pradesh high court on Wednesday ordered registration of an FIR against state minister Vijay Shah for his controversial remarks targeted at Colonel Sofia Qureshi.
The Delhi High Court Chief Justice, D K Upadhyay, has submitted a report to the Chief Justice of India, Sanjiv Khanna, regarding the alleged discovery of cash at Justice Yashwant Varma's official residence. The report follows an in-house inquiry initiated by Justice Upadhyay after a fire at Justice Varma's residence on Holi night. The Supreme Court Collegium will now examine the report and may take further action. The Supreme Court has also stated that a proposal to transfer Justice Varma to the Allahabad High Court is separate from the in-house inquiry.
The Allahabad high court on Friday directed the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) to clean the premises of Jama Masjid in Sambhal but did not pass an order for whitewashing of the mosque.
The Bombay high court on Wednesday said it was ashamed to see commuters forced to travel like cattle in the local trains, the lifeline of the Mumbai region.
Justice Dash said he was "ready to go back to the organisation" if they call him for any assistance or for any work that he was capable of doing.
Seventeen years after the cash-at-judge's door case rocked the judiciary, a special Central Bureau of Investigation court in Chandigarh on Saturday acquitted former Punjab and Haryana high court judge Nirmal Yadav and four others in the matter.
The Calcutta High Court has ordered the revival and prosecution of ten criminal cases related to murders in Nandigram and Khejuri during an anti-land acquisition movement in 2007. The court deemed the West Bengal government's decision to withdraw prosecution in these cases, involving the deaths of at least ten individuals, as unlawful. The bench emphasized that murders had indeed occurred and that allowing the prosecution to withdraw under Section 321 of the Criminal Procedure Code would not be in the public interest. The court stated that violence in any form should be eschewed in a democracy and that a state must exhibit zero tolerance towards it. The court set aside the state government's decision to withdraw prosecution and directed the public prosecutor to take appropriate measures within a fortnight.
The Bombay high court on Friday queried if it amounted to confinement when the juvenile accused in the Pune Porsche case was granted bail but was taken back in custody and kept in an observation home.
Chief Justice of India B R Gavai has said the 'trivial issue' of the protocol lapse during his visit to Mumbai on May 18 should not be blown out of proportion and the matter should be given 'quietus'.
Arms dealer Sanjay Bhandari has opposed the Enforcement Directorate's (ED) plea in a Delhi court seeking to declare him a "fugitive " in connection with a black money case. Bhandari claims his stay in the UK is legal as the London High Court denied his extradition to India. The court's decision was also cited by an English court in April to deny the Indian government's request to extradite another accused in a rice-buying scam. Bhandari's lawyer argued that the ED's application was "vague, misplaced and without jurisdiction " and that the value involved in the case was less than the required Rs 100 crore to declare someone a "fugitive. " The Delhi court has sought the ED's rebuttal to Bhandari's argument by May 3.
The judge, however, ruled that there was a clear prima facie case under Section 354 of IPC for 'assault or criminal force to woman with intent to outrage her modesty".
The Delhi Fire Services Chief Atul Garg has stated that no cash was found during firefighting operations at the residence of Delhi High Court Justice Yashwant Varma. The fire occurred on March 14 and was contained within a storeroom. The Supreme Court collegium has initiated an inquiry against Varma following allegations of a large stash of cash being discovered at his residence during the fire.
Delhi HC open to IOA reconstituting ad hoc panel for WFI's functioning
Legal experts had deplored the observation of the Allahabad high xourt on what constitutes a rape charge, calling for a restraint by judges and underlining the drop in public confidence in the judiciary due to such statements.
A few days back, the Nagpur Municipal Corporation issued a notice to Khan, citing various lapses and lack of the building plan approval (for his house), sources said.
Amid widespread outrage and criticism, and opposition demand for a CBI probe, Chief Minister M K Stalin on Tuesday ordered transferring to the central agency, the investigation into death of Ajithkumar (29), who was picked up by a "special team" for interrogation in connection with a theft case.
The Supreme Court of India has stayed a Lokpal order that allowed complaints to be filed against a sitting high court judge. The court termed the order "something very, very disturbing" and a concern for the independence of the judiciary. The bench issued notices to the Centre, the Lokpal registrar, and the complainant, directing them to keep the identity of the judge confidential. The court will hear the matter again on March 18.
The Delhi high court on Wednesday asked the Railways to examine the fixing of maximum passengers and sale of platform tickets -- issues raised in a public interest litigation (PIL) over the recent stampede at the New Delhi Railway Station.
Expressing anguish, the high court of Karnataka has termed the incident of a woman being paraded naked in a village in Belagavi district as an "extraordinary case" and said "it will have extraordinary treatment at our hands".
The Delhi High Court has ordered the removal of a YouTube video by YouTuber Shyam Meera Singh alleging misconduct against spiritual guru Sadhguru's Isha Foundation. The court found the video's title "clickbait" and restrained Singh from further publishing allegations against the foundation. The court also directed X (formerly Twitter), Meta and Google to remove the alleged defamatory content.
The Calcutta High Court has directed the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) to submit the case diary initially prepared by the Kolkata Police in connection with the rape-murder of an on-duty doctor at RG Kar Medical College and Hospital. The court also instructed the CBI to present a list of individuals interviewed in the case at the next hearing scheduled for April 23. The CBI has been investigating the incident since August 13, 2024, when the case was transferred from Kolkata Police. The court noted inconsistencies between the inquest and post-mortem reports, with two injury marks mentioned in the inquest report but absent in the post-mortem report. The CBI is currently investigating whether there was a larger conspiracy behind the crime and if there had been any attempt to destroy evidence.
The Commissioner of Customs had confiscated the goods claiming that the body massagers could be used as adult sex toys and such items are prohibited for import.
The Anjuman Intezamia Committee Thursday filed a counter-affidavit before the Allahabad HC in the matter seeking a survey of the Wazukhana (or ablution area) by the ASI.
The ruling BJP in Madhya Pradesh will hold a three-day training camp for its leaders from June 14 in Pachmarhi in Narmadapuram. The move comes amid the party facing flak for some statements from its leaders post Operation Sindoor. BJP president JP Nadda and Union Home Minister Amit Shah have been invited to the camp to lecture the party cadre. The BJP said the event was pre-planned and was a routine affair, but the camp is seen as an attempt to discipline party leaders who have been making controversial statements.
The Delhi High Court has refused to stay the trial court proceedings against Delhi Law Minister Kapil Mishra for allegedly posting objectionable tweets during the 2020 assembly elections. The court rejected Mishra's plea challenging a sessions court order dismissing his petition against the summons of a magisterial court in the case. The court said there was no need to stay the trial court proceedings and that the trial court was at liberty to proceed further with the matter. The high court granted four weeks to the police to file its response to the petition and posted the hearing on May 19. The hearing is slated to come up in the trial court on March 20.
The Calcutta High Court has granted conditional permission to the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) to hold a rally in West Bengal's Purba Bardhaman district on February 16, despite objections from the state government. The court allowed the event, which will be addressed by RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat, on the condition that the organizers keep the crowd size and sound levels under control and ensure that students taking secondary exams are not disturbed. The event will be held at the Sports Authority of India (SAI) complex, which is located in a remote area and away from any schools.
The Bombay high court on Tuesday set aside the life sentence of Delhi University professor G N Saibaba in an alleged Maoist links case, noting that the prosecution failed to prove the charges beyond reasonable doubt.
The freedom of press can not be used to violate a person's 'inherent' right to reputation and investigative journalism does not enjoy any special protection, the Bombay high court has said while asking a journalist to remove online articles and videos targeting a businessman.
The Bombay high court on Monday said no coercive steps shall be taken against IRS officer Sameer Wankhede till April 10 on notices issued to him on the NCB's preliminary inquiry over irregularities in a drugs case related to actor Sushant Singh Rajput's death.
The Karnataka High Court has quashed the Enforcement Directorate's summons to Chief Minister Siddaramaiah's wife Parvathi B M and Urban Development Minister B S Suresh in connection with the MUDA site allotment case. The court ruled that the ED was conducting a parallel investigation despite the case already being probed by the Lokayukta police and a Special Investigation Team (SIT). The ED had alleged that Siddaramaiah and other accused were involved in attempted money laundering in the MUDA site allotment case and that the fourteen sites (plots) allotted to Parvathi in Mysuru upmarket were illegally allotted.
The Madras High Court has vacated a stay against the Election Commission probing internal disputes within the AIADMK, including the leadership and party symbol issues. This ruling is seen as a setback for the incumbent AIADMK chief Edappadi K Palaniswami. The court dismissed Palaniswami's petition seeking a stay against the EC's investigation into the leadership tussle and the allocation of the Two Leaves symbol to the AIADMK. The court directed the Election Commission to conduct the probe under the Election Symbols rules. This decision could have significant implications for the future of the AIADMK, as it allows the Election Commission to proceed with its investigation into the internal disputes within the party.
The Chief Justice of India (CJI) Sanjiv Khanna has ordered an in-house inquiry into allegations against a Delhi High Court judge, Justice Yashwant Varma, after reports of burnt cash being found at his residence. The inquiry will be conducted by a three-member committee headed by Justice Sheel Nagu, Chief Justice of the Punjab and Haryana High Court. The allegations stem from a report by the Delhi High Court Chief Justice Devendra Kumar Upadhyaya, who stated that four to five semi-burnt sacks of Indian currency notes were found at Justice Varma's residence following a fire. Justice Varma has strongly denied the allegations, calling them a conspiracy to frame him.
The Orissa high court on Tuesday issued notices to two persons with the same name, both of whom claimed to have been conferred the Padma Shri award in 2023, to appear before it to present their case on February 24.
The bench noted that this case illustrates how administrative apathy can defeat the benefit of provisions of the Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act, 2016, enacted to support persons with disabilities.
The Karnataka high court on Monday stayed the notice issued by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) to Chief Minister Siddaramaiah's wife Parvathi B M and the state Urban Development Minister Byrathi Suresh to appear for questioning in connection with the Mysore Urban Development Authority (MUDA) land allotment scam.
Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde's Shiv Sena has moved the Bombay high court challenging the legality of the decision taken by the Maharashtra Assembly Speaker to not disqualify 14 MLAs belonging to the rival faction headed by former CM Uddhav Thackeray.
Researcher Rona Wilson and activist Sudhir Dhawale, accused in the Elgar Parishad-Maoist links case, were released on bail from a Navi Mumbai prison on Friday, more than six years after they were arrested. The duo walked out of the Taloja jail after completing bail formalities before the special NIA court, over a fortnight after they were granted bail by the Bombay High Court. The HC granted bail to Wilson and Dhawale on January 8, noting they had been in jail since 2018 and the trial in the case, in which anti-terror act UAPA has been invoked, was yet to start. Apart from Dhawale and Wilson, 14 other activists and academicians were arrested in the case. Eight of them have been granted bail till now, with one, Mahesh Raut, still in jail as the appeal filed by the National Investigation Agency (NIA) against his bail is pending before the Supreme Court. Jesuit priest and activist Stan Swamy, one of the accused, died in 2021 while lodged in judicial custody. The case pertains to provocative speeches allegedly delivered at the Elgar Parishad conclave held in Pune on December 31, 2017, triggering violence at Koregaon-Bhima, a village outside Pune city, the next day. The Pune police had claimed the conclave was backed by Maoists. The NIA later took over the probe.
Both the CBI and the state government filed appeals before the high court seeking capital punishment for Roy.
