The Supreme Court has scheduled a final hearing for a batch of petitions challenging the marital rape exception in Indian law. The court will examine the constitutional validity of the provision that grants immunity to husbands from prosecution for sexual acts with their wives, even under the newly enacted Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023. This significant legal challenge follows split verdicts from High Courts and seeks to address whether such an exception aligns with fundamental rights.
'Refusal does not invite immediate legal penalty; it invites Constitutional unease.'
The Delhi High Court has ruled that merely asking a married woman to assist in caring for a family member does not constitute cruelty under criminal law, quashing cases against a husband and his family.
The Gauhati High Court has granted bail to suspended Assam Police DSP Sandipon Garg, an accused in the mysterious death case of singer Zubeen Garg. Garg, charged with culpable homicide not amounting to murder, is expected to be released after the Durga Puja holidays. This follows earlier bail grants to other accused in the high-profile case, even as investigations continue despite conflicting findings from Singaporean authorities.
Bengaluru Police denied permission for a Tiranga March organised by the CJP, citing a High Court order that designates Freedom Park as the sole protest site. The march was planned from Town Hall, and the denial comes as CJP leaders are in judicial custody for violating peace bonds in Delhi.
The Allahabad High Court has rejected a petition to dismiss a case against a woman accused of defrauding an aspirant of over Rs 22 lakh with false promises of a PhD degree and a university job.
The Delhi High Court is set to hear a plea seeking to stop a protest called by Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) founder Abhijeet Dipke at Connaught Place Central Park on October 16. The plea highlights the disruption caused by such protests, especially during the Dussehra weekend. Dipke's call for protest follows the judicial custody of two CJP members for alleged peace bond violations and trespassing.
Actor Imran Khan, a US national and OCI cardholder, plans to challenge a Mumbai police notice in the Bombay High Court. The notice, issued after his participation in a protest against the Chief Election Commissioner, demands he leave India by October 28 for allegedly violating immigration laws. Khan's petition argues that no law prohibits OCI cardholders from protesting.
The Supreme Court has directed the Delhi police commissioner to form a Special Investigation Team (SIT) to probe a complaint filed by lawyers who were allegedly assaulted during a protest demanding the resignation of Bar Council of India (BCI) chairman Manan Kumar Mishra. This directive comes after the Delhi High Court had dismissed a similar plea, stating it was not maintainable.
The Supreme Court has refused to entertain the Centre's plea challenging the Calcutta High Court's decision to uphold the maintainability of Public Interest Litigations (PILs) against the Great Nicobar Island mega-infrastructure project. The PILs allege violations of the Forest Rights Act and impact on Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Groups. The apex court directed the High Court to proceed with hearing all related petitions.
The Bombay High Court has ruled that marital discord alone is insufficient grounds to accuse a spouse of abetting suicide, emphasising the need for direct instigation or incitement.
A Fast-Track Special Court in Hoshiarpur has sentenced a 33-year-old migrant labourer, Nanke Yadav alias Radhe Sham, to death for the aggravated sexual assault and murder of a five-year-old boy. The court termed it a 'rarest of rare' case, with the death sentence subject to confirmation by the Punjab and Haryana High Court.
Arunachal Pradesh could be forced to forfeit their Ranji opener after an association dispute left the state without clarity over team selection and player travel.
The Supreme Court has directed the Jammu and Kashmir administration to issue a no-objection certificate and relieving order to international water sports coach Bilquis Mir, enabling her to join the Indian National Kayaking and Canoeing Team as chief coach for the Asian Games. This ruling came after PDP chief Mehbooba Mufti criticised the bureaucratic hurdles faced by Mir, highlighting systemic issues within the administration.
The Delhi High Court on Wednesday sought a report from jail authorities regarding the non-appearance of separatist leader Yasin Malik for a virtual hearing in a terror funding case. The National Investigation Agency (NIA) is seeking the death penalty for Malik, who is currently serving a life term, arguing that his guilty plea should not preclude capital punishment for a terrorist. Malik had previously expressed a desire to argue in-person against the NIA's plea.
The Allahabad High Court has granted bail to Ram Singh, driver of late gangster Vikas Dubey and an accused in the Bikru massacre case. The bail was granted on the grounds that other co-accused in similar situations have also been released. Ram Singh faces charges of murder and attempt to murder related to the July 2020 ambush where eight police personnel were killed.
The Supreme Court has intervened to allow international water sports coach Bilquis Mir to join the Indian National Kayaking and Canoeing Team for the Asian Games in Japan. Overruling a Jammu and Kashmir administration order that denied her permission due to pending inquiries, the apex court emphasised the time-sensitive nature of sports administration and directed the issuance of a No Objection Certificate by September 15, 2026.
The Supreme Court has ruled that social backwardness is not transferable from a Hindu social order to a non-Hindu social order upon religious conversion, meaning individuals converting to Islam cannot claim reservation benefits under the Backward Class (Muslim) category solely due to conversion.
The Karnataka cabinet has rejected the clemency plea of Shubha Shankar, who is serving life imprisonment for the 2003 murder of her fiancee, Girish. The cabinet also decided to challenge the High Court's ruling on enhanced reservation quotas for SCs and STs in the Supreme Court.
The Supreme Court has directed the Allahabad High Court chief justice to promptly address allegations against the presiding officer of the 2021 Lakhimpur Kheri violence case, who is accused of transferring cases to himself and acquitting defendants. The apex court also urged the Uttar Pradesh government to appoint a new public prosecutor for the high-profile trial.
The Allahabad High Court has directed the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) to locate a 42-year-old woman, Sudama Devi, who has been missing for over two years despite efforts by the Uttar Pradesh Police. The court's order came after the state police failed to trace her, noting she is of unsound mind and lacks a mobile phone, complicating the search.
Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann has criticised the CBI raids on his OSD and others, alleging it's part of the BJP's election campaign strategy in non-BJP ruled states. The CBI registered a corruption case following directions from the Punjab and Haryana High Court, which noted prima facie evidence of corruption. Mann dismissed the allegations, stating his government is not involved in corruption and will cooperate with investigations.
The Punjab and Haryana High Court has overturned the death sentences of two men convicted in the 2019 rape and murder of a seven-year-old girl in Ludhiana, citing procedural errors during the trial.
Nida Khan, an accused in the alleged sexual harassment and religious conversion case at TCS Nashik, appeared before a family court on Friday for a divorce petition filed by her husband, Moin Khan. Both parties attended a counselling session, and the next hearing is set for November 20.
The Supreme Court has granted a divorce to a couple separated since December 2005, noting the wife had abandoned the matrimonial relationship. The court directed the husband to pay Rs 7 lakh as permanent alimony. The ruling emphasised that prolonged separation and the reality of an irreconcilable marriage are key factors, overturning a Madhya Pradesh High Court decision.
The BJP has criticised the Allahabad High Court's observations regarding the wearing of a hijab in school, stating that such matters should be left to school administrations and not courts. BJP spokesperson Syed Zafar Islam argued that faith is a significant personal aspect and courts should not dictate personal attire, while also acknowledging that schools have the right to set uniform policies. The High Court had dismissed a petition seeking permission for a girl to wear a headscarf, ruling it's not an essential part of Islamic faith.
The Bombay High Court has denied bail to a man accused of trafficking educated youth on the pretext of providing them jobs abroad, only to coerce them to carry out cyber fraud activities.
The Madhya Pradesh high court has dismissed a petition filed by Shah Bano Begum's daughter seeking to stop the release of the Hindi film Haq, inspired by her mother's famous legal battle, holding that a person's right to reputation or privacy is not heritable.
The Supreme Court has referred actor Rajpal Yadav's long-running cheque-dishonour dispute to mediation after he deposited Rs 2 crore with the court's registry. The court also directed the trial court to release his passport for professional commitments abroad. The dispute stems from a 2010 financial agreement for his directorial debut, leading to multiple cheque-bounce cases and a three-month imprisonment sentence upheld by the Delhi High Court.
The Rajasthan High Court has granted bail to two accused in an ATM theft case, ordering them to plant trees as community service, emphasising a reformative approach to criminal justice.
A Meerut court sentenced Muskan Rastogi and Sahil Shukla to death for the murder of merchant navy officer Saurabh Rajput, invoking the Mahabharata in its decision. The court deemed the crime "extremely cruel and grave," with the verdict bringing satisfaction to the victim's family and eliciting strong public emotion. Police had registered an FIR in March 2025, and the conviction came in September 2026 for the "blue drum" murder case.
Muskan Rastogi and Sahil Shukla, sentenced to death for the murder of Muskan's husband Saurabh Rajput, spent a distressed first night in jail and are now preparing to challenge the verdict in the Allahabad High Court.
The Bombay High Court overturned the conviction and death sentence of a man in a 2017 rape and murder case, citing a violation of his fundamental right to a fair trial due to lack of legal representation. The court ordered a fresh trial, emphasising the need for a fair process for both the accused and the prosecution.
Noel Tata, chairman of Tata Trusts, and his son Neville Tata have filed caveats in Mumbai courts, ensuring they are heard before any orders are passed in a dispute involving Venu Srinivasan and Vijay Singh concerning alleged governance lapses and irregularities at some Tata Trusts.
The Delhi High Court has ruled that a private company's provision of email services does not, by itself, make it amenable to writ jurisdiction, even if the account is crucial for a user's business. This decision came as the court dismissed a petition by a media company seeking restoration of access to its Gmail account.
The Supreme Court has modified its interim order, staying the strictures and compensation directive passed by the Allahabad High Court against Noida DM Medha Roopam. The High Court had ordered Roopam to pay Rs 5 lakh from her salary for the detention of student Akriti Chaudhary under the NSA, criticising the DM's conduct. The Supreme Court's interim order specifically stays paragraphs 27 to 33 of the High Court judgment, which contained the strictures and cost award, but does not stay the quashing of Chaudhary's detention.
The Calcutta High Court on Thursday rejected the anticipatory bail plea of former West Bengal minister Indranil Sen in a cheating case. Sen is accused of commercialising Durga Puja by selling high-priced preview show tickets through an organisation allegedly linked to him and his family, diverting government funds. The court noted "trappings of corruption" and the Enforcement Directorate is also investigating.
The Supreme Court commuted the death sentence of a man convicted of sexually assaulting and strangling his six-year-old step-daughter to life imprisonment for the remainder of his natural life. The court affirmed his conviction but cited mitigating circumstances and the state's failure to exclude the possibility of his reformation, while also highlighting issues with the trial court's sentencing procedure.
An MP-MLA court in Sultanpur has set October 26 as the date to pronounce its verdict in a defamation case against Rahul Gandhi. The case stems from alleged objectionable remarks made by Gandhi against then BJP president Amit Shah in 2018. Gandhi is required to appear in court on the verdict day.
More than three months after her midnight deportation, however, the central question remains unanswered: Where is Mumtaz Begum?
