India's Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) has sought an explanation from WhatsApp regarding its username feature, citing concerns over potential cybercrime facilitation. Concurrently, the ministry is investigating reported data leak allegations involving Tata Electronics, a key supplier for Apple's iPhone components in India. MeitY is also exploring techno-legal solutions for VPNs to address challenges posed by unregistered providers operating from outside India.
Personality rights violations are increasingly being used as vehicles for financial fraud, with unsuspecting consumers misled by fabricated endorsements.
Legal database platform India Kanoon has approached the Delhi High Court, challenging a single-judge order that recognised an individual's 'right to be forgotten' and directed the platform to de-index and disable 'name-based search functionality' for certain judicial orders.
The Gauhati high court observed that merely producing a number of documents does not automatically establish citizenship unless they are legally admissible and capable of proving the person's linkage to Indian ancestors.
In a landmark decision, the Supreme Court of India has quashed the 2021 Office Memorandum allowing retrospective environmental clearances, reinforcing the importance of prior environmental approval for projects but held that the judgment will apply prospectively, thus saving projects that got retrospective ECs from demolition and other punitive measures.
An intensified DVAC probe into a multi-crore liquor scam, allegedly involving former DMK Minister V Senthil Balaji, has led to a suggestion to privatise retail liquor sales in Tamil Nadu. The investigation targets alleged collusion in TASMAC bar licences, transport tenders, and procurement, with the Madras High Court dismissing Balaji's anticipatory bail plea. The FIR details systemic corruption, significant revenue loss, and illicit fund generation, prompting political reactions.
Kerala Police have registered a murder case concerning the death of a 22-year-old medical student in Uzbekistan, following a complaint from her family. While the crime occurred abroad, authorities in Haripad have initiated proceedings, stating they will pursue the case if Uzbek police do not prosecute the accused. The family alleges the student was tortured and brutally beaten, not just hit on the head, and claims the accused tried to force her religious conversion.
A Flipkart delivery executive has been arrested in Bengaluru after allegedly making an obscene gesture towards a woman, prompting a police investigation and Flipkart's termination of his engagement.
Meerut SSP Avinash Pandey has defended the police's handling of a Scheduled Caste college student's death, asserting that all actions were evidence-based. He warned against disturbing law and order and appealed for peace, even as an alleged threat call to his PRO surfaced and police arrested several protesters involved in a recent demonstration.
The Union Territory administration in Ladakh has announced the establishment of an Autonomous Hill Development Council (AHDC) for each of its seven districts, significantly expanding democratic decentralisation. This move extends elected local self-governance beyond Leh and Kargil, with a proposed Union Territory-level body under a customised Article 371 framework to oversee these councils.
Tripura Police have initiated a forensic analysis of all electronic gadgets belonging to DGP Anurag Dhankar, who was found dead in his office washroom. A case of unnatural death has been registered, and the investigation aims to determine the cause and circumstances, especially if suicide is confirmed. Calls for a judicial probe into the incident are also growing.
A clarification by the ministry of external affairs that the passport is not a proof of citizenship has once again brought to the fore the need for a legal framework to provide citizens with a single document to establish they are Indians.
A private school in Hyderabad has terminated a primary teacher after she assigned Islamic religious verses as homework, sparking controversy and prompting police intervention to ensure communal harmony. The incident led to protests and demands for action against the school from political and religious groups.
Three publishers have been remanded to 10-day police custody in Jammu for allegedly publishing and circulating books that glorify separatist leaders. The Counter Intelligence Unit is investigating the matter, which led to the blacklisting of two publishers and the suspension of several education department officials.
An 18-year-old NEET aspirant allegedly died by suicide by jumping from the 16th floor of a residential society in Faridabad on Thursday after evaluating her likely score using the answer key released by the NTA earlier this week and finding it lower than she had hoped, the police said.
Beyond imprisonment, candidates caught cheating face cancellation of examination scores, blacklisting under China's social credit system and multi-year bans from appearing in state examinations.
The Supreme Court has agreed to hear a plea from Uttar Pradesh police challenging a Bombay High Court ruling that absolved BrahMos Aerospace engineer Nishant Agarwal of major espionage charges under the Official Secrets Act. Agarwal was previously sentenced to life imprisonment by a Nagpur district court for spying for Pakistan's ISI, despite the High Court finding he only illegally stored sensitive data.
Three passengers sustained injuries in a brawl over a seating dispute on an Ambernath-bound local train in Thane district, Maharashtra. The altercation, which occurred shortly after midnight, involved a metal bangle causing head injuries, not a sharp weapon. Separately, a mentally unstable man was apprehended at Kurla station for causing panic with a wooden stick.
Western Railway has debunked a viral video claiming a loco pilot stopped a train near Indore to buy samosas, clarifying that it was a freight train on an authorised operational halt due to engineering work, and the person buying food was a standby assistant loco pilot.
An 8-year-old girl was allegedly sexually assaulted by a security guard in Mumbai's Pydhonie area, leading to his arrest and widespread public protests. Hundreds gathered outside the police station, demanding swift justice and stricter laws, drawing attention from political figures like MLA Rohit Pawar.
The founders of the Rapido app have been booked in Nagpur for allegedly operating petrol-powered bike taxi services in Maharashtra without the necessary government permissions. A case was registered following a complaint from the Nagpur RTO after a special drive revealed private vehicles were being used commercially without proper licenses, raising concerns about passenger safety and revenue loss for the government.
A journalist from a Tamil news channel was questioned by Chennai police and his mobile phone seized in connection with an alleged bribery case involving a ruling TVK MLA. The MLA claimed he was offered Rs 35 crore to vote against his party in a no-confidence motion, part of a larger "Meghalaya Project" to destabilise the government. The Chennai Press Club has condemned the police action, citing concerns over press freedom.
The Allahabad high court has delivered a split verdict on the controversial practice of "bulldozer justice," involving the punitive demolition of properties linked to accused persons. Two judges, Justice Atul Sreedharan and Justice Siddharth Nandan, expressed differing views on whether a stay on demolitions can be issued, leading the matter to be referred to the Chief Justice for a third judge's opinion.
A writ petition has been filed in the Allahabad High Court challenging district court orders that declined to appoint an Advocate Commission to survey the Taj Mahal premises. The petition seeks a declaration that an Agreshwar Mahadev Nagnatheswar Virajman Tejo Mahalaya temple exists within the Taj Mahal complex, a claim previously filed in a 2015 declaratory suit.
A Delhi Police constable allegedly shot his 30-year-old wife dead on her birthday in east Delhi's Vinod Nagar. The victim's family claims she was subjected to dowry harassment, and the accused has been absconding since the incident. Police are investigating the marital relationship and past complaints.
EPFO said the measure could substantially improve retirement outcomes with nearly half its members expected to see an increase of up to 35 times in their old-age savings.
Indian farmers staged a significant protest at the Shambhu border against a proposed India-US trade deal, fearing its detrimental effects on the domestic agricultural sector and demanding its immediate abandonment. They later ended their agitation after assurances from the Haryana Agriculture Minister regarding the release of detained farmers and a meeting with the Union Agriculture Minister.
The Meghalaya government has approached the Supreme Court to challenge the bail granted to Sonam Raghuvanshi, who is accused of murdering her husband during their honeymoon. The state argues that the High Court erred in its decision, citing a typographical error in the grounds of arrest and the risk of the accused absconding.
West Bengal has enacted two controversial legislations, the Public Safety and Control of Anti-Social Activities Act and the Maintenance of Public Order (Amendment) Act, aimed at curbing organised crime and violent protests. These laws grant authorities significant powers, including preventive detention without trial and property attachment for riot damages, drawing both support and criticism.
The Supreme Court has issued an interim stay on the Madras High Court's directive that imposed a blanket ban on cow slaughter in Tamil Nadu, responding to an appeal from the State government.
'If there are different laws governing the same subject, it can increase the compliance burden on platforms. The process would be easier and more transparent if there were a singular national-level law.'
A lavish midnight birthday celebration on Guwahati's Kumar Bhaskar Varma Bridge led to the detention of businessman Gautam Baruah, his wife Karabi Baruah, and 12 others, with four luxury vehicles seized, after viral videos prompted a police investigation into alleged traffic and public safety violations.
Maharashtra plans new policy to make domicile certificate mandatory for driving licence from August 2026, alongside efforts to regulate bike taxi services for revenue and job creation.
An 11-year-old girl's body was found in Baruipur, West Bengal, leading to local protests and the lynching of a man accused of involvement. Police have arrested four people and assured strict action, with the Chief Minister also intervening.
'A recruiter has no legitimate basis to ask whether you are married, in a same-sex relationship or planning to transition,' says Sonam Chandwani, managing partner at KS Legal & Associates.
The Gujarat High Court has ruled that the performance of customary rites and ceremonies, particularly 'saptapadi', is essential for the validation of a Hindu marriage, stating that registration alone is insufficient. The court emphasised that marriage is a sacrament and not merely a social occasion, highlighting the spiritual and legal significance of traditional rituals.
Google has challenged a Delhi High Court single-judge bench ruling that held it liable for trademark infringement by allowing competitors to bid on and use the 'Hindware' trademark as keywords in its Google Ads programme. Google argues that keyword bidding promotes competition and is a globally accepted norm, citing previous rulings that allowed the practice. The tech giant contends that the Trade Marks Act does not distinguish between coined and generic words for such infringements.
A passenger in Lucknow allegedly caused a false bomb alert on a train at Aishbagh station because he couldn't find a seat. The hoax triggered panic and a multi-agency security check, but no suspicious objects were found. The accused, Saini Jackie, has been taken into custody, and legal proceedings are underway.
The Central Reserve Police Force has suspended a senior DIG-rank officer for sharing content allegedly "against" the government during the recent passage of the Central Armed Police Force bill, which the cadre officers of these forces had called discriminatory.
The National Stock Exchange (NSE) is reportedly planning to launch its much-anticipated initial public offering (IPO), estimated at around Rs 30,000 crore, in September, potentially valuing the exchange at over Rs 5 lakh crore.
