From the National Herald case to the IRCTC scam, major 2025 Delhi court cases drew nationwide attention. High-profile politicians like Sonia Gandhi, Rahul Gandhi, and Lalu Prasad Yadav faced scrutiny, while courts also dealt with terror incidents including the 26/11 Mumbai attack and the Red Fort blast.
Cases involving prominent political figures like Sonia Gandhi, Rahul Gandhi, and Lalu Prasad Yadav occupied the Delhi courts, which also tackled terror-related incidents such as the 26/11 Mumbai attack and the Red Fort blast in 2025.
High-profile matters included the attack on Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta, the AgustaWestland case, former Congress MP Sajjan Kumar’s conviction in a 1984 anti-Sikh riots case, and the trial of self-styled godman Chaitanyananda Saraswati for alleged molestation.
National Herald Case
The case began with a private complaint filed in 2012 by BJP leader Subramanian Swamy. He alleged financial irregularities in the way a company called Young Indian Pvt Ltd (YIL) acquired control of Associated Journals Ltd (AJL) the company that published the National Herald newspaper.
In December 2025, the Rouse Avenue court in Delhi decided not to take cognisance of the Enforcement Directorate’s money-laundering complaint filed against Sonia Gandhi, Rahul Gandhi, and others,.
The court reasoned that the ED’s action was based on a private complaint rather than a police-registered FIR, and therefore, the PMLA proceedings could not continue at this stage.
This development was viewed as a major relief for the Gandhis, since it effectively brought the ED case to a halt for the moment.
Later, the Delhi High Court issued formal notices to Sonia Gandhi, Rahul Gandhi, and the other accused after the ED challenged the trial court’s decision. The High Court has asked them to file their responses and has scheduled the next hearing for March 12, 202.
During the proceedings, the ED argued before the High Court that the trial court’s reasoning could have a broader impact on several other money-laundering cases.
IRCTC Scam
The IRCTC scam involves alleged irregularities in awarding contracts for Ranchi and Puri railway hotels when Lalu Prasad Yadav was Union Railways Minister (2004–2009).
CBI FIR (2017) alleged tender manipulation favouring Sujata Hotels Pvt Ltd, with land and share transfers ultimately benefiting Rabri Devi and Tejashwi Yadav through companies like Delight Marketing Company. Charges (April 2018) include cheating, criminal conspiracy, and violations of the Prevention of Corruption Act.
Additionally, On 13 October 2025, Delhi’s Rouse Avenue Court formally framed charges against Lalu Prasad Yadav, Rabri Devi, Tejashwi Yadav, and 11 others for cheating, criminal conspiracy, and violations of the Prevention of Corruption Act.
The court noted “enough material for trial, citing manipulation of tenders and undervalued land/share transfers.“
Judge Vishal Gogne called Lalu the “fountainhead of criminal conspiracy” and said he abused his position. The court also noted the transactions were “possibly an instance of crony capitalism,” causing public loss through undervalued transfers.
26/11 Mumbai attack case
The 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks were a series of coordinated terrorist attacks carried out in Mumbai, India, starting on 26 November 2008 and continuing for about 60–62 hours.
Ten terrorists from the Pakistan‑based extremist group Lashkar‑e‑Taiba (LeT) arrived by sea from Karachi and launched the assault.
The 26/11 Mumbai attack case also made headlines, with Tahawwur Rana, an associate of main conspirator David Coleman Headley, extradited to India after losing a plea in the US Supreme Court on April 4.
Delhi Red Fort Blast Case
A powerful explosion took place near the Red Fort Metro Station in Delhi on the evening of November 10, 2025, killing at least eight people and injuring more than twenty others.
The blast occurred around 6:52 pm when a white Hyundai i20 car stopped at a traffic signal near Gate 1 of the metro station.
The explosion set the car ablaze and damaged several nearby vehicles, including auto-rickshaws, while shattering windows in the busy area near Chandni Chowk and the Red Fort. The incident caused panic among locals and tourists in one of Delhi’s most crowded zones.
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According to officials, the car was registered in Gurugram and had changed ownership multiple times, prompting police to detain the former owner for questioning.
The NIA has so far:
- Examined 73 witnesses, including injured survivors
- Seized multiple vehicles allegedly connected to the conspiracy
- Coordinated operations with:
- Delhi Police
- Jammu & Kashmir Police
- Haryana Police
- Uttar Pradesh Police
- Other central agencies
The case is registered as RC-21/2025/NIA/DLI, and investigators say multiple leads are being pursued to uncover the broader network behind the Red Fort blast.
1984 anti‑Sikh Riots Murder Case
Former Congress MP Sajjan Kumar was sentenced to life imprisonment by a Delhi court in the 1984 anti‑Sikh riots murder case, including the killing of Jaswant Singh and his son Tarundeep Singh.
The court refused the death penalty, citing his age, health issues, and the fact that the case did not meet the “rarest of rare” standard.
His appeal against conviction and sentence is now scheduled for hearing in the Supreme Court after Diwali 2025.
This development is a key moment in the long-pending justice for the 1984 riots victims, highlighting ongoing judicial scrutiny of riot-related crimes in India.
AgustaWestland scam
The AgustaWestland scam involves a 2010 defence deal to purchase 12 luxury helicopters for VVIP transport, worth around Rs.3,600 crore.
Allegations surfaced that bribes and kickbacks were paid to Indian officials through middlemen, including Christian James Michel.
The deal was cancelled in 2014 after corruption allegations. Michel was arrested and extradited from the UAE in 2018, facing separate cases from the CBI (corruption) and ED (money laundering).
Recent Court Developments:
- ED Money Laundering Case: On 21 December 2025, a Delhi trial court ordered Michel’s release, citing that he had served the maximum seven-year detention allowed under the CrPC.
- CBI Corruption Case: On 24 December 2025, the court modified his bail conditions, allowing a personal bond and cash surety of Rs.5 lakh each, and easing passport surrender requirements. Michel remains in custody pending formalities.
- Extradition Challenge: Michel has challenged the India-UAE extradition treaty, arguing he should be tried only for offences specified in his extradition. The Delhi High Court is hearing responses from the Centre, CBI, and ED.
Michel is released in the ED case but awaits final bail formalities in the CBI case. Legal proceedings on extradition and trial scope are ongoing.
Delhi riots case
In the 2020 Delhi riots case, violent clashes broke out in North‑East Delhi during protests against the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA), resulting in deaths, injuries, and property damage.
Student activist Umar Khalid was arrested in September 2020 under the UAPA for alleged involvement in a larger conspiracy. His defense has consistently argued that the evidence against him is fabricated, highlighting that he has spent five years in jail on flimsy grounds.
Earlier, On November 3, 2025, the court concluded discussions on framing charges against Khalid. Separately, a lower court order directing further investigation into Delhi Law Minister Kapil Mishra’s role in the riots was set aside due to a serious jurisdictional error, as it overstepped legal limits and lacked proper procedure.
The case continues to progress through higher courts, with key focus on the reliability of evidence and proper legal procedure.
Land‑For‑Job Scam Case
The land‑for‑job scam involves allegations that railway jobs were given in exchange for land between 2004 and 2009. The CBI investigated over 100 accused, including Lalu Prasad Yadav and family members.
Recently, the CBI submitted a final verification report to the court, noting that five of the 103 accused have passed away. The court will now consider framing charges against the remaining individuals.
In the land-for-job scam, the CBI submitted a final verification report on the accused, noting five out of 103 named individuals had passed away.
The trial court had earlier deferred framing charges, asking the CBI to verify the status of all 103 accused. The Supreme Court refused to stay proceedings.
Goa Nightclub Fire Incident
The Goa nightclub fire incident led a court to grant Goa Police a two-day transit remand for Gaurav Luthra and Saurabh Luthra, co-owners of the Birch by Romeo Lane nightclub, where 25 lives were lost on December 6.
A Goa court extended the police custody of Saurabh and Gaurav Luthra, the nightclub’s co‑owners, by five days so the police could continue their probe into the deadly blaze. The case involves charges including culpable homicide not amounting to murder and other safety violation offences. Ajay Gupta, another co‑owner, was remanded to judicial custody after police did not seek further police custody for him.
Earlier in the case, a Delhi court denied bail to the Luthra brothers when they sought transit anticipatory bail after being deported from Thailand to face trial.
Adani Enterprises Defamation Case
In a defamation suit filed by Adani Enterprises Limited (AEL) in a Delhi civil court, the company alleged that journalists, media outlets, and online commentators published “unverified, unsubstantiated and ex facie defamatory” content harming its reputation.
Additionally, On September 6, 2025, Senior Civil Judge Anuj Kumar Singh of the Rohini Court granted an ex‑parte interim injunction in AEL’s favour, restraining the defendants from publishing the alleged defamatory content and directing its removal from websites, social media, and other platforms.
The order allowed intermediaries to disable access to content once notified. Following this, the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting (MIB) issued takedown notices for over 100 YouTube videos and dozens of Instagram posts, affecting journalists and outlets including Ravish Kumar, Dhruv Rathee, Newslaundry, and The Wire.
Legal experts warned that such prior restraint violated free speech, citing the Bonnard v. Perryman standard, which limits injunctions against journalists to exceptional cases. Four journalists Ravi Nair, Abir Dasgupta, Ayaskant Das, and Ayush Joshi appealed the injunction.
On September 18, 2025, District Judge Ashish Aggarwal set aside the order, stating the removal directive was “sweeping” and effectively “decreed the suit itself without a trial.” The court directed the trial court to reconsider the interim relief after hearing both sides.
Chinese Visa Scam Case
A Delhi court has formally framed charges against Congress MP Karti P Chidambaram and six others in the Chinese visa scam case, finding a prima facie case of criminal conspiracy and corruption.
The case relates to allegations that Karti allegedly facilitated visa approvals for around 250 Chinese workers of Talwandi Sabo Power Limited in return for a Rs.50 lakh bribe, routed through associates.
The CBI registered the FIR in 2022, citing violations of visa rules, cheating, and corruption under the Prevention of Corruption Act.
The court relied on evidence including email trails and the testimony of an approver and rejected discharge pleas, stating these issues would be examined during the trial. With charges now framed, the trial is set to begin on January 16, 2026, while Karti Chidambaram has denied wrongdoing and vowed to pursue all legal remedies.
Sonia Gandhi’s Pre-Citizenship Entry
The controversy arose when advocate Vikas Tripathi alleged that Sonia Gandhi’s name appeared in the New Delhi electoral rolls in 1980–81, three years before she legally became an Indian citizen in April 1983.
The petition claimed that only citizens are eligible for electoral rolls and that her name was deleted in 1982 and re‑entered in 1983, raising questions about possible irregularities. Tripathi sought a police investigation and FIR, alleging forgery or document fabrication.
However, in September 2025, the Rouse Avenue Magistrate Court dismissed the complaint, noting it lacked evidence, relied on uncertified documents, and that matters of citizenship and electoral rolls fall under the Election Commission and central government, not criminal courts.
- Following the magistrate’s dismissal of the complaint on 11 September 2025, the petitioner approached the Sessions Court at Rouse Avenue with a revision plea challenging the earlier decision.
- On 9 December 2025, Special Judge Vishal Gogne issued notices to Sonia Gandhi and the Delhi Police, seeking their responses and summoning the trial court records for review.
- The court has scheduled the next hearing for 6 January 2026, to reassess whether the magistrate was justified in rejecting the complaint initially and to determine if the allegations warrant further examination.
POCSO Case Against Ex-WFI Chief Brij Bhushan Singh
Former Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) chief and senior BJP leader Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh, who faced multiple sexual harassment allegations, has seen the closure of one of the cases against him. The case under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act, filed by a wrestler who was a minor at the time of the alleged incident, has been formally closed by a Delhi court after accepting the closure report submitted by the Delhi Police.
The minor complainant had expressed satisfaction with the police investigation during an August 2023 hearing and did not oppose the closure report. The police also noted a lack of corroborative evidence to support the allegations. Additional Sessions Judge Gomti Manocha officially accepted the cancellation, marking the end of this POCSO case.
However, separate sexual harassment and stalking complaints filed by six adult wrestlers against Brij Bhushan are still pending and being processed independently in the courts.
- Two FIRs were registered against Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh: one under POCSO by a minor wrestler and another based on complaints from adult wrestlers, with charges under IPC sections 354, 354A, and stalking.
- Allegations led to major protests by Indian wrestlers and widespread media coverage.
- Delhi Police recommended dropping the POCSO case against the minor wrestler.
- In August 2023, she expressed satisfaction with the investigation and did not oppose the closure report.
- No corroborative evidence was found to support the minor’s allegations.
- Additional Sessions Judge Gomti Manocha accepted the cancellation, officially closing the POCSO case with the remark: “Cancellation accepted.”