Today, On 11th December, The Supreme Court rejected former IPS officer Sanjiv Bhatt’s plea to suspend his 20-year sentence in the 1996 drug seizure case. Justices JK Maheshwari and Vijay Bishnoi refused to consider his appeal, denying him relief.
The Madras High Court observed that the trial court “committed a grave error without understanding the fundamental principle of criminal law” while convicting the appellant. The Court set aside the conviction and directed the trial judge to undergo judicial training.
NBA leader Medha Patkar withdrew her plea in the Supreme Court against Delhi LG V K Saxena in a 25-year-old defamation case. The court said the matter needed closure and refused relief on her request to examine more witnesses.
The Kerala High Court ruled that trial judges must watch video evidence themselves in obscenity cases. Conviction cannot be based only on witness statements or police reports without verifying the videos.
The Supreme Court upheld the conviction of a former Punjab jail officer for conspiring to help an undertrial prisoner escape in 2010. The Court said the officer “actively undermined the justice system” and must face the full sentence.
The Supreme Court slammed a journalist for a defamatory YouTube video targeting a woman politician, reminding that only courts decide guilt. Interim bail was extended as the case proceeds.
In a historic verdict, a Bengal court sentenced 9 people to life imprisonment in India’s first digital arrest conviction. Officials called it a “landmark moment” as the entire trial concluded within just eight months of the incident.
In a strong observation, the Supreme Court asked, “Why should a corrupt public official be allowed to resume the job?” while questioning reinstatement after conviction, raising serious concerns about integrity in public service roles.
The Supreme Court ruled that a High Court cannot enhance a convict’s sentence on its own. It stated, “HC can’t enhance sentence or act as revisional court without appeal by State or victim.”
The Allahabad High Court denied bail to a man convicted under IPC Section 304, ruling that Haj is not an absolute right and expressing concern that allowing travel could increase the risk of him absconding.
