With nearly 5,000 criminal cases pending against sitting and former MPs/MLAs, the Supreme Court has been urged to ensure fast-track trials. Senior advocate Vijay Hansaria highlighted that politicians misuse their power to delay investigations, with some cases dragging on for decades. A recent affidavit revealed that 251 Lok Sabha MPs face criminal charges, including 170 serious cases. The Supreme Court’s intervention is now crucial to uphold justice and democracy.
NEW DELHI: The Delhi High Court has refused to entertain a petition demanding legal action against Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader Mukesh Kumar Ahlawat. The petition alleged that Ahlawat had hidden key details in documents submitted to the Election Commission of India (ECI). Justice Subramonium Prasad dismissed the petition, stating that it did not challenge any specific election of Ahlawat.
A Karnataka court accepted the closure report in the bribery case involving Chief Minister Siddaramaiah. The case was based on allegations that Siddaramaiah misused his position to influence the allocation of plots by the Mysore Urban Development Authority (MUDA). After investigation, authorities found insufficient evidence to proceed.
The Kerala High Court ruled that trial courts must base decisions on discharge pleas in criminal cases exclusively on prosecution documents and not on materials from the accused. The judgment, in the Stephin Raj v. State of Kerala case, upheld the trial court’s dismissal of a rape discharge plea, confirming sufficient evidence for charges.
The Supreme Court on Monday (16th Dec) has requested the Uttar Pradesh government’s response regarding a bail plea from former minister Azam Khan and his son, Abdullah, in connection with a 2022 case alleging the theft of a road-cleaning machine. The Allahabad High Court previously denied their bail. The Khans claim political motivation behind the charges.
Isha Foundation has filed a defamation suit against Nakkheeran for publishing critical allegations against it. Seeking Rs 3 crore in damages, the case, scheduled to begin arguments in April 2025, involves claims of misconduct. The Supreme Court previously ruled that two women at the ashram are there voluntarily, prompting ongoing investigations.
As of November 21, 2024, India’s judiciary faces severe challenges with 5,200 unfilled positions and 4.53 crore pending cases. The Supreme Court has two vacancies while High Courts have 364, predominantly in Allahabad. Initiatives to translate judgments into regional languages aim to improve access to legal resources amidst these issues.
Mere pendency of a criminal case does not automatically disqualify a person from exercising his right to seek long-term opportunities abroad, the Delhi High Court has noted. The court also directed the passport authorities to issue within two weeks a police clearance certificate (PCC) to a man, who has pending criminal cases and needs to submit a document to Canadian authorities to set up a business there.
Criminal cases should not be slapped against journalists merely because their writings are perceived as criticism of the government, the Supreme Court said Today (Oct 4). Court said in democratic nations, the freedom to express one’s views is respected and the rights of journalists are protected under Article 19(1)(a) of the Constitution. The bench was hearing a plea filed by journalist Abhishek Upadhyay, who has sought quashing of an FIR lodged against him in Uttar Pradesh for allegedly publishing a news report on the “caste dynamics of the general administration” in the state.
The Supreme Court Today (Oct 4) lamented that the Telangana government has not been offering proper assistance to the Court during criminal case hearings. A Bench of Justices Hrishikesh Roy and SVN Bhatti expressed its sentiments in this regard today to the State’s Director General of Police (DGP), who was present virtually. The Court had directed the Telangana DGP to appear before it after the State counsel could not answer basic queries during an earlier hearing of a criminal case.