A Delhi court ruled that a woman talking to a man late at night cannot be a ground to question her character. Observing changing social norms, the judge said, “The Indian society no longer remains a primitive society wherein a woman talking with a man is considered to be a taboo.”
The Gujarat High Court quashed a 2019 criminal case, including attempt to murder charges, against Surat advocate Mohammed Bilal Kagazi after CCTV footage proved his absence from the alleged crime spot. The Court held that surveillance evidence weakened the prosecution’s allegations significantly.
A special court in Mumbai acquitted all accused in the 2006 murder case of Maharashtra Congress leader Pawanraje Nimbalkar after a 20-year trial. The case involved former NCP MP Padamsinh Patil and others accused in the killing near Kalamboli, Navi Mumbai.
A Baghpat Chief Judicial Magistrate Court concluded a 27-year-old criminal case after the accused admitted guilt and sought leniency. The 65-year-old villager was sentenced till the rising of the court and fined Rs 1,000, bringing an end to proceedings arising from allegations of abuse and criminal intimidation dating back to 1999.
The Allahabad High Court held that habeas corpus petitions challenging an accused’s initial arrest and remand cannot ordinarily be entertained after cognizance, framing of charges, and substantial progress in trial. “Pandora’s Box Has Been Opened,” the Court remarked on recent illegal-arrest jurisprudence.
The Gauhati High Court has held that compensation for custodial death can be awarded even before a criminal trial concludes. In the Santosh Hojai case, the Court ordered Rs.25 lakh compensation, describing the accused officers’ actions as “barbaric” and capable of “shaking the judicial conscience.”
A viral video showing 85-year-old Deep Rai alias Jisa Rai leaving a Bihar court with a walking stick after being sentenced in a 34-year-old criminal case nearly prompted the Supreme Court to initiate suo motu proceedings, reigniting debate over judicial delays and prolonged criminal trials.
The Supreme Court held that no person can be allowed to benefit from his or her own wrongdoing, ruling that anyone accused of murdering someone or abetting the act will be barred from inheriting the victim’s property today.
The Supreme Court of India expressed concern over delays in the 2021 Lakhimpur Kheri violence trial, directing lawful measures to secure witnesses’ presence after noting the Uttar Pradesh government failed to explain their non-production before the trial court for nearly two months.
The Kerala High Court expressed strong doubts over a plea seeking to restrain the release of a Malayalam film allegedly inspired by the Venjaramoodu mass murder case. The Court questioned how a creative artwork could interfere with a fair criminal trial and agreed to hear the matter further.
