MACT | A Minor Cannot Be Treated as a Non-Earner: Punjab & Haryana High Court Consensual Love Affair Not Cheating Under IPC Section 417: Madras High Court Acquits Man Despite Paternity Confirmation Review Jurisdiction is an Ant-Hole in a Pigeon-Hol: Madras High Court Dismisses Review Plea Against Order Upholding Arbitral Award on Liquidated Damages Bank Can Freeze Guarantor’s Salary Account to Recover Loan Dues: Kerala High Court Clarifies CPC Exemption Does Not Apply to Banker’s Right Revenue Entry Calling Property ‘Ancestral’ Does Not Create Title: Gujarat High Court Upholds Registered Will in Second Appeal Licensee Cannot Resist Resumption Of Railway Land: Gauhati High Court Upholds Eviction For Amrit Bharat Station Scheme Mere Non-Payment of Business Dues Is Not Cheating: Calcutta High Court Protects Traders from Criminal Prosecution in Purely Civil Dispute Prosecution’s Failure to Prove Age of Prosecutrix Beyond Reasonable Doubt Fatal to POCSO Conviction: Rajasthan High Court No Title, No Right, No Equity: Bombay High Court Demolishes Claim Over Footpath Stall, Imposes ₹5 Lakh Costs for Abuse of Process Section 155(2) Cr.P.C. Does Not Bar Complainant From Seeking Magistrate’s Permission: Allahabad High Court Clarifies Law on Non-Cognizable Investigations Un-Retracted Section 108 Statement Is Binding: Delhi High Court Declines to Reopen ₹3.5 Crore Cigarette Smuggling Valuation Section 34 Is Not an Appeal in Disguise: Delhi High Court Upholds 484-Day Extension in IRCON–Afcons Tunnel Arbitration Section 432(2) Cannot Be Rendered Fatuous: Calcutta High Court Reasserts Balance Between Judicial Opinion and Executive Discretion in Remission Matters Termination of Mandate Is Not Termination of Arbitration: Bombay High Court Revives Reference and Appoints Substitute Arbitrator CBI Can’t Prosecute When Bank Suffers No Loss: Andhra Pradesh High Court Discharges Bhimavaram Hospitals Directors in ₹1.5 Crore SBI Case Section 256 CrPC Cannot Be A Shield For An Accused Who Never Faced Trial: Allahabad High Court Restores 8 Cheque Bounce Complaints

"CRIMINAL LAW" Digest

Criminal Law - Acquittal of Accused – Allegations of Sexual Assault under Section 8 POCSO Act and Sections 451, 506 IPC – Acquittal Upheld - The appeal by the State challenged the judgment acquitting the respondent accused of charges of sexual assault and house trespass based on contradictions in prosecutrix’s statements – The High Court, after reappreciating the evidence, ...

Sentencing – Retrospective Application of Law – Article 20(1) – Sentence Modified – The appellant was convicted under Section 6 of the POCSO Act for rape of a 5-year-old child and sentenced to imprisonment for the remainder of his natural life as per the 2019 amendment – Held: The amendment came into force after the date of offence (20.05.2019) and its retrospective a...

Motor Accident Claim – Section 147, Section 163A, and Section 166 of the Motor Vehicles Act - Personal Accident Cover – Comprehensive Insurance Policy – Full Compensation Restored – The deceased, brother of the vehicle owner, died in an accident caused due to tyre burst while driving the insured vehicle – The Tribunal awarded Rs. 25,82,000/- under a personal accident ...

Criminal Law - Furlough Leave – Pending Criminal Case under NDPS Act – Conviction Required – Petition Allowed – The petitioner, a life convict under Sections 302 and 307 IPC, was denied furlough leave based on a pending case under the NDPS Act – Held: Rule 4(2)(e)(l) of Notification dated 02.12.2024 bars furlough for convicts under NDPS Act, but does not apply to unde...

Criminal Law - Section 304A, 315, 323, 506 of the IPC – Quashing - Medical Negligence – Delay in Caesarean – Failure to Act Timely – Prima Facie Offence Made Out – The applicant, a qualified gynaecologist, delayed surgery despite obtaining consent at 12 noon – Anaesthetist was called at 3:30 PM and operation performed at 5:30 PM – Foetus died due to &ldquo...

Regular Bail – Multiple Allegations Including SC/ST Act and BNS – Bail Granted – The appellant sought bail in FIR No. 19/2025 for alleged involvement in violent acts against members of the complainant’s family, including allegations under Section 3(1)(r)(s) of the SC/ST Act – Held: Though the allegations were grave and included mob violence and attempt to murder, the ...

POCSO – DNA Evidence – Hostile Witnesses – Acquittal Upheld – The State challenged the acquittal of the accused under Section 376(2) IPC and Sections 4 and 6 of the POCSO Act – The prosecutrix and her family turned hostile and denied sexual assault – DNA report (Ex.P33) confirmed that the accused was the biological father of the child – Held: DNA evidence ...

Matrimonial Law - Maintenance under Section 24 HMA – Award of Interim Maintenance to Wife and Child – Decree Affirmed – The appellant challenged the Family Court’s order awarding pendente lite maintenance of ₹10,000/month to the wife and ₹15,000/month to the minor child – Appellant contended concealment of income and false claims of unemployment by respondent wife...

Criminal Law – Conviction for Demand and Acceptance of Bribe – Conviction Set Aside – Appellant was convicted under Sections 7 and 13(1)(d) read with 13(2) of the Prevention of Corruption Act for allegedly demanding and accepting a bribe of ₹3,000 for sanctioning a bill – The High Court observed that the de facto complainant (PW.1) and key witnesses (PW.2 and PWs.3-7) wer...

Criminal Law – Quashing of FIR – Section 156(3) Cr.P.C. – Quashing Denied – Petitioners sought quashing of FIR No. 380/2005 alleging inducement and breach of MoU by respondents – Magistrate ordered registration of FIR without prior complaint to police – High Court declined to quash FIR noting completion of investigation and filing of chargesheet – Supreme ...