Grant of Anticipatory Bail to Accused with 22 FIRs “Very Unfortunate”; Criminal Antecedents Alone Sufficient to Deny Relief: Supreme Court
“Supreme Court set aside the impugned order granting anticipatory bail to the accused.”
criminal law
Inside Delhi High Court Guidelines for Quashing of POCSO FIR in Consensual Adolescent Relationship
“The jurisprudential basis for the State being the prosecuting agency in criminal offences is to prevent a criminal prosecution from descending into an exercise in vengeance, where the victim goes baying-for-the-blood of the offender; and to maintain objectivity, neutrality, fairness and a sense of proportion in prosecution of an offender.”
Supreme Court issues directions for Systemic Legal Aid Reform, Delay in Appeals and Timely Access to Justice
“In India, the concept of legal aid is closely tied to the vision expressed in the Preamble of the Constitution, which promises justice be it social, economic, and/or political, along with equality of status and opportunity, and affirms the secular character of the State.”
Can Complainant Wife and Her Family Be Prosecuted for ‘Giving Dowry’? Supreme Court Clarifies
“If both the giver and the taker are penalised, no giver of dowry can be expected to come forward to make a complaint, being under the threat of being prosecuted himself.”
Conviction rests on evidence not suspicion: Uttaranchal High Court acquits accused on Sexual Assault charges due to anomalies in Chain of Custody of Forensic Evidence
“In the present case, the absence of documentary proof establishing the seizure and custody of the alleged forensic article creates a reasonable doubt as to the authorship of the sexual act.”
Supreme Court restores criminal proceeding over unauthorised sale of CSI Church land
“The land in question, though administered by a corporate body, is essentially trust property held for the benefit of the community, and any irregularity in its alienation is a matter of legitimate public concern.”
Absence of signature on charge curable irregularity, de novo trial not justified unless failure of justice shown: Supreme Court
The Court held that a de novo trial cannot be ordered merely on technical grounds, particularly when the trial had substantially progressed and no real miscarriage of justice is shown.
Conversion to Christianity extinguishes SC/ST status and protection under SC/ST Act: Supreme Court
“The SC/ST Act serves as a crucial legal framework to protect the rights and dignity of Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes in India, ensuring stringent measures against offences of atrocities and promoting their welfare and security.”
2026 SCC Vol. 2 Part 4: Key Supreme Court Cases on Arbitration and Criminal Law
Explore the latest Supreme Court Cases in 2026 SCC Vol. 2 Part 2 on international commercial arbitration, limited scope of interference under Section 37, and registration of FIR.
High speed not ‘sine qua non’ to constitute offence under Section 279 IPC; Del HC grants leave to appeal against acquittal
“Possibility of rashness and negligence by a driver cannot be negated on the mere account of low speed, especially when it is alleged that the respondent was driving a heavy vehicle, carrying material over the permissible weight limit, in a zig-zag manner prior to the accident.”
Subsequent refusal to marry due to Kundali mismatch despite prior assurances, raises doubts; Delhi HC denies bail in false promise of marriage case
“The contention that the marriage could not take place due to non-matching of kundalis appears inconsistent with his own conduct and representations made over the years. If the issue of kundali matching was indeed of such determinative importance for the applicant and his family, the same should have been resolved at the threshold before entering into physical relations.”
Free consent can’t be retrospectively withdrawn to criminalise a failed consensual relationship: Delhi High Court
“Criminal law is meant to protect genuine victims of crime, not to rewrite the history of a relationship that was voluntarily entered into, publicly acknowledged, and sustained over several years.”
Successive FIRs to Defeat Bail amount to Abuse of Process : Supreme Court invokes Article 32 to grant Bail
“Article 32 of the Indian Constitution is deemed to be “heart and soul” of the Constitution as it empowers any citizen to directly approach the Supreme Court for the enforcement of fundamental rights.”
Personal appearance of accused before appellate/revisional court on every date after suspension of sentence & grant of bail not warranted: Supreme Court
“The proper course is to proceed with the appeal on merits, ensuring representation, while securing presence only in accordance with law upon dismissal or as otherwise required.”
Restraining entry in discharge of duty not Wrongful Restraint or Outraging Modesty; Delhi High Court quashes FIR against Security Guard
The Petitioners being Security Guards, had the bounden duty to ensure that no unauthorised person enters the office premises… act of restraining the Complainant for entering the Office for which she had no right, cannot be termed as an act of wrongful restraint.”
Criminal Law Roundup 2025 (Part 1): Landmark Supreme Court & High Court Rulings on Section 138 NI Act, NDPS, and more
Covering major criminal law updates from the Supreme Court and High Courts, this roundup offers a quick look at 2025 rulings on arrest, bail, terrorism and national Security, Hate speech, privacy, defamation, etc., and trial procedures.
Making minor touch private parts with sexual intent constitutes Aggravated Sexual Assault under POCSO Act: Delhi High Court
Minor inconsistencies arising from age, vocabulary or manner of narration do not erode the credibility of the prosecution, particularly where the allegation relates to commission of sexual assault with sexual intent.
Mere Reference to Caste Name Not an Offence Unless Used to Intentionally Insult or Humiliate: Bombay High Court Quashes FIR Against Marathi TV Channel Executives
No specific allegation was made that the petitioners, who were not members of a scheduled caste or scheduled tribe, had intentionally undertaken an act to insult, intimidate or humiliate the first informant, who is a member of the scheduled caste.
Stopping Stray Dog feeding at Society access points & School Bus Stops a child-safety measure, not wrongful restraint: Bombay High Court
Presence of aggressive stray dogs on streets are causing grave risk to the lives of children, elderly people and vulnerable sections of society and also unabling them to access streets and parks because of the fear of being attacked and bitten by the rabies infected stray dogs.
‘In Honour Killing cases, bail is a carefully guarded exception’; Madras HC rejects bail in Kavin Honour Killing Case
“In grave offences like honour killing, bail is a carefully guarded exception, balancing liberty with justice and societal order. Judicial vigilance and societal awareness are crucial in eradicating the heinous crime.”