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The Supreme Court set aside a Patna High Court order that had cancelled criminal proceedings against a man accused of murder in a boy's drowning death.

• The top court noted that two witnesses saw the accused fleeing from the scene.
• The accused had taken the boy from his home for a walk on May 12, 2020.

The court stated that a postmortem report showing drowning cannot automatically be treated as a natural accident without investigating surrounding circumstances.

The Supreme Court directed the Rajasthan government to seal and dismantle all illegal discharge points into the Jojari-Luni-Bandi river system and recover environmental compensation from polluters, according to Hindustan Times.

• The court ordered authorities to take action against landowners and state officials responsible for lapses.
• It called for a proactive approach to anticipate environmental risks instead of reacting only after violations occur.

The court directed the state to conduct a technical survey of all bridges and road crossings to identify structures impeding natural river flows.

The Karnataka High Court directed police to avoid mechanically registering cases over social media posts and ensure that an FIR does not automatically lead to an arrest, Hindustan Times reported.

• The court emphasized that the effect of words must be judged by the standards of reasonable and strong-minded people.
• Police must check whether a complaint discloses essential ingredients of an offence before filing an FIR.

The guidelines direct police to conduct a preliminary inquiry under Section 173(3) of the BNSS wherever legally permissible.

The Supreme Court withdrew its direction requiring trial and high courts to call for reports on aggravating and mitigating circumstances in every death penalty case, as reported by Hindustan Times.

• A three-judge bench accepted a clarification plea by the National Legal Services Authority.
• The court acknowledged the exercise could prove unworkable where the court does not contemplate capital punishment.

Other directions concerning comprehensive reports, dedicated legal teams for death-penalty cases and mitigation investigations remain in place.

The Delhi High Court dismissed a petition filed by All India Students Association president Neha Bora challenging a notice issued by a Special Executive Magistrate, according to Hindustan Times. The notice directed her to furnish a personal bond of ₹10,000 and one surety to maintain peace during an inquiry following her participation in an October 16 march.

• The notice was issued under Section 126 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita after Bora joined the Lehra Do Tiranga march.
• The court directed the Special Executive Magistrate to provide Bora with all material relevant to the proceedings.

Bora was previously taken into preventive detention on October 16 while on her way to join the march at Connaught Place and was released the next day. The proceedings before the magistrate concern allegations of sloganeering at Mandi House.