News archive

The Allahabad High Court has sought the prescribed consent form signed by the guardian of a 13-year-old rape survivor before a surgical procedure was performed, as reported by Hindustan Times.

• The bench expressed surprise over the absence of the prescribed declaration form bearing the signature of the patient's caretaker before the surgery.
• Hospital officials and the additional advocate general acknowledged that a prescribed form was available for obtaining signatures for surgeries on minors.

The minor had approached the high court seeking permission to terminate her pregnancy after it crossed the statutory 24-week threshold.

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 Bombay High Court directed occupants of Vijay Industrial Estate in Goregaon East to vacate the premises within three weeks due to its dilapidated condition, according to Hindustan Times.

• The BMC had issued a notice classifying the structure under the C-1 category after an audit report revealed it was unsafe.
• The bench dismissed a petition filed by seven residents challenging the municipal corporation notice directing demolition.

The industrial estate located on IB Patel Road was constructed in 1973 and inspected by a court-appointed commissioner who confirmed its hazardous condition.

The Allahabad High Court upheld the life sentences of a husband and his parents for the murder of a woman who died of burn injuries, as reported by Hindustan Times.

• The court held that a dying declaration could not be disbelieved merely because all prosecution witnesses of fact had turned hostile.
• The bench acquitted two other accused after finding that the prosecution had failed to establish their identities during the trial.

The deceased was allegedly burnt after kerosene was poured over her at her matrimonial home in Budaun on January 4, 2017.