Today’s Legal Updates:

  1. Today Delhi Court at Rouse Avenue acquitted journalist Priya Ramani in the criminal defamation case filed by former Union Minister MJ Akbar, a victory for the MeToo movement in India, Woman has right to put her grievance at a platform of her choice even after decades”, the Court observed. It observed that a man of social status can also be a sexual harasser. the Court held, “Sexual abuse takes away dignity and self confidence. Right of reputation can’t be protected at the cost of right to dignity”.
  2. In challenging the preventive detention of a man under the Kerala Anti-Social Activities Prevention Act (KAAPA), a challenge has been hoisted on the constitutionality of the Act itself on the ground that it violates Articles 22 (protection against arrest and detention in certain cases) of the Constitution before the Supreme Court.
  3. Today Ramani’s lawyer Senior Advocate Rebecca John told Handling the trial of journalist Priya Ramani in the defamation case filed by MJ Akbar over allegations of sexual harassment made against him proved to be an extremely difficult endeavour.
  4. Today Delhi Court  a trial that lasted almost two years acquitted journalist Priya Ramani in the criminal defamation case initiated by former Union Minister MJ Akbar in relation to the sexual harassment allegations levelled against him during the #MeToo movement of 2018.
  5. Today The Supreme Court of India clarified that it has not initiated criminal contempt of court proceedings against journalist Rajdeep Sardesai and the Court’s website which showed that it had taken suo motu cognizance of a contempt plea against Sardesai, was “an inadvertent mistake.”
  6. The Jamiat Ulama-i-Hind has sought to intervene in the plea filed before the Supreme Court challenging laws regulating religious conversion passed by various states.
  7. Today The Bombay High Court granted lawyer and activist Nikita Jacob protection from arrest for three weeks in the case registered by the Delhi Police pertaining to the “toolkit” related to the ongoing farmers protests.
  8. Order XX of Code of Civil Procedure (CPC) which prescribes time limit for courts to pronounce judgments will not apply to High Courts, the Supreme Court reiterated.
  9. Today The Gujarat High Court has issued notice in plea challenging the Constitutionality of circulars issued by the Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) which require Trading Members to ensure the collection of an upfront margin from investors/clients before making trades.
  10. A lawyer couple from Telangana, who had earlier complained of harassment in connection to the public interest litigations filed by them, was murdered in broad daylight near Hyderabad today.
  11. The Kerala High Court on Tuesday quashed an order of the State Government, prohibiting the manufacture, stocking and sale of compostable plastic bags.
  12. Supreme Court has on Wednesday dismissed the plea by the Association of Diplomate of National Board Doctors challenging the National Board of Examination notice that extended of the DNB candidates by 3 months due to Covid19.
  13. The Madras High Court has ordered that Special Benches, which are established in Courts to expeditiously hear criminal cases pertaining to MPs/ MLAs, will only hear cases “filed against” them.
  14. The Karnataka High Court on Wednesday suggested to the State government to consider issuing a general direction to all authorities and agencies and instrumentalities of the state for implementation of Rule 3, of The Prohibition of Employment as Manual Scavengers and their Rehabilitation Rules, 2013.
  15. Today the Allahabad High Court observed “Life and its consumption includes necessary hygiene and sanitation. In absence of adequate facilities to meet essential human requirements, life cannot be led with dignity”.
  16. “Having noted that the petitioner’s right to speedy trial has been infringed, I cannot wring my hands in despair,” observed the Madras High Court recently while directing the Narcotics Control Bureau (prosecution) to pay a compensation of Rs. 1 lakh to the Petitioner-accused.
  17. Delhi Riots Larger Conspiracy Case: Delhi Court Extends Judicial Custody Of Umar Khalid, Sharjeel Imam And Others Till 1st March 2021.
  18. The Bombay High Court, on Tuesday (16.02.21), reserved for orders the bail application of Ex-Broadcast Audience Research Council (BARC) CEO, Partho Dasgupta, an accused in the alleged Television Rating Points (TRP) Scam.
  19. The Rajasthan High Court (Jodhpur Bench) on Monday (15th February) granted Bollywood filmmaker Prakash Jha protection against coercive against in connection with an FIR registered against for offences under Sections 3(1)(R)(S)(U) of SC/ST Act and Section 67 of I.T. Act.
  20. The Allahabad High Court held a special sitting and stayed the demolition of a residential complex allegedly built in close vicinity of the ancient monuments where Lord Budha attained Nirvana.
  21. The Supreme Court sources have clarified that no suo moto criminal contempt proceedings have been initiated against senior journalist Rajdeep Sardesai and that the status of case shown at the SC Website as Suo Moto Case(Criminal) 2/2020(the case registered against Sardesai) has been placed “inadvertently”.
  22. The Supreme Court on Tuesday (16.02.21) reserved its judgement in the petition filed by Shillong Times Editor Patricia Mukhim challenging the refusal of the Meghalaya High Court to quash criminal proceedings against her over a Facebook post on violence against non-tribal people in State.
  23. ‘To flirt with junior not an acceptable conduct for a judge’, SC said to MP judge facing disciplinary proceedings for sexual harassment.
  24. Supreme Court has on Tuesday (16.02.21) granted relief to students denied permission to appear in the first year professional MBBS exam by AIIMS Gorakhpur on account of low attendance by directing the Management to hold another test. The Court has directed that an exam be conducted for 11 students, including 10 petitioners and one student with a similar status as that of the petitioners.
  25. The Supreme Court on Tuesday (16.02.21) dismissed as withdrawn a plea against the demolition of a decades-old Hanuman Temple in Delhi’s Chandni Chowk on January 3, which had created an uproar in the national capital, with liberty to make a representation for grant of an alternative site.
  26. The Supreme Court sources have clarified that no suo moto criminal contempt proceedings have been initiated against senior journalist Rajdeep Sardesai and that the status of case shown at the SC Website as Suo Moto Case(Criminal) 2/2020(the case registered against Sardesai) has been placed “inadvertently”.
  27. The Supreme Court observed that the mandatory requirement to seek probate or letters of administration for establishing a right as executor or legatee under a Will, is applicable only to Wills made by a Hindu, Buddhist, Sikh or Jaina within the local limits of the ordinary original civil jurisdiction of certain High Courts and to Wills made outside those territories, to the extent they cover immovable property situate within those territories.
  28. The Apex Court tells that there will be no contempt proceedings against journalist Rajdeep Sardesai and says that it was an inadvertent mistake on the Courts website.
  29. The Maharashtra Government in the TRP scam case informs the Bombay High Court about the close friendship between Arnab Goswami and Partho Dasgupta, former CEO of the Broadcast Audience Research Council. “There are voluminous chats which have to be investigated. And the network channel head and Dasgupta were such thick friends. At one point Goswami even said that Dasgupta was his alter ego,”
  30. The Karnataka High Court upholds travel restrictions on UAE Businessman BR Shetty. The Court also commented that, “Amount owed by BR Shetty to public sector banks is more than 1/3rd of annual budget of Sikkim.”
  31. “To flirt with a junior official is not an acceptable conduct for a judge,” CJI Bobde.

Legal Prudent Fraternity