Today’s Legal Updates:

  1. Today The Delhi High Court granted bail to three persons accused in a Delhi riots FIR registered in connection with the death of one Shahid while stating that it in not conceivable that a communal riot can be used a front to cause the death of a person from the same community.
  2. Today The Supreme Court sought response from Karnataka government on a plea challenging the February 12 order of the Karnataka High Court granting of bail to former Mayor of Bengaluru Sampath Raj and former Corporator Abdul Raqueeb Zakir in a case related to the 2020 Bangalore riots.
  3. The definition of “private part” has to be interpreted as per the social context, a Special Court dealing with cases pertaining to the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act said convicting a person for committing sexual assault under Sections 354, 354A of the Indian Penal Code and Section 10 of the POCSO Act. 
  4. Today The Madras High Court censured an advocate for failing to vacate rented premises on time and for having attempted to protract the matter under the pretext of filing review applications in a legal dispute initiated in the case.
  5. Today The United Kingdom Supreme Court held that Uber drivers are “workers” for the purposes of employment legislation which gives “workers” rights to be paid at least the national minimum wage, to receive annual paid leave and to benefit from certain other protections.
  6. A Chennai-based business consultant has moved the Madras High Court claiming that he suffered severe side effects and had to be hospitalised due to a dose of Serum Institute of India’s COVIDSHIELD COVID-19 vaccine in its third phase The petitioner claims that he has suffered acute neurological encephalopathy due to a vaccine dose he took in October last year. Asserting that the same amounts to a “serious adverse event” as defined under Rule 2(ff) and sub-rule (a), Rule 41 the New Drugs and Clinical Trial Tules 2019, the petitioner has sought directions from the Court to the Serum Institute so that they pay him Rs 5 crores as damages for the suffering and trauma undergone by him and his family.
  7. Today A Delhi Court sent climate change activist Disha Ravi to three days judicial custody in connection with Framer Protests toolkit FIR.
  8. Yesterday The Madras High Court dismissed a petition challenging the Tamil Nadu Government’s decision to launch Thirkovil TV, a channel intended to disseminate religious programs.
  9. Today The Madras High Court held that sitting on a hunger strike would not constitute an attempt to commit suicide and it cannot attract the offence under Section 309 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) which criminalizes suicide attempt.
  10. Today The Delhi High Court sought response from Delhi Police in plea moved by Pinjra Tod activists, Devangana Kalita and Natasha Narwal against the rejection of their bail in the Delhi riots case under Unlawful Activities Prevention Act (UAPA).
  11. The Sessions Court of Lucknow has acquitted/discharged 18 people, 11 of them Indians and 7 foreigners from Indonesia, who were accused of “intentionally spreading” the corona virus by attending the Tablighi Jamaat religious congregation at Nizamuddin in Delhi.
  12. Siddharth Bhavnani and Arjun Anand have merged their practices under the brand Antares Legal.
  13. Yesterday The Karnataka High Court said that “to identify homeless children selling products at traffic junctions, is not to penalize anyone but to ensure that such children are imparted education”, The object of a survey undertaken at the behest of Karnataka High Court.
  14. Today The Delhi High Court directed news channel editors to exercise proper control while reporting so that the investigation into the farmers protests toolkit, in which arrested climate change activist Disha Ravi is implicated, is not hampered.
  15. Today The Supreme Court expunged allegedly “personal” and “unsavory” comments made against three sitting members of the National Company Law Appellate Tribunal (NCLAT) in a judgment by a five-member Bench led by acting chairperson, Justice Bansi Lal Bhat.
  16. Justice Gautam Patel Judge of Bombay High Court has issued guidelines for regulating crowd in his courtroom in view of the rising COVID cases in Maharashtra and the risks posed by overcrowding of lawyers and litigants inside the court.
  17. The Central government on February 13 introduced the Tribunals Reforms (Rationalisation And Conditions Of Service) Bill, 2021 in the Lok Sabha.
  18. Today The Allahabad High Court has granted a stay on the arrest of the writers and directors of the Amazon Prime web series, ‘Mirzapur‘in relation to a case registered against them for allegedly hurting religious and regional sentiments through their portrayal of the town of Mirzapur in Uttar Pradesh.
  19. Litigants who settle their disputes privately outside courts without court intervention under Section 89 of the Code of Civil Procedure (CPC) are also entitled to refund of their court fess, the Supreme Court ruled.
  20. Yesterday Jammu & Kashmir High Court underlined that natural resources, public lands and the public goods, like Government bungalows/official residence, are public property that belong to the people of the country.
  21. No Online Liquor Sale Permissible When Excise Rules Do Not Allow It : Karnataka High Court.
  22. The Jharkhand High Court has dismissed a writ petition seeking reinvestigation of the case pertaining to assault on social activist late Swami Agnivesh, in Pakur District of the state, in the year 2018.
  23. Yesterday The Bombay High Court issued notice to the State Information Commission on a petition filed by a convict in former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi assassination case, seeking details related to the early release of actor Sanjay Dutt, who was convicted in the 1993 Bombay serial bomb blasts.
  24. Today Delhi High Court a Single Judge Bench of Justice Rajnish Bhatnagar has rejected the bail application of a rape accused who filed a fake affidavit with forged signatures and a fake Aadhar card copy of the victim claiming that the matter had been settled between the victim and him, and so the case was no longer pressed.
  25. The Allahabad High Court recently dismissed a petition challenging the age criteria stipulated in an advertisement calling for applications to the Uttar Pradesh Higher Judicial Services.
  26. Today The Kerala High Court ordered CBI investigation into the disappearance of Jesna Maria James, a second year B.Com student, from her home in Pathanamthitta district, nearly three years ago.
  27. The Allahabad High Court has held that keeping a person in custody, despite his furnishing personal bonds as required by the magistrate, is violative of his right to personal liberty guaranteed under Article 21 of the Constitution.
  28. The Supreme Court reduced the sentence imposed on a man convicted in a dacoity­ cum­ murder case to 22 years actual imprisonment.
  29. Tuesday The National Green Tribunal has issued notices to the State of Tamil Nadu, Central and State Pollution Control Board and the District Magistrate in the matter of blast at a firecracker factory in Virudhnagar.
  30. The Supreme Court while allowing an appeal filed by National Highways Authority of India (NHAI), directed the parties to the arbitral proceedings to approach the Indian Council of Arbitration within 2 weeks for the adjudication of the disputes in accordance with ICA Rules of Domestic Commercial Arbitration & Conciliation, 2016.
  31. A civil suit has been filed before Civil Senior Judge, Varanasi representing Goddess Maa Gauri “next friend” of devotee Ranjana Agnihotri and 9 others seeking “restoration of performance of rituals at principal seat of an Ancient Temple” at the Gyanvapi mosque area”
  32. Actor Sherlyn Chopra, charged with obscenity for publishing ‘adult content’ on free pornographic websites has approached the Bombay High Court seeking anticipatory bail. The application claims the content was meant for a subscription-based international portal and she is, in fact, a victim of piracy.
  33. A petition has been filed in the Bombay High Court seeking injunction restraining the release, exhibiting, displaying and broadcasting of film relating to the life of late actor Mr. Sushant Singh Rajput titled “Nyay, the Justice”.
  34. The Supreme Court on Thursday (18.02.21) directed the banks and financial institutions to place on record several documents to determine their role in alienation of Fortis Healthcare’s shares through its deal with IHH healthcare, on or before 22nd Feb 2021. The case will be taken for further consideration on 24th Feb 2021.
  35. The Supreme Court held that the parties who privately agree to settle their dispute outside the modes contemplated under Section 89 of the Code of Civil Procedure are also entitled to refund of Court fees.
  36. The Karnataka High Court on Thursday (18.02.21) directed the state government to furnish a list giving addresses and other details of the schools (Government aided) wherein new classrooms, new toilets will be built and repairs of existing classrooms found in dilapidated conditions will be undertaken.
  37. The Punjab and Haryana High Court recently dismissed a runaway couple’s protection petition with costs for manipulation of date of birth as mentioned in their Aadhar Card.

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