Bar, Bench & Litigation

Hard-ball: Not satisfied with DLF's Rs 100 cr gesture, SC asks for rest of Rs 480 cr CCI penalty

The Supreme Court Friday asked DLF to deposit the balance Rs.480 crore of a total Rs.630 crore penalty imposed on the realty major by the fair trade regulator CCI for allegedly exploiting its dominant position, after Harish Salve yesterday promised that the company would pay Rs 100 crore into court ...

Salve for DLF deposits Rs 100 cr cheque in SC towards Rs 630 cr CCI penalty

Real estate giant DLF Thursday deposited Rs 100 crore with the Supreme Court registry - a part of Rs 630 crore penalty imposed on it by the Competition Commission of India (CCI) for allegedly exploiting its dominant position to the disadvantage of its customers in three projects in Gurgaon. Senior c...

Cong challenges BJP gov't Maha assembly majority in Bombay HC

The Congress’ Maharashtra unit Wednesday moved Bombay high court challenging the constitutional validity of the Devendra Fadnavis-led BJP government and seeking its dismissal. Former minister M Naseem Khan filed a writ petition before the court questioning the constitutional validity of the nearly m...

In one of latter-day rare cases, SC upholds death sentence

The Supreme Court Wednesday upheld the death sentence of Vasanta Sampat Dupare who was convicted for raping a four-year-old minor girl child and then battering her to death. Dismissing Dupare’s appeal, a bench of Justice Dipak Misra, Justice Rohinton Fali Nariman and Justice Uday Umesh Lalit said: “...

In defence of a young bar: Why the BCI can’t & shouldn’t shut young lawyers out of courts

Supreme Court advocate Nipun Saxena argues for a young bar and why the Bar Council of India (BCI) should not curtail the practice of young lawyers any further.

Ex-DU VC jailed after other don's complaint, released by Delhi HC hours later

Hours after former Delhi University vice chancellor Deepak Pental was sent to Tihar jail in a plagiarism case, the Delhi high court yesterday ordered his “immediate release”. Pental was sent to jail by a trial court, but Justice S Murlidhar ordered his release. Professor Pental was arrested on a pet...

SC sets up panel to query half-baked gov stats on female infanticide

Expressing its misgivings about the authenticity of the figures of the child sex ratio given to it by various state governments, the Supreme Court yesterday set up a committee to verify the record on the basis of which these figures were arrived at. ( Download the order ) The apex court bench of Jus...

Justice CK Prasad new PCI chief: What next for Markandey Katju?

Ex-Supreme Court judge Justice Markandey Katju will be replaced as Press Council of India (PCI) chairman by ex Supreme Court judge Justice CK Prasad, reported the PTI . Katju’s three-year term ended on 11 October, reported The Hindu yesterday. Katju has been recently busy on his blog and in public ,...

Court to consider Gautam Khaitan, Italians & Ors charge-sheet on Friday

A Delhi court yesterday fixed 28 November for considering the charge-sheet filed against OP Khaitan & Co managing partner Gautam Khaitan and others, including two Italians, in connection with its money laundering case related to the AgustaWestland VIP chopper deal. Central Bureau of Investigati...

HC probes 300 judges’ possibly dodgy laptop buys, stalling Delhi DJ elevations

The Times of India reported that the purchase of laptops by over 300 judges of the lower courts will be examined by Delhi chief justice G Rohini and a panel, after discrepancies were raised into how the money was spent, with allegations that some may have bought TVs or home theatre systems rather th...

HC admits writ against BCI anti-youngster rules, BCI to respond by January

The Madras high court today admitted 23-year-old lawyer Akshay Mani’s writ challenging the new Bar Council of India (BCI) restriction on the right to practice before the apex and higher courts. Mani’s counsel Naveen Kumar Murthi told Legally India that Mani’s challenge to the new BCI rule barring ad...

BCI anti-youngster rules challenged in Madras HC writ

A public interest litigation (PIL) has been filed in the Madras high court by a 23-year-old lawyer against the Constitutional Validity of Rule 7 of the Bar Council of India (BCI) Rules 2014 that were introduced earlier this month and, if approved, would effectively ban advocates without several year...

SC tells CBI boss not to meddle in 2G & forces recusal

In a blow to CBI Director Ranjit Sinha, the Supreme Court Thursday directed him not to interfere with the 2G spectrum case and recuse himself from its investigation and prosecution. An apex court bench of Chief Justice HL Dattu, Justice Madan B Lokur and Justice AK Sikri said that the senior-most of...

Corpse of National Litigation Policy re-animated yet again by new law minister with good intentions

With the objective to reduce its dependency on courts and avoid unnecessary litigation involving its ministries and departments, the government was formulating the National Litigation Policy (NLP), Law Minister DV Sadananda Gowda said today. “The proposed policy has been sent to various ministries f...

SC rejects government proposal to record court proceedings for now

The Supreme Court’s e-committee has rejected the government’s proposal to start recording court proceedings stating that it was not acceptable at present, reported the Times of India , quoting sources, though it did not report further details on the reason. The government had mooted the proposal in ...

Nanavati Commission submits final report on 2002 Gujarat riots

After 12 years and 24 extensions, the two-member Nanavati-Mehta Commission of Enquiry submitted its much-awaited final report on the 2002 Godhra train carnage and the subsequent communal riots. The commission, consisting of retired Supreme Court judge Justice GT Nanavati and retired high court judge...

CORRECTION: Court CANCELS BAIL (THEN IMMEDIATELY BAILS) ex-Tehelka journo in Official Secrets Act case

Correction: It has come to our attention that the below story, which we syndicated from a wire service without a thorough fact check, has been misreported by us and other media. Newslaundry has written that while Samuel’s bail was cancelled by the court on the morning of 10 November, he was granted ...

BMR wins for Shell, as BHC follows Vodafone transfer pricing precedent

The Bombay high court Tuesday ruled in favour of the Indian arm of Royal Dutch Shell on two transfer-pricing adjustments made by the income tax department - of Rs 15,000 crore and Rs 3,000 crore for 2007-08 and 2008-09, respectively - to the taxable income of Shell India Markets Pvt Ltd (SIMPL). BMR...

Sessions judge orders perjury prosecution of false rape complainant

A Delhi sessions court ordered initiation of proceedings against a woman for filing a false rape case. Additional Sessions Judge Virender Bhat in a recent order said there was no truth in the woman’s allegation of rape against her brother-in-law Rajeev Kumar. Even her testimony does not inspire any ...

Dattu undoes Lodha’s ‘difficult’ practice of wider HC collegium consultations

Chief justice of India HL Dattu has withdrawn the practice of his predecessor RM Lodha, who had asked high courts to consult non-collegium judges before sending their judge-recommendations to the Supreme Court, reported the Economic Times . The high court collegium, which consists of the chief justi...