The Punjab and Haryana High Court allowed M3M Group Director Roop Bansal to withdraw his plea seeking quashing of an FIR in a trial judge bribery case, subject to payment of ₹1 lakh as costs.

The Court recorded that the petitioner voluntarily undertook not to challenge the FIR further and that the respondents did not strongly oppose the withdrawal.

The case relates to allegations that a trial court judge received illegal gratification to extend undue favours to M3M and IREO Group promoters, with parallel proceedings under the PMLA.

[Roop Bansal v. State of Haryana & Ors.]

A Delhi court has acquitted social activist Medha Patkar in a criminal defamation case filed by Vinai Kumar Saxena, presently the Lieutenant Governor of Delhi.

The court held that the complainant failed to prove beyond reasonable doubt that Patkar made the alleged defamatory statements during a televised programme in 2006.

It noted that the complete original video footage was not produced and no eyewitness to the alleged interview or press conference was examined. 

The court observed that reliance on a short, incomplete video clip was insufficient to establish defamation, leading to Patkar’s acquittal under Section 500 of the IPC.

The Karnataka High Court stayed criminal proceedings against a Lamborghini driver accused of rash and noisy driving in Bengaluru, noting that he had already paid a ₹8,500 fine before the FIR was registered.

Justice M Nagaprasanna observed that the case was lodged nearly a month after the incident, allegedly after videos went viral on social media.

The Court also noted that the vehicle’s modified silencers had been removed as directed by the RTO. During the hearing, the driver expressed willingness to perform community service under the BNSS.

Granting interim relief, the Court stayed further investigation till the next hearing.

The Madhya Pradesh High Court confirmed the death sentence imposed by a trial court in a case involving the rape and murder of a five-year-old girl in Bhopal.

The Court held that medical and post-mortem evidence proved sexual assault and injury caused by a sharp weapon, satisfying the legal test for conviction.

It further held that the offence met the threshold of the “rarest of rare” category.

The Court also upheld the two-year imprisonment awarded to the convict’s mother and sister for concealing evidence connected with the offence.

The Punjab and Haryana High Court initiated a suo motu case following representations by the High Court Bar Association over rising incidents of theft targeting advocates.

The action came after a lawyer’s wife was killed by burglars during a robbery. 

A Division Bench directed police authorities to file status reports on investigations. The Bar Association highlighted multiple incidents involving senior lawyers, alleged investigative lapses, and incomplete recovery of stolen property.

It stressed that the issue affects the safety and confidence of the legal fraternity and the public, warranting judicial intervention.

A special PMLA court in Mumbai discharged senior NCP leader and former Maharashtra PWD Minister Chhagan Bhujbal, along with his son and nephew, in the Maharashtra Sadan scam case filed by the Enforcement Directorate. 

The court noted that Bhujbal had already been discharged in the related Anti-Corruption Bureau case.

His counsel stated that the absence of prima facie evidence of money laundering weighed with the court. 

The ED case stemmed from alleged irregularities in awarding construction contracts during Bhujbal’s tenure as PWD Minister.

The Punjab and Haryana High Court has refused bail to an accused in a Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) case, emphasising that the law must act as an “unwavering shield” for vulnerable children.

The Court noted the gravity of the allegations involving a 13-year-old girl who was allegedly abducted and repeatedly assaulted, and said the consistent testimony of the victim and supporting witnesses outweighed the accused’s plea for liberty.

The defence’s claims, including absence of physical injuries, were held to be immaterial, as a minor cannot consent legally.

The Court directed that the trial be concluded within six months.

The Telangana High Court has overturned the death sentence awarded to a 35-year-old woman convicted of murdering her seven-month-old daughter in 2021 after accepting her plea of insanity.

The Court noted that the woman was diagnosed with paranoid schizophrenia and lacked the mental capacity to understand the nature or consequences of her actions.

Applying Section 84 of the Indian Penal Code, which exempts criminal liability for acts committed by persons of unsound mind, the Court held that the conviction could not be sustained.

Instead of ordering her release, the Court directed that she be shifted from Chanchalguda Women’s Prison to the Institute of Mental Health, Erragadda, for long-term psychiatric treatment, with periodic review and supervision as required under the Mental Healthcare Act.

The Uttarakhand High Court has directed the police to promptly assess and act on alleged death threats to a Haridwar woman from her husband and in-laws.

The order came during a petition alleging repeated threats and harassment, which the Court said warranted a thorough investigation given the potential risk to the woman’s safety.

The Court emphasised the duty of law enforcement to protect life and liberty under Article 21 of the Constitution and directed that the threats be evaluated in a time-bound manner, with appropriate protective measures put in place.

The matter was listed for further hearing after the assessment report is submitted on record.

The Supreme Court has held that a bail hearing cannot be postponed solely on the ground that the accused failed to comply with an undertaking to deposit a specified amount.

The Court observed that adjournments on such grounds undermine the right to timely judicial consideration and cause unnecessary delay in bail adjudication.

It clarified that non-compliance with financial undertakings should be dealt with during the bail hearing, but cannot be a standalone reason to defer the hearing itself.

The matter was taken up to ensure that bail applications are heard expeditiously, regardless of ancillary disputes over monetary compliance.

[Rakesh Jain v. State]

The Karnataka High Court granted bail to Natesh Kumar, an accused in the murder of a daily wage labourer who was allegedly assaulted after raising “Pakistan Zindabad” slogans during a local cricket match in Mangaluru.

The Court noted that the charge sheet had already been filed and further custodial interrogation was not required. It observed that the fatal assault using clubs was attributed to another co-accused, who had already been granted bail.

The Court also took into account that the petitioner had no criminal antecedents and had been in judicial custody since April 29, 2025.

Accordingly, the Court allowed the bail plea.

[Sri Natesh Kumar v. The State of Karnataka]

The Central government told the Supreme Court that it is examining at the highest level whether execution of the death penalty should continue through hanging or be replaced by a more painless method.

The Court was hearing a 2017 petition challenging Section 354(5) of the CrPC, which provides for hanging till death. 

The plea stated that hanging is cruel and that the right to life includes the right to die with dignity, and proposed alternatives such as lethal injection.

After hearing the submissions, the Court reserved its order and directed all parties to submit written briefs within two weeks.

[Rishi Malhotra v. UOI]

The Delhi High Court pulled up Newslaundry journalist Manisha Pande for calling TV Today’s Good News Today content “shit” and warned that such language could damage her career.

The remarks came during appeals in TV Today’s defamation, disparagement, and copyright suit against Newslaundry over its critical videos on Aaj Tak and India Today. The Division Bench called the word “gross” and lacking journalistic decency.

However, the Court held that phrases like “method anchoring”, “soap opera” and “cheap thrills” amount to criticism, not disparagement.

The verdict has been reserved.