1. 5 crores disbursed to fund for women affected by Manipur violence; 3,928 Aadhaar cards re-issued: State to Supreme Court
Manipur has informed the Supreme Court of disbursing ?5 crores to the Women Victims Compensation Fund, providing aid to those affected by sectarian strife. In response to the court's request, the state has submitted a detailed status report, reflecting a humanised approach to compensating women for their suffering, addressing issues like Aadhar card distribution and access to justice.
2. Delhi Pollution: Supreme Court pulls up AAP government for not allocating funds for Rapid Rail; orders transfer of ad budget
The Supreme Court, expressing concern, criticized the AAP-led Delhi government on Tuesday for not fulfilling its commitment to allocate funds for the Regional Rapid Transport System (RRTS) projects in Alwar and Panipat, despite a pledge made in July. Justices Sanjay Kishan Kaul and Sudhanshu Dhulia directed the transfer of advertising funds to the RRTS projects. Still, the implementation was stayed for a week, offering the AAP government an opportunity to fulfil its earlier promise.
3. Economic offences like money laundering a real threat with advancements in AI: Supreme Court
The Supreme Court highlighted the growing threat of economic offences, particularly money laundering, to the nation's financial system. The bench, consisting of Justice Aniruddha Bose and Justice Bela M Trivedi, emphasized the increasing challenges faced by investigative agencies in detecting and understanding complex transactions, especially given the advancements in technology, including Artificial Intelligence.
4. Uttarkashi Tunnel Collapse: Uttarakhand High Court seeks State response on plea for rescue of 41 trapped workers
The Uttarakhand High Court urgently called for responses from the State and Central governments within 48 hours concerning the ongoing efforts and measures taken to rescue 41 workers trapped in the partially collapsed Silkyara tunnel in Uttarkashi district. The directive was issued by a bench comprising Acting Chief Justice Manoj Kumari Tiwari and Justice Pankaj Purohit in response to a public interest litigation (PIL) filed by the NGO Samadhan, underscoring the human urgency of the situation.
5. Kerala High Court acquits parents who disposed of the body of 6-month-old daughter at sea unaware that she was alive
The Kerala High Court acquitted a couple convicted of murder for mistakenly disposing of their supposedly deceased infant daughter in the Arabian Sea. The division bench, consisting of Justices PB Suresh Kumar and Johnson John, recognized the parents' lack of awareness that the child was still alive, delivering a compassionate verdict.
6. Special Court trying PMLA case is the court empowered to hear Scheduled Offences: Calcutta High Court
In a recent ruling (Ranjit Singh Kothari vs State of West Bengal), the Calcutta High Court clarified that the special court designated for money laundering cases is the appropriate venue for trying scheduled offences related to the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA). This decision, guided by Justice Tirthankar Ghosh, simplifies legal proceedings and ensures a more cohesive approach to cases stemming from money laundering allegations.
7. Supreme Court acquits man accused in drug case 22 years after he was booked
In a landmark decision (Nababuddin vs State of Haryana), the Supreme Court acquitted a man accused of drug possession after 22 years. Justices Abhay S Oka and Pankaj Mithal highlighted the failure of lower courts to properly examine and allow the accused to explain his conduct under Section 313 of the Criminal Procedure Code, underscoring the need for a fair legal
8. Delhi High Court stays order to set up HPCs to enforce Pay Commission recommendations in private schools
The Delhi High Court, led by Acting Chief Justice Manmohan and Justice Mini Pushkarna, has temporarily halted an order instructing the Delhi government to form high-powered committees to supervise salary-related recommendations from the sixth and seventh Central Pay Commissions in private schools. This decision suspends specific directions from a judgment by Justice Chandra Dhari Singh on November 17 (Renu Arora & Ors v St Margaret Senior Secondary School & Anr).
9. Himachal Pradesh High Court finds woman, and two sons guilty of tampering with court records; orders community service
The Himachal Pradesh High Court has ordered an elderly woman and her two sons to perform six weeks of community service over eight months for contempt, as they were found guilty of tampering with judicial records (Court on its own motion V. Karam Chand & Ors). Additionally, a ?2,000 fine was imposed on each, along with costs of ?10,000 each.
10. Madras High Court commutes death penalty of father who raped daughter; orders doctors not to perform ‘two-finger test’
The Madras High Court recently emphasised that the two-finger test on survivors of sexual assault, which was performed on a survivor in a government hospital in Chennai, is against Supreme Court guidelines. Justices SS Sunder and Sunder Mohan, while hearing a case involving the repeated assault of a minor, warned that doctors conducting such tests would be considered guilty of misconduct. This reminder underscores the need for sensitivity and adherence to established legal standards in such cases.
