The Aurangabad bench of the Bombay High Court has acquitted a man, his mother, and his brother in a two-decade-old abetment to suicide case. The HC noted that every harassment does not amount to cruelty and that the term "cruelty" is relative, making it difficult to define. The court found no evidence of consistent or severe cruelty and stated that the essential ingredients for Section 306 were not met. This decision has raised questions about the definition of cruelty and its application in cases of abetment to suicide.
The Bombay High Court has criticized the Maharashtra government for not taking action on the formation of a Child Safety Committee, despite directives after the Badlapur school sexual assault case. The government's assurances do not match their actions, the division bench of Justices Revati Mohite Dere and Prithviraj Chavan stated. The court had earlier directed the formation of a committee to make recommendations on the safety and security of children in schools, but none of the members have been contacted by the government.
Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar apologises for the collapse of the statue of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj at the Malvan fort. In other news, the Bombay High Court emphasises the need for gender sensitisation among schoolchildren during the Badlapur sexual abuse case hearing and directs the SIT to invoke Section 16 of the POCSO Act. The weather bureau predicts moderate showers for Mumbai. Meanwhile, Maharashtra cabinet minister Deepak Kesarkar defends his controversial remarks on the statue collapse and demands a 100-ft statue of Shivaji in Sindhudurg.
In response to the Maha Vikas Aghadi's call for a statewide bandh in Maharashtra to protest against the sexual assault of two kindergarten girls in Thane's Badlapur, the Bombay High Court has restrained all political parties and individuals from participating. Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray has called for a strict observance of the bandh, but with exception for emergency services. He has also demanded the withdrawal of charges against those who protested the incident and criticized the government's actions against the protesters. This decision was made after a meeting of the MVA coalition, consisting of Congress, Shiv Sena (UBT), and NCP (SP), on Wednesday.
In a recent decision, the Bombay High Court ruled in favor of three couples seeking custody of infants who were allegedly sold to them without proper authorization. The court deemed the orders passed by the Child Welfare Committee (CWC) as illegal and stated that the children did not fall under the category of 'children in need of care and protection'. The court also emphasized the need to follow proper adoption protocols and procedures set by the Central Adoption Resource Authority (CARA). The decision has provided hope for the petitioner couples who have been emotionally attached to the infants in question.
In a major decision, the Bombay High Court has declared the remand orders passed by the Juvenile Justice Board in the case of a 17-year-old accused in a drunken driving case as 'illegal'. The court has directed the release of the minor boy, who was kept in a juvenile correctional home in Pune for over a month, into the custody of his paternal aunt. The court also questioned the jurisdiction of the JJB and pointed out that the boy's bail should have not been nullified by the remand orders.
As Mumbai sees a spike in temperatures and the Congress party facing internal turmoil, the Shiv Sena has agreed to give up the Mumbai North seat to the Congress for the upcoming Lok Sabha polls. This decision was made after weeks of uncertainty and differences between the two parties. Meanwhile, the Bombay High Court has granted bail to the HDIL promoters in a money laundering case related to the alleged Rs 4000 crore fraud in Punjab and Maharashtra Cooperative Bank.
In a major decision, the Bombay High Court has overturned the acquittal of former Mumbai Police officer Pradeep Sharma in an 18-year-old fake encounter case and sentenced him to life in prison. The court also upheld the life sentence for 13 other accused, including 12 policemen, in the killing of an alleged member of a mafia syndicate. The judges criticized the trial court's decision to acquit Sharma, stating that overwhelming evidence proves his involvement in the fake encounter. The court also expressed concern over the gruesome death of the sole eyewitness in the case, hoping for justice in his murder.
In a major development in the 2006 fake encounter case, Bombay High Court has handed life imprisonment to Pradeep Sharma, a former Mumbai police officer known as an "encounter specialist". The court has also upheld the convictions of 12 other police personnel and a civilian, while acquitting three civilians. However, it noted the failure of the police to investigate the abduction and murder of a prime witness in the case, and called for further investigation. The verdict brings some closure to the case that saw a rival gang member allegedly paying the policemen to kill Lakhan Bhaiya.
After years of court proceedings, the Bombay High Court has upheld the life imprisonment for 13 individuals, including 12 police officers, involved in the 2006 fake encounter killing of former gangster aide Lakhan Bhaiya. Additionally, the court has sentenced former Mumbai Police senior inspector Pradeep Sharma, who was previously acquitted, to life imprisonment. The court also expressed regret over the murder of sole eye witness Anil Bheda before giving testimony and hopes that his perpetrators will be prosecuted.