Court Cases

US appeals court backs Apple contempt ruling, allows iPhone app store fees

A federal appeals court on Thursday backed a ruling that held Apple in civil contempt for brazenly defying an order designed to open its iPhone app store to other payment systems besides its own, but the decision also reopened a door for the company to collect commission from the rival options. The unanimous decision by a three-judge panel for the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals mostly validated a scalding contempt order issued in April by US District Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers for violating a key part of her September 2021 findings in a legal battle instigated by video game maker Epic Games. But the Ninth Circuit's 54-page decision overturned one key part of Gonzalez Rogers' civil contempt crackdown that prohibited Apple from collecting commissions when consumers make an e-commerce purchase within an iPhone app through a payment systems that operate outside of Apple's control. The appeals judges decided the ban that would have prevented Apple from imposing fees on rival payment ..

Updated On: 12 Dec 2025 | 8:10 AM IST

Goa nightclub fire: Co-owner Ajay Gupta sent to 7-day police custody

A court in Goa on Thursday sent Ajay Gupta, who claimed to be a silent partner and investor in the fire-ravaged Birch by Romeo Lane' nightclub, to police custody for seven days. Gupta was brought to Goa from Delhi on Wednesday night on a transit remand for questioning. He was taken to Anjuna police station for further investigation, an official had said. Twenty-five persons, including 20 staff members and five tourists, were killed in the major blaze at the facility in North Goa around midnight on December 6. Earlier, a Look Out Circular (LOC) had been issued against Gupta. Five managers and staff members have already been arrested by the Goa Police in connection with the fire that broke out at the nightclub located in Arpora, 25 km from Panaji, around midnight on December 6. Brothers and co-owners Saurabh and Gaurav Luthra, who had left for Phuket in Thailand shortly after the fire incident, have been detained there, according to officials. An Interpol Blue Corner Notice had been

Updated On: 11 Dec 2025 | 2:58 PM IST

Kerala court acquits Dileep, convicts six in 2017 actress assault case

A Kerala court on Monday acquitted Malayalam actor Dileep in the 2017 sexual assault case involving a south Indian actress, while finding six others, including prime accused Sunil N S alias Pulsar Suni, who directly committed the crime, guilty. Apart from Dileep, the court also acquitted three others in the case. The verdict was pronounced by Ernakulam Principal Sessions Judge Honey M Varghese, who had concluded the hearing in the lengthy trial on November 25, in a tightly packed court room here. The CPI(M) said the government would file an appeal on the matter. Besides Sunil, the others convicted are Martin Antony, Manikandan B, Vijesh V P, Salim H, and Pradeep -- the first six accused in the case. They were charged under Sections 120A (conspiracy), 120B (criminal conspiracy), 109 (abetment of offence), 342 (wrongful confinement), 366 (kidnapping or abducting a woman), 354 (assault or criminal force to a woman with an intent to outrage her modesty), 354B (use of criminal force to

Updated On: 08 Dec 2025 | 1:50 PM IST

Criminal sentencing hinges on remorse, but how do we assess if it is real?

While a lack of remorse will not aggravate (increase) a sentence, a sincere expression of remorse can reduce a sentence, especially if accompanied by an early guilty plea

Updated On: 07 Dec 2025 | 9:23 AM IST

US judge questions Trump's authority over California National Guard troops

A federal judge on Friday sharply questioned the Trump administration's authority and need to maintain command of California National Guard troops it first deployed to Los Angeles in June following violent protests. At a hearing in San Francisco, US District Judge Charles Breyer suggested conditions in Los Angeles had changed since the initial deployment, and he questioned whether the administration could control state Guard troops forever under its interpretation of federal law. "No crisis lasts forever," he said. "I think experience teaches us that crises come and crises go. That's the way it works." He pressed an attorney for the government for any evidence that state authorities were either unable or unwilling to help keep federal personnel and property in the area safe and noted President Donald Trump had access to tens of thousands of active duty troops in California. California officials have asked Breyer to issue a preliminary injunction returning control of remaining ...

Updated On: 06 Dec 2025 | 8:15 AM IST

Loudspeakers not a fundamental right for religious practice: Bombay HC

The Nagpur bench of the Bombay High Court refused to grant relief to a mosque seeking permission to use loudspeakers, noting it was not entitled to use the device to practise religion as a matter of right. The court, while relying on Supreme Court judgments, said that no religion mandates prayers to be offered through voice amplifiers or beating drums. A bench of Justices Anil Pansare and Raj Wakode said that the issue of noise pollution was recurring and took suo motu (on its own) cognisance of the same and asked the Maharashtra government to come up with an effective solution. The court, in an order dated December 1, dismissed a petition filed by Masjid Gousiya in Gondia district seeking permission to use loudspeakers to offer prayers. The bench noted that the petitioner was unable to submit any material to show that the use of loudspeakers was mandatory/necessary to practice their religion. "The petitioner, therefore, is not entitled to seek relief for the installation of a ...

Updated On: 05 Dec 2025 | 1:47 PM IST

Mangione's hearing continues on anniversary of UnitedHealthcare CEO murder

A high-stakes hearing in the New York murder case against Luigi Mangione continues Thursday, a year to the day after prosecutors say he gunned down UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson. Mangione, 27, has pleaded not guilty to both state and federal charges. Before any trials get scheduled, his lawyers are trying to preclude the eventual jurors from hearing about his alleged statements to law enforcement officers and items including a gun and a notebook allegedly seized from his backpack. The evidence is key to prosecutors' case. They have said that the 9 mm handgun matches the firearm used in the killing, that writings in the notebook laid out Mangione's disdain for health insurers and ideas about killing a CEO at an investor conference, and that he gave Pennsylvania police the same fake name that the alleged gunman used at a New York hostel days before the shooting. Thompson, 50, was shot from behind as he walked to an investor conference on Dec. 4, 2024. He became ...

Updated On: 04 Dec 2025 | 11:33 AM IST

Delhi court sends 3 India Gate protesters to police, 7 to judicial custody

A Delhi court on Monday remanded three protesters to three days of police custody in a case relating to the alleged use of pepper spray on police personnel during a demonstration at the India Gate over pollution last month. The trio was identified as Ravjot, Gurkirat and Kranti. The court also remanded seven other accused protesters to seven-day judicial custody. While Delhi Police requested 10 days of police custody for Ayisha Wafiya and three other women, the court granted them only three days of judicial custody. Judicial Magistrate First Class (JMFC) Aridaman Singh Cheema passed the order, directing that the women be interrogated only by female investigating officers. The decision followed arguments from the defence counsel, who claimed the women had been subjected to rape threats and sexual harassment by male police officers. While arguing for police custody, Delhi Police said that some of the arrested students had attended a conference of the banned Radical Students' Union

Updated On: 02 Dec 2025 | 7:19 AM IST

Red Fort blast: Court sends 3 doctors, preacher to 10-day judicial custody

A Delhi court on Saturday sent three doctors and a preacher, who were arrested in connection with the Red Fort blast, to 10 days' judicial custody. All four accused, Muzammil Ganaie, Adeel Rather and Shaheena Saeed as well as Maulvi Irfan Ahmed Wagay, were produced before Principal and Sessions Judge Anju Bajaj Chandna, who sent them to 10-day judicial custody. As of now, the NIA has arrested seven persons accused in the case, which is linked to a "white-collar" terror module busted by the Jammu and Kashmir Police. "The agency continues to pursue various leads in connection with the suicide bombing, and has been conducting searches across states in coordination with the respective police forces in a bid to identify and track others involved in the gruesome attack," the NIA said in a statement. Dr Umar-un-Nabi, who was driving the explosives-laden i20 car that detonated outside the Red Fort, had allegedly bought the car in Ali's name. Wani was arrested after it emerged that Umar had

Updated On: 29 Nov 2025 | 5:09 PM IST

Delhi court extends NIA custody of gangster Anmol Bishnoi till Dec 5

A Delhi court on Saturday extended the NIA custody of deported gangster Anmol Bishnoi for seven more days. Special Judge Prashant Sharma ordered the extension till December 5 in the hearing conducted at the NIA headquarters amid high security. Wanted in connection with the killing of NCP leader Siddique, firing at actor Salman Khan's residence in April 2024, the killing of Punjabi singer Sidhu Moosewala, among other crimes, Anmol was "removed" from the US on November 18. He was detained in the US in November last year. Earlier on November 19, Anmol, the brother and close aide of gangster Lawrence Bishnoi, was sent to 11 days of NIA custody. Absconding since 2022, US-based Anmol is the 19th accused to be arrested for his involvement in the terror-gangster syndicate led by his jailed brother Lawrence.

Updated On: 29 Nov 2025 | 3:02 PM IST

Trump admin, judge face off over flights to El Salvador in contempt probe

Two planes carrying Venezuelan migrants out of the US were midair on March 15 when a federal judge in Washington ordered the Trump administration to turn them around. Instead, the planes landed in El Salvador hours later, touching off an extraordinary power struggle between the judicial and executive branches of the US government over what happened and why the judge's order went unexecuted. That fight entered a critical phase on Friday when US District Judge James Boasberg relaunched an investigation to determine whether the Republican administration deliberately ignored his instruction, letting the planes continue onto El Salvador. The judge previously concluded it did and threatened to have the responsible official or officials prosecuted on a contempt charge. The administration has denied any violation. But an appeals court threw Boasberg's decision out. The contempt probe appeared dead until, in yet another twist, a larger panel of judges on the same appeals court ruled on ...

Updated On: 29 Nov 2025 | 2:28 PM IST

National Herald case: Court defers order on ED's chargesheet until Dec 16

A Delhi court on Saturday deferred its order on cognisance of the Enforcement Directorate (ED) chargesheet filed in the National Herald case. Special Judge Vishal Gogne deferred the pronouncement of the order to December 16. The ED has accused Congress leaders Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi, as well as late party leaders Motilal Vora and Oscar Fernandes, along with Suman Dubey, Sam Pitroda, and a private company, Young Indian, of conspiracy and money laundering. They allegedly acquired properties worth approximately Rs 2,000 crore belonging to Associated Journals Limited (AJL), which publishes the National Herald newspaper, the investigation agency had accused. It further alleged that the Gandhis held the majority 76 per cent shares in Young Indian, which fraudulently usurped the assets of AJL in exchange for a Rs 90 crore loan. The chargesheet names Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi, Pitroda, Dubey, Sunil Bhandari, Young Indian and Dotex Merchandise Pvt Ltd.

Updated On: 29 Nov 2025 | 11:39 AM IST

Bangladesh ex-PM Hasina gets 21 yrs prison sentence in corruption cases

A Bangladesh court on Thursday sentenced ousted prime minister Sheikh Hasina to 21 years of imprisonment in three corruption cases, local media reported. The three cases were lodged over alleged irregularities in allocating plots in the Rajuk New Town Project in Purbachol, state-run BSS news agency said. The judge pronounced the judgment in absence of the convict as she is yet to be arrested and was tried in absentia. Hasina was sentenced to seven years in each case, totalling 21 years in prison. "The plot was allotted to Sheikh Hasina without any application and in a manner that exceeded the legally authorised jurisdiction," the court observed in its judgment.

Updated On: 27 Nov 2025 | 2:25 PM IST

Court seeks CBI reply on Rabri Devi's plea to transfer IRCTC scam trial

A Delhi court on Wednesday sought a response from the CBI on a plea filed by former Bihar chief minister Rabri Devi seeking transfer of the IRCTC hotel scam case to a different judge. Principal and Sessions Judge Dinesh Bhatt was hearing the plea of the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) leader and issued the notice to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI). The court, however, refused to stay the ongoing trial proceedings in the CBI case. Earlier on Monday, she moved a plea seeking transfer of the CBI and ED cases registered against her to another court, saying she had a reasonable apprehension that fair and impartial justice would not be rendered. The former Bihar chief minister is named as an accused in four cases, including the land-for-jobs and IRCTC scam case, which are being heard by Special Judge Vishal Gogne. The plea, submitted by Rabri Devi before the Principal District and Sessions Judge submitted, The applicant (Devi) is having a bonafide and reasonable apprehension that f

Updated On: 26 Nov 2025 | 2:02 PM IST

Trump admin fights attempt to get Elon Musk's testimony in DOGE case

The Justice Department has asked a federal judge in Maryland to block depositions of Musk and two former senior USAID officials, according to a recent court filing

Updated On: 25 Nov 2025 | 8:41 AM IST

CJI Kant says no to oral mentioning of cases, hears 17 cases on first day

On the first day as the Chief Justice of India, Justice Surya Kant, Monday set a new procedural norm that mentioning cases for urgent listing must be made in writing, and oral requests will be entertained under "extraordinary circumstances" like in cases of death penalty and personal liberty. A bench led by Justice Kant heard as many as 17 cases in proceedings spanning around two hours on his first day as the CJI. Justice Kant formally assumed charge as the 53rd CJI shortly after taking oath in Hindi in the name of God at the Rashtrapati Bhavan. Arriving at the Supreme Court for the first time as CJI in the forenoon, he paid floral tributes at the statues of Mahatma Gandhi and Dr B R Ambedkar on the court premises. He then presided over a three-judge bench, also comprising Justices Joymalya Bagchi and Atul S Chandurkar, in the heritage courtroom number one. As proceedings commenced around noon, the CJI pronounced a judgment on a plea filed by Himachal Pradesh against a private ...

Updated On: 25 Nov 2025 | 8:19 AM IST

US DOJ renews attempt to unseal Jeffrey Epstein grand jury materials

The Justice Department renewed its request Monday to unseal Jeffrey Epstein sex trafficking grand jury materials, saying Congress made clear in approving the release of investigative materials related to the prosecution of the late financier that documents such as the court records should be released. US Attorney Jay Clayton signed the submission in Manhattan federal court asking that the judge issue an expedited ruling allowing the materials to be released now that President Donald Trump signed the action requiring the release of documents related to Epstein within 30 days. The Justice Department said the Congressional action overrode existing law in a way that permits the unsealing of the grand jury records. Judge Richard Berman previously denied a Trump administration request to make the Epstein grand jury transcripts public. Berman, who presided over Epstein's 2019 case, ruled in August that a "significant and compelling reason" to deny the request and keep the transcripts seal

Updated On: 25 Nov 2025 | 7:19 AM IST

US court orders Byju Raveendran to pay over $1 bn in Alpha-GLAS Trust case

Byju Raveendran plans to appeal US court's expedited default judgment, denies all allegations, and says GLAS Trust misled both Delaware court and public while blocking his ability to present a defence

Updated On: 22 Nov 2025 | 2:24 PM IST

US court orders Byju to pay over $1 bn on petition of Alpha, GLAS Trust

A US court has issued default judgement making Byju Raveendran liable to personally pay back over USD 1 billion based on the petition filed by BYJU's Alpha and US-based lender GLAS Trust Company LLC. According to the judgement dated November 20, 2025, the Delaware Bankruptcy Court found that Raveendran failed to comply with its discovery order and continued to be evasive on several occasion. "The court will enter default judgment against Defendant Raveendran...in the amount of USD 533,000,000, and on Counts II, V and VI in the amount of USD 540,647,109.29," the judgement said. The judgment directed Raveendran to provide a full and accurate accounting of the Alpha Funds and any proceeds thereof, such as the Camshaft LP Interest, including each and every subsequent transfer and any proceeds thereof. Email query sent to Raveendran's authorized agency did not elicit any immediate reply. BYJU's Alpha was incorporated when Raveendran was running the management of edtech firm Think and L

Updated On: 22 Nov 2025 | 11:54 AM IST

Delhi court allows further probe in rape case after Samir Modi's submission

The IO also sought time to file the supplementary record as per the directions of concerned court and the High Court of Delhi

Updated On: 20 Nov 2025 | 10:31 AM IST