Allahabad High Court

SC status after conversion amounts to 'fraud' on Constitution: Allahabad HC

The Allahabad High Court has issued a sweeping direction to the entire administrative machinery of Uttar Pradesh to ensure that individuals converted to Christianity do not continue to avail benefits meant for Scheduled Castes (SC). The court directed the Principal Secretary (Minorities Welfare Department) to take appropriate action to ensure that the distinction between minority status and Scheduled Caste status is strictly enforced. The court said that retention of SC status after conversion amounts to a "fraud on the Constitution" and set a strict deadline of four months for all district magistrates in the state to act in accordance with the law to identify and prevent such occurrences. Justice Praveen Kumar Giri while dismissing an application filed by Jitendra Sahani passed the order. Sahani has been accused of mocking Hindu deities and promoting enmity. Sahani had filed the plea to quash the charge sheet in the case on the ground that he had sought permission from authorities

Allahabad HC orders instant prisoner release through electronic bail system

The Allahabad High Court has issued directions for the direct electronic transmission of bail orders and immediate release of prisoners through the Bail Order Management System (BOMS) so that no one remains in jail after being granted bail. The order was passed by Justice Arun Kumar Singh Deshwal while granting bail to an accused in a kidnapping case. The high court observed, "The personal liberty of a person is a fundamental right under Article 21 of the Constitution of India. Therefore, a person cannot be deprived of their liberty, except in accordance with the procedure established by law. "Once a Court grants bail to an undertrial or convict, then it is the right of that undertrial or convict to know about the bail order immediately so that he/she does not remain confined in jail because of the laxity on the part of the judicial system or jail administration. The Apex Court also showed its concern about the liberty of a man who has been granted bail in the case of Policy Strateg

No matter how big one becomes, he shouldn't forget his culture: CJI

Chief Justice of India B R Gavai on Saturday said that one should remain connected to one's soil and that no matter how big an individual becomes, he should never forget his culture. Gavai said the opportunity he got as a judge to provide socio-economic justice to people was better than any riches. He was speaking at the annual function of Maheshwari Prasad Inter College in Uttar Pradesh's Kaushambi district. Currently a government-funded Inter College, the institute was founded as a primary school in 1966 by Devendra Nath, the father of Supreme Court Justice Vikram Nath. Addressing students, the CJI said, "One should not break the connection with one's soil. No matter how big an individual becomes, he should not forget his culture." Gavai said that before becoming a judge, he was a lawyer with a good practice. But the opportunity he had as a judge to provide socio-economic justice to the citizens of the country was better than earning crores of rupees. He urged the students to ta

Allahabad HC acquits five in 2007 Rampur CRPF attack over probe lapses

The Allahabad High Court on Wednesday set aside a trial court order that awarded capital punishment to four persons and life imprisonment to another in connection with the terrorist attack on a CRPF camp at Rampur district on the night of December 31, 2007, in which eight CRPF jawans died and five sustained injuries. "The defect in investigation went to the root of the case and ultimately culminated in the acquittal of the accused persons," a bench comprising Justices Sidharth Verma and Ram Manohar Narain Mishra said. It acquitted Mohd. Sharif, Sabauddin, Imran Shahjad, Mohd. Farooq and Jang Bahadur Khan on murder and other serious charges, saying the prosecution "miserably failed to prove the case against the accused for the principal offence beyond reasonable doubt". The bench, however, found the five, including Jang Bahadur Khan who had been sentenced to life imprisonment, guilty under Section 25 (1-A) of the Arms Act and sentenced them to ten years of rigorous ...

Allahabad HC seeks responses from UP govt on Sahara Shahar sealing order

The Allahabad High Court on Wednesday directed the Lucknow Municipal Corporation and the Uttar Pradesh government to file their replies by October 30 on a plea filed by Sahara India Corporation Limited, challenging the orders for sealing Sahara Shahar. The court also directed that any cattle left inside Sahara Shahar be taken to 'Kanha Upvan' and taken care of properly. Sahara Shahar, a 170-acre township in Lucknow's posh Gomtinagar, was sealed by the Lucknow Municipal Corporation due to alleged violations of lease and licence agreements, a point contested by the Sahara group, which recently moved the court against the sealing order. On Wednesday, a Lucknow bench of justices Sangeeta Chandra and Amitabh Rai passed the order on the writ petition filed by Sahara India Corporation Limited. After hearing the matter at length, the bench said that the matter required consideration and so directed the parties to exchange the pleadings in the matter. Sahara strongly opposed the stand of t

Marriage not valid if conversion found illegal, says Allahabad HC

Court directs couple to marry under the Special Marriage Act; says forged conversion certificate will not determine legality of the marriage

Allahabad HC to hear Rahul Gandhi's plea on 'Sikhs in US' remark on Sept 3

The Allahabad High Court on Monday fixed September 3 as the next date of hearing on a petition filed by Congress MP Rahul Gandhi who has approached the court against an order of a Varanasi judge. The Special Judge MP-MLA in Varanasi had remanded the matter to the ACJM court seeking registration of an FIR against Gandhi on his 2024 statement on Sikhs in America. On the request of counsel for complainant Nageshwar Mishra, Justice Sameer Jain adjourned the hearing on a criminal revision filed by the Congress MP. Mishra, a Varanasi resident, had filed an application seeking an FIR against Gandhi before the court of Additional Chief Judicial Magistrate (MP-MLA), who, after hearing the matter on November 28 last year, rejected it, and observed that the speech was given in America, so the matter is outside its jurisdiction. Rao approached a revisional court, which allowed his plea and directed the ACJM to hear the matter afresh. The revision petition was accepted by the court of Special

In letter to CJ, HC judges seek meeting in Justice Prashant Kumar's matter

A group of judges of the Allahabad High Court has written to Chief Justice Arun Bhansali urging him to convene a full court meeting in response to the Supreme Court's recent order to have Justice Prashant Kumar removed from the criminal roster. The letter has been written by Justice Arindam Sinha expressing pain over the apex court order passed on August, 4,2025 and seven judges have signed the letter. In its order, the top court made strong observations against Justice Kumar's judicial reasoning and further directed the high court administration to remove him from the criminal roster. It also asked that he be assigned to a division bench alongside a senior judge until his retirement. The directions were issued by a bench of Justices J B Pardiwala and Justice R Mahadevan while hearing a petition filed by M/s Shikhar Chemicals. The company had approached the Supreme Court seeking to quash criminal proceedings initiated over a commercial dispute. The high court had earlier dismissed

SC dismisses Justice Yashwant Varma's plea challenging in-house probe panel

The Supreme Court upheld that the in-house committee followed due process. It ruled the CJI's letter to the Prime Minister and President was not unconstitutional

SC slams high court judge's 'shocking' logic, bars him from criminal cases

The Supreme Court pulled up Allahabad HC judge for allowing criminal prosecution in civil dispute; calls order 'shocking' and directs removal of judge from all criminal case duties

'Conduct lacks confidence': SC reserves verdict in Justice Varma case

The Supreme Court questioned Justice Yashwant Varma's delayed plea, said conduct lacks confidence; reserves verdict on challenge to removal recommendation over cash recovery

How can you question report after taking part, SC asks Justice Varma

The Supreme Court on Monday grilled Allahabad High Court's Justice Yashwant Varma for challenging findings of an in-house inquiry panel report against him over the incident of cash discovery from his official residence and asked how could he question it after participating in the process. The in-house inquiry panel report indicted Justice Varma over the discovery of huge cache of burnt cash from his official residence during his tenure as a Delhi High Court judge. A bench comprising Justices Dipankar Datta and A G Masih asked Justice Varma why did he wait for the inquiry to be completed and the report be released. "Why did you appear before the inquiry committee? Did you come to the court that the video be removed? Why did you wait for the inquiry to be completed and the report be released? Did you take a chance of a favourable order there first (sic)," a bench of Justices Dipankar Datta and A G Masih asked senior advocate Kapil Sibal, who was representing Justice Varma. Sibal said

Lok Sabha to take up removal motion against Justice Varma: Rijiju

The development comes after 152 members of Lok Sabha submitted the motion on impeachment of Justice Varma to Speaker Om Birla on July 21

Three-member Parliament panel likely to probe charges against Justice Varma

This comes after over 200 members of parliament submitted a motion in both the Houses to probe the allegations against Justice Varma

Sambhal mosque row: Court defers hearing to Aug 5 due to lawyers' strike

A civil court in Chandausi on Monday deferred the hearing in the ongoing dispute over the Shahi Jama Masjid-Harihar temple to August 5 due to the strike by the local bar association. Civil judge (senior division) Aditya Singh was scheduled to hear the matter. The Muslim side had previously challenged the maintainability of the case in the Allahabad High Court, but on May 19, the high court upheld the subordinate court's order permitting a court-monitored survey and directed the trial court to proceed with the hearing. Advocate Shri Gopal Sharma, appearing for the Hindu side, told PTI, Due to the condolence meeting and strike by the bar association today, the court has fixed August 5 as the next date of hearing. District government counsel Prince Sharma confirmed the state government submitted an affidavit in court today. The matter pertains to a dispute over the Shahi Jama Masjid and the claimed Harihar Mandir. The high court's earlier stay was vacated on May 19, and the documents

SC refuses urgent hearing on plea for FIR against Justice Varma in cash row

The Supreme Court on Monday refused to list for urgent hearing a plea seeking the registration of an FIR against the Allahabad High Court's Justice Yashwant Varma in connection with the cash discovery row. A bench comprising Chief Justice B R Gavai and Justice K Vinod Chandran was urged by lawyer Mathews Nedumpara that it was his third petition on the issue, and it be listed for hearing urgently. "Do you want it to be dismissed right now?" the CJI asked, adding that it will be listed in due course. "It is impossible to be dismissed. An FIR has to be registered. Now Varma seems to be asking for that only. There has to be an FIR, an investigation," the lawyer said. The bench took strong note of the fact that the lawyer addressed the high court judge as Varma'. "Is he your friend? He is still Justice Verma. How do you address him? Have some decorum. You are referring to a learned judge. He is still a judge of the court," the CJI said. "I don't think that greatness can apply to him.

Justice Yashwant Varma moves SC against in-house panel probe in cash row

Justice Yashwant Varma moves SC against in-house panel report that indicted him after unaccounted cash was found at his Delhi home following a fire; calls probe unconstitutional

Wife living apart without valid reason not entitled to maintenance: HC

The Allahabad High Court has observed that a wife living separately from her husband without a valid reason is not entitled to maintenance and set aside a family court order granting maintenance to a married woman. Allowing a revision petition filed by the woman's husband, Vipul Agrawal, Justice Subhas Chandra Sharma set aside the February 17 order of maintenance passed by the additional principal judge of the family court in Meerut. "The trial court has recorded the finding that the wife failed to prove that she is living separately from the husband with sufficient reasons and the husband is neglecting to maintain her, even though the amount of maintenance has been fixed in favour of the wife at Rs 5,000 per month. "As per the provision contained under section 125(4) of the Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPC), if the wife is living separately from the husband without sufficient reasons, she is not entitled to maintenance," the high court said. During the course of the hearing, the .

Supporting Pakistan alone not offence under BNS section 152: Allahabad HC

The Allahabad High Court has observed that merely expressing support for Pakistan, without referring to any specific incident or mentioning India by name, does not prima facie constitute an offence under section 152 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS). The said penal provision deals with acts endangering the sovereignty or unity and integrity of India. "Considering the submissions of the learned counsel for the parties and after a perusal of the records, it is not in dispute that while posting the aforesaid post through his Instagram ID, the applicant had not mentioned anything which shows disrespect towards our country. "Merely showing support to Pakistan, without referring to any incident or mentioning the name of India, will not prima facie attract the offence under section 152, BNS," Justice Arun Kumar Singh Deshwal said while allowing the bail plea of one Riyaz. The applicant's counsel submitted that the said social media post of the applicant did not lower the dignity and ..

HC reserves verdict on pleas against UP govt's move to pair schools

The Allahabad High Court on Friday concluded hearing on pleas challenging the Uttar Pradesh government's decision to pair primary and upper primary schools with fewer than 50 students with nearby institutions, but reserved its verdict. A bench of Justice Pankaj Bhatia reserved the order on two separate petitions filed by Krishna Kumari and others, who are seeking the cancellation of the state government's June 16 order. The petitioners' counsel, LP Mishra and Gaurav Mehrotra, argued that the state government's action violates Article 21A of the Constitution, which guarantees the right to education for children aged between six and 14 years. They contended that the implementation of the decision would deprive children of their right to education in their neighbourhood. The government should instead focus on improving the standard of schools to attract more students, the petitioners said. It was argued by the petitioners that the government has chosen the "easier way" of closing thes