Page 5 - Bombay High Court

HC upholds life term for 2 Chhota Rajan gang members in 2010 murder case

The Bombay High Court on Tuesday upheld the conviction and life sentence of two members of the Chhota Rajan gang in a 2010 double murder case, stating that the trial court's judgment was "well-reasoned and legally sound ". A court here in August 2022 convicted Mohammed Ali Shaikh and Pranay Rane for murder, criminal conspiracy and offences under the Arms Act while acquitting Rajan and two others for lack of evidence. A division bench of justices Neela Gokhale and Revati Dere on Tuesday dismissed the appeals filed by Shaikh and Rane. "The evidence on record, when assessed in its entirety, establishes the guilt of the appellants beyond reasonable doubt, " the bench said. As per the police, represented by special prosecutor Pradeep Gharat, four men opened fire on Asif Khan, an alleged aide of fugitive gangster Dawood Ibrahim, at a spot near the J J Marg police station in the city on February 13, 2010. Khan managed to escape, but Shakeel Modak and Asif Qureshi, who were there to meet

No action taken for re-sharing Kamra video, says HC; disposes of PIL

The Bombay High Court on Wednesday said the Maharashtra government has not taken vindictive action against any person for re-sharing or re-uploading stand-up comic Kunal Kamra's video in which he indirectly passed a "traitor" jibe at Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde. A bench of Chief Justice Alok Aradhe and Justice M S Karnik made the observation while refusing to entertain a public interest litigation (PIL) filed by a 25-year-old law student questioning the government's action against Kamra and also the Mumbai hotel where the controversial comedy show was shot. The court also noted the aggrieved person (Kamra) has already filed a petition in the HC seeking to quash the FIR lodged against him at a Mumbai police station over his critical comments against Shinde, who heads the ruling Shiv Sena. "The person aggrieved is before this court. He is not poor or illiterate. Why are you (present PIL petitioner) fighting his cause? He has taken action for relief," the HC observed. The PIL,

Bombay HC grants Kunal Kamra protection till April 17, seeks govt reply

Bombay High Court has granted comedian Kunal Kamra protection till April 17. The next hearing will take place on April 16

HoABL denies forgery allegations by Macrotech, files police complaint

HoABL filed the complaint on April 3, 2025, and wrote a letter to the police on April 4, 2025. The complaint is not against any particular person

Kunal Kamra moves Bombay HC to quash FIR over remarks against Shinde

The development comes shortly after Kamra failed to appear before Mumbai Police despite being summoned thrice in the same case

Courts must be slow to interfere in expert views on academic standards: SC

The Supreme Court on Tuesday said courts must be slow to interfere with the opinions of experts over academic standards and exercise powers of judicial review in cases where the prescribed qualification or condition was arbitrary. A bench of Justices Sudhanshu Dhulia and K Vinod Chandran said normally, courts should not interfere with the decisions taken by expert statutory bodies regarding academic matter, be it qualifications for student admissions or those required by the teachers for appointment, salary, promotion, etc. The apex court's verdict came on the appeals challenging the orders of the Bombay High Court which directed a society to extend the benefit of revised pay scales under the Sixth Central Pay Commission to some teachers. They taught in the engineering and technical institutes run and managed by the society, the bench noted. The top court referred to the prescribed qualification requirements of teachers in an engineering institute laid down by the All India Council

Bombay HC extends stay on FIR order against ex-Sebi chief Buch, 5 others

"The interim relief granted earlier shall continue until further orders," HC said posting the matter for further hearing on May 7

Mediclaim policy amount can't be deducted from medical compensation: HC

A sum received by a person under a mediclaim policy cannot be deducted from the compensation amount payable to the claimant for medical expenses under provisions of the Motor Vehicles Act, the Bombay High Court has said. The amount under a mediclaim policy is received in view of a contract entered into by the claimant with the insurance company, a full bench of Justices A S Chandurkar, Milind Jadhav and Gauri Godse said in its judgement on March 28. "In our view, the deduction of any amount received by a claimant under a Mediclaim policy would not be permissible," the bench ruled. The issue was referred to the full bench after various single and division benches had different views on the same. The full bench, while referring to judgments passed by the Supreme Court, said the Motor Accident Claims Tribunal was not only empowered but also duty-bound to award just compensation. It said the amount received on account of insurance is due to the contractual obligations entered into by

Spouse threatening or attempting suicide cruelty, ground for divorce: HC

A spouse threatening or attempting to commit suicide amounts to 'cruelty' and is a valid ground for divorce, the Bombay High Court has said. Justice R M Joshi of the high court's Aurangabad bench in the order last month upheld the decree passed by a family court dissolving a couple's marriage. The woman had moved the HC challenging the family court order. The man had alleged his wife threatened to send him and his family to jail by committing suicide. This amounts to cruelty under provisions of the Hindu Marriage Act, he said in the plea seeking divorce before the family court. The HC bench in its order said the evidence submitted by the husband and other witnesses before the family court more than sufficiently demonstrates that the husband's contention of cruelty is proved. The man has not only alleged that the wife used to threaten him and his family to send them to jail by committing suicide but, in fact, also once made an attempt to end her life, the court said. "Such an act

Bombay HC cuts life sentence of man convicted under Pocso, calls it 'harsh'

The Bombay High Court ruled that life imprisonment was too harsh and revised the sentence to 10 years of rigorous imprisonment

Disha Salian death: Aaditya Thackeray, celebs, cops named in complaint

Disha Salian's father has accused Aaditya Thackeray, celebs, and top cops of involvement in her death, filing a fresh complaint with Mumbai police seeking a probe

Yuzvendra Chahal-Dhanashree divorce fast-tracked as HC waives cooling-off

The Bombay High Court's order now allows Yuzvendra Chahal and Dhanashree Verma to proceed with their mutual consent divorce without further delay

Gautam Adani, brother Rajesh get court relief in Rs 388 cr cheating case

The case involves alleged breaches of market regulations amounting to Rs 388 crore, for which the Serious Fraud Investigation Office (SFIO) filed a chargesheet in 2012

HC discharges Gautam Adani, Rajesh Adani in market regulations case

When the offence of cheating itself is not made out, then even the charge of criminal conspiracy becomes unsustainable, it added

HC sends notices to Centre, 4 states for 'illegal' use of woman's picture

The Bombay High Court has deprecated the "commercial exploitation" and illegal use of a woman's photograph without her consent in government advertisements and issued notices to the Centre and four state governments. The woman, Namrata Ankush Kawale, in her plea said her picture taken by a photographer, an acquaintance, was uploaded on the website 'Shutterstock.com' without her consent and knowledge. The photo has since then been used unauthorisedly by the state governments of Maharashtra, Telangana, Karnataka and Odisha and the Union Ministry of Rural Development and some private entities on their websites, hoardings and other advertisements, she alleged. A division bench of Justices G S Kulkarni and Advait Sethna, in its order on March 10, said the issues raised in the plea were "quite serious, considering the contemporary times of an electronic era and social media". "Prima facie, it appears to be a commercial exploitation of the petitioner's photograph," the HC said. The bench

'GSTitis' hits donuts: Jairam Ramesh slams GST amid misclassification row

Jairam Ramesh labels the ongoing GST issue as 'GSTitis,' as Mad Over Donuts faces a Rs 100 crore tax notice for wrongly classifying donuts under GST laws

HC quashes complaint against Kailash Kher for hurting religious feelings

Intolerance and dissent from the orthodoxy have been a bane of Indian society, the Bombay High Court said, quoting author A G Noorani, while quashing a complaint against singer Kailash Kher for allegedly hurting religious sentiments with a song on Lord Shiva. A division bench of Justices Bharati Danger and S C Chandak said there was no deliberate or malicious intent on Kher's part, who had only sung the song Babam Bam', to hurt anyone's religious sentiments or feelings. A copy of the order of March 4 was made available on Thursday, The complaint was filed by one Narinder Makkar before a local court in Ludhiana seeking registration of a case against the singer under Indian Penal Code (IPC) sections 295A and 298, concerning outraging religious feelings with deliberate and malicious intent. The complainant claimed to be a Shiva worshiper and said Kher's song Babam Bam' on Lord Shiva depicted a vulgar video showing scantily dressed women and people kissing. The high court while quashi

SC judge expresses displeasure over 'illegal banner culture' in Maharashtra

Supreme Court Judge Justice Abhay Oka on Saturday expressed displeasure over the culture of illegal banners, and said the Bombay High Court had earlier mandated that prior authorisation was necessary to display them. Speaking at the inauguration of a magistrate court in Mira Bhayandar township in Maharashtra's Thane district, he also expressed annoyance over the "lack of discipline" at the event, and pulled up media representatives and some other attendees for jostling and pushing. On the occasion, Justice Oka urged the Maharashtra government to appoint more judges and provide infrastructure and modern technology in courts. He said on his way to the venue, he spotted several banners put up to welcome guests at the event. Although he was initially delighted to see them, he later realised that these banners were illegal, the SC judge said. "A Bombay High Court judgment mandates that no banners or hoardings should be displayed without prior authorisation. But none of these hoardings

SC stays Bombay HC order, allows Pune eatery to use 'Burger King' name

In India since 2014, Burger King Corp sued a Pune eatery for using its name since 2008, claiming brand harm and seeking a permanent injunction against its trademark use

Bombay HC permits Adani Group firm to cut mangroves for jetty project

The Bombay High Court on Wednesday permitted Adani Cementation Limited to cut 158 mangrove trees for its proposed jetty project along the Amba river in Maharashtra's Raigad district. A division bench of Chief Justice Alok Aradhe and Justice Bharati Dangre, however, emphasised the importance of balancing development with environmental conservation and directed the company to strictly adhere to the conditions imposed by regulatory authorities. While the project serves commercial interests, it must not lead to excessive depletion of natural resources, the HC said. The court said a balance needs to be struck between the necessity of the project, which aims at meeting the ever-increasing need for cement, and, at the same time, not compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs. It is necessary to ensure that the project results in minimum damage to the environment and natural resources, particularly when the entire planet is coping with the crisis of climate ...