Criminal Law

On June 3, 2026, a fire engulfed the Flourish Stays Hotel in Malviya Nagar's Hauz Rani area of Delhi, killing 22 people including 13 foreign nationals. The tragedy has exposed serious lapses in India's fire safety enforcement and raised questions about criminal liability under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) 2023. The hotel's owner, Lavkesh Bajaj, reportedly operated the establishment with only a tea shop licence, raising fundamental questions about how commercial establish

An accused person who appears before an investigating officer but declines to answer certain questions cannot, for that reason alone, be branded as non-cooperative so as to be denied bail. The Supreme Court made this observation while granting anticipatory bail in a recent matter, holding in plain terms that not answering the questions of the investigating officer would not, by itself, mean there is non-cooperation. The ruling is an important clarification for anyone seeking

Cruelty by a husband or his relatives, including harassment connected with demands for dowry, is a criminal offence in India. Since 1 July 2024, this offence is contained in Section 85 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023 (BNS), which replaced the well known Section 498A of the Indian Penal Code, with Section 86 supplying the definition of cruelty. This guide explains how a woman facing such cruelty can pursue a complaint, what the law punishes, and the safeguards that apply

The Supreme Court has denied bail to travel vlogger and YouTuber Jyoti Malhotra, who is accused of sharing sensitive information with Pakistani intelligence operatives. Declining relief on 5 June 2026, the Court observed that there can be no compromise with national security and that the seriousness of the charges weighed against release. The case has drawn wide public attention because it sits at the intersection of social media, national security and the law on bail. It is

The Supreme Court has held that the Official Secrets Act, 1923 cannot be used to deny an accused person copies of the documents that the prosecution relies upon in its chargesheet. In V.K. Singh v. Central Bureau of Investigation (2026 INSC 614), the Court ruled that withholding such material, even on grounds of confidentiality, would defeat the accused's right to a fair trial, which is a facet of the guarantee of life and personal liberty under Article 21 of the Constitution

The Supreme Court has held that bail conditions requiring an accused person to clean police station premises are abhorrent, degrading and unknown to law, and it has declared such conditions null and void. Taking suo motu cognisance of orders passed by courts in Odisha, a bench led by the Chief Justice of India found that the conditions were not only unlawful but also carried a troubling suggestion of caste-based bias, since many of the affected accused were from Adivasi and D

The Supreme Court has delivered an important ruling on the proviso to Section 223(1) of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, 2023, holding that the right of a proposed accused to be heard before a Magistrate takes cognizance of a complaint is mandatory and not a mere formality. In Parvinder Singh v. Directorate of Enforcement (2026 INSC 519), the Court ruled that taking cognizance without first giving the accused this opportunity renders the order void ab initio, meaning v

Filing a First Information Report (FIR) in India is now governed by Section 173 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS), 2023, which replaced Section 154 of the Code of Criminal Procedure. The BNSS has introduced two significant reforms: the statutory codification of the zero FIR (allowing filing at any police station regardless of jurisdiction) and the formal recognition of electronic FIR (e-FIR) filing. This guide explains the complete process for filing an FIR onl

Being arrested is one of the most frightening experiences a person can face. In India, the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS), 2023, which replaced the Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPC) with effect from July 1, 2024, sets out the rights of every arrested person and the duties of every police officer making an arrest. Knowing these rights is not just useful for the person arrested; it is essential for their family members who must act quickly in the immediate aftermath.

The NEET UG 2026 examination, held on May 3 for over 2.27 million medical aspirants, was cancelled on May 12, 2026, following confirmed evidence of a large-scale paper leak. The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) is now leading the investigation, with 13 arrests made so far across Delhi, Jaipur, Gurugram, Nasik, Pune, Latur, and Ahilyanagar. The National Testing Agency (NTA) has scheduled a retest for June 21, with the Indian Air Force deployed to transport question papers

One of the most frequently searched legal questions in India is whether the police can arrest a person without a warrant. The answer is: yes, but only under specific conditions defined by law. Under the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS), 2023, which replaced the Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPC), the power to arrest without a warrant is governed primarily by Section 35. This guide explains when the police can and cannot arrest without a warrant, the conditions they mu

One of the most frustrating experiences a crime victim can face is going to the police station to report an offence, only to have the police refuse to register a First Information Report (FIR). This refusal is not only a violation of the officer's statutory duty but also a denial of the victim's fundamental right to access the criminal justice system. The Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, 2023 (BNSS), which replaced the Code of Criminal Procedure, provides clear legal remed

Being arrested or facing the prospect of arrest is one of the most stressful experiences a person can go through, and understanding how bail works in India is essential for anyone navigating the criminal justice system. The Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, 2023 (BNSS), which replaced the Code of Criminal Procedure with effect from July 1, 2024, governs the law of bail. This guide explains the different types of bail, the step-by-step process for applying, the courts that g

In two significant developments in May 2026, the Bombay High Court quashed a POCSO case after the accused married the minor prosecutrix who was seven months pregnant, and the Delhi High Court laid down detailed guidelines for when courts may quash POCSO cases involving consensual adolescent relationships. These decisions address one of the most contested questions in Indian criminal law: whether the strict liability framework of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences

The Supreme Court of India on 22nd May 2026 referred critical questions regarding bail under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) to a larger bench, in a decision arising from the prolonged incarceration of Umar Khalid and Sharjeel Imam in connection with the 2020 Delhi riots case. A Division Bench comprising Justices Aravind Kumar and PB Varale observed inconsistencies in recent judicial decisions on UAPA bail and held that a larger bench must authoritatively sett