24-Hour Detention Period Begins When Accused Is Effectively Detained, Not Time Of Formal Arrest Recorded By Police: Kerala High Court

Kerala High Court has held that the 24-hour deadline for producing an accused before a magistrate under Article 22(2) of the Constitution begins from the moment a person's liberty is effectively curtailed, rather than from the time police formally records the arrest.Justice Bechu Kurian Thomas observed: “The period of twenty-four hours to produce an accused before the Magistrate commences...

'Well Articulated Address': Kerala High Court Appreciates Law Students Appointed As Amici Curiae In NDPS Case

The Kerala High Court appointed two law students as amici curiae to assist in resolving a question on arrest and detention timelines in an NDPS case.The appointment came during the hearing of a bail application filed by an accused of possessing 26.92 kg of ganja under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act. After hearing the arguments by the parties and the two amici the high...

Kerala High Court Issues Notice On KTU Vice-Chancellor's Plea Seeking Direction To Resolve Administrative Stalemate

The Kerala High Court on Tuesday (August 12) issued notice on a plea by APJ Abdul Kalam Technological University's (KTU) Vice-Chancellor Dr. K. Sivaprasad seeking court's interference to resolve alleged administrative stalemate.The matter was listed before a different bench, after recusal of Justice N. Nagaresh on Monday (August 11). When the matter came up for consideration, the...

Kerala High Court Stays Film Producer's Cheating Case Against Actor Nivin Pauly, Director Abrid Shine

The Kerala High Court on Tuesday (August 12) stayed proceedings initiated against Malayalam film actor Nivin Pauly and director Abrid Shine in connection with an alleged ₹1.9 crore fraud case.Justice V G Arun heard the petitions filed by Nivin Pauly and Abrid Shine together and passed the interim order. “...I find merit in the contention of the learned counsel for petitioner in light...

Kerala High Court Grants Bail To Narayana Das Accused Of Implicating Beautician Sheela Sunny In False NDPS Case

The Kerala High Court on Tuesday (August 12) granted regular bail to M.N. Narayana Das, who was accused of falsely implicating Chalakudy-based beauty parlour owner Sheela Sunny in a fake NDPS case.Justice Bechu Kurian Thomas observed that he has been in custody for around 104 days and that his arrest is vitiated since the grounds were not mentioned to him. The judge observed, "On a perusal of...

Expression 'Unnecessary Delay' In Depositing Gun After Expiry Of Licence Too Vague For Initiating Criminal Prosecution: Kerala High Court

The Kerala High Court has held that the expression “without unnecessary delay” used in Section 21(1) of the Arms Act, 1959 in context of surrendering an arm after expiry of its license is too vague and thus, cannot form the basis for criminal prosecution unless.Justice V G Arun held thus while quashing the proceedings against the petitioner, who was charged for depositing his licensed...

Kerala High Court Halts Construction Of New 'Bhasmakkulam' Pond In Sabarimala Citing Lack Of Structural Assessment

The Kerala High Court on Thursday (August 7) directed the Travancore Devaswom Board to halt the construction of a newly proposed pond 'Bhasmakkulam' in the light of the fact that no structural assessment or geotechnical study was undertaken regarding the same.Though the Court had permitted the relocation of the pond in March, the construction has not commended but it was assured that the...

Kerala High Court Flags ₹40 Lakh Embezzlement In Petrol Pump Run By Travancore Devaswom Board, Orders Digitalisation Of All Temple Accounts

The Kerala High Court on Friday (August 8) pulled up the Travancore Devaswom Board over reported embezzelment of ₹40 lakh from a petrol pump run by it at Nilakkal, a base camp of Sabarimala pilgrims.Noting that the Board administers 1,250 temples, the Division Bench of Justice Raja Vijayaraghavan V. and Justice K.V. Jayakumar ordered digitalisation of all their accounts and sought...

KTU Vice-Chancellor Moves Kerala High Court Seeking Direction To Resolve Administrative Stalemate

Dr. Sivaprasad, Vice-Chancellor of APJ Abdul Kalam Technological University, has approached the Kerala High Court seeking interference by the Court to resolve the administrative stalemate in the University. As per the plea, a few members of the Syndicate (respondent 2 to 4) are abstaining from attending the Syndicate meeting, due to political reasons. These respondents, namely, the Secretary...

Koodathayi Murder: Kerala High Court Dismisses Accused Jolly Joseph's Plea To Inspect Alleged Crime Scene With New Lawyer

The Kerala High Court on Monday (August 11) refused to interfere with an order of the trial court denying permission to the prime accused in Koodathayi Murder case, Jollyamma Joseph alias Jolly Joseph, to inspect the place of occurrence of crime along with her new lawyer.Jolly is accused of murdering six of her family members, including her first husband Roy Thomas, using cyanide, with the...

Committee Constituted To Review Film Ticket Pricing: State Tells Kerala High Court

The Kerala government on Monday (August 10) informed the High Court that it has constituted a Committee to enquire into matters relating to regulation of ticket charges in cinema theatres and multiplex theatres.The submission was made before a division bench of Chief Justice Nitin Jamdar and Justice Basant Balaji which was hearing a Public Interest Litigation seeking fixation of ticket prices...

Kerala High Court Imposes ₹50K Cost On Litigant Appearing In Person For Threatening Judge

The Kerala High Court recently imposed Rs. 50,000 cost on a litigant, who was appearing as party-in-person, for threatening the single judge hearing his case by stating that he has filed a complaint against the judge before the President of India and other authorities.Referring to former CJI JS Khehar's opinion in the 2015 National Judicial Commission judgment Supreme Court...