The Allahabad High Court granted custody of a 12-year-old girl to her mother, rejecting the outdated idea of the father as the “natural guardian.” The Court held that patriarchal bias in custody laws is no longer valid and emphasized the child’s need for her mother during puberty.
The Madhya Pradesh High Court has ruled that WhatsApp chats obtained without a wife’s consent can still be admitted as evidence in a matrimonial case if they are relevant, even when privacy concerns are raised.
The Kerala High Court has held that a wife who gave up her maintenance rights during mutual divorce can still seek financial support later if her circumstances change, protecting her dignity and financial security.
The Supreme Court ruled that calling a husband impotent or infertile does not amount to abetment to suicide under Section 306 IPC. The Court quashed the case against the wife and her relatives, stating insults alone cannot establish instigation.
The Karnataka High Court quashed a POCSO complaint filed by a woman against her brothers, ruling that the case was rooted in a property dispute and lacked evidence of sexual assault.
The Gauhati High Court acquitted a man under Section 10 of the POCSO Act, ruling that the victim’s testimony was unreliable and not supported by medical evidence, and granted him benefit of doubt.
The Supreme Court reduced a woman’s murder conviction to culpable homicide, noting she may have acted under temporary insanity. She was released after spending nearly 10 years in prison.
The Kerala High Court ruled that a wife can still claim maintenance under the Domestic Violence Act even if she had earlier waived the right in an agreement. The Court said such waivers are invalid and upheld ₹30,000 monthly maintenance granted to her.
The Kerala High Court held that a wife can claim maintenance under the Domestic Violence Act even if she had earlier waived the right through an agreement. The Court ruled such waivers invalid, stressing that a husband’s statutory duty to provide support cannot be avoided.
The Allahabad High Court granted bail to Khushbu Devi, accused of conspiring with her lover and mother to kill her husband, citing the abandoned condition of her minor children. The Court stressed that bail was allowed only on humanitarian grounds with strict conditions.
