Delhi High Court Weekly Round Up- News Updates [April 10- 15, 2023]

1. [2018 Contempt case] Noting that Indian Film Director Vivek Agnihotri has tendered an ‘unconditional apology and remorse’, the Delhi High Court recently ‘discharged’ him in the suo-moto criminal contempt case initiated against him in connection with relief provided by Justice S. Muralidhar to UAPA-accused Gautam Navlakha.

Bench: Justice Siddharth Mridul and Justice Vikas Mahajan

Case Title: Court in its Own Motion Vs S. Gurumurthy

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2. [Sedition Case] The Delhi High Court will hear the bail plea filed by Sharjeel Imam in connection with the northeast Delhi Riots 2020 case, involving an allegation of sedition on May 4, 2023. Imam's plea challenges the trial court order of January 24, 2022, denying bail to Imam in the sedition case.

Bench: Justice Siddharth Mridul and Justice Vikas Mahajan

Case Title: Sharjeel Imam v. State of NCT of Delhi

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3. [Notification prohibiting manufacture & sale of Gutka, Pan Masala] The Delhi High Court has recently set aside a single judge’s order whereby the judge had quashed the notification of the Food Safety Commissioner prohibiting the manufacture, storage, distribution, or sale of Gutka, Pan Masala, flavored/scented tobacco, Kharra, and similar products in the interest of public health for one year throughout the National Capital Territory (NCT) of Delhi.

Bench: Chief Justice Satish Chandra Sharma and Justice Yashwant Varma 

Case Title: Commissioner (Food Safety). GNCTD v. Sugandhi Snuff King Pvt. Ltd. and Ors.(another connected matter)

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4. [Exploitation of Domestic Help] The Delhi High Court recently asked the deputy labour commissioner and additional labour commissioner to appear in person in a case involving the prevention of the 'exploitation of domestic workers' employed through private placement agencies in the national capital. The court gave the direction while considering an application filed in a contempt plea by the NGO "Bachpan Bachao Andolan", which claimed that there had been "complete wilful disobedience and non-compliance" with a September 30, 2014, high court order.

Bench: Justice Manmeet Pritam Singh Arora

Case Title Bachpan Bachao Andolan v. Sanjay Kumar Saxena & Anr.

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5. [Halt on offering at Mughal Mosque Mehrauli] The Delhi High Court last week sought response from the Centre and Archeological Survey of India (ASI) on a plea by the managing committee of the Delhi Waqf Board seeking expeditious disposal of its pending petition against the halt on offering at the Mughal mosque in the city's Mehrauli area. Advocate M. Sufian Siddiqui appearing for the Board contended, “This matter is hanging for some time”. Siddiqui stated that there was urgency in the case as the month of Ramzan is ongoing, which shall soon culminate upon Eid-ul-Fitr, and the worshippers are waiting to offer their prayers in the Mughal Masjid. Taking note of the submissions, bench issued notice to the Centre and the ASI. "Issue notice. List at the end of April," the court said. Accordingly, the court listed the matter for further consideration on April 27. 

Bench: Justice Manoj Kumar Ohri

Case Title: Managing Committee of Delhi Waqf Board v. Union of India & Ors.

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6. [Person’s Profession of being an Advocate cannot be held against him] The Delhi High Court denying anticipatory bail to a man accused of causing hurt to an individual (advocate) by hitting his head with an iron rod observed that 'a person’s profession of being an Advocate cannot be held against him'. The Judge said, “Merely because a person is a lawyer or a practicing advocate by profession, his complaint upon sustaining an injury by someone cannot be disregarded merely on the ground of his being a practicing advocate and thus he knew how to draft a complaint”.

Bench: Justice Swarana Kanta Sharma

Case Title: Sawan v. State

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7. [Rs. 200 crore Extortion Case] Mumbai-based former TV anchor Pinky Irani has moved the Delhi High Court challenging the trial court’s order denying her bail in connection with Rs. 200 crore money laundering case involving conman Sukesh Chandrashekhar. According to sources, Irani used to portray Sukesh as a business tycoon and she was instrumental in facilitating certain Bollywood personalities getting in touch with the main accused Sukesh Chandrashekhar, in the extortion case.

Bench: Justice Dinesh Kumar Sharma

Case Title: Pinky Irani v. Govt of NCT of Delhi

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8. [Delhi Excise Policy Scam] The Delhi High Court issued notice to the Directorate of Enforcement (ED) in the bail plea filed by former Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) communications in-charge Vijay Nair in connection with the money laundering case related to the Delhi excise policy scam. The counsel for Nair contended that he was only the media and communications in charge of AAP and was not involved in the drafting, framing, or implementing of the excise policy in any manner. He argued that he was being “victimized” for his political affiliation. Taking note of the submissions, the bench issued notice to the ED and listed the matter for further hearing on May 19, 2023.

Bench: Justice Dinesh Kumar Sharma

Case Title: Vijay Nair v. Directorate of Enforcement

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9. [AIADMK’s representation to ECI] The Delhi High Court directed the Election Commission of India (ECI) to decide the representation made by All India Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK) seeking directions for updation of its amended bylaws on ECI’s website within ten days. During the hearing, Advocate Siddharth Kumar appeared for the ECI and Senior Advocate Mukul Rohatgi appeared for AIADMK. Kumar apprised that the commission is considering the representation and they shall take a decision on the same within ten days.

Bench: Justice Purushaindra Kumar Kaurav

Case Title: All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam & Anr. v. Election Commission of India

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10. [BBC Documentary on PM Modi] The Delhi High Court issued notice to the Delhi University in a plea filed by Ph.D. research scholar and National Students Union of India (NSUI) Secretary, Lokesh Chugh who was debarred for 1 year allegedly over his involvement in the screening of the banned BBC documentary on Prime Minister Narendra Modi- “India: the Modi Question” at the Faculty of Arts on January 27.

Bench: Justice Purushaindra Kumar Kaurav

Case Title: Lokesh Chugh v. University of Delhi & Ors.

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11. [Plea seeking Uniform Judicial Code] A Public Interest Litigation has been filed before the Delhi High Court seeking directions to the Law Commission of India to prepare a comprehensive report on the ‘Uniform Judicial Code’ in consultation with the high courts in order to make judicial terms, abbreviations, norms phrases, court fee structure, and case registration process uniform. The plea filed by Advocate Ashwini Kumar Upadhyay also stated that all the 25 high courts across the country have different usage of the phrases when it comes to identifying different cases.

Case Title: Ashwini Kumar Upadhyay v. UOI & Others

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