Law & Justice This Week: Big Wins, Court Orders & Legal Milestones [October 19- October 25, 2026]

1. Jantar Mantar Protest 2.0

Cockroach Janta Party leaders Saurav Das and Ashutosh Ranka were released after spending seven days in judicial custody over an alleged breach of peace bonds during protests at Jantar Mantar against Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar. They gave written undertakings not to call for protests at Jantar Mantar while it remains a de-notified protest site; subsequent proceedings included a direction to Das to submit proof of his Delhi address.

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2. Neha Bora's Challenge to Peace-Bond Notice

The Delhi High Court dismissed AISA president Neha Bora's plea challenging a peace-bond notice issued by a Special Executive Magistrate in connection with protests against the Chief Election Commissioner.

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3. CMRL-Exalogic Case Against Pinarayi Vijayan

The Supreme Court set aside the Kerala High Court's refusal to allow former Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, his daughter Veena T. and her husband to challenge an order directing the registration of FIRs in the CMRL-Exalogic case. It granted ten days' relief by staying the vigilance investigation during that period, while leaving the FIRs intact.

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4. Medicines at Margins of Up to 700%

The Centre informed the Supreme Court about hospitals charging patients substantial mark-ups on medicines and consumables, with reported margins ranging from 170% to 700% or more for anti-cancer drugs. It also indicated that a list of cancer medicines subject to a 30% trade-margin cap would be notified and updated periodically.

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5. Human Trafficking And Voluntary Sex Work

The Supreme Court asked the National Judicial Academy to frame a protocol for magistrates conducting preliminary inquiries under Section 17 of the Immoral Traffic (Prevention) Act, 1956, to identify adults engaged in voluntary sex work among those rescued. It also directed States and Union Territories to notify Anti-Human Trafficking Units as police stations.

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6. Rahul Gandhi Defamation Case

Satyaki Savarkar told a Pune court that V.D. Savarkar had condemned Mahatma Gandhi's assassination while objecting to questions concerning Nathuram Godse, the RSS and the Kapur Commission during cross-examination. Satyaki had filed the criminal defamation complaint against Rahul Gandhi over remarks about Savarkar during a speech in London in March 2023.

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7. Ahmedabad Serial Blasts

Supreme Court stayed the execution of Mohammad Tanvir, who was sentenced to death for his role in the 2008 Ahmedabad serial bomb blasts that killed 56 people. The Bench agreed to hear his challenge to the Gujarat High Court's July 2026 verdict and directed that the original trial court and High Court records be summoned.

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8. Sexual Exploitation Case Against Former Tamil Nadu BJP Leader

The Madras High Court denied anticipatory bail to former Tamil Nadu BJP state general secretary M. Muruganantham, alias Karuppu, in a case involving allegations of sexual exploitation on a false promise of marriage, financial fraud and circulation of private and morphed images.

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9. Accessing Bank Accounts of Coma Patients

The Allahabad High Court asked the Centre and the Reserve Bank of India to disclose existing guidelines or proposals enabling dependants to access the bank accounts of people in a coma. Court highlighted the financial difficulties faced by families who must pay for hospital treatment and household expenses when the account holder cannot operate their account.

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10. Indore Metro Tree Felling

The Madhya Pradesh High Court refused to halt tree felling at Rani Sarai for an Indore Metro underground station, citing an earlier ruling on the metro alignment. It directed that the trees be cut in phases under the supervision of bird experts and ordered the plantation of 2,500 trees as part of the safeguards

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