Delhi Courts Weekly Round Up [August 11-17, 2025]

2. [Land-for-Jobs Scam] A Delhi Court has come down heavily on an accused in the alleged land-for-jobs scam involving former railway minister Lalu Prasad Yadav, terming his repeated requests for adjournment a “conscious effort to delay proceedings.” Special Judge Vishal Gogne of Rouse Avenue Court was hearing arguments on charge in the CBI case relating to alleged appointments in Group-D posts in the West Central Railway between 2004 and 2009 in exchange for land transfers to Lalu Prasad’s family or associates. Of the 103 accused, four have died.

3. [2016 Minor Rape Victim Identity Case] A Delhi Court on Wednesday acquitted former Delhi Commission for Women (DCW) chairperson Swati Maliwal and her then media advisor Bhupinder Singh in a case alleging disclosure of the identity of a minor rape victim. Additional Chief Judicial Magistrate (ACJM) Neha Mittal of the Rouse Avenue Court pronounced the verdict, bringing an end to the nearly nine-year-old criminal proceedings. The case arose from a 2016 FIR accusing Maliwal of violating statutory provisions that safeguard the anonymity of sexual assault survivors. The prosecution alleged that on July 22, 2016, the DCW had issued a notice to the Station House Officer of Burari which mentioned the name of a 14-year-old girl, who had died after being sexually assaulted.

Case Title: State v. Swati Maliwal JaiHind

Bench: ACJM Neha Mittal

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4. [26/11 Terror Attack] A Delhi Court on Wednesday permitted 26/11 Mumbai attack accused Tahawwur Hussain Rana to make three monitored phone calls this month to his brother for discussions on engaging a private counsel. Special Judge Chander Jit Singh of Patiala House Court, during in-chamber proceedings, directed that the calls be conducted in English or Hindi, recorded, and made in the presence of prison authorities. Rana, who appeared virtually before the Court, also had his judicial custody extended till September 8. He was produced before the Court through video conferencing.

Case Title: NIA v. David Coleman Headley

Bench: Special Judge Chander Jit Singh

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5. [Black Magic Act] In an unusual incident inside a Delhi courtroom, a surgeon has recently been convicted for disrupting judicial proceedings after allegedly throwing rice on the floor during a hearing, prompting suspicions of black magic among Advocates present. The matter came up before Additional Sessions Judge (ASJ) Shefali Barnala Tandon of Tis Hazari Court on August 11, 2025, during proceedings in a criminal case against accused Dr. Chander Vibhas. Initially, the defence counsel informed the Court that the accused did not wish to admit documents pursuant to a Delhi High Court order dated August 1, 2025, and sought examination of witnesses as per an earlier court order. Summons were then issued to nodal officers of Vodafone, Reliance Communication, and Airtel to produce records. At this point, the Court staff, and the Prosecution informed the Judge that the accused doctor had thrown rice under the dais. Multiple lawyers, including the Deputy Chief Legal Aid Counsel and the prosecutor, confirmed witnessing the act.

6. [Death Penalty for Yasin Malik ] The Delhi High Court has sought a reply from Jammu and Kashmir Liberation Front (JKLF) terrorist Yasin Malik on a plea filed by the National Investigation Agency (NIA) seeking the death penalty for him. During the hearing, the court noted that Malik did not appear virtually nor file a reply, despite the court’s earlier order on August 9, 2024, directing his virtual appearance due to security concerns. The court accordingly directed him to file a reply and listed the matter for hearing on November 10. Notably, Malik was convicted on May 19, 2022, in connection with the terror‑funding and secessionist activities case and was thereafter sentenced on May 25, 2022, to life imprisonment.

7. [Engineer Rashid Custody Parole Cost] The Delhi High Court has asked the Delhi Police to explain the basis for the travel and security cost imposed on Jammu and Kashmir MP Abdul Rashid Sheikh, popularly known as Engineer Rashid, as a condition for granting him custody parole to attend Parliament. The court was hearing Rashid’s plea challenging a trial court order requiring him to deposit Rs. 4 lakh with prison authorities to cover travel and security expenses. Appearing for Rashid, Senior Advocate N. Hariharan argued that the condition was disproportionate and undermined his ability to represent the people of his constituency. The bench then directed the State to clarify how the travel cost was calculated. The matter is scheduled to be heard next on August 18.

8. [1984 Anti-Sikh Riots] The Delhi High Court has directed the Trial Court to reconstruct records in three cases related to the 1984 anti-Sikh riots, which concern the killings of three Sikh men in the aftermath of former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi’s assassination. In a detailed 66-page judgment, the court flagged lapses in the conduct of the trial and noted that the material on record prima facie indicated a shoddy investigation It further noted that the Additional Sessions Judges had made hardly any effort to secure the presence of crucial witnesses, including those who had directly witnessed the incidents.