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Can a Will Legitimise Illegal Benami Property?

  What if someone could bypass real estate laws simply by getting creative with legal paperwork? The Supreme Court of India on 08.05.2026 addressed this exact issue in the case of Manjula and Others v. D.A. Srinivas . It is a legal drama involving land deals, local property restrictions, a mysterious Will, and the strict rules governing "benami" property. In a dramatic twist, both parties ended up losing the land—the Supreme Court declared the transaction illegal and directed the Central Government to appoint an Administrator to take over the properties in accordance with the law.   Here is a breakdown of what happened: D.A. Srinivas asked the court to declare him the rightful owner of a piece of land on the strength of a Will dated 20.04.2018, allegedly executed by late K. Raghunath (who passed away on 04.05.2019).   Srinivas could not legally buy agricultural land in his own name due to state restrictions under the Karnataka Land Reforms Act...

Bombay High Court HDFC Bank Cyber Fraud Judgment: ₹38Lakhs Refunded

When ₹38,04,000/-  disappeared from the Petitioner’s HDFC Bank account in a frantic, minute-long window on July 15, 2021, he felt the ground crumble beneath  his feet. As a 61-year-old freelance business consultant, that money was his life’s work. What followed was a battle against banking giants, regulatory bodies, and automated systems that tried to blame him. Factual Background: ·     The Incident: It all started when three total strangers—Samir Tamang, Aloke Pal, and Subhomoy Biswas—were added as net-banking beneficiaries to the Petitioner’s HDFC Bank account on July 14, 2021. Simultaneously, the daily transaction limit was increased from ₹ 4 lakhs to ₹ 40 lakhs without his authorisation or immediate notification. ·     The Fraud: The following day, eight separate unauthorised transactions totalling ₹ 38.04 lakhs were executed within 41 minutes, transferring funds into beneficiary accounts at ICICI Bank. By the time a single delayed SMS arrived tw...

Dad Must Pay for Daughter’s Higher Education Under DV Act!

We always think that the Domestic Violence Act (DV Act) is strictly for matrimonial disputes and not for conflicts between a father and daughter...  Well, the Karnataka High Court just made it crystal clear: "Father has an obligation to provide love and affection, righteousness, basic amenities and, most important among others, health and education and the necessities of life. He has a unique role in the family." This judgment completely changes how we think about parental duty after a child turns 18. A young woman cleared her NEET exams, securing a seat for her M.D. in Dermatology. But when she asked her father to cover her ₹ 16 lakh first-year fees, he flatly refused. His defence? She was 23 years old, legally an adult, already held an MBBS degree, and would be getting a monthly stipend during her post-graduation to cover her day-to-day expenses. He even claimed that under the DV Act, an adult daughter isn't technically a "child" entitled to maintenance. Jus...

“Right to Be Forgotten” - Delhi High Court’s Guidelines

The Delhi High Court has recently recognised the “Right to be Forgotten” (RTBF) as part of the fundamental right to privacy under Article 21 of the Indian Constitution, especially in the context of online court records and search engines. In simple terms, it means that in certain situations, people can ask for their names and personal details to stop showing up in name-based internet searches related to old court cases. The Court was hearing petitions from people whose names kept appearing online in connection with past cases – criminal matters, matrimonial disputes, and other litigation – even though the cases were over, settled, or decided in their favour. The petitioners said that because of search engines and legal databases, those old cases were still affecting their reputation, jobs, and personal lives. The Court laid down a simple, two-fold framework: De-indexing: Search engines and legal databases can be directed to remove specific links from name-based search resu...

PERJURY (LYING IN COURT) IS A BAD IDEA

The Supreme Court judgment in  Neha Lal v. Abhishek Kumar  (2026 INSC 73) , delivered on January 20, 2026, which highlights the serious consequences of perjury in legal proceedings. The case originally started as a divorce, but perjury (lying under oath) became the most important issue. After marrying in 2012, the couple separated just 65 days later. This led to a massive legal battle with more than 40 different lawsuits filed in Delhi, Lucknow, and Ghaziabad. These cases covered everything from demands for financial support (maintenance) to domestic violence and criminal charges. While the main matter and other cases were eventually dismissed, the legal trouble regarding the false statements made in court on oath continued. The husband accused the wife of perjury in her affidavits containing false financial details and concealed facts, prompting applications under Section 340 CrPC and Section 379 r/w 215 BNSS. The Court independently verified case lists from High Courts and...

Bank Nomination - Successive or Simultaneous?

Have you ever filled out a nomination form at your bank and wondered, "What's this successive or simultaneous nomination, and which one should I choose?" You're not alone. The RBI's latest rules, the Banking Companies (Nomination) Rules, 2025, let depositors name up to 4 individuals for FDs and RDs—either successively or simultaneously—to streamline inheritance. Effective November 1, 2025, these apply to deposits (with both options), while lockers and safe custody only successive option. Picture this: You've locked away an FD for your family's future. But what if you're gone—who gets it, hassle-free? Let's understand with a quick example. Say you're Ashok, 55, with a ₹10 lakh FD. You name your wife Mia as the successive nominee #1, daughter Pooja as #2, and son Shiv as #3. Successive nomination : Like a relay race. If Mia is alive, she becomes the  owner -  full control, interest, everything. If not, it passes to Pooja, then Shiv. C...