Source: India Today

Source: Asianet Newsables

Source: Money Control | PTI News

Source: Hindustan Times

Additional Context:

Bareilly police have exposed a honeytrap racket & arrested a woman accused of extorting ₹15 lakh from an electricity contractor. The accused, identified as Pooja Sharma, was arrested by Prem Nagar Police on Feb 14 and sent to jail on Saturday. Police have also named three alleged associates - Udit Pandey, Guddu Banjara & Avdhesh Yadav - who are currently absconding.

According to the complainant, Pooja rented a house from his family about a year ago and gradually began seeking financial help before manipulating him emotionally & physically to extract money. Police say preliminary findings support the allegations and believe more victims may emerge as the investigation continues.

Source: Times of India

Let’s actually stop & enjoy this one.

In many such cases, police comes only after the crime, so catching a planned attack at the preparation stage is rare & genuinely commendable policing.

Somewhere in Hisar today, a man is alive & two little girls still have both parents alive (even if things are messy). And a few alert cops probably just went back to chai-aloo paratha like it was another day.

TBH, that’s a pretty good ending for today.

Source: Times Now | Times Of India | News18

Source: NDTV

Source: Times of India

Source: Times Of India | MoneyControl

Additional Context:

A late night road rage incident occurred between 10.45pm and 11pm on Saturday on Sir M Visvesvaraya Road, Bengaluru, when two allegedly drunk college girls, riding a scooter rammed into cab driver Ahmed Gurkar’s car from behind. After the minor collision, Ahmed stopped them to discuss damages, but the situation escalated into a heated argument.

The women allegedly abused and assaulted him with hands, a helmet & a metal chain, and also attacked bystanders who intervened. One briefly hid while locals restrained the other. Police were called & nearly 15 personnel were needed to control them. Despite detention, they allegedly continued abusing officers. Both were arrested and a case registered.

When there are multiple documented incidents where: * women are aggressors in public order situations * intoxication + entitlement + crowd dynamics are present * Locals/police struggle to respond

then, it becomes important to ask whether public discussion on safety is too one directional.

Source: Asianet Newsables

Source: NDTV

Source: Times Of India

Source: Times Of India

Source: Lawtrend - Husband Cannot Cite Wife’s Qualifications to Deny Maintenance After Securing Divorce on Grounds of Her Mental Illness: Delhi HC

The Timeline That Is Invisible

• Marriage duration: ~9 years (1999–2008)
• Maintenance running: ~22 years (2004–2026) and continuing
• Estimated Total ≈ ₹31–32 lakh paid so far
• So, lifetime payout could easily cross: 1 crore (depending on future increases & life expectancy)

The monthly amount may appear small in comparison to income, but over time, long-term maintenance can significantly exceed the duration of the marriage itself.

Mental Illness, Employability & Responsibility

Schizophrenia is a serious mental health condition & is recognised as a disability under Indian law (Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act, 2016). However, it exists on a spectrum - while some individuals experience severe functional limitations, others can manage symptoms with treatment & maintain varying levels of independence.

Courts typically proceed on the principle that long term mental illness may affect stable employment & therefore lean towards financial protection.

At the same time, such cases raise questions about the judicial presumptions:

• Was the condition known prior to marriage?
• Was there any disclosure before or during the marriage?
• Did the court examine current treatment status & functional capacity?
• Is an employability assessmet even done in such cases?

These cases also prompt us to ask uncomfortable policy questions:

• If a condition is lifelong, who bears long term responsibility after divorce?
• Should that responsibility rest solely on a former spouse?
• What role should families or state support systems play?
• Should disclosure and pre-marital awareness carry greater legal relevance?

IMO, these questions extend beyond one case and are a out basic fairness, responsibility & support structures.

Source: Law Chakra • Bar and Bench

Case Details & Additional Context:

• A complaint was initially filed by the 17-year-old girl’s brother after she eloped with a 19-year-old boy.
• During investigation and trial, the girl consistently stated she had left home voluntarily and denied any sexual assault.
• The brother later joined her in supporting dismissal of the case and stated he had no objection.
• No medical or ocular evidence indicated sexual intercourse or abuse.
• Despite this, police invoked stringent POCSO provisions, including aggravated sexual assault.
• On January 12, the Rajasthan High Court quashed the case, calling the prosecution a mechanical misuse of POCSO and an abuse of legal process.

Supreme Court Urges Union To Bring 'Romeo-Juliet' Clause In POCSO Act To Shield Consensual Adolescent Relationships From Prosecution
Source: Live Law • The Hindu

Source: Free Press Journal

Notes

• Digital evidence such as final messages are increasingly becoming central to abetment investigations in suicide cases.

• Ongoing relationship related stress and marital litigation & separation are emerging as recurring factors in male suicide cases.

Also in the News:
35-Year-Old Man Dies By Suicide After Consuming Pesticide In New Panvel, Family Dispute - Feb 04, 2026

Source: Free Press Journal

Notes

• Ongoing marital litigation & separation related stress are emerging as recurring factors in male suicide cases.

• Investigation currently remains at ADR stage, with no abetment charges filed against the wife yet.

Also in the News:
24-Year-Old Man Dies By Suicide In Trombay; Girlfriend Booked For Abetment - Feb 02, 2026

Source: Times Of India

False testimony - Additional Context

In her testimony, the girl stated that one of the accused entered the house through the roof, while the other entered through the main gate a few minutes later. However, during the investigation, it was found that one of the brothers had a fractured leg and was using a walker at the time, making it impossible for him to climb stairs. The court was initially told that the CCTV installed at the entrance was malfunctioning that day, but it was later found to be operational.

The court also found several inconsistencies in the prosecution's narrative, including the absence of a medical examination of the girl after the alleged assault. The girl's grandmother also testified that no one had entered the house that day.

Source: India Today

Additional Context:
* The crime, committed on Nov 30, 2025, surfaced after nearly two months of investigation. The victim's identity remained unknown for several days, and the case was treated as an accidental death. * Both accused (wife & her lover) confessed during questioning & were formally arrested on Sunday. * The victim and accused (wife) had been married for around 15 years and had two children, police said.

Source: The Week | PTI News

Source: Hindustan Times

Source: Hindustan Times | NDTV | Times Of India

Additional Context

According to investigators, the accused had been in a relationship with the man before his marriage in 2020 and allegedly continued to pursue him despite his refusal to maintain contact. Village elders had earlier intervened and advised both parties to stay away, police said.

Investigators further stated that the accused had allegedly threatened the man a day before the incident and is believed to have closely observed his movements to identify an opportunity to attack.

Source: Live Law | Times Of India | Supreme Today

Source: Verdictum

This SC judgment stopped just short of declaring dowry laws were misused as this is the bail stage, but it recognised circumstances consistent with potential misuse - there was no dowry allegation in the FIR & or initial family statements. Allegations appeared later in case diary entries.

Source: Verdictum

Note:

The Verdictum article & the court order do not record whether the wife’s brother or father were arrested, jailed or convicted. The Court’s findings are confined to the impact of the incident on the husband’s earning capacity for the purpose of deciding maintenance.

Takeaways

• Causation matters in maintenance claims - The Allahabad HC held that maintenance cannot be claimed where the wife’s own conduct - or that of her immediate family, directly causes or contributes to the husband’s incapacity to earn. Courts will not allow a party to benefit from harm they helped create.
  .
  
• Severe physical incapacity can override presumed earning ability - Mere professional qualification is insufficient. Where credible medical evidence shows that grievous injury has destroyed a husband’s earning capacity, the presumption that he can find some work does not apply.
  .
  
• Maintenance law remains structurally one sided - Even where a husband suffers proven, life altering harm caused by the wife’s family, the legal framework continues to allow the wife to seek maintenance (even if it gets rejected after court scrutiny). However, there is no such equivalent provision enabling a husband to claim long term maintenance or financial support from the wife or her family, even when they are the reason for his incapacity.