#criminal intent

The Kerala High Court quashed corruption proceedings against a contractor, holding that absence of administrative sanction and changes in market rates alone cannot prove dishonest intent under the Prevention of Corruption Act. This clarifies that prosecutorial reliance on procedural lapses without evidence of mala fide at the time of agreement violates the core requirement of mens rea under Section 13(1)(d)(ii), protecting contractors from speculative charges.

Allahabad HC ruled that sharing a bank account without knowledge of fraudulent activity does not establish criminal intent, granting anticipatory bail. The court emphasized that mere account misuse by a third party, coupled with the applicant's prompt reporting to the bank, negates flight risk or non-cooperation. This sets a precedent for bail in cyber fraud cases where the accused lacks mens rea.

Chhattisgarh High Court grants bail to an accused who affixed an NGO logo on his vehicle, holding that mere display without fraudulent intent or misuse of authority does not constitute an offense under BNS. The ruling emphasizes that prolonged custody without a charge sheet violates personal liberty under Article 21.

Orissa High Court clarifies that mere assault with a wooden log, resulting in superficial injury, does not satisfy the threshold for attempt to murder under Section 307 IPC.