Page 17 - High Court

Himachal HC extends anticipatory bail of Ashish, Rakesh Sharma till Apr 26

The Himachal Pradesh High Court on Monday extended the interim anticipatory bail of Hamirpur independent MLA Ashish Sharma and Rakesh Sharma, father of Gagret MLA Chaitanya Sharma, who were booked by the police for electoral offences and criminal conspiracy till April 26. Ashish, now BJP candidate from Gagret Vidhan Sabha, and Chetanya are among the nine MLAs, including six Congress rebels and three independents, who voted in favour of BJP nominee Harsh Mahajan in the recently held Rajya Sabha polls. All of them later joined the BJP. Advocate General Anoop Rattan on Monday said that the High Court has extended the interim bail till April 26 and asked them to join the investigations and appear before the investigation officer whenever called. "We have mentioned in our status report that Rakesh Sharma, a retired bureaucrat, despite orders of the court did not join the investigations and threatened the investigation officer when asked to appear before the police," he said. Meanwhile,

Excavation at Bhojshala complex in MP continues as survey enters 9th day

Excavation process is currently going on at the Bhojshala/Kamal Maula mosque complex in Dhar district of Madhya Pradesh as part of its court-mandated survey being conducted by the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI). Soil and stones collected during the digging process are being preserved by the ASI, a person associated with the survey said on Saturday. This is the ninth day of the survey that began on March 22. Ashish Goyal, who represents the Hindus and who is accompanying the ASI team during this process, told PTI that the survey is being conducted without any break using new scientific methods, Ground Penetrating Radar (GPR), Global Positioning System (GPS), carbon dating in addition to excavation at the site. Videography and photography are also being carried out on the premises, he said. "It is an eternal truth that Bhojshala was built by Raja Bhoj. The inscriptions, pillars and each piece of Bhojshala reveal that this is a Hindu structure," Goyal said. He expressed hope .

Excise policy case: Delhi HC rejects CM Kejriwal's interim bail plea

The judge, in the order, clarified the matter would be taken up for final disposal on April 3 and no adjournment shall be granted

ASI continues survey at Bhojshala complex in Madhya Pradesh for fourth day

This is Ma Saraswati's mandir at Bhojshala. The survey is being conducted so that those who do not understand this, are convinced after this survey," Ashish Goyal said

ASI continues survey of Bhojshala complex; mosque body raises objection

The Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) continued the survey of the controversial Bhojshala/Kamal Maula Mosque complex in Madhya Pradesh's Dhar district for the third day on Sunday. The Kamal Maula Mosque Welfare Society President Abdul Samad, one of the parties in the court, told reporters that he has submitted some of his objections to the ASI via e-mail on Saturday. "Our objection is that the ASI should not include in the survey the objects put up inside Bhojshala after 2003. I have sent my objections through e-mail," he said. Samad said three ASI teams were working inside the complex. "I am the only person from the (mosque welfare) society who is inside during the survey. My objection is that the ASI team should work at one place and not at three places," he said. On Sunday morning, a team of the ASI, accompanied by senior police and local administration officials, reached the disputed complex in this tribal-dominated district. Petitioners from the Hindu side - Ashish Goyal

Archaeological Survey team starts survey of Bhojshala complex in MP

A team of the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) Friday began a survey of the controversial Bhojshala/Kamal Maula Mosque complex situated in the tribal dominated Dhar district of Madhya Pradesh. The ASI team, comprising more than a dozen members, reached the complex Friday morning. It was accompanied by senior local police and district administration officials. The Madhya Pradesh High Court, on March 11, directed ASI to carry out within six weeks a 'scientific survey' of the Bhojshala complex, a medieval-era monument that Hindus believe is a temple of Goddess Vagdevi (Saraswati) and the Muslim community calls Kamal Maula Mosque. As per an ASI order issued on April 7, 2003, Hindus are allowed to worship inside the Bhojshala complex every Tuesday, while Muslims are allowed to offer namaz at the site on Fridays.

Excise scam: HC denies Kejriwal protection from coercive action in ED case

The Delhi High Court on Thursday refused to grant Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal any protection from coercive action in an excise policy-linked money laundering case. A bench of Justices Suresh Kumar Kait and Manoj Jain listed the AAP leader's application seeking protection for further consideration on April 22 when his main petition challenging the summons is fixed for hearing. "We have heard both sides and we are not inclined at this stage (to grant protection). The respondent is at liberty to file reply," the bench said. The application for interim relief forms part of Kejriwal's petition challenging the Enforcement Directorate's summonses issued to him for questioning. Kejriwal has moved the court in the wake of the latest summons, the ninth issued by the ED, asking him to appear before it on Thursday. During the hearing, the senior counsel for the AAP chief also sought deferment of the summons issued for today. "It is already over. Time is over. He is not attending," Additio

Childless couples, singles: Identify heirs, write will, appoint an executor

If inherited from her father, it passes to his heirs; if from husband or father-in-law, to husband's heirs

MP HC allows 20k students of 'unsuited' nursing colleges to write exams

The Madhya Pradesh High Court permitted around 20,000 students of "unsuited" nursing colleges to write their main examinations but said the privilege was a one-time measure and they would not get further benefits if they fail. Earlier, the HC had stopped students of nursing colleges, which were found to be running without infrastructure facilities or dispensaries across Madhya Pradesh, to write examinations. The relief from the division bench of Justices Sanjay Dwivedi and AK Paliwal came on applications filed by some students seeking nod to answer the exams. "The students of unsuited colleges shall also be permitted to participate in the examination, but this arrangement and benefit would be a one-time-measure and if they do not clear the examination, no further benefit shall be given to them", the bench observed. Law Students Association president and advocate Vishal Baghel told PTI around 20,000 students would be benefited by the order passed on March 11. The order was uploaded

HC notice to Google for blocking account for uploading nude childhood photo

Uploading a nude childhood photo on Google Drive cost a man access to his email account for nearly a year and forced him to knock on the doors of the Gujarat High Court. The high court has issued a notice to Google India Pvt Limited for blocking the email account of the petitioner for "explicit child abuse" after he uploaded on Google Drive a photo of his grandmother bathing him when he was two years old. The court of Justice Vaibhavi D Nanavati on March 15 issued notices to Google, the Central and state governments returnable on March 26. The petitioner, Neel Shukla, a computer engineer, uploaded childhood photographs on Google Drive, including a picture of him being bathed by his grandmother as a toddler. The tech giant blocked Shukla's account in April last year for violating its policy regarding such contents showing "explicit child abuse", his counsel Dipen Desai told the court. Shukla moved the high court on March 12 after the company failed to resolve the issue through its

HC appoints former SC judge Ramasubramanian as observer for JNUSU polls

The Delhi High Court has appointed former Supreme Court judge V Ramasubramanian as an 'observer' to exercise oversight over the activities of the election committee constituted for the Jawaharlal Nehru University Students Union elections for the 2023-24 academic year. Dealing with a petition filed by a student, Justice Sachin Datta also asked the grievance redressal cell set up in terms of the Lyngdoh Committee recommendations to examine and pass an order on grievances concerning the constitution of the election committee before the declaration of the final result. "In case it is found that the constitution of the EC (election committee) is not in consonance with the law and/or with the Lyngdoh Committee recommendations (as approved by the Supreme Court), appropriate consequential orders as regards the impugned elections, would also be passed by the grievance redressal cell," Justice Datta said in an order passed on Friday. "Respective counsel for the parties are also in agreement .

HC rejects plea claiming princely rights over land between Yamuna, Ganga

The Delhi High Court on Thursday dismissed with Rs 1 lakh costs a plea by a man claiming ownership over the land between rivers Yamuna and Ganga from Agra to Meerut and other places, including 65 revenue estates of Delhi, Gurugram and Uttarakhand. A bench headed by Acting Chief Justice Manmohan said Kunwar Mahender Dhwaj Prasad Singh, who claimed to be the successor of a former 'Raja' and challenged a single-judge's order refusing to grant him any relief on his writ petition, cannot agitate his claim in writ proceedings, that too after 78 years of Independence. The single judge had dismissed his petition with costs of Rs 10,000 in December. The appellant, in appeal, claimed that the land between United Province of Agra running between rivers Yamuna and Ganga from Agra to Meerut, Aligarh, Bulandshahar, 65 revenue states of Delhi, including Gurgaon and Uttarakhand, came under the "Princely State of Beswan family" and since there was no accession agreement signed between his forefather

Karnataka HC extends interim protection for Byju's CEO amid ousting threat

Four investors of Byju's filed the suit to oust Raveendran from the company, alleging mismanagement

Confusion around Karnataka govt's withdrawal of e-bike taxi scheme: Rapido

Rapido pointed out that recent order issued by the state government does not mention banning Rapido or any other aggregator operating under the protection of the high court order

First under-river metro tunnel owes a lot to Calcutta HC: Project experts

The first under-river metro tunnel inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on March 6 in Kolkata might not have become a reality today had a judge not taken a keen interest in it, experts associated with the project said. Justice Dipankar Datta, currently in the Supreme Court, was a Calcutta High Court judge in 2012, when a difference in opinion between the Ministry of Railway and the West Bengal government brought the under-the-river project to a deadlock. "The way Justice Dipankar Datta handled the whole case and cleared all hurdles one after the other is commendable. I believe that Hon'ble Justice Dutta should also be heartily remembered for the successful completion of this under-river tunnel, which is among the most prestigious and innovative projects in the country," Tamal Biswas, Project Manager, Afcons Infrastructure Limited, said. In 2008, the Ministry of Urban Development and the West Bengal government collaborated to constitute a special-purpose vehicle, the Kolkata .

Income tax tribunal dismisses Congress appeal against Rs 210 cr penalty

The Income Tax Appellate Tribunal on Friday dismissed the Congress party's appeal against imposition of penalty for discrepancies in tax returns for previous years and said it was exploring all legal options and will move the high court against it very soon. Sources said the tribunal had dismissed the appeal of the Congress for imposition of penalties of Rs 210 crore by the Income Tax department here on Friday. Congress treasurer Ajay Maken said the party is exploring all legal options and would move the high court "very soon". "The BJP government has deliberately chosen the timing of this to coincide with national elections," Maken told PTI. He said the I-T tribunal order freezing Congress's funds is "an attack on democracy" as it has come just ahead of national elections. "How can one expect fair elections in such a situation when funds to the tune of Rs 270 crore have been freezed or taken away by the Income Tax authorities from Congress party's accounts," he asked. Confirming

CBI gets Shajahan Sheikh's custody from CID in ED official attack case

The CBI on Wednesday got the custody of Sandeshkhali ED official attack case accused Shajahan Sheikh from the West Bengal CID, following two orders by the Calcutta High Court to do so on two consecutive days. In a fresh directive on Wednesday, the high court directed the state government to "immediately implement" its Tuesday's judgement to transfer a case on the attack on Enforcement Directorate (ED) officials at Sandeshkhali to the CBI and hand over custody of the main accused Sheikh to the central agency. A team of CBI officials reached CID headquarters Bhawani Bhawan before 4 PM. But the handover from the state agency took place at around 6:48 PM, despite the Calcutta High Court setting a deadline of 4.15 PM. "Shajahan Sheikh was handed over to CBI," a CID official said. The CID took him to a state-run hospital for a medical check-up before handing him over to the CBI. The CBI officials are likely to take him to an ESI Hospital and then to Nizam Palace, the city office of the

K'taka HC stays proceedings to hand over Jayalalithaa's jewellery to TN

The Karnataka High Court has stayed the process of handing over gold and diamond jewellery belonging to former Tamil Nadu Chief Minister late J Jayalalithaa to the neighbouring state Government till March 26. The stay was granted by a single judge bench of Justice Mohammed Nawaz on a plea by Jayalalithaa's niece J Deepa on Tuesday. The valuables were confiscated in a disproportionate assets case against the late AIADMK leader and slated to be handed over to the Tamil Nadu authorities from Wednesday by a special court. The petitioner questioned the July 12, 2023 special court order contending that Jayalalithaa should be treated as "acquitted" as the Apex court had stopped the proceedings against her. The special court here had said 27 kg of gold and diamond jewellery -- part of the material evidence in the case against Jayalalithaa and others -- would be handed over to the Tamil Nadu government on March six and seven, paving the way for unlocking value of the assets to mobilise Rs 1

Delhi HC to pass order on plea by BJP MLAs against suspension today

The Delhi High Court will pronounce its verdict on Wednesday on petitions filed by seven BJP MLAs from the city challenging their indefinite suspension from the Legislative Assembly for interrupting Lieutenant Governor V K Saxena's address at the start of the Budget session. Justice Subramonium Prasad reserved the order on the pleas on February 27 after hearing the counsel for the suspended legislators and the Assembly. The seven Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MLAs -- Mohan Singh Bisht, Ajay Mahawar, O P Sharma, Abhay Verma, Anil Bajpai, Jitender Mahajan and Vijender Gupta -- moved the court last month challenging their suspension from the Assembly till the conclusion of the proceedings before the privileges committee. The pronouncement is scheduled to take place at 2:30 pm. The MLAs had contended that their suspension till the conclusion of the proceedings before the privileges committee was in violation of the applicable rules. The Assembly authorities had, on the other hand, assu

2020 Delhi riots: HC reserves order on bail pleas of 4 accused in UAPA case

The Delhi High Court on Tuesday reserved its order on the bail plea of four accused in the case concerning the alleged larger conspiracy behind the northeast Delhi riots in 2020