Page 27 - High Court

Excise policy scam: HC rejects Sisodia's bail plea in money laundering case

The Delhi High Court on Monday dismissed the bail plea of AAP leader Manish Sisodia, who was arrested for his alleged role in the money laundering case relating to alleged irregularities in the city government's excise policy. Justice Dinesh Kumar Sharma refused to grant relief to Sisodia, saying he is not entitled to bail at this stage. Besides Sisodia, the high court also dismissed the bail pleas of businessmen Abhishek Boinpally, Benoy Babu and Vijay Nair, who are co-accused in the money laundering case lodged by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) arising from the alleged scam. Sisodia, the former Delhi deputy chief minister and excise minister, was first arrested by the CBI on February 26 for his alleged role in the scam and has been in custody since then. The high court has already denied him bail in the CBI case on May 30. He was arrested on March 9 in the case lodged by the ED and is currently in judicial custody. The Delhi government implemented the policy on November 17, 2

Goa govt to rope in satellite imagery firm to map out CRZ violations

The Goa government will engage a company with expertise in satellite imagery to map structures that existed on the state's shoreline before 1991 to understand the extent of the Coastal Regulation Zone (CRZ) violations, a senior official said on Monday. During a public redressal meeting in North Goa on Monday, State Environment Minister Nilesh Cabral said the state government will file an affidavit before the Bombay High Court listing out the structures that existed before 1991, a cut-off date as per the CRZ regulations. The Goa State Coastal Zone Management Authority (GSCZMA) had issued show cause notices to 275 structures, giving them time to respond with documentation to prove that they existed before 1991. The notices were issued after the October 2022 order of the High Court against the gross violations in CRZ areas, the senior GSCZMA official said. Speaking at the meeting, Cabral said the state government will engage a company with expertise in satellite imaginary to map the a

Excise policy scam: Delhi HC set to pronounce order on Sisodia's bail plea

The Delhi High Court is scheduled to pass on Monday an order on the bail plea of AAP leader Manish Sisodia, arrested for his alleged role in the money laundering case relating to alleged irregularities in the city government's excise policy. As per a cause list uploaded on the court's website this morning, Justice Dinesh Kumar Sharma will pronounce the order on Sisodia's bail plea at 2:30 PM. Besides Sisodia, the high court will also pass orders on the bail pleas of businessmen Abhishek Boinpally, Benoy Babu and Vijay Nair, who are co-accused in the money laundering case lodged by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) arising from the alleged scam. Sisodia, former Delhi deputy chief minister and excise minister, was first arrested by the CBI on February 26 for his alleged role in the scam and has been in custody since then. The high court has already denied him bail in the CBI case on May 30. He was arrested on March 9 in the case lodged by the ED and is currently in judicial custody.

Delhi HC dismisses PIL against RBI's withdrawal of Rs 2,000 banknotes

The Delhi High Court on Monday dismissed a public interest litigation (PIL) challenging the RBI's decision to withdraw Rs 2,000 denomination banknotes from circulation. A bench of Chief Justice Satish Chandra Sharma and Justice Subramonium Prasad, which had reserved its order on the PIL on May 30, rejected the plea. Petitioner Rajneesh Bhaskar Gupta has contended that the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has no power to withdraw Rs 2,000 currency notes from circulation and only the Centre could have taken a decision in this regard. In his plea, the petitioner submitted that the RBI has no independent power to direct the non-issue or discontinuance of issue of banknotes of any denominational values and this power is vested only with the Centre under section 24 (2) of the RBI Act, 1934. Regarding the high court's May 29 judgment on a PIL which had challenged the notifications by the RBI and SBI enabling exchange of Rs 2,000 banknotes without requisition slip and identity proof, the ...

HC to pass order on cognisance of chargesheet against Brij Bhushan on Jul 7

A Delhi court on Tuesday posted for July 7 the pronouncement on whether to take cognisance of the charge sheet filed by the Delhi police against BJP MP and outgoing WFI chief Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh in a case of alleged sexual harassment of women wrestlers. Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate (ACMM) Harjeet Singh Jaspal, who was scheduled to pass the order on Saturday, noted the submission of the city police that its probe is still in progress and a supplementary charge sheet is likely to be filed. However, since FSL report and report on CDR (call detail record) is awaited it is likely to take time. Put up for consideration for July 7, the judge said.

MP High Court requests Centre to reduce women's consent age to 16 from 18

The Gwalior bench of Madhya Pradesh High Court has requested the Centre to reduce the consent age of females to 16, observing that the present age of 18 has disturbed the fabric of society as injustice is going on with adolescent boys. The court's request came on June 27 through an order quashing a First Information Report (FIR) against a man who was accused of repeatedly raping a minor girl and impregnating her in 2020. Nowadays, every male or female near the age of 14 years, due to social media awareness and easily accessible internet connectivity, is getting puberty at an early age, the judge said. The court said boys and girls get attracted to each other owing to early puberty, which is ultimately resulting in consensual physical relationships, read the order. 'I request the Government of India to think over the matter for reducing the age of prosecutrix (female complainant) from 18 to 16 years as earlier before (IPC) amendments (were made) so that injustice should be redressed

Gujarat HC rejects bail plea of Teesta Setalvad, asks her to surrender

The Gujarat High Court on Saturday rejected the regular bail plea of social activist Teesta Setalvad and directed her to surrender immediately in a case pertaining to the alleged fabrication of evidence to frame innocent people in 2002 post-Godhra riots cases. The court of Justice Nirzar Desai rejected Setalvad's bail plea and directed her to surrender immediately as she is already out of jail after securing interim bail. As the applicant is out on interim bail granted by the Supreme Court, she is directed to surrender immediately, the court said in its order. Setalvad and co-accused and former Director General of Police R B Sreekumar were taken into custody by Gujarat police on June 25 last year and a court sent them in judicial custody on July 2 after their police remand ended. She walked out of jail in September 2022 after being granted relief by the apex court. The Ahmedabad crime branch registered a First Information Report (FIR) against Setalvad, Sreekumar and jailed former

Allahabad HC directs makers of 'Adipurush' to appear before on July 27

The Allahabad High Court has directed the makers of controversial movie "Adipurush" to appear before it on July 27 and the central government to form a committee to give its views on the film. A vacation bench comprising Justice Rajesh Singh Chauhan and Justice Shree Prakash Singh was hearing separate petitions of Kuldeep Tiwari and Naveen Dhawan seeking a ban on the movie. The court has ordered director Om Raut, producer Bhushan Kumar, dialogue writer Manoj Muntashir to appear before it on July 27. It has also directed the central government to constitute a five-member committee to give its view on the film as to whether it had hurt the feelings of the public. In an order, it also directed the government to review the decision of granting of certificate to the movie. The order was uploaded on the high court's website late on Friday. The bench has said the secretary of the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting and chairman of Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) will file

SC disposes of plea of slain Mukhtar Ansari's wife challenging HC order

The Supreme Court on Friday disposed of a plea filed by the wife of gangster-politician Mukhtar Ansari's aide Sanjeev Maheshwari Jeeva, who was shot dead on Lucknow court premises earlier this month, challenging an order of the Allahabad High Court which had dismissed her petition to provide police protection to her husband. A vacation bench of Justices A S Oka and K V Viswanathan said nothing survives in the matter now. "You are seeking relief for whose benefit now? You are seeking relief for the benefit of a person who is no more," the bench said, adding, "Even if we set aside this order (of the high court), can we grant you the relief which was sought before the high court?" The apex court said the petitioner had sought relief from the high court for the benefit of her husband, who is now dead. "Now it is an admitted position that the petitioner's husband is no more. Therefore, no relief can be granted in this SLP (special leave petition). Accordingly, SLP is disposed of," the .

Karnataka High Court rejects Twitter plea against govt blocking orders

'You are not a farmer but a billon-dollar company': Karnataka High Court tells platform for not complying with centre's orders

Karnataka HC imposes a fine of Rs 50 lakh on Twitter for non-compliance

The court has also refused Twitter's request to stay the Centre's orders to block some accounts on its platform with tweets related to coronavirus and farmers' protests

HC to hear plea challenging UPSC Civil Services Exam prelims on July 3

The Delhi High Court has said it will hear on July 3 a plea challenging the preliminary examination of Civil Services Examination, 2023 conducted by the UPSC. The petition, filed by 17 civil services aspirants, seeking quashing of the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) Civil Services Preliminary Examination, 2023, and for re-conducting the preliminary test and general studies paper 1 and 2 came up for hearing before a vacation bench of justice Manoj Jain. The plea also challenged the press note issued by the UPSC on June 12 declaring the results of the preliminary examination, and sought direction to the commission to publish the answer key with immediate effect. The judge ordered listing of the petition on July 3. During the hearing, advocate Naresh Kaushik, appearing for the UPSC, raised a preliminary objection on the maintainability of the petition, saying the Central Administrative Tribunal (CAT) was the competent forum for hearing the matter. The petition, filed through

HCs express discontent over last-minute animal slaughter pleas before Eid

Despite the occasion of Bakra Eid being marked on calendars, High Courts often receive pleas regarding animal sacrifices a day before the festival

Million of hits to e-Court services reflect citizen-centric efforts: J&K LG

L-G Sinha was addressing an event organised to mark the foundation stone laying for the new High Court complex of J-K and Ladakh at Raika on Wednesday

Karnataka HC refuses to reject FIR against Rahul Gandhi over KGF copyright

The complaint alleged that the party had posted two videos during the Bharat Jodo Yatra with songs from the movie without permission, in violation of the Copyright Act

CJI Chandrachud lays foundation stone of new high court complex in Jammu

Chief Justice of India (CJI) D Y Chandrachud on Wednesday laid the foundation stone of a new high court complex in Jammu. Justice Chandrachud described judicial officers as frontline warriors and exhorted them to live up to the expectations of the common man seeking justice. The state-of-the-art complex, estimated to cost over Rs 800 crore, is located in the Raika forest belt on the outskirts of Jammu. It would contribute to the improvement of the judicial system, said the CJI who was accompanied by Supreme Court Judges Sanjay Kishan Koul and Pankaj Mithal, Lieutenant Governor of Jammu and Kashmir Manoj Sinha, and Lieutenant Governor of Ladakh B D Mishra. Union Law Minister Arjun Ram Meghwal joined the event virtually. The Chief Justice also launched e-initiatives for the judiciary of Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh, including a Document Management System for the High Court and a National Service for tracking electronic processes in the district courts of the two Union Territories.

Adipurush row: Allahabad HC issues notice to writer Manoj Muntashir

The High Court has also asked the Centre what action can be taken under Cinematograph Act 1952

Bombay HC fumes over last-minute stay application on LOCs to travel abroad

The Bombay High Court has expressed displeasure over last-minute applications filed seeking temporary stay on Look Out Circulars (LOCs) to travel abroad, and observed that such practice was not acceptable. A division bench of Justices Gautam Patel and Neela Gokhale in its order of June 23 said applications are filed after the applicants finalise their itineraries even before permission is sought from court. This is not a question of whether there is a right that is violated. In all these applications, it seems that the courts are more or less being taken for granted, that permissions will follow and that matters and, more importantly, that applications will be taken up on a priority basis and even out of turn to permit the applicants to keep to their itineraries, the court said. This is not acceptable, the bench said, noting that persons seeking stay on LOCs are required to approach the court in good time and not attempt to pressurise the courts. The court said when last minute ...

Australia dismisses Russia's bid for injunction to stop embassy's eviction

Australia's highest court on Monday dismissed Russia's application for an injunction that would have prevented Moscow's embassy being evicted from a site in the national capital Canberra. In dismissing the application, High Court Justice Jayne Jagot described Russia's challenge on constitutional grounds to a law terminating the lease as weak and difficult to understand. Parliament passed emergency legislation on June 15 that terminated Russia's lease on the largely empty block on security grounds because the new embassy would have been too close to Parliament House. Russia's lawyer Elliot Hyde had argued that the Ambassador Alexey Pavlovsky would not have confidence in the integrity and security of a consular building already on the site if the embassy was not allowed to maintain possession until the challenge to the validity of the lease termination was decided. Elliot said a man who has been living on the site in a portable cabin at least since last week was a security guard. The

Gauhati High Court stays the Wrestling Federation of India elections

The Gauhati High Court on Sunday stayed the Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) elections, scheduled for July 11, on a petition filed by the Assam Wrestling Association. Assam Wrestling Association, in its petition filed against the WFI, IOA ad-hoc body and the Sports Ministry, said that though it was entitled to be an affiliated member of the WFI, it was granted one "despite recommendation made by then WFI Executive Committee at WFI's General Council in Gonda, on November 15, 2014. The ad-hoc panel has fixed June 25 as the last date for receiving the names for the electoral college while the while the elections to elect the new governing body would be held on July 11. The petitioner contended that unless their body is affiliated to the WFI, and they can nominate their representative to the electoral college, the election process should be stalled. The court directed the respondents -- WFI ad-hoc body and the Sports Ministry -- that till the next date is fixed for hearing they shou