Page 1340 - Law Crime
Disqualified MLA tenders apology for remarks against judges
One of the 18 disqualified AIADMK MLAs today tendered an unconditional apology for his comments against the chief justice of the Madras High Court and the judiciary following the split verdict given by the court in the disqualification case. Thanga Tamilselvan, a supporter of sidelined AIADMK leader T T V Dhinakaran, along with his counsel Thamizh Mani and T Mohan, appeared before Advocate General (AG) Vijay Narayan in his office and tendered the apology. The AG then explained to them that he did not have the power to accept the apology and that the power was vested only with the court. They then sought six weeks' time to file a reply to the AG's explanation. The matter relates to a petition filed by advocate Srimathi against Thanga Tamilselvan seeking why contempt proceedings should not be initiated against him for his comments and criticism against the judiciary. Taking cognisance of this, the advocate general had issued a notice for the appearance of Tamilselvan personally or ...
Nun's sexual assault: Police team examines statements
A police team probing the allegation of rape against a Bishop of the Jalandhar diocese today went through the statements given to it and a magistrate by a nun, who had accused the clergyman of sexually assaulting her. The probe team examined the statements given to it and a judicial first class magistrate under CrPC Section 164, said an investigating official after visiting the nun at her convent in Kuravilangad, near here. They said the statement given to the magistrate was in line with the one given to the police. A preliminary report on the investigation would be submitted to the Kottayam district police in a day or two, the probe team said. The investigating team is planning to go to Jalandhar to interrogate Bishop Franco Mulakkal of Jalandhar diocese of Roman Catholic Church, but a decision will be taken after consulting with top officials, police said. Meanwhile, authorities of the congregation of nuns, to which the victim belongs, has reportedly warned some of its
Attorney General Venugopal not to appear in SC in homosexuality matter
Attorney General K K Venugopal today recused himself from appearing in the hearing before the Supreme Court on a clutch of pleas seeking decriminalisation of consensual gay sex saying he had represented one of the petitioners when a curative petition was filed in the matter. He said he had informed the law officer concerned, who is handling the contentious matter before a five-judge constitution bench headed by Chief Justice Dipak Misra. Venugopal said he even did not know what was the stand of the government on the issue. He said he wanted to clarify that since he had appeared in the curative petition filed against the 2013 verdict re-criminalising section 377 of the IPC, he was not in a position to take up the stand of the government. "I am not appearing in the matter as I had appeared in the curative petition. I am not appearing now as the Attorney General," he told PTI. The constitution bench today commenced hearing in the matter. Section 377 of the IPC refers to 'unnatural ...
Mother-son duo held in businessman kidnapping case
A Mewat-based mother-son duo, wanted for their alleged involvement in a kidnapping case of an Indore-based businessman, were arrested on Badarpur border, the police said today. The accused, identified as Akram Khan and his mother Meman, were carrying rewards of Rs 50,000 each from the Delhi Police upon their arrest, Pramod Singh Kushwah, Deputy Commissioner of Police (Special Cell) said. Based on a tip off, the police laid a trap near a bus stand on Badarpur border where the accused Akram had come to meet his associate in Delhi at around 9 pm on July 7. Subsequently, Akram was arrested. Another team arrested Meman on July 8 from ISBT Sarai Kale Khan, the DCP said. During interrogation, the accused revealed that the duo, along with their other associates Mohd Tauhid, Nadim, Mufeed and Azruddin, had planned to kidnap the Indore-based businessman from Delhi airport. The victim was lured by the accused to come to Delhi to strike a business deal with them, Kushwah said. They had uploaded ..
SC stops release of accused in Soumya Viswanathan murder from jail
The Supreme Court on Tuesday stayed till July 13 the release from jail of an accused facing trial in the murder case of TV journalist Soumya Viswanathan.
Access to justice a Fundamental Right: CJI
Access to justice is a Fundamental Right guaranteed by the Constitution to citizens, Chief Justice Dipak Misra said today. Justice Misra, who was speaking at Justice V R Krishna Iyer Memorial Lecture, hailed late Justice Iyer for his contribution to the Indian jurisprudence. "He (Justice Iyer) was the judge who believed in the humane and compassionate spirit of the Indian Constitution. He walked through the idea of democracy... "There has to be access to justice and Justice Iyer built the edifice to access it. Access to justice is a Fundamental Right and there is no doubt about it," the CJI said. Attorney General K K Venugopal, who delivered the lecture, on 'the role of judiciary in protecting Human Rights of the poor and marginalised', said that allowing people to live in poverty was denying them the human rights. "The courts have to ensure that criminal cases are not delayed. Access to justice is Fundamental Right. The government and the courts need to make a collaborative effort to
Katni hawala scam: ED files chargesheet
The Enforcement Directorate (ED) today filed a chargesheet in a hawala racket case that was reported from Katni district of Madhya Pradesh, in which it alleged that funds to the tune of Rs 500 crore were illegally routed by the accused, using fake bank accounts, post demonetisation. The agency filed the 861-page chargesheet before a special PMLA court in Jabalpur and named a firm, Ms Nirnidhi Marketing Private Limited, and three individuals -- Satish Saraogi, Manish Saraogi and Manvendra Mistry -- as accused in it. The chargesheet was filed under section 45 of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), it said. The ED had filed a case of money laundering in this regard on the basis of an FIR lodged by the local police. The case dates back to early last year and had assumed political overtones after the then Katni Superintendent of Police (SP) Gaurav Tiwari, considered to be instrumental in taking the probe in the case forward, was transferred on January 9, 2017 to Chhindwara by ...
Man dies after getting injured during quarrel with wife
A 26-year-old man died allegedly after getting injured during a quarrel with his wife in south Delhi's Aya Nagar area, police said today. The incident came to light when Chhutki and Rana were found injured in their residence on the intervening night of July 9 and 10. They were rushed to a city hospital where Rana was declared brought dead, Deputy Commissioner of Police (South) Romil Baaniya said. The woman was unconscious and undergoing treatment. The police were waiting for her condition to improve to ascertain the sequence of events that led to the incident. The couple belongs to Gazol in West Bengal's Manda district and had been living in Aya Nagar for the last three months, the DCP said. They used to have frequent altercations because of Rana's drinking habits, the police said, adding a case has been registered and the investigation is in progress.
Vijender Gupta meets police commissioner over law and order situation in his constituency
Concerned with the "deteriorating" law and order situation in his constituency, BJP's Leader of Opposition Vijender Gupta today met Police Commissioner Amulya Patnaik to seek his help in crime control and action against lax officers. Gupta complained of "rising" incidents of thefts, robberies and chain snatching in Rohini area during the meeting. "There is atmosphere of fear in the area. Peaceful residents of the housing societies feel that criminal activities in the area are not decreasing as the officials at the respective police stations have close contacts with criminal gangs," Gupta said. He suggested the commissioner that meeting should be held with the local Residents Welfare Associations to make them aware of the steps being taken by police to improve law and order besides the type of cooperation expected from them. Gupta said he would also meet Minister of State for Home Hansraj Ahir to apprise him of his concerns on the law and order situation in Rohini.
Another convict secures bail from HC in Ramgarh lynching case
Another convict in the June 2017 case of cow vigilantism at Ramgarh was today granted bail by the Jharkhand High Court on the ground of lack of evidence against him. A division bench of justices H C Mishra and B B Mangalmurti granted bail to Chhotu Verma, who was the 10th person out of the total 11 convicted by a fast track court in Ramgarh, to get relief from the high court in the lynching case. Eight were granted bail by the high court on June 29, while another had walked out of the Hazaribagh central jail after the court granted him relief on June 8, defense counsel B M Tripathy said. Deepak Mishra, who too was convicted by the fast track court in the case, is lodged in Hazaribagh central jail. One accused in the case is a minor and inquiry into his role is being conducted by the Juvenile Justice Board (JJB), Tripathy said. On March 21, the fast track court had convicted the 11 to life imprisonment for the lynching of coal trader Alimuddin Ansari on June 29 last year on suspicion ..
Nigerian woman carries drugs inside uterus, nabbed at Kolkata airport
A Nigerian woman was arrested by the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) from the city airport after she was found in possession of drugs and admitted to carry some in her uterus, an agency officer said today. David Blessing (30) was arrested by NCB (eastern region) sleuths following the seizure of 20 blots of LSD, a psychedelic drug, from her bag after she landed at the Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose International Airport here from Mumbai last night, he said. After the LSD was seized, 12 gm of cocaine was taken out by the woman from her private parts, he said. On being grilled, she revealed that more contraband was concealed inside her body and she was unable to take it out on her own. "We took her to a nearby super speciality hospital where X-ray examination of her lower abdomen showed some concealment in her uterus and the same can be detected only through transvaginal ultrasound," he said. Later in the evening, her medical examination was conducted at a city hospital and 1 mg of a white ...
Sena files plaint against Goa Mahila Cong chief
The Shiv Sena today approached police against Goa Mahila Congress chief Pratima Coutinho and others accusing them of "disclosing" the identity of a 17-year-old girl who is allegedly a victim of molestation. A similar complaint was filed yesterday against Coutinho by an NGO. In her complaint submitted with the women police station, Sena's Goa unit vice-president Rakhi Prabhudesai Naik accused Coutinho, South District Head of Mahila Congress Savitri Kavlekar, Netravali village panchayat Deputy Sarpanch Abhijit Desai and panch members Prakash Bhagat and Vitthal Gaonkar of revealing the identity of the teenage girl. Naik sought prosecution of Coutinho and others under POCSO (Protection of Children from Sexual Offences) Act, IPC, and Scheduled Caste and Schedule Tribe (Prevention of Atrocities Act), 1989, claiming that the victim girl belonged to a Scheduled Tribe. Naik stated that Coutinho and others had visited the house of the victim last week and put up her pictures on ..
Two maids held in connection with theft at Chidambaram's house
Two maids employed at former Union minister P Chidambaram's house here have been arrested for allegedly stealing cash and jewels, a senior police official said today. "The accused Vennila (45) and her sister Viji (49) who have been working in the former union minister's house for over 15 years have been arrested," the officer told PTI. CCTV footage showed Vennila entering a room on the first floor of the house where cash and jewels were kept, he said. As per the footage, the theft was committed by her, the officer said. Later, she handed over the valuables to Viji, he added. On Sunday, cash and jewels were reported stolen from the senior congress leader's house here. A senior police official had told PTI that Rs 1.5 lakh in cash and gold jewels worth Rs one lakh had gone missing some days ago, with the theft coming to light recently.
Many unfinished cases with SC judges, raise retirement age: AG
Taking a stand on his appeal to the Centre regarding a raise in the retirement age of Supreme Court judges from existing 65 to 68, Attorney General of India KK Venugopal on Tuesday said that many of the judges of the apex court have unfinished cases in their hands which are of "great importance to the nation.""The reason (behind raise in the retirement age) is that by the time they (judges) come to Supreme Court they will like to have a lot of experience by the time they start presiding over a bench so that their creativity can be shown. (However) they would be able to only do that at the fag end," the Attorney General told ANI."I have found that many of them (Supreme Court judges) are having unfinished cases which are of great importance to the nation. That's why we have asked this," he added.Last week, at Justice A K Goel's farewell function, KK Venugopal urged the central government to raise the retirement age of the Supreme Court judges.He justified his point by saying that he ...
Running away from home gave me courage: Mallika Sherawat
Taking yet another stand to empower women of all ages, actress Mallika Sherawat on Tuesday recalled how eloping from home gave her courage in life after facing "innumerable hardships" in a "patriarchal family."Mallika, who has spoken about women empowerment at various international platforms including the 65th United Nations DPI/NGO Conference in 2014, spoke about her struggle days on Twitter as she hailed the Supreme Court's decision to dismiss review pleas filed by three of the four convicts in the Nirbhaya gang rape and murder case.The actress said that the rape victim that finally been "delivered justice.""Six years after she was brutally gang-raped in a moving bus in the capital city of India, we finally laid her memory to rest. She had worked hard to free herself from the shackles of roles that society often slots for its women," Mallika wrote.The judgment came in response to a review petition filed by three death row convicts - Mukesh Singh, Vinay Sharma, and Pawan Gupta- ...
SC judges differ on scope of examining section 377 of IPC
Three Supreme Court judges, who are part of a five-judge constitution bench hearing the high-profile challenge to the constitutional validity of section 377 of the IPC, today differed over the scope and extent of examining the penal provision. The five-judge bench headed by Chief Justice Dipak Misra and comprising Justices R F Nariman, A M Khanwilkar, D Y Chandrachud and Indu Malhotra commenced hearing on a batch of pleas challenging the constitutional validity of section 377 of IPC which criminalises consensual sex between two adults of the same gender. During the hearing, former Attorney General and senior advocate Mukul Rohatgi, appearing for dancer and one of the petitioners Navtej Singh Johar, said, "My life as a sexual minority has to be protected and hearing on the issue cannot be only restricted to just section 377 of the IPC. There are several rights involved which goes beyond the scope of section 377". Rohatgi's argument was objected to by Additional Solicitor General Tushar
Colonial era laws have to pass rigours of Constitution: SC
Colonial laws like the IPC provision which criminalises consensual gay sex, will have to pass the rigours of the Constitution, the Supreme Court observed today. A five-judge constitution bench headed Chief Justice Dipak Misra, which commenced its crucial hearing on a batch of petitions challenging re-criminalisation of consensual sex between two adults of the same sex, was faced with the question whether there was presumption of validity in favour of the colonial laws. "Article 372 of the Constitution allowed the laws immediately before the commencement of the Constitution to survive, because it did not want a vacuum. But they (laws) had to pass the rigour of the Constitution," the bench, also comprising Justices R F Nariman, A M Khanwilkar, D Y Chandrachud and Indu Malhotra, said. The observation came when senior advocate Arvind Datar, appearing for one of the petitioners, submitted that the laws like section 377 of the IPC, which were made before the Constitution was framed, cannot .
Hardened criminal among four arrested in JK
A 32-year-old man wanted in 11 cases was arrested along with three other criminals in separate operations in different parts of the state, the Jammu and Kashmir police said today. Mohammad Hussain a resident of Manohar Gopala village was arrested by a special police team from Basanter area of Samba district, a police spokesman said. He said Hussain was the mastermind behind all the organised crime in the district like bovine smuggling, cattle theft and property related crimes besides being the main supplier of drugs in the district. A total of 11 cases, mostly related to NDPS act, have been registered against him in the district. For the apprehension of the accused, teams were constituted and sent out of state and Kashmir many times but he remained successful in giving slip to police so far, the spokesman said. In a separate operation, an alleged drug peddler was arrested along with 15 grams of heroin like substance in Belicharana on the outskirts of Jammu city last evening. While, ...
Man held with heroin on Indo-Nepal border
A man was arrested and heroin worth Rs 30 lakh was seized from his possession today in the Sonauli area on the Indo-Nepal border in this district of Uttar Pradesh, an official said The Sashstra Seema Bal (SSB) personnel during the routine checking seized 30 grams of heroin from Manish Kumar from Nautanwa this morning, Inspector (SSB) Raja Murad of Sonauli check post said. A case has been registered against the accused under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act, police said.
Two year old girl raped by a labourer; accused held
A two year old girl was allegedly raped by a labourer, who was beaten by locals and later handed over to the police in Bihar's Gaya district today. Vishnupad police station SHO Uday Kumar said that one Sajan Ravidas, aged between 22 to 25, allegedly raped the minor girl at a house located at Madanpur locality of the police station. The girl, who received injuries and bleeding, was admitted to Jaya Prabha hospital here for treatment, the SHO said. The victim's family was living in a rented accommodation located at Madanpur locality of Vishnupad police station, he said adding that the accused was working as a labourer in the same house in which maintenance work was going on. The neighbourers caught hold of the accused and beat him up badly before handing him over to the police, the SHO said adding that police have also taken the brother of the accused in its custody for creating nuisance.