Page 1661 - Law Crime
Man shot dead in Noida 'encounter' by police
A suspected criminal, carrying a reward of Rs 2.5 lakh, was killed in an "encounter" in Noida today, during a joint operation by the state special task force (STF) and Haryana Police, the police said. Balraj Bhati, wanted in connection with over a dozen criminal cases, including that of murders, abduction and extortion, was surrounded by the police teams in Sector 49. In an exchange of fire, he was shot and seriously injured, Amitabh Yash, the STF inspector-general, told reporters here. He was rushed to a hospital, where he succumbed to injuries, Yash said. A carbine, a 9-mm pistol and a car was recovered from his possession. Bhati, was also a contract killer and active member of a gang, the officer added.
Activists, parents of minor rape victims say against death penalty, urge govt to strengthen judiciary
Not just child right activists, even parents of minor victims today came out against the Union government's ordinance providing the death penalty to child rapists, saying it could lead to victims being killed by perpetrators. At a programme in New Delhi, three parents, whose children were raped, urged the central government to instead strengthen the judicial mechanism to support the children, who have to deal with the crimes and struggle in their aftermath. "My child was 3.5 years old when she was raped in her playschool days after the 2012 Nirbhaya gangrape case. She was still breast-feeding," a father, whose testimonial moved those present at the programme to tears, said. "We sat in the police station with her from 9am to 9:30pm to register an FIR and she was asked where she was touched and how much pain she experienced. She was made to repeat her statement again and again for months. I want to ask everyone if I was wrong to ask for justice for my daughter," he said. The Union ...
Jay Shah-The Wire case: There can't be gagging of press, says SC
"There cannot be gagging of the press," the Supreme Court observed today while asking Jay Shah, son of BJP president Amit Shah, and 'The Wire' to settle a civil defamation suit filed by the former against the news portal and its scribes. A bench headed by Chief Justice Dipak Misra, while referring to the apex court's verdict upholding the constitutional validity of the penal provisions on defamation law, asked the parties to amicably settle their dispute outside the court. The bench also made it clear that on April 18, when it had asked Jay Shah, 'The Wire' and its scribes to settle the separate criminal defamation case, it had never referred to any "apology". The bench, which also comprised Justices A M Khanwilkar and D Y Chandrachud, made the observation after the counsel representing the news portal said there was "no question" of any apology in the matter. Besides filing a criminal defamation case against the news portal and its scribes, Jay Shah had also filed a civil defamation .
Cong trying to run country through sponsored litigation:Prasad
Law Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad today accused the Congress of running the country through courts based on "half-baked, false and sponsored litigations", alleging that it used the death of judge B H Loya as a political tool to settle scores. His remarks came in the backdrop of Rajya Sabha Chairman M Venkaiah Naidu rejecting a notice by seven opposition parties led by Congress to impeach Chief Justice of India Dipak Mishra. "The Congress, being defeated by the people repeatedly, can't run the country through corridors of courts based upon half-baked, false and sponsored litigations," he claimed. He said the Congress' use of litigation was "directly proportionate" to the repeated reversals it was facing in elections. "Under the patronage of the Congress, even the death of judge Loya, who died of a heart attack some four years ago, was used as a political tool to settle scores both inside and outside court," the minister alleged. He claimed the "scathing observation" made by the top ...
3 arrested with intoxicants in Jammu, Udhampur
Three persons were arrested and drugs and illicit liquor were seized from them in Udhampur and Jammu districts, police said. A special drive against drugs was launched by police where a car was intercepted for police checking at the Bajalta area on the outskirts of Jammu city, a police official said. During search of the vehicle, police party seized 369 intoxicative injections from two persons, who were carrying without any prescription from a doctor, he said. A case has been registered at police station Nagrota and further investigation was underway, the official said. Based on a information, a police team arrested one person at the Ramnagar area in Udhampur district, and during search, 40 pouches of illicit liquor was seized from him, he said. The man was arrested on the spot, the official said, adding that a case has been registered.
Woman arrested for cheating in Jammu
A woman, accused of cheating people by allegedly extorting money from them on the pretext of giving them suitable interest rates of their deposits, was today arrested in Jammu, an official said. The officials of the Crime Branch arrested the woman of Rehari in a case of 2015 registered under Section 420 (Cheating), 406 (Punishment for criminal breach of trust), 120-B (Punishment of criminal conspiracy) of the RPC, a Crime Branch official said. The woman is involved in extortion of money from people of Jammu city on the pretext of providing suitable interest rates against the money deposited with her, he said. She was at large and was reportedly residing in Ahmedabad, Gujarat, the official said. The Crime Branch of Jammu developed inputs about her presence and laid a trap for her arrest from the city, he said, adding that during the course of investigation she has admitted of duping people by way of deception.
Houston police: Woman sets car on fire with children inside
Authorities in Houston have taken a woman into custody after witnesses reported she set her car on fire as she sat inside with her three children. Houston police spokeswoman Jodi Silva says the woman was at a car wash Sunday evening when she began repeatedly revving the engine to the point that it caught fire. Witnesses intervened and rescued the woman's three daughters, ages 9, 11 and 13. Witnesses told investigators that at one point she said, "We're going to see Jesus." She left on foot with the children but was later detained by a Harris County deputy constable. Silva says she'll be charged with three counts of aggravated assault on a family member. A mental health evaluation is pending. The children are with family members.
HC grants interim bail to drug lord, wife for daughter's wedding
The Delhi High Court today granted interim bail to an alleged drug lord Sharafat Sheikh and his wife Zohra Sheikh, jailed since June 2006 on charges of being part of an organised crime syndicate, for attending wedding of their daughter. Justice A K Pathak granted them the relief for two weeks, considering that their presence would be required at their daughter's marriage. Zohra and Sharafat, facing trial under the stringent Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act (MCOCA), had said in their bail plea that they have been in custody for last several years and their daughter is getting married on April 25 at Hazrat Nizamuddin area and, accordingly, sought three weeks' interim bail to participate in the wedding. Their plea, however, was opposed by prosecutor Amit Chadha, who, appearing for the Delhi Police, said it was an inter-religion marriage and threats were being given to the young couple by both the families. Zohra had earlier also moved the court over non-payment of maintenance .
Naidu move shows non-application of mind: Yechury
CPI(M) general secretary Sitaram Yechury today said Rajya Sabha Chairman M Venkaiah Naidu's decision to reject the Opposition's impeachment plea of Chief Justice of India Dipak Misra was done with a "certain degree of non-application of mind". "I am sorry to say that about the honourable Vice-President and Chairman of Rajya Sabha (Naidu), but I think that the methods, that had been very clearly laid down -- both in the constitutional procedures and the rules -- have not been followed," Yechury told PTI. He said the presiding officer of either House, in which the impeachment motion has been moved, does not have the discretion to independently decide about the validity of the motion. The motion needs to be referred to a three-member committee, which normally should include a Supreme Court judge, a high court chief justice and a jurist. Yechury, who was re-elected as the party's general secretary yesterday, said if that committee gives the findings, saying the impeachment motion is ...
Naidu rejects notice to impeach CJI; Hasty step, will move SC: Cong,BJP slams Congress
Rajya Sabha Chairman M Venkaiah Naidu today rejected the unprecedented notice by seven opposition parties led by the Congress to impeach CJI Dipak Misra on five grounds of "misbehaviour", saying the allegations were neither "tenable nor admissible". But the order by the vice president that came two days after the opposition parties launched the impeachment bid was slammed as "hasty" by the Congress, sparking a war of words with the ruling BJP. The notice was dismissed at the preliminary stage of the multi-step impeachment process. The order, which said that the Notice of Motion does not deserve to be admitted, also drew a mixed response among the legal fraternity. It was given shortly before the Supreme Court reassembled after the weekend recess. Senior Congress leader Kapil Sibal said the party would move the Supreme Court to challenge what he said was an "unprecedented, illegal, ill-advised and hasty order" which had shattered the confidence of people and "jeopardised" the legal ...
RSS defamation case: Rahul fails to appear before court
Congress President Rahul Gandhi did not appear before Bhiwandi Court in a defamation case filed by the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS).His lawyer has filed an application for exemption.On January 17, Bhiwandi Court had ordered Gandhi to be present in court on April 23, for framing of charges against him in a defamation case for saying "RSS people killed Gandhi".On the same day, the court had allowed Gandhi an exemption from the court on an application presented by his lawyer and had set April 23 as a new date for him as he did not appear before the court on that day.A local Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) functionary, Rajesh Kunte, had filed the case against Gandhi for claiming at an election rally on March 6, 2014, that the right-wing organisation had killed Mahatma Gandhi.Gandhi had in September 2016, withdrew his petition filed in the apex court, challenging the case and said he would face the trial.He expressed his readiness to face the trial after the top court refused to ...
Naidu rejects impeachment motion, opposition MPs to move SC (Roundup)
Dealing a blow to the opposition, Rajya Sabha Chairman M. Venkaiah Naidu on Monday rejected an impeachment motion against Chief Justice Dipak Misra on the ground that there was lack of "credible and verifiable" information on charges of "misbehaviour" which, he said, undermined judiciary's independence.
12-year-old girl gang-raped in Jharkhand
A 12-year-old girl was on Monday found gang-raped at the site of a house under construction in Dumka in Jharkhand, police said.
13-yr-old accused of raping 8-yr-old in UP's Bareilly
An eight-year-old girl was allegedly raped by a minor in a village in CB Ganj area here, police said today. The alleged incident took place yesterday when the girl was taken to an orchard by the 13-year-old boy, who raped her, Superintendent of Police, City, Abhinandan Kumar SIngh said. An FIR was registered today on the complaint of the victim's family members, he said. The medical report has confirmed rape, according to the official. The accused teenager has been detained, the officer said.
Actor Rajpal Yadav gets 6-month jail in loan recovery case
Bollywood actor Rajpal Yadav was today awarded six-month imprisonment by a Delhi court in seven cheque bounce cases for not repaying loan worth over Rs eight crore to a businessman. The court, however, did not award imprisonment to his wife, who was also held guilty along with Rajpal for the offence under section 138 (cheque bounce) of the Negotiable Instruments Act (NI Act), considering that she had signed those cheques on being asked by her actor husband. However, Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate (ACMM) Amit Arora granted Rajpal bail on a personal bond of Rs 50,000 and one surety of like amount. The court also imposed separate fines on the convicted couple, asking Rajpal to pay Rs 11.2 crore and his wife Radha to pay Rs 70 lakh collectively in all the seven cases in which they have been held guilty. "There are seven separate complaint cases filed by the complainant where in the convicts have been held guilty under section 138 of NI Act. Cheque in question in each case is of .
Was any research done before ordinance on Pocso act amendment, asks HC
The Delhi High Court on Monday questioned why the ordinance on amending the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (Pocso) Act, to provide for death penalty to those convicted of raping a child up to 12 years old, was cleared without conducting any research on the issue.
RSS defamation case against Rahul: framing of charges deferred
A Bhiwandi court today deferred farming of charges in a defamation case against Congress president Rahul Gandhi due to his absence from the court. Bhiwandi Judicial Magistrate A A Shaikh was slated to frame charges, a crucial prosecution step heralding formal trial, in the case filed by an RSS worker. The court, however, adjourned the matter to May 2 after the counsel for Gandhi informed it that his client was not able to appear before it owing to his pressing political engagements. Gandhi's lawyer Narayan Iyer also filed an application seeking a detailed recording of evidence instead of a 'summary trial'. Local RSS worker Rajesh Kunte has filed the criminal defamation case, alleging that Rahul Gandhi accused the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh of killing Mahatma Gandhi, and thus slandered its reputation. Kunte had filed the case against Gandhi over the Congress president's alleged statement at an election rally near Bhiwandi in Thane district of the on March 6, 2014 that "the RSS people
Murder case: Woman's body exhumed
Police exhumed the body of a 22-year-old woman, suspected to have been killed by her Income Tax inspector husband, from the premises of his rented accommodation in Harni area here, city Police Commissioner Manoj Sashidhar said today. "The body was found buried in a six-feet deep trench on the premises of the IT inspector's rented house here. It was exhumed yesterday," he said. The postmortem of the body would be conducted in Jaipur, the police commissioner said. The income tax inspector, Lokesh Chaudhary (30), posted in Vadodara, was arrested for allegedly killing his 28-year-old wife and burying her body over his affair with another woman, police had said. "Lokesh Chaudhary (30) called his wife (28) to Vadodara from Jaipur on April 11 and killed her. He later buried her body. A team reached Vadodara today to exhume the body," Additional DCP (Jaipur East) Hanuman Prasad had said yesterday. The accused had filed a missing complaint of his wife with the Jaipur police to ..
Was there scientific assessment that death penalty is deterrent to rape: HC to Centre
The Delhi High Court asked the Centre today if it had done any research or scientific assessment before coming out with an ordinance to award death penalty for rape of girls below the age of 12. The high court was dealing with an old PIL that challenged the Criminal Law (Amendment) Act of 2013, in which a penal provision -- minimum of seven years of jail term -- for a rape convict was included and the court's discretion to award less than that was taken away. "Did you carry out any study, any scientific assessment that death penalty is a deterrent to rape? Have you thought of the consequences to the victim? How many offenders would allow their victims to survive now that rape and murder have the same punishment," a bench of Acting Chief Justice Gita Mittal and Justice C Hari Shankar asked the government. The Union Cabinet, two days ago, cleared the Criminal Law (Amendment) Ordinance 2018, which proposes stringent punishments, ranging from a minimum of 20 years to life term or death, ..
CJI, SC judges hold meeting, court proceedings begin at 10.45 AM
Chief Justice (CJI) Dipak Misra and other Supreme Court judges today held a longer than usual morning meeting, leading to delay of about 15 minutes in starting of the proceedings in all courts, amid speculation that they discussed the notice to remove the CJI and its rejection. The usual morning meeting of judges coincided with the breaking news emanating from the office of Rajya Sabha Chairperson and Vice President M Venkaiah Naidu that he had rejected the notice to remove the CJI with point-wise rebuttals after consulting legal experts. Litigants, lawyers and journalists, having their eyes on the clock, were seen murmuring about the possible reasons for the delay in start of court proceedings in the CJI's courts. All the courts began work at around 10.45 AM instead of the scheduled 10.30 AM. CJI Misra, who usually holds his court at 10.30 AM, was calm and composed when he entered the packed courtroom along with companion judges -- Justices A M Khanwilkar and D Y Chandrachud, at ...