Page 1676 - Law Crime
Malegaon blast: Purohit can raise UAPA sanction issue before trial, says SC
In a relief to Malegaon blast accused Lt Col Shrikant Purohit, the Supreme Court today clarified its order and granted him liberty to raise the issue of grant of sanction to prosecute him under the stringent UAPA at the time of framing of charges. The apex court, while granting bail to Purohit on August 21 last year, had said the issue of grant of prosecution sanction could be raised at the time of trial. "We clarify that the observation be taken in a context that the issue of prosecution sanction can be raised and considered at the time of framing of charges," a bench of Justices R K Agrawal and A M Sapre said. Senior advocate Harish Salve, appearing for Purohit, said an observation in the last year's bail order of the apex court has been construed as that the issue of prosecution sanction be raised and considered at the time of trial. He sought a clarification of order saying this was the substantial question of law and Purohit should be allowed to raise the issue at the time of ...
SSC exam: SC asks DOPT Secy to pass reasoned order in six weeks on grievances
The Supreme Court today directed the Centre to consider the representation of students challenging the Staff Selection Commission (SSC) examination through private vendors and pass a reasoned order in six weeks. The top court asked the petitioners to approach the Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT) secretary within a week and give appropriate representation. A bench of Justices S A Bobde and L Nageswara Rao said if necessary, the DoPT secretary along with members of the SSC, shall give oral hearing to the petitioners to raise their grievances. "A reasoned order shall be passed within six weeks dealing with the issues raised by the petitioners and containing suggestions for elimination of the problems," the bench said. It posted the matter for further hearing in the second week after the court reopens following summer vacation. During the hearing, advocate Prashant Bhushan, appearing for petitioner Shantanu Kumar, said the SSC Combined Graduate Level Examination was being ...
4 held with cannabis in separate incidents
Police have arrested four people, including two women, after seven kgs of cannabis was allegedly recovered from their possession in separate incidents, an official said today. A police party intercepted a car in Chenani area of Udhampur district and seized 1.18 kgs of cannabis from the vehicle, he said, adding that three people were arrested -- Gurpreet Singh, Lakshami Devi and Renu Devi. According to the official, one of the co-accused managed to escape from the spot. In another incident, police arrested one person after six kgs of cannabis was recovered from his car at Narwal.
DRI busts hawala racket at Delhi airport; seizes forex worth Rs 1.93 cr
The DRI has busted an international hawala racket at the Delhi airport and seized foreign currencies worth Rs 1.93 crore. Officers of the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) intercepted a domestic as well as a Dubai-bound international passengers of Delhi-Kochi-Dubai flight on Wednesday, an official statement issued today said. The DRI officials seized Saudi Riyal, Euro and Pound Sterling of various denominations equivalent to Rs 1.93 crore from the international passenger, it said. The international passenger as well as the domestic passenger had booked the ticket in an Air India flight, the DRI said. The domestic passenger was travelling to Kochi and the international passenger was going to Dubai. "The domestic passenger handed over the foreign currencies to the international passenger after clearing the customs, immigration and security checks," the statement by the DRI said. These passengers are involved in the smuggling of cigarettes and gold, for which they were carrying ..
Naidu expected to take legal opinion on impeachment motion
The fate of the motion for impeachment of Chief Justice Dipak Misra rests with Rajya Sabha Chairperson M. Venkaiah Naidu, who is likely to seek legal opinion before accepting or rejecting it.
Odisha govt committed to women's safety, says Patnaik
With the opposition parties criticizing the ruling dispensation over the rape of six minor girls in one week, Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik today said his government is committed to providing security to the women and children of the state. The police authorities have been instructed to take strong and adequate legal action in offences against women and children, Patnaik, who is also in-charge of the home department, told the Assembly while replying to an adjournment debate on the law and order situation of the state. "I would like to reiterate that the resolve of my government is to provide safety and security to all women and girl children. The government has appointed investigating officers and special public prosecutors to ensure speedy and efficacious trial in these cases," the chief minister said. All police stations in the state have been asked to intensify patrolling near working women's hostels, women's colleges and training centres, he said, adding that the ...
Court to frame charges on May 29 in Muzaffarnagar riots case against Balayan, others
A court today fixed May 29 for framing of charges against BJP MP and former Union minister Sanjeev Balyan and others in a case related to the 2013 Muzaffarnagar communal riots, as all the accused were not present in the court. Balayan along with co-accused Umesh Malik, a BJP MLA, appeared in the court but Sadvi Prachi failed to show up following which Additional Chief Judicial Magistrate Ritu Nagar fixed May 29 for framing of charges against accused in the case. The accused are facing charges under various sections of IPC including violating prohibitory orders and wrongful restraint. It is alleged that the accused participated in a mahapanchayat and incited violence through their speeches in the last week of August 2013. At least 60 people were killed and over 40,000 displaced during riots in Muzaffarnagar and surrounding districts in 2013. Meanwhile, Balyan favoured withdrawal of cases against those who have been "falsely implicated". The MP, however, said he was ready to face ...
CJI impeachment move as Cong's conspiracies were exposed: BJP
The BJP today lashed out at the Congress for its move to impeach the chief justice of India, saying it was trying to "demean, degrade and denigrate" the judiciary after its "conspiracies" in the case of judge B H Loya's death and riot charges against its Gujarat leader Maya Kodnani were exposed. BJP spokesperson Meenakshi Lekhi told reporters that the impeachment move is an attempt to pressure the judiciary and send out the message that "either you do what we say and if you dare not do as we command", then it will impeach judges. She said Kodnani, who was acquitted by the Gujarat High Court today, was victimised by the Congress and implicated in a "false case" when it was in power at the Centre as it wanted to implicate the saffron party's leaders in false cases. "It also hatched a conspiracy in the judge Loya death case. Evidence in these cases could not stand the judicial scrutiny. The Congress and other opposition parties levelled false allegations against our leaders but they are .
Odisha government committed to women's safety: Patnaik
Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik on Friday said his government is committed to provide safety and security to the women and girls of the state.
From key conspirator in Naroda Patiya massacre, Kodnani now walks free
Six years after a trial court punished her for 28 years in jail calling her the key instigator in Gujarat's worst communal massacre that left 97 Muslims dead in 2002 in Ahmedabad's Naroda Patiya, the Gujarat High Court on Friday acquitted former Gujarat minister Maya Kodnani saying there was no evidence to nail her.
Jaitley terms impeachment motion against CJI a 'revenge petition'
Finance Minister Arun Jaitley on Friday termed the impeachment motion against Chief Justice of India (CJI) Dipak Misra a revenge petition by the Congress and an attempt to intimidate a Judge.Jaitley linked the Opposition parties' move to the Thursday order of the CJI-headed bench of the Supreme Court that dismissed the petitions seeking a Special Investigation Team (SIT)-led probe into Special Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) Judge B.H. Loya's death case."My preliminary reaction to the impeachment motion filed today is clear. It is a revenge petition after the falsehood of the Congress Party has been established in the Justice Loya death case. It is an attempt to intimidate a Judge and send a message to other Judges, that if you don't agree with us, fifty MP's are enough for a revenge action," Jaitley wrote in a post on Facebook.Stating that impeachment of a Judge of the Supreme Court is to be done only in the case of either his "incapacity" or on "proven misconduct", Jaitley ...
Fake FB post accused granted bail
A court here on Friday granted bail to Kenneth Silveira who was arrested for posting fake information about ailing Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar's death on Facebook, even as civil society members protested outside Goa Police headquarters to condemn his arrest.
Relief for BMC commissioner in illegal pandals matter, HC warns of stern action if civic body fails again to implement its order
The Bombay High Court today revoked a show-cause notice issued last year to the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation Commissioner for failure to act against illegal pandals erected during festivals but warned that it would not brook such a lapse in future. Justices A S Oka and M S Sonak had issued the notice to commissioner Ajoy Mehta, asking why contempt action should not be taken against him for failure to implement the court's orders. After the BMC submitted to the court that the failure wasn't intentional, the bench "discharged" the notice today. The judges warned that if the BMC fails to act against illegal pandals and hoardings or to implement noise pollution norms during festivals in future, the court will not take a lenient view. "The notice issued to Ajoy Mehta is hereby discharged since the breaches were not intentional....during any religious festival, breaches in implementation of the law and this court's orders will be dealt with sternly. Any such breach will be treated .
Do you have any relative who has been raped, SC asks a lawyer
"Do you have any relative who has been raped", an annoyed Supreme Court asked a lawyer today. The top court bench was annoyed as it asked the advocate, who had alleged that FIRs were not lodged by the police in rape cases involving powerful people like ministers, MPs or MLAs, what his locus standi was vis-a-vis the Unnao rape case. It questioned the locus of the advocate in filing the PIL, wondering how public interest litigation can be filed in criminal cases. A bench of Justices S A Bobde and L Nageswara Rao asked advocate ML Sharma how he was aggrieved with the Unnao rape case and how was he connected to the case. "The Allahabad High Court has already passed some orders in the case. Mr Sharma you are not an aggrieved person in the case. There cannot be a PIL in a criminal case," the bench observed. Sharma alleged that in several rape cases involving former ministers or MLAs, no FIR were lodged by the police, wherever powerful people were involved. "Who are you in these rapes cases?
Interpol 'red notice' for Sri Lanka's ex-c.bank chief over bond sale
COLOMBO (Reuters) - Interpol has issued a red notice, a request to locate and provisionally arrest, Sri Lanka's former central bank governor Arjuna Mahendran who is wanted in connection with an investigation into a bond sale.
Interpol 'red notice' for Sri Lanka's ex-central bank chief over bond sale
COLOMBO (Reuters) - Interpol has issued a red notice, a request to locate and provisionally arrest, Sri Lanka's former central bank governor Arjuna Mahendran who is wanted in connection with an investigation into a bond sale.
Mobile Internet suspended in Rajouri
Authorities suspended on Friday mobile Internet services in Jammu and Kashmir's Rajouri district as a precaution following the death of a youth.
Six arrested on charge of betting on IPL matches
Six persons were arrested on charge of betting on IPL matches in Sangrampur village here, police said today. Acting on a tip off, a police team raided a house last night and nabbed six members including the gang leader identified as Dilnawaz . The alleged betting racket was being run from his house, SP Rural Surendra Pratap Singh said. Three mobile phones, Rs 7,600 in cash, a TV set and a set top box besides other things were seized, the SP said, adding that a case has been registered and further investigation is on.
Congress using impeachment as political tool: Jaitley
Accusing the Congress of using impeachment as a political tool, Finance Minister Arun Jaitley on Friday said it was a revenge petition to intimidate the judiciary following the Supreme Court's verdict on Judge B.H. Loya's death.
Mulling changing law to award death to sexual assaulters of kids: Govt
Government is actively considering amending the penal law to introduce death penalty to those convicted of sexually abusing children up to 12 years of age, the Supreme Court was informed today. The assertion of the Centre assumes significance following the public outcry for award of death penalty to such sexual offenders, including the assaulters of an 8-year-old girl who was gang raped and killed at Kathua district of Jammu and Kashmir recently. A bench headed by Chief Justice Dipak Misra, hearing a PIL relating to the brutal rape of an 8-month-old child allegedly by her 28-year-old cousin, was given a copy of a letter by Additional Solicitor General (ASG) P S Narasimha to apprise it that the Law Ministry was contemplating changes in the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POSCO) Act. The communication of a deputy secretary, addressed to the ASG, reads, "I am directed...to inform that the issues raised in the petition regarding amendment of provisions of the POCSO Act, 2012