Page 1773 - Law Crime
Pak Army chief approves death penalty for 10 terrorists
Pakistan Army Chief Gen Qamar Javed Bajwa today approved death penalty for 10 terrorists including those who shot dead Amjad Sabri, one of the country's finest Sufi Qawwals. In a statement, the military's media wing said the terrorists, tried by special military courts, were involved in killing of 62 people and heinous crimes against the state including attack on security forces and a five-star hotel in Peshawar. The terrorists were identified as Muhammad Ishaq, Muhammad Rafique, Muhammad Arish, Habibur Rehman, Muhammad Fayaz, Ismail Shah, Muhammad Fazal, Hazrat Ali, Muhammad Asim and Habibullah. Ishaq and Asim were involved in the killing of Sabri and attacking the law enforcement agencies/armed forces of Pakistan, which resulted in death of 17 officials, the statement said, adding that they were awarded death sentence. Sabri, 45, was travelling in a car in Karachi's congested Liquatabad 10 area when two motorcycle-borne gunmen shot him in the head in a targeted terror attack on June
SC/ST Act: Assam Cong urges PM to file review petition
The Congress in Assam today urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi to file a review petition in the Supreme Court to modify its recent order that, it claimed, would make it more difficult for SC/ST people to protect themselves from atrocities. The Supreme Court on March 20 diluted the provisions of the SC/ST Prevention of Atrocities Act and said government servants should not be arrested without prior sanction and private citizens, too, should be arrested only after an inquiry under the law. The Supreme Court's March 20 judgement in the case of Subhash Kashinath Mahajan Vs State of Maharashtra has caused distress among SC and STs as it will make it more difficult to protect themselves from atrocities, Assam Pradesh Congress Committee president Ripun Bora said in a memorandum to the Prime Minister. "We believe that Additional Solicitor General (ASG) representing the Central Government failed to defend the rights of the SC/STs in the Supreme Court for want of proper guidance
HC dismisses PILs relating to display of Jaya portrait in TN assembly
The Madras High Court today dismissed five public interest litigation petitions, filed in connection with the display of late chief minister J Jayalalithaa's portrait in the assembly and related matters. The First Bench comprising Chief Justice Indira Banerjee and Justice A Selvam, before which the PILs came up, dismissed them for non-appearance of petitioners' counsels. The petitions were filed by J Anbazhagan of DMK, S Duraisamy, C Kumaran, K Balu and 'Traffic' Ramaswamy. Anbazhagan sought to quash a government order which does not prohibit display of portraits and photographs of chief ministers, who have been convicted and found guilty of corruption charges by a court of law. The petition by Duraisamy, an advocate, sought to remove the mortal remains of Jayalalithaa from Marina Beach and to forebear the government from raising any memorial for her with funds from the state exchequer at Marina or elsewhere. Kumaran, in his petition, also put forward a similar plea. Balu of Advocates
Najeeb case: HC pulls up CFSL, Chandigarh over laxity in analysing suspects' phones
The Delhi High Court today pulled up a forensic laboratory in Chandigarh for its "laxity" in dealing with the examination of mobile phones of nine students who are suspects in the case of disappearance of JNU student Najeeb Ahmed. The high court, which had earlier directed the director of Central Forensic Science Laboratory (CFSL), Chandigarh, to expedite the examination of seized electronic devices, made it clear that in case the process is not completed by April 30, the director of the laboratory has to be present before it. The court had in February asked the laboratory to give its report to the CBI, which is probing the matter, by March 19. A bench of justices S Muralidhar and I S Mehta was today informed by the CBI's counsel that out of nine mobile phones, the laboratory has sent forensic analysis report of only three, which was also done by a junior officer who was not qualified enough. The court took strong exception to the fact that despite its specific directions in the ...
Vaishno Devi: NGT raps J&K govt over rehabilitation plan of mules, slaps Rs 50-lakh cost
The National Green Tribunal (NGT) has slammed the Jammu and Kashmir government for not finalising a rehabilitation plan for horses and mules which have been barred from plying from Katra to the Vaishno Devi temple, and slapped a cost of Rs 50 lakh on the state government. A bench headed by Justice Jawad Rahim refused to grant four-week time sought by the state government to place the plan before the state cabinet for its approval. The green panel said there was no explanation why the rehabilitation scheme had not been placed before the cabinet since February 20 when the tribunal first asked the state to finalise the plan. "Time sought of four seeks to place before the cabinet does not appear as a reasonable request on behalf of the state in regard to the serious matter pertaining to the rehabilitation of the affected peopled whose life depends on the rehabilitation which government has to do... "We note the state has failed to note that rehabilitation scheme is for providing for ...
CM assured help : said woman who accused Soumyajit of rape
The woman who has accused Olympian and national table tennis player Soumyajit Ghosh of repeatedly raping her on the promise of marriage today claimed that Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has assured her of justice. The woman met West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee at her Kalighat residence this morning and sought justice. "The Chief Minister assured me of justice. I have informed her about the police inaction and that it had not arrested him or anybody from his family," the woman said after emerging from the meeting with Banerjee. "She (Banerjee) told me that the police was carrying out their inquiry into the matter and will take proper action," the woman said. The victim also alleged that the paddler and his family members had been hiding since the complaint was lodged. The woman had lodged an FIR with the police alleging that Ghosh had been raping her for the last couple of years after promising marriage. She had also alleged that the Olympian had forced her to .
Retd judge-led panel to probe Kamala Mills fire: Govt tells HC
The Maharashtra government today informed the Bombay High Court that retired chief justice of the court A V Savant was appointed as the chairperson of a three-member committee to probe the Kamala Mills Compound fire incident that claimed 14 lives in December last. The high court had ordered for the committee to be set up to conduct an inquiry into the incident. The bench was hearing a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) petition, filed by retired IPS officer Julio Ribeiro,seeking, among other things, a judicial inquiry into the fire tragedy. Senior counsel Vineet Naik, appearing for the government, told a bench of justices S M Kemkar and M S Karnik that the committee was formed. The committee, headed by retired chief justice A V Savant, will also comprise two other members -- Vasant Thakur, an architect on one of the high court panels, and K Nalinakshan, the former chief secretary. The bench ordered the committee to submit its first report on or before August 31. The panel will inquire ..
ED attaches Rs 10-cr property of Bihar gangster
The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has attached property with a market value of over Rs 10 crore of Bihar gangster Ashok Yadav who is an accused in cases of murder, kidnapping, extortion and dacoity, an official said on Monday.
Fundamental intent of SC/ST Act should be preserved: Kejriwal
The "fundamental intent" of the Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe (Prevention of Atrocities) Act should be preserved, Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal said today and extended his Aam Aadmi Party's support to Dalit groups protesting against the alleged dilution of its provisions. The AAP chief tweeted, "Under the situation resulting due to Supreme Court's decision on SC/ST Prevention of Atrocities Act, AAP is with the movement of SC/ST community. Central government should deploy top lawyers for the petition in the Supreme Court and the need and fundamental intent of the Act should be preserved." The Delhi Assembly also discussed the issue in a calling attention motion today and both the ruling AAP and the opposition BJP members opposed the Supreme Court's decision on the legislation. Violent protests erupted on Monday in nationwide bandh called by Dalit outfits against the alleged dilution of the SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, leaving one person dead and many injured in ..
AAP supports Dalit protests, demands ordinance
Delhi's ruling Aam Aadmi Party on Monday expressed support for the protests by Dalit activists from various organisations against a Supreme Court ruling on the SC/ST Act.
Trucker held with 82 kgs of poppy in JK's Poonch
The Jammu and Kashir Police today arrested a truck driver in Poonch district and seized 82 kgs of poppy from him. The truck was on its way to Jammu from Kashmir, when the police intercepted it at Surankote on Moghal road. "The driver has been arrested and a case filed against him," a police official said.
Only CBI probe can ensure justice in Kathua murder case: JKNPP
The Jammu and Kashmir National Panthers Party (JKNPP) workers today staged a protest here, demanding a CBI probe into the rape-and-murder case of an eight-year-old girl in January. Led by JKNPP chairman Harsh Dev Singh, activists of the party today assembled in front of the CBI office here and said that only the premier investigate agency of India could ensure justice in the case. The protesters raised slogans against the governments, both state and central, and later submitted a memorandum addressed to Director CBI through the regional CBI SP Jai Parkash Mishra. Mishra assured the delegation that their memorandum would be sent to the CBI director as well as the DG of J&K Police. "The CBI would have no problem in investigating the matter in case it was handed over to it by the competent authority," said Mishra. The protesters demanded impartial and fair investigation into the murder case "so that the actual perpetrators of heinous crime are booked under the law". They also alleged
4-yr-old kidnapped from Palghar, rescued in Mumbai
A four-year-old girl was allegedly kidnapped in the district by a woman, who later abandoned the child in the neighbouring Mumbai, a police official said today. The girl was rescued by the Mumbai police and reunited with her parents, he said. The 22-year-old woman kidnapped the girl from her school at Virar in Palghar on March 31, Arnala Sagri police station's inspector Keshav Naik said. She then abandoned the girl in Mumbai where a policeman spotted the child crying and wandering alone on a street in the Mahalakshmi area. The policeman took the girl to the Gaondevi police station in Mumbai where the security personnel made enquiries to search for her parents, Naik said. The police managed to reunite the child with her parents yesterday, he said. During the probe, which was later transferred to the Arnala Sagri police, it was found that the woman had kidnapped the girl to take revenge from the child's father, with whom she was in a relationship, Naik said. The woman, a ..
Bharat Bandh: Steps will be taken to maintain law, order, says Delhi Police
Showing concern for possible deteriorating security situation in the capital due to the ongoing nationwide protest called by several Dalit organisations against the Supreme Court's ruling on the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act 1989, the Delhi Police spokesperson said that all "steps will be taken to maintain law and order.""Delhi Police is alert. We have adequate police deployment at places and senior officials are also present in the field. All steps will be taken to maintain law and order," said Delhi Police Spokesperson Deependra Pathak on the same.Earlier today, Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh said, "We have filed the review petition in Supreme Court. I appeal to all political parties and groups to maintain peace and not incite violence."To check the misuse of the SC/ST act, the Supreme Court, on March 20, laid down some provisions before implicating someone under the said law.The top court directed that a preliminary inquiry would be ...
YSRCP urges PM, Prez to refer ST/SC Act for SC review
The YSR Congress Party (YSRCP) on Monday stated that Supreme Court's ruling on the Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe Protection Act will dilute the spirit of the Act as it might hamper the investigation.In the letters addressed to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and President Ram Nath Kovind, party chief YS Jagan Mohan Reddy mentioned that the apex court's decision to lay down stringent "safeguards" for the arrest of the accused might undermine the court's own formidable record."Sir, we strongly believe that this judgement of the Hon'ble Supreme Court may dilute the very spirit of the Act. This restraint on the arrest of the accused may help the powerful accused rather than the vulnerable victim and may also hamper the investigation. The apex court's decision to lay down stringent "safeguards" for the arrest of the accused under the SC and ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, 1989, may undermine the court's own formidable record as a custodian of the rights of the most underprivileged," .
Ration dealer held with drugs in Rajouri
A ration dealer was today arrested after contraband drugs were allegedly recovered from his store in Rajouri district of Jammu and Kashmir, a senior police officer said. Acting on a tip-off, a police party raided the ration store run by Mohammad Sharif Chowdhary in his village at Pargal in Darhal area and recovered 805 grams ofCharas and 710 grams of poppy straw, said Senior Superintendent of Police (Rajouri) Yougal Manhas. The ration store was sealed and a case under Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act has been registered against the accused, the officer added.
Indore hotel collapse: Owner booked for culpable homicide
The owner of the hotel, which collapsed here last week killing 10 people, has been booked in connection with the incident, police said. Shankar Paryani, 55, who is currently absconding, has been charged with section 304 (culpable homicide not amounting to murder) and section 308 (attempt to commit culpable homicide) of the Indian Penal Code, an officer of the Choti Gwaltoli police station said. He said that Paryani was booked because he was running the 60-year-old hotel, situated near Sarvate bus stand, despite knowing that the three-storey structure was dilapidated and posed a risk to the lives of people. Eyewitnesses had earlier told police that the hotel collapsed after a speeding car hit one of its main load-bearing pillars on Saturday night. The collapse killed ten people, including two women, and left two others injured. Separate teams of the police as well as municipal authorities are investigating the incident, officials said.
Centre moves SC with review petition against verdict on SC/ST Act
The Centre today moved the Supreme Court seeking review of its recent judgement by which safeguards were put on the provisions for immediate arrest under the SC/ST Act. The government, in its review petition, told the Supreme Court that its March 20 verdict will violate Article 21 of the Constitution for the SC/ST communities and sought restoration of the provisions of Scheduled Castes and the Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act. The apex court had on March 20 said that on "several occasions", innocent citizens were being termed as accused and public servants deterred from performing their duties, which was never the intention of the legislature while enacting the Scheduled Castes and the Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act. The top court had said that unless the exclusion of anticipatory bail is limited to "genuine cases and inapplicable to cases where there is no prima facie case was made out, there will be no protection available to innocent citizens". It ...
Supreme Court decision on SC/ST Act 'appropriate': UP minister
Uttar Pradesh cabinet minister and Suheldev Bharatiya Samaj Party chief Om Prakash Rajbhar today supported the Supreme Court's recent ruling on the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, arguing that "innocent people" were harassed. "The decision of the Supreme Court is absolutely appropriate, as the SC/ST Act is widely misused similar to the Dowry Prohibition Act. Innocent people are harassed in the garb of this Act. A case should be registered only after probe by a magistrate-level officer," Rajbhar told reporters here. The president of the SBSP, an ally of the Bharatiya Janata Party-led UP government, added that the guilty should not be spared, but "innocent person should not be unnecessarily harassed". Violent protests erupted today during a nationwide bandh called by Dalit outfits against the dilution of the stringent provisions of the SC/ST Act, leaving one dead and disrupting normal life in many states. On March 20, the Supreme Court ruled that a .
Centre urges SC for review of judgment regarding SC/ST Act
The Centre on Monday moved the Supreme Court to seek recall of its judgment that ruled that there would be no automatic arrest of an accused following a complaint moved under the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, 1989.