Page 1914 - Law Crime
Police question Milind Ekbote in Bhima Koregaon case
Pune rural police today questioned Hindu Ekta Aghadi leader Milind Ekbote, one of the accused in the Bhima Koregaon violence case. Ekbote, who has been granted an interim protection from arrest by the Supreme Court, was summoned to the Shikrapur police station in the district. A case has been registered against him and another pro-Hindutva leader, Sambhaji Bhide, at the police station for allegedly inciting the anti-Dalit violence that left a man dead near Bhima Koregaon war memorial in the district on January 1. "The Supreme Court has directed us to file a report before the March 14 hearing, and it has asked us to investigate the case, so today we summoned Ekbote and questioned him," said additional superintendent of police Sandip Pakhale. Police will again call Ekbote for questioning, he added. "We want his custodial interrogation, and we will fight it out in the Supreme Court," the police official added. Asked if Ekbote was cooperating, Pakhale refused to comment, ...
Corruption cases against me are "baseless": Sharif
Pakistan's ousted premier Nawaz Sharif said today it was slowly becoming clear that the corruption cases filed against him were "baseless" as he appeared before an anti-graft court for 19th time to face trial in the graft cases linked to the Panama Papers scandal. The 67-year-old Sharif, who was disqualified as PML-N chief by the Supreme Court on Wednesday, appeared before the the Accountability Court here along with his daughter Maryam and son-in-law Mohammad Safdar, who are co-accused in one of the three cases. The court recorded evidence of two witnesses including forensic expert Robert Radley and Raja Akhtar of the London-based firm Quist law through video-link. National Accountability Bureau (NAB) had provided their names in the supplementary evidence which the court accepted by rejecting objections of the defence team. Radley's recording of evidence began yesterday and was concluded today after he was cross-examined by Sharifs counsel Khawaja Harris. Akhtar also recorded his ...
Fractured face of top judiciary will dent credibility: Justice Roy
A retiring Supreme Court Judge on Friday stressed the need for projecting a united face of the higher judiciary in India, cautioning that a fractured face would only dent its credibility and paramountcy.
SSB troopers briefly snatch away murder accused officer from Bengal Police
A group of Sashastra Seema Bal (SSB) troopers on Friday forcibly took away a murder accused SSB officer from the West Bengal Police in South 24 Parganas district but later handed him back to police following intervention by top officials.
HC denies bail to 1984 riots case convict Khokhar
The Delhi High Court today dismissed the bail plea of a former Congress councillor serving life term in a 1984 anti-Sikh riots case. A bench of Acting Chief Justice Gita Mittal and Justice Anu Malhotra said that convict Balwan Khokhar was getting the "best" healthcare in Tihar Jail here. The court's order came on Khokhar's plea for interim bail on the ground that he wanted to undergo treatment at the Sir Ganga Ram Hospital for a hairline fracture on his nose. Khokhar's counsel had claimed that his client had fallen down in jail on December 17, 2017 and suffered the injury and there was a swelling on his face. Khokhar, retired naval officer Captain Bhagmal, Girdhari Lal and two others were held guilty in a case relating to the murder of five members of a family in Raj Nagar area of Delhi Cantonment on November 1, 1984, a day after the assassination of then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi. They have challenged their conviction and the award of life sentence by the trial court in May 2013. .
Rotomac owner, son sent to 1-day transit remand, to be taken to Lucknow
A Delhi court today allowed one-day transit remand to the CBI to take Rotomac owner Vikram Kothari and his son Rahul to Lucknow to produce them before a court in connection with a Rs 3,695-crore loan default case, saying their presence in Uttar Pradesh was required to recover the alleged siphoned-off money. They were produced before Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Samar Vishal by the CBI which sought 2-day transit remand to take them to Lucknow, alleging that the crime had global ramifications and it had to explore the modus operandi and recover the siphoned-off crime money which was generated after committing frauds with the bank. "Produce them before the concerned court within 24 hours," the judge said. The two accused were arrested yesterday for alleged default on loan repayment. While seeking their transit remand, the agency also claimed that it had to recover the crime proceeds and unearth the larger conspiracy. It sought the remand "to produce the accused before the ...
Eight charged in Tanzania with conservationist's murder
A court in Tanzania today charged eight people with the murder of renowned conservationist Wayne Lotter who was shot dead in Dar es Salaam in August. The eight individuals were charged with murder and conspiracy to murder, according to court documents seen by AFP. Lotter, a 51-year-old South African conservationist, was a founder of the PAMS Foundation which worked to stop the poaching of elephants and trafficking of ivory in Tanzania. He was killed by unknown gunmen on August 16 while in a taxi on his way back from the airport. "We congratulate the Tanzanian Police Force for the arrest and charging of these individuals," PAMS said in a statement. "Wayne was a visionary conservationist working with indefatigable determination to save Tanzania's wildlife and we are relieved that some of the perpetrators responsible for his untimely death have been apprehended and are being brought to justice." PAMS had scored some big wins fighting the illegal wildlife trade, working with Tanzania's ...
Another JMB terrorist nabbed in Bengal in Bodh Gaya blast case
Kolkata Police's Special Task Force (STF) on Friday arrested a member of Islamist terrorist outfit Jamaat-ul-Mujahideen Bangladesh (JMB) from West Bengal's Murshidabad district in connection with the bomb blast case in Bihar's Bodh Gaya on January 19, a senior officer said.
CBI fabricated evidence in Sohrabuddin case: Jethmalani
Senior lawyer Mahesh Jethmalani, arguing for IPS officer Rajkumar Pandian who was discharged by the trial court in the Sohrabuddin Shaikh alleged fake encounter case, today alleged before the Bombay High Court that the CBI had fabricated evidence. The high court is hearing petitions filed by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) and Rubabuddin Shaikh, Sohrabuddin's brother, challenging the discharge of five of the 14 accused police officers in the case. Jethmalani today claimed that statements of several prosecution witnesses were contradictory. As per the CBI, Sohrabuddin, his wife Kausar Bi and his aide Tulsiram Prajapati were abducted and brought to a guest house in Ahmedabad in a silver Toyota Qualis (before the alleged fake encounter) he said. "Its witnesses gave contradictory statements. Nathuba Jadeja, one of the drivers of the alleged vehicle, said the car was silver-coloured, but in his statement before the Gujarat CID in 2005, Gurdayal Singh, who was Pandian's driver, ...
Customs arrests two men for smuggling 10 kg gold
Two Indian men were arrested by customs officials for allegedly trying to smuggle into the country 10 kg gold, worth Rs 2.79 crore, at the Delhi airport, according to an official statement. The accused were intercepted after their arrival from Dubai yesterday. "A detailed search of their baggage and personal search resulted in the recovery of 10 kg of gold concealed inside machinery being carried by them," the statement issued by the customs department said. The market value of the gold, which has been seized, is Rs 2.79 crore, it said, adding that both the passengers have been arrested.
Congress MP Satav backs draft law on agri prices tribunal
A group of lawyers, students and activists here has come out with a draft law providing for a tribunal which farmers can approach on their grievances about the prices of farm produce. Congress MP Rajiv Satav said he would introduce it in Parliament as a private member's bill next month. The draft 'National Agricultural Produce Price Confirmation Tribunal Act 2018' aims to redress the "injustice" faced by farmers and protect their "livelihood rights". Law students, mostly children of farmers, lawyers, and some activists formed a group called 'Lawyers for Earth Justice', and working with Sahyog Trust, prepared this draft law, said senior lawyer Asim Sarode, who is part of the group. "If passed, it will be the first law for the protection of livelihood rights of farmers," he claimed. The draft was sent to Satav who agreed to present it as a private member's bill in the Lok Sabha, Sarode said. The main reason for farmers' plight is the lack of proper minimum support price for
Somnath Bharti tells HC he wants to settle dispute with wife
AAP leader Somnath Bharti, facing a domestic violence case, today moved the Delhi High Court expressing his willingness to settle the marital dispute with his wife through mediation. On hearing this, Justice Anu Malhotra, said the court cannot directly send the AAP leader for mediation without hearing his wife. "How do I know that she has consented for mediation? She (Bharti's wife Lipika Mitra) has to be present here on the next date of hearing on March 20," the court said. Advocate Ashish Negi, appearing for Bharti, submitted before the court that his client was willing to settle the domestic dispute with his wife and hance the couple should be allowed to sit together in mediation. The lawyer said there was a scope of settlement between the two and Mitra has also given her consent to it. Bharti, Delhi's former law minister, has moved the application in a pending plea filed by his wife against the trial court's October 7, 2015 order granting bail to him in the domestic violence case .
NIA files charge sheet against Pakistani intelligence officer
The NIA has filed a charge sheet against Pakistani intelligence officer Amir Zubair Siddique for allegedly conspiring to wage a war against India when he was posted in Sri Lanka in 2014, an official statement said today. He has been accused of hatching a conspiracy to cause explosions at the American consulate in Chennai, the Israeli consulate in Bengaluru, the Electronic City in Bengaluru and various other places of public congregation in south India, it said. Siddique was working in the Pakistan High Commission in Colombo as visa counsellor when the case was registered in 2014. Besides Siddique, two Chennai residents -- Balasubramanian alias Balan and Noorudeen alias Rafi -- have also been chargesheeted in the case for circulating high quality fake Indian counterfeit notes and causing damage to the economic security of the country, the NIA statement said. The charge sheet was filed in a special NIA court in Poonamallee here. The original case was registered on April 28, 2014 by the .
SC refuses to stay summon against Karti in money laundering case
The Supreme Court today refused to stay a summon order issued by the Enforcement Directorate against Karti Chidambaram in the INX Media money laundering case, after the CBI said he was "not a common criminal" but his plea for quashing the notice was a guise for an anticipatory bail plea. However, the top court asked Karti to request the competent authority for postponement of ED summons seeking his appearance on March 1. A bench of Chief Justice Dipak Misra, and Justices Amitava Roy and D Y Chandrachud said it will hear the matter on March 6 after senior advocate Kapil Sibal, appearing for Karti Chidambaram, sought time to file a proper application to challenge the ED proceedings. During the brief hearing, Sibal said Karti was not a common criminal that he was being called by the ED "month after month" and made to sit for "hours and hours". Additional Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, appearing for CBI, said that ED was not a party before the apex court and the respondent (Karti) should
HC stays order transferring gram sabha land
The Allahabad High Court today stayed the order of the district magistrate of Bulandshahr directing handover of a gram sabha land to a nagar palika for construction of a dumping yard under 'Clean India' scheme. The DM had passed the order transferring the land to Nagar Palika Parishad, Gulawati on August 8 ,2017. A bench comprising justices Krishna Murari and Ajai Bhanot stayed the order on a petition by Satendra and three other elected members of Gram Sabha of village Kota. Appearing on behalf of the petitioners, counsel Vinod Sinha and Mahesh Sharma submitted before the court that the land could not be acquired and given to the town area without permission from authorities concerned. It was submitted that land in question is adjacent to two schools in a residential area, out of which one belongs to physically challenged children. The court also asked the state authorities to file a counter affidavit within six weeks.
SC judge recuses from hearing Tarun Tejpal's plea
Justice L Nageswara Rao of the Supreme Court today recused from hearing a plea filed by Tarun Tejpal, the founder of Tehelka magazine, against the Bombay High Court order dismissing his petition seeking quashing of rape and other charges levelled against him by a former colleague. A bench comprising Justices Rao and S A Bobde took up the petition for hearing, but after senior advocate Kapil Sibal, representing Tejpal, referred to one of the documents in the case file, Justice Rao recused from hearing. Initially, Justice Bobde observed, "we are not interfering with it (high court's order)". Sibal, however, referred to one of the documents and said the issue in it should have been pointed out earlier by them. He also said that he was ready to make a statement that the matter could be heard by the bench. "List before the Bench of which one of us, (L Nageswara Rao, J) is not a member," the bench noted in its order. The Bombay High Court at Goa had on December 20 last year dismissed ...
Iran headscarf protester sparks social media storm
A video showing an Iranian policeman shoving a woman protesting against mandatory headscarves off her makeshift podium in a busy Tehran street sparked criticism on social media today. The video of the solitary female demonstrator was apparently shot on Enghelab (Revolution) Street, where a woman was first detained in December after standing with her head uncovered waving a scarf on a stick. Since then several dozen Iranian women have published photos of themselves in the street or parks, their heads uncovered, waving their scarves in an act of defiance. The woman in the video is seen standing on a street cabinet with her arms raised in the air, her long blond hair worn in a high pony tail. Asked by two policeman to get down, she replies calmly: "Tell me what my offence is and I'll get down." "Disturbing public order," one of them says. A crowd then forms and starts clapping. In the second part of the video, apparently shot on a cellphone, one of the policemen steps up to the same ...
Gangrape case: SC seeks UP's response on bail plea by ex-minister
The Supreme Court today sought the response of Uttar Pradesh Police on a plea by former minister Gayatri Prasad Prajapati seeking bail in connection with an alleged gangrape case in which he is one of the accused. A bench comprising Justices A K Sikri and Ashok Bhushan issued notice to the police on Prajapati's petition challenging the Allahabad High Court's December last year's order dismissing his plea seeking bail in the case. The apex court fixed the matter for hearing on March 16. Prajapati was sacked as a minister by then Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav from his cabinet in 2016 during a family feud with his father Mulayam Singh Yadav and uncle Shivpal Yadav. He was later reinstated in the council of ministers in Uttar Pradesh. An FIR was lodged in the matter at Gautampalli police station in Lucknow after the Supreme Court last year rebuked the state police during the then Samajwadi Party regime for not registering the case. A Chitrakoot-based woman had accused the former minister
HC seeks Centre's response on seizure of Patanjali's sandalwood
The Delhi High Court has sought the response of the Centre and the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) on Baba Ramdev's Patanjali Ayurved's plea challenging seizure of several tonnes of red sandalwood it was going to export to China. A bench of Justices Sanjiv Khanna and Chander Shekhar issued notice to the Centre and the DRI seeking their stand on Patanjali's plea for release of its goods which, according to it, was authorised for export by the Directorate General of Foreign Trade (DGFT). The company has claimed in its plea that even the export authorization issued by DGFT was seized by DRI. The Customs Department and the DRI had recently seized over 50 tonnes of red sandalwood logs that Patanjali had bought in an e-auction held by the Andhra Pradesh Forest Department. Currently, only inferior grades of sandalwood are allowed for export and the consignment was seized as it contained superior variants, the DRI had said defending its decision. The court will hear the matter next .
Trump says Mexico must do more to combat MS-13
President Donald Trump is calling on Mexico to block MS-13 gang members from travelling through their country on the way to the US. Trump tweets that gang members are being removed "by the thousands" by federal law enforcement agents, "but these killers come back in from El Salvador, and through Mexico, like water." Trump accuses El Salvador of just paying lip service to combatting the violent international gang based there, and says Mexico "must help MORE with this problem." He adds: "We need The Wall!" The Friday morning tweet comes a day after Trump suggested he may pull the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agency out of California as punishment for so-called "sanctuary cities" in the state. The threat was dismissed as bluster by even some of Trump's staunchest supporters.