Page 1928 - Law Crime
France arrests three linked to Barcelona attacks: Spain
Three people were arrested in France today for alleged links to a suspect in last year's deadly jihadist attacks in Barcelona and a nearby seaside resort, the Spanish interior ministry said today. The arrests were made during a joint operation with French and Spanish police in the south and southwest of France, the ministry said in a statement. A total of 16 people were killed when a van drove into crowds on the popular Las Ramblas boulevard in the heart of Barcelona and in a knife attack in the nearby resort of Cambrils in August 2017. The three arrested were suspected to have links with Moroccan national Driss Oukabir, who was alleged to have rented the van used in the Barcelona rampage. Oukabir was arrested shortly after the attacks - which were claimed by the Islamic State group - and remanded in custody on terror-related offences.
PNB case: Three bank officials sent to police custody till Mar 3
A special CBI court here today sent three officials of the Punjab National Bank, who were arrested yesterday in connection with an alleged fraud of Rs 11,384 crore in the State-run bank, to police custody till March 3. The three accused -- Bechhu Tiwari, the then chief manager in the "forex" department of the PNB's Brady House branch in the city, Yashwant Joshi, scale II manager in the "forex" department, and Praful Sawant, scale-I officer handling the "exports" section -- were arrested by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) last evening in connection with the alleged scam involving jewellery merchants Nirav Modi and Mehul Choksi. Special court judge S R Tamboli sent the three to police custody till March 3.
Singhvi gets IT notice for Nirav Modi purchases
The Income Tax Department on Tuesday said an "inquiry notice" was sent to Congress leader Abhishek Manu Singhvi's wife Anita who had allegedly bought diamonds and jewellery worth Rs 6.5 crore from a store owned by fugitive Nirav Modi.
Punjab CM orders action against illegal colonisation
Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh today ordered a strict action against any further illegal colonisation in the state, an official spokesperson said. He directed the concerned departments to ensure that genuine buyers of plots in legal colonies do not face any harassment. The chief minister has issued the directives aimed at streamlining urban development and eliminating illegal construction to the state government as well as the Department of Housing and Urban Department, the spokesperson said. He has also instructed the chief administrators of the development authorities to send updated lists of illegal colonies in their respective jurisdiction as well as within the municipal limits to the concerned deputy commissioners. All steps should be taken to ensure that there is no harassment to the genuine buyers of plots in legal colonies, the chief minister has directed, the spokesperson added. The spokesperson further said that the CM has requested his colleagues in the cabinet ...
Police registers FIR in Delhi CS alleged assault case
The Delhi Police has registered an FIR on a complaint by Delhi Chief Secretary Anshu Prakash who alleged that he was assaulted by a few AAP MLAs during a meeting at Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal's residence. The case was registered today under relevant sections of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) pertaining to wrongful restraint, criminal intimidation, causing hurt and obstructing a public servant from performing his duty, a senior police officer said. Prakash was allegedly manhandled by a few AAP legislators at Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal's residence last night. The chief minister's office dismissed the accusation as "bizarre and baseless". Prakash was called by Kejriwal regarding an issue related to advertisements, which were not being released, the official said. However, the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) claimed that he was called for a discussion on rations.
Give suggestions to improve criminal justice system: SC to states, HCs
The Supreme Court today asked all states, union territories and the High Courts to file their responses along with suggestions by March 16 on the need to amend criminal manuals to bring about uniform best practices across the country and improve the criminal justice system. A bench comprising Justices S A Bobde and L Nageswara Rao said the responses and suggestions be handed over to senior advocate R Basant, who is assisting the court as an amicus curiae in the matter, to enable him convene a meeting with all the parties and formulate a draft proposal, which would be dealt with by the top court. The bench said the draft proposal should be submitted to the court by April 16. During the hearing, the bench observed that the issue before it was "completely non-adverserial" and all the parties should sit together and deliberate upon it. The court was told that the states and high courts, which have not yet filed their responses and suggestions, could furnish them by March 16 so that the ...
Varsity official held for duping youth after promising job
The deputy registrar of the Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar Marathwada University was today arrested for allegedly duping a youth of Rs 3 lakh after promising him a job, police said. Ishwar Manza took Rs three lakh from an unemployed youth and promised him a job in one of the city college, Assistant Commissioner of Police Crime Rameshwar Thorat said. Manza did not provide the job. After that the youth asked him to return the money, following which the accused gave him two cheques. However, both the cheques bounced, the officer said. Following a complaint at the Cantonment police station, Manza was arrested from his residence in Itkheda area, another police official said.
Imran Khan facing probe into use of govt helicopter
Pakistan's anti-graft agency has launched a probe into the alleged use of a provincial government helicopter by Opposition leader Imran Khan that reportedly cost the national exchequer over Rs 100 million, according to a media report today.
I-T dept raids 20 premises linked to Choksi, Gitanjali group
The Income Tax Department today raided 20 premises linked to Gitanjali Gems promoter Mehul Choksi and associated firms in connection with a tax evasion case, official sources said. They said the searches were being conducted in Mumbai, Pune, Surat, Hyderabad, Bengaluru and few other cities against 13 companies linked to Choksi and the Gitanjali Gems. A total of 20 premsies are being raided by a team of over 110 I-T sleuthsm, the sources said. The department has recently attached bank accounts and other assets of Choksi and the Gitanjali group. Choksi, and his relative Nirav Modi and others, are being investigated by multiple probe agencies after it recently came to light, following a complaint by the Punjab National Bank, that they allegedly cheated the nationalised bank to the tune of Rs 11,400 crore, with the purported involvement of a few employees o f the bank. The Central Bureau of Investigation and the Enforcement Directorate have registered two FIRs each to probe the case.
Nagpur cops file six new cases in Gosikhurd scam
Nagpur Police today registered six new offences in alleged Gosikhurd irrigation scam which pertains to irregularities in the tender process of the project, official said. Around 14 offences have been registered in connection with the scam in Nagpur till date, an official said. Investigating agency Anti Corruption Bureau (ACB) today approached the police and lodged a complaint against officials and contractors, a senior police official said. Gosikhurd project falls under the Vidarbha Irrigation Development Corporation (VIDC). During the open enquiry into the scam, the ACB found major irregularities and lapses in tender process as well as involvement of then engineers, divisional accounts officers of the department, contractors and their partners, he said. The cost of the tenders was illegally inflated by the government officials to favour specific contractors and their partners, he said. Officials of the VIDC allowed some contractors to participate in tendering process ...
Three arrested for involvement in criminal activities
Three persons were arrested today from Odisha's Ganjam district for their alleged involvement in around 30 criminal cases, police said. The trio was taken into custody after a brief exchange of fire at Kakudia forest in the district, DIG (southern range) Ashish Kumar Singh said. One of the three accused, Buchi Patra (25), sustained bullet injuries during the gun battle and was admitted to a community health center (CHC) in Polasara, he said. The other two, Ajit Nayak (24) and Akhaya Nayak (25), are being questioned by police, Singh said. "While Buchi was involved in around 30 heinous crimes like attempt to murder, dacoity and robbery in various areas of Ganjam district, around 20 cases were pending against the other two. In most cases, trio committed crime together," Tapaswini Kanhar, inspector in-charge of Polasara police station, said. A motorcycle and some ammunition have been seized from their possession, Kanhar, who led the operation, added.
SC asks firm, in which Rajinikanth's wife is director, to pay dues to ad agency
The Supreme Court today asked a firm, in which superstar Rajinikanth's wife Latha Rajinikanth is a director, to pay the dues of Rs 6.2 crore to an advertising agency which had given the money to it during the post-production of 2014 film 'Kochadaiiyaan'. A bench comprising Justices Ranjan Gogoi and R Banumathi clarified that if the firm -- Mediaone Global Entertainment Ltd -- does not pay the dues to AD-Bureau Advertising Pvt Ltd within three months, then Latha would have to pay the amount as per the undertaking given by her. "Within the aforesaid period of three months if the company - Mediaone Global Entertainment Limited - does not pay the balance dues, the respondent-accused (Latha Rajinikanth) has undertaken before the court to pay the amount due," the bench noted in its order. "On the basis of the aforesaid statement made on behalf of the respondent-accused, we adjourn the hearing of the case by three months," the bench, while keeping the plea pending for three months, said and .
Indore school bus accident: HC grants bail to DPS principal
The Madhya Pradesh High Court today granted bail to the principal of Delhi Public School (DPS) here, who was arrested for alleged violation of rules, following the death of four students of the institute in a bus accident on January 5. Justice Satish Chandra Sharma of the High Court's Indore bench granted bail to DPS principal Sudarshan Sonar. Sonar's lawyers argued that his arrest was not legal and the mishap occurred due to negligence of the bus driver and there was no criminal responsibility of the school principal. However, the public prosecutor opposed Sonar's bail plea saying that being the head of the institution, he could not be absolved from the responsibility of the accident. Sonar was arrested on February 12 for allegedly violating rules and regulations related to transport and maintenance of school buses. The district court had twice rejected his bail plea. On January 5, a bus belonging to the school had rammed into a truck at Kanadiya bypass, killing four students and the
Rotomac bank fraud: I-T dept attaches 14 bank accounts
After the CBI and the ED, the Income Tax Department has stepped up action against the Rotomac group and its promoters attaching 14 bank accounts in connection with an alleged tax evasion probe against them, officials said today. While 11 accounts, that are in various bank branches in Uttar Pradesh, were attached last night, three were put under similar prohibitory orders last month, they said. The provisional attachment action has been carried out to "recover outstanding tax demands", understood to be about Rs 85 crore, they said. They added that while the 11 accounts frozen last night are in the name of the Rotomac group, the rest three are in the name of the Kothari family. The Kanpur-based group is being probed by the CBI and the Enforcement Directorate in connection with an alleged bank loan fraud of Rs 3,695 crore, given by a consortium of seven banks. The CBI had registered a criminal case against Rotomac Global Pvt Limited, its director Vikram Kothari, his wife Sadhana Kothari
Cabinet approves Mahanadi Water Disputes Tribunal
Union Cabinet has given its approval to the proposal for the setting up of the Mahanadi Water Disputes Tribunal.The Tribunal will be set up under the provisions of the Inter-State River Disputes Act, 1956 at the request of the state of Odisha, one of the parties to the dispute.The Tribunal will have to determine the water sharing arrangement among basin states of Odisha and Chattisgarh. The tribunal will take its decisions based on certain parameters, which will include the overall availability of water in the complete Mahanadi basin; the contribution of each state to the Mahanadi basin and the present utilisation of water resources in each state and the potential for future development.It is expected that the Tribunal will through its adjudication and it is expected that it will help bring to an end the long standing dispute between the States of Odisha and Chattisgarh over the sharing of the water of the Mahanadi river.According to the provisions of the Inter-State River Water ...
Love Jihad case: Hadiya files affidavit in SC
In a recent development in the famous Kerala Love Jihad case, Hadiya has filed an affidavit before the Supreme Court, stating that she is a Muslim and wants to remain the same.She also stated that she wants to remain as the wife of Safi Jahan.On January 23, 2018, the three-judge bench, headed by Chief Justice Dipak Misra, said, "Marriage has to be separate from criminal activity, otherwise we will be creating a bad precedent in law". The bench further added that "We cannot go into the marriage, whether the person she married is a good human being or a bad human being. The NIA can investigate all other aspects, except her marriage."The bench posted the matter for further hearing to February 22.On November 27, last year, the Supreme Court had in its order directed that Hadiya be taken to Shivaraj, Homeopathy college at Salem, Tamil Nadu, to continue her 11-month studies.The college was further ordered to make all the arrangements for her necessary hostel facilities to complete her ...
Cal HC paralyses for 2nd day in cease work by lawyers
Justice delivery system remained paralysed at the Calcutta High Court for the second consecutive day today as lawyers stayed away owing to a five-day strike called by the Bar Association, demanding the appointment of judges. Shorn of the lawyers and litigants, the gothic corridors of the high court wore a deserted look. Judges were present in the court in the morning and petitions were called for hearing, but with lawyers not appearing on behalf of any party they later retired to their chambers. Calcutta High Court Bar Association president Uttam Majumdar claimed that the second day of the cease work demanding immediate filling up of vacant posts of judges was totally successful. The high court has only 30 judges at present, while the sanctioned strength is of 72 judges. Out of the present strength of the 30 sitting judges, two judges on rotation are permanently at the Andaman and Nicobar circuit bench of the high court. There were 2,22,648 cases pending before the Calcutta High Court
Woman lecturer shot dead in MP
A 30-year old woman lecturer was shot dead by a masked man from point blank range when she was on her way to a college in Chhanera town in Khandwa district of Madhya Pradesh, police said today. A day after the incident, police announced a reward of Rs one lakh for anyone who has credible information about the motorcycle-borne assailant. "Kirti Mali was shot in head by a motorcycle-borne man when she was walking to the government polytechnic college, along with her colleagues, from Chhanera (Naya Harsud) railway station last morning," said Naya Harsud police station in-charge B L Atode. Mali, a resident of Ramnagar in Khandwa, used to travel daily by train along with her colleagues from Khandwa to Chhanera, a distance of nearly 38 kms, he said. When Mali was walking with her colleagues, a man riding a motorcycle stopped near here, called her name and shot her in head with a pistol, the officer said. "Before he pulled out a pistol, the man greeted Mali with a hello, which .
Nirav Modis lawyer asks why would his client run away
The lawyer of Nirav Modi, who is at the centre of controversy over the Rs 11,500 crore banking fraud, today questioned reports that his client has fled the country asking why would anyone run away leaving behind assets worth over Rs 5,000 crore. Everybody is saying that Nirav Modi has run away. Why would anyone flee, leaving assets worth Rs 5000 to 6000 crore for the Enforcement Directorate to recover," advocate Vijay Aggarwal, who represents Modi, told PTI on phone. However, he did not reply to questions about his client's whereabouts or whether or when he would return to India. "I have studied the case file and this case will have a similar fate like that of the 2G and Bofors. Agencies are making all the noises in the media. They will not be able to prove these charges in the court. Nirav will not be found guilty, Im certain, the lawyer said. Aggarwal said if anyone is worried about the recovery of the bank money, first the ED should deposit the money seized by it in the bank. Now ..
Bhima-Koregaon violence: SC extends interim relief to prime accused till Mar 14
The Supreme Court on Tuesday extended the interim relief of anticipatory bail to Milind Ramakant Ekbote, the prime accused in the Bhima-Koregaon violence, till March 14.Now the Apex Court would hear the matter on March 14.On January 1, the violence at Bhima Koregaon left one dead and injured several others, including 10 policemen.Earlier on February 7, the Supreme Court granted interim protection from arrest to Ekbote.The apex court bench headed by Justice Kurian Joseph granted Ekbote interim protection from arrest till February 20.It also sought a response from the Maharashtra government on his plea for anticipatory bail.On January 29, Ekbote's plea was mentioned before the bench, led by Justice Gavai after a sessions court refused to grant him any interim protection from arrest.Earlier last month, a special court in Pune had rejected a plea for anticipatory bail filed by Ekbote, in regards to the same case.Two FIRs were registered against Ekbote alleging his role in the violence at .