Page 1943 - Law Crime
Admitted al-Qaida fighter gets life in prison
A self-described al-Qaida "warrior" who was in a firefight in Afghanistan that left two US servicemen dead has been sentenced to life in prison. A federal judge in Brooklyn pronounced the sentence Friday for Ibrahim Suleiman Adnan Harun. Prosecutors told jurors that while in Italian custody, he confessed that he threw a grenade and shot at an American military unit in a 2003 ambush. The firefight killed Army Pvt. Jerod Dennis, of Antlers, Oklahoma, and Air Force Airman Ray Losano, of Del Rio, Texas. The government also says that while he was on the run, Harun masterminded a failed plot to bomb a U.S. embassy in Nigeria. Harun was extradited from Italy to the United States in 2012.
Rape case against French budget minister dropped
French prosecutors today said they had dropped an investigation into claims that Budget Minister Gerald Darmanin raped a woman who sought his help in having her criminal record expunged in 2009. The Paris prosecutors office said a preliminary probe had failed to establish "the absence of consent on the part of the complainant" or that she was acting "under constraint, threat, surprise or any sort of violence towards her." Darmanin, one of the star performers in President Emmanuel Macrons centrist government, had furiously denied pressuring the former call girl into sex in return for a promise to help her clear her name. The case comes in the midst of a global outpouring of accounts of sexual harassment and rape unleashed by the Hollywood producer Harvey Weinstein affair. Sophie Spatz, 46, made a first complaint against Darmanin in mid-2017, shortly after he was named minister, but the investigation was closed when she failed to attend questioning by the police. In mid-January she ...
CBI arrests GST official in bribery case
The CBI has arrested a deputy commissioner and another official of the goods and services tax department in Amravati in Maharashtra in connection with alleged bribery of Rs 1.5 lakh, an official said here today. The arrested are Deputy Commissioner M V Telgote and Head Hawaldar G D Mishra. "It was also alleged that Deputy Commissioner, GST, Amravati demanded a bribe of Rs 3 Lakh from the complainant for not imposing any penalty on him. Later, the accused reduced the bribe amount to Rs 1.5 Lakh when the complainant expressed his inability to pay and directed the complainant to hand over the bribe at Amravati," CBI Spokesperson Abhishek Dayal said here. The agency laid a trap and caught the deputy commissioner red-handed while allegedly accepting Rs 1.5 Lakh from the complainant, he said. During the investigation, the role of Head Hawaldar G D Mishra in the fraudulent transaction also came into light and he was arrested too, Dayal said. He said searches were conducted at the ...
US court overturns $21 mn damages for wrong brain surgery on Indian woman
A court has overturned the $21 million awarded to the family of a woman of Indian descent who was operated on her brain instead of her jaw because of a hospital mix-up, according to media reports.
Another Bengal Police officer arrested in extortion case
West Bengal CID on Friday arrested one more state police official in relation with the extortion case in West Midnapore district's Daspur, a senior CID official said.
Dispute resolved with Elan Group: PVR
Leading multiplex operator PVR today said it has "amicably resolved" dispute with the Elan Group over development of multiplexes in Gurgaon and has decided to withdraw pending legal proceedings. Both, PVR and Elan have reached a revised understanding with respect to leasing the multiplexes in commercial projects being developed by Elan group in Sector 80, Sector 67 and Sector 84 in Gurgaon, PVR said in a regulatory filing. "We are pleased to inform you that PVR Limited and Elan Group have amicably resolved all differences and disputes which had arisen between the parties on account of misunderstandings in relation to MoUs pertaining to development of multiplexes in Gurgaon," PVR said. "The parties have now mutually agreed and already initiated steps to withdraw all pending legal proceedings against their respective organisations as well as against their directors/officials," it further added. Both the parties had initiated multiple legal proceedings against each other under both civil
HC posts DMK plea on removal of Jaya's portrait to Monday
Madras High Court Chief Justice Indira Banerjee today observed that it was her personal opinion that portraits of convicted people should not be displayed in public offices but questioned how could the court interfere in decisions taken by an assembly's speaker. The CJ made the oral observation when a plea by DMK MLA Anbazhagan seeking removal of former chief minister J Jayalalithaa's portrait from the assembly, came up. The first bench comprising the chief justice and Justice Abdul Quddhose posted the matter for orders to Monday. The opposition DMK had moved the court seeking removal of the the portraits on the ground that she was found guilty on corruption charges. Senior counsel P Wilson, who appeared on behalf of Anbazhagan, argued that a plea seeking removal of photos and the name of Jayalalithaa displayed and mentioned in government offices, buildings, public sector undertakings and government schemes by the state government is still pending. When this was so, the portrait was ..
SC 'shirking responsibility' by sending cases of fundamental rights to HCs: Justice Ahmadi
Former Chief Justice of India A M Ahmadi today lamented that the Supreme Court is "shirking responsibility" by sending cases of fundamental rights to high courts, and hoped that the apex court will use its powers to prevent the violation of the basic rights. Noting that high courts have "limited" powers over the issue of fundamental rights, Ahmadi hoped that the apex court will not hesitate "to use Article 32 to enforce the fundamental rights, which is sometimes violated with impunity as the so-called gau rakshaks did in a spell in this country." "Any violation of the fundamental rights can be enforced only through Article 32 and yet I have seen several judgements where the Supreme Court has said 'go to the high court'. "That is shirking responsibility, if I am quoted. That is how I look at it," he said during a conference in New Delhi. He pointed out that the powers of the Supreme Court is very "broad" through which violation of fundamental rights can be remedied. The remarks came in
Rajasthan lynching: SC asks CBI to seek instruction on widow's plea
The Supreme Court on Friday asked the CBI to seek instructions from the Central government on conducting a probe and providing adequate compensation to the widow of a Muslim labourer, who was hacked and burnt alive in Rajasthan last year.
No sale in Nirav Modi showrooms, directs ED
The Enforcement Directorate on Friday filed a fresh case against businessman Nirav Modi in connection with Punjab National Bank (PNB) fraud case and directed his head office to ensure that no sales should happen in his showrooms.The agency also said that if the officials fail to abide by the direction then it would register another case.As per the sources, the agency also summoned Nirav Modi and another accused Mehul Choksi on February 23 at Mumbai office.Meanwhile, the Enforcement Directorate also conducted raids at 35 new locations across India in connection with the case.It also seized jewellery, diamond and gold worth Rs. 549 crore and identified 29 immovable properties of Nirav Modi.The agency yesterday also conducted searches at several places linked to Nirav Modi in Mumbai, Delhi and Gujarat, and seized diamond, jewellery and gold worth Rs. 5,100 crore.The raids came after the agency filed a money laundering case against Nirav Modi, his wife Ami, brother Nishal and relative ...
Toddler dies after choking on pea in Nashik
A one-year-old child today died after choking on a dried pea, police said. A police official said that Sujay Jayesh Bijutkar died after the pea got trapped in his food pipe (oesophagus), adding that the incident happened in the city's Hanuman Nagar area today morning. He informed that the child was rushed to a private hospital where doctors treated him and he was taken home. However a little later, officials said, the family observed that he had gone still and he was then taken to Nashik civil hospital. Hospital authorities declared him dead on arrival, said an official, adding that a case of accidental death had been registered with Ambad police.
Rape case against French budget minister dismissed: prosecutors
French prosecutors today said they had dropped an investigation into claims that Budget Minister Gerald Darmanin raped a woman who sought his help in having her criminal record expunged in 2009. The Paris prosecutors office said a preliminary probe had failed to establish "the absence of consent on the part of the plaintiff" or that she was acting "under constraint, threat, surprise or any sort of violence towards her.
After Jethmalani, another Sr advocate quits as Kejriwal's counsel in defamation case
After noted jurist Ram Jethmalani opted himself out in controversial circumstance from representing Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal in a defamation case filed against him by Union Minister Arun Jaitley, another senior advocate today expressed inability to appear for him in the Delhi High Court saying he felt embarrassed due to improper briefing by AAP chief's regular counsel. Senior advocate Anoop George Chaudhari, who had replaced Jethmalani, said he has written a letter to Kejriwal's counsel Anupam Srivastav that he will not appear for his client. The senior counsel cited the embarrassment he had to face during the cross-examination of the union minister on February 12 when Justice Rajiv Sahai Endlaw, cautioned him over the manner of cross-examination. Chaudhari said some of his questions were not allowed with remarks from the judge which he claimed was due to the briefing from the counsel who had not apprised him about certain facts and previous orders of the court. "Inspite of ...
Virbhadra Singh PMLA case: Court sends businessman to one day judicial custody
A special court today sent a businessman, arrested in connection with an around Rs 7 crore money laundering case against former Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh and others, to one day judicial custody. Special Judge Santosh Snehi Mann sent Vakamulla Chandrasekhar, the director/promoter of Tarini Group of Companies, to custody after he was produced before the court through ED's special public prosecutor N M Matta. The accused, arrested last night under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), was produced before the court and the agency sought his seven day custodial interrogation. The ED's remand application was opposed by the accused who questioned the agency's right to arrest and take his custody. "Judgments are cited by both the sides in support of their respective arguments and I need time to go through those judgments. Pending application of ED, accused is remanded to JC till February 17," the judge said. The agency had alleged that Chandrasekhar "had ...
SC reduces Tamil Nadu's Cauvery water share (Third Lead)
In a setback to Tamil Nadu, the Supreme Court on Friday reduced its share of the Cauvery river water to 177.25 thousand million cubic feet (TMC), down from 192 TMC allocated by a tribunal in 2007.
Navi Mumbai man gets 10 years RI for raping minor girl
A court here has sentenced a 21- year-man to 10 years rigorous imprisonment for raping a minor girl in 2016. Additional District Judge Sangita Khalipe, who pronounced the verdict yesterday, also imposed a fine of Rs 5,000 on Dharmendra Saket. According to the prosecution, Saket, a resident of Navi Mumbai, lured the six-year-old girl into his house on the pretext of giving her biscuits and raped her on September 11, 2016. The convict, who worked as a painter, and the girl were neighbours, Additional Public Prosecutor Sangita Hiwrale said. On reaching home, the girl told her mother about the incident following which a police complaint was filed against Saket. The accused was booked under IPC section 376 (punishment for rape) and also the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act (POCSO Act) 2012. The prosecution examined as many as eight witnesses, including the girl, to nail the culprit. The girl deposed in the court and identified the accused, Hiwrale said. Based on her ...
Govt withdraws plea to take over management control of Unitech
The government today withdrew its petition before the National Company Law Tribunal that was filed to take over the management of crisis-hit realty firm Unitech Ltd over alleged mismanagement and siphoning of funds. The matter was listed today before a two-member NCLT bench, headed by President MM Kumar. Earlier on January 12, the government had informed the Supreme Court that it would withdraw its petition from the NCLT as the apex court was already looking into the matter to protect the interests of the home buyers. During proceedings, the Supreme Court had observed that the NCLT should have taken its leave before allowing the Centre to take over the management of Unitech Ltd. On December 8, the NCLT had suspended all eight directors of Unitech over allegations of mismanagement and siphoning of funds, while authorising the government to appoint its 10 nominees on the board. The move had come on the government's plea to take over the management with a view to protecting the interest .
Koraput rape: Naveen seeks justice at earliest possible time
Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik today said his government wanted justice at the earliest possible time in the alleged gang rape and subsequent suicide of a minor girl in Koraput district. Patnaik's statement came in the backdrop of the opposition parties making the girl's alleged gang rape and suicide a major issue in Bijepur Assembly by-election slated for February 24. "We want justice at the earliest possible time in a most transparent manner," Patnaik told reporters. Stating that the state government always wants free and fair investigation into the case, Patnaik said the state government has urged the Orissa High Court to monitor the probe by the special investigation team (SIT). Opposition Congress and BJP have been accusing the BJD government of not being able to give justice to the minor girl who committed suicide on January 22. The 14-year-old girl was allegedly raped by four men while she was returning home from a market in Koraput on October 10 last year. .
Social media fight leads to gang killing rival near Pune
A 17-year-old was killed in a fight of one-upmanship on social media in the industrial town of Chakan, some 45 kilometres from here, police said. Police said that Aniket Sandip Shinde was killed yesterday after he put "Dad of the King" as his social media account status in response to the "King of Chakan" status put by accused Omkar Zagade. "Shinde and Zagade were known to each other and have been indulging in illegal activities to establish their dominance in the Chakan area and this led to rivalry," a Chakan police official said. "Recently Zagade had put "King of Chakan" as his status message on a social networking account. In response, Shinde kept his status message as "Dad of the King" which angered the accused and his fellow gang members," the official added. Shinde and Zagade, after exchanging abuses over phone, met at Sangramdurg yesterday, where Shinde was attacked by eight persons, the police said. He said that one of the persons in Zagade's group even fired a .
HC seeks Centre's reply on plea challenging levy of additional fee
The Delhi High Court today sought response of the Centre on a PIL seeking to quash certain provisions of the Central Motor Vehicle Rules which have revised the fees applicable for various services like issuance of learner's licence. A bench of Justices Sanjiv Khanna and Chander Shekhar asked the transport ministry of the government to place their stand on a plea by a trade union of autorikshwas in the national capital. The bench has fixed the matter for further consideration on April 23. The Delhi Auto Rikshaw Sangh in their plea by advocate Barun Kumar Sinha submitted that an amendment made in Rule 32 and Rule 81 of the Central Motor Vehicle Rules, whereby additional amount of fees have been levied to cover the cost of the technology utilised for conducting the tests or providing value added services, are unreasonable and arbitrary. The plea said that as per the amendment, in case of delay in applying for renewal of certificate of registration, an additional fee of Rs 300 for delay ..