Page 1974 - Law Crime
HC quashes 'land scam' FIR against former CM Chandy, 4 others
The Kerala High Court today quashed an FIR against former Chief Minister Oommen Chandy, former Chief Secretary E K Bharat Bhushan and three others in an alleged land scam, noting that it was based on "assumed facts and false statements". The court gave the verdict on petitions filed by Bhushan and two others, seeking to quash the FIR registered by the Vigilance and Anti-Corruption Bureau (VACB). The FIR deals with alleged irregularities in construction of a building and shifting a sewage pipeline of Kerala Water Authority (KWA) in Pattoor in Thiruvananthapuram when Chandy was the chief minister in the previous Congress-led UDF government. The charge was that Bhushan and Chandy committed criminal misconduct by abusing their official positions to cause undue advantage to the builders. They allegedly permitted the realtor to shift the KWA sewerage pipeline that passed through the middle of his property to ensure that it does not pose a hindrance to the realtor's ...
Tamil Nadu doctor arrested for sexually abusing junior
The doctor of a private hospital in Coimbatore has been arrested for allegedly sexually abusing a minor nursing student.The incident came to light after the victim (17) revealed the incident to her colleagues, said police on Friday.Dr KT Ravindran, the accused, sedated and sexually abused her while she was in an unconscious state on February 5, added police.They then approached the wife of the accused who was a practicing doctor in the hospital. However, she refused to help them which prompted one of the victim's colleagues to report the incident to the Childline Helpline.Acting swiftly, the helpline informed the state police about it who then arrested the accused.He was produced before the District Magistrate court this morning and will be in the police custody for a period of 15 days for interrogation.
Oppn meets President, demands SIT probe in Judge Loya death case
United Opposition on Friday met President Ram Nath Kovind and demanded high-level probe into alleged mysterious death of Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) judge B H Loya.Congress President Rahul Gandhi led a delegation of leaders from 13 opposition parties to meet the President and discussed the matter with him."114 MPs from 15 parties have signed memorandum. His (Judge BH Loya) death is suspicious. There have been two other suspicious deaths. Many MPs from both Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha felt discomfort over it and also feel that the matter should be probed and a Special Investigation Team (SIT) should be formed," Rahul said.Gandhi said such probe will be an ode to judge Loya and his family."We just want to have a proper investigation done by an independent structure that gives us the outcome. A judge died under suspicious circumstances. It will be an ode to him and his family that the investigation takes place properly," Gandhi said.The Congress President also said that President
SC paves way for appointments in all 19 tribunals in country
The Supreme Court today paved the way for appointment of chairpersons, judicial and others members of all 19 tribunals including CAT and NGT that were stalled due to pendency of pleas challenging the 2017 Finance Act and the rules governing the panels. The Finance Act and the Tribunal, Appellate and other Authorities (Qualifications, Experience and other conditions of Service of Members) Rules, which govern appointments, tenure, removal and other service conditions of chairpersons and members of tribunals, had been challenged on grounds including that they gave more powers to the executive and interfered with the judicial independence of the panels. In an order, which virtually stayed the new law and the rules on tribunals, a bench headed by Chief Justice Dipak Misra said the appointments in tribunals like Central Administrative Tribunal (CAT), National Green Tribunal (NGT) and Armed Forces Tribunal (AFT) would be made under the old rules with some ...
No encroachment allowed on govt land: HC
State is the absolute owner of its land even if it has not taken its possession and encroachers cannot be allowed to seek regularisation of colonies on such public land, the Delhi High Court has said. The high court made it clear that if a land has been acquired by the government and it has not yet taken its possession, still the land is vested with the state pursuant to acquisition proceedings. The court dismissed the plea of a person who had claimed that the land on which his house was built was never in possession of the government and he had become the owner of the land by purchasing it from another person. He was dispossessed from the property in south Delhi by the DDA in January 2007. Justice Valmiki J Mehta said the court cannot permit the argument that the land claimed by the plaintiff is included in the application of a private Residents Welfare Association for regularisation of the colony, so he should be entitled to protection under the National Capital ...
Brother-sister duo killed as tractor hits two-wheeler in UP
A brother-sister duo were killed today after their motorcycle was hit by a tractor on the Leharpur-Biswan road here, police said. The accident occurred when Ankit Singh (20) was taking his sister, Siddhi Singh (18), to an examination centre, where she had been taking her board exams, police said, adding that both died on the spot. The tractor driver managed to flee leaving the vehicle behind, they said. An investigation into the matter was underway.
Barricade case: NHRC notices to Home secy, Delhi police chief
The NHRC has sent notices to the Union Home Secretary and the city police commissioner over the death of man after his neck got stuck in a chain used to tie two police barricades in north west Delhi's Subhash Place. The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has also asked the Delhi police chief to "inform whether any action has been taken against the guilty police personnel as, reportedly, there have been several such incidents in the past". "Leaving them unattended, in such a careless manner, tantamount to criminal breach of duty. Due to clumsiness of the public servants, a precious young human life has been lost. This is a case of serious violation of human rights," the rights panel said in a statement. The Commission has also issued notices to the Union Home Secretary, the Commissioner of Police, Delhi, and "sought detailed reports, along with existing guidelines for management of police pickets or barricades, their deployment and removal, and the extent to which ...
Four chain-snatchers arrested, gold worth Rs 11.5 lakh
The arrests of four people in the past few days has led to the solving of 21 cases of chain-snatching in the Vasai-Virar belt here, police said today. Superintendent of Police Manjunath Shinge said that following a spike in chain snatching cases in the area since October last year, special teams were formed which led to the arrest of the four persons. Shinge identified them as Faiaz alias Pappu Imitiaz Ansari (20), Malang Yassar Ali Zaffri (21), Jaffar Irani (34) and Rehamt Irani (25). Shinge said that 18 cases of chain-snatching in areas like Manickpur, Arnala and Tulinj stood solved with the arrest of Ansari and Zaffri and 275 grams of stolen gold, worth Rs 8.25 lakh, had also been recovered. Three offences registered with Arnala police station were also solved, he said, due to the arrest of the Irani duo, adding that 110 grams of gold, worth Rs 3.3 lakh, was recovered. Additional SP Raj Tilak Roshan said that the arrested persons were also involved in cases in Mumbai
Shopkeeper held for alleged molestation
Police today arrested a 23-year-old man from Bhiwandi in the district for allegedly molesting a minor girl. Police sub-inspector Yogita Kokate of Narpoli police station said the girl, resident of Gundavali, had gone to the shop run by Arvind Kumar Shivnath Rai, the accused, to buy shampoo sachet yesterday when he allegedly molested her. He was arrested for molestation under the IPC as well as for offences under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act, 2012.
Jaitley to be cross-examined before single judge, not joint
The Delhi High Court today decided to transfer from the joint registrar to a court the ongoing cross-examination of Arun Jaitley in a defamation suit filed by him against AAP chief Arvind Kejriwal and five other party leaders. Justice Manmohan said the cross examination of the Union finance minister be done by a single judge of the high court. He further said the joint registrar's order directing Kejriwal to conclude Jaitley's cross-examination on February 12 becomes infructuous as now the court will decide the time frame and relevancy of questions put to the Union minister. The court has fixed the matter for February 12 before Justice Rajiv Sahai Endlaw for recording evidence of Jaitley in the case. The finance minister has already been cross-examined on nine different occasions before the joint registrar. The court agreed to delegate the cross-examination of the senior BJP leader to the single judge after the counsel for Jaitley and Kejriwal agreed to it. "I agree to ...
172 people arrested for online gun sales in China
Police in China have arrested 172 people and busted 12 gangs allegedly involved in online sale of guns in eight provincial regions, the government said today. The police has also busted 13 gun manufacturing dens and confiscated 366 firearms, including air guns, pistols and shotguns, as well as over 20,000 accessories, state run Xinhua news agency said quoting the Ministry of Public Security (MPS) statement. However, the period during which the arrests were made was not specified. According to the Ministry, which has pledged to continue tough stance against the gun crime, online gun sales seriously disturbs social stability and the people's sense of security. It asked the public to improve their legal knowledge, not to manufacture or sell guns, and turn in any illegally possessed guns. They also encouraged the people to report any knowledge of gun crime to the police. In March 2016, police from east China's Jiangxi Province noticed information on gun sales that was ...
Woman slits one-year-old daughter's throat, arrested
A woman has been arrested for allegedly killing her one-year-old daughter by slitting her throat with a sharp weapon for constantly crying in a village in Madhya Pradesh, police said on Friday.
HC declines to entertain PIL against biopic on Army legend
The Delhi High Court today declined to entertain a PIL to stop the filming of a biopic on Army Rifleman Jaswant Singh Rawat, who was posthumously awarded the Maha Vir Chakra for gallantry during the 1962 Sino-Indian war. The plea had sought stopping of the shooting on the ground that a rape accused, out on bail, was portraying the role of the Army legend and that no consent had been taken from Rawat's family or the Ministry of Defence to make the biopic. A bench of Acting Chief Justice Gita Mittal and Justice C Hari Shankar said that the court cannot decide who will play what role in a film. It also observed that there was no law that said a person out on bail cannot portray a soldier or a legend and asked the petitioner, Samrendra Kumar, to withdraw the plea and, instead, move a representation before the ministry. Kumar withdrew the plea, which said, Rawat, a rifleman in the 4 Garhwal Rifles, was posthumously awarded the Maha Vir Chakra and continues to get promotions .
Guj-based firm's director sent to judicial custody in money
A Gujarat-based pharma firm's director was today sent to judicial custody in a money laundering case related to an alleged bank fraud of over Rs 5,000 crore. Additional Sessions Judge Ajay Pandey sent Rajbhushan Omprakash Dixit to judicial custody after special public prosecutor Nitesh Rana, appearing for the Enforcement Directorate (ED), said his further custodial interrogation was not required. Rana moved an application seeking 14 days judicial custody for the accused which was allowed by the court. This is the third arrest in the case. The agency had earlier this month arrested a former Director of Andhra Bank, Anup Prakash Garg, and a Delhi-based businessman Gagan Dhawan in November last year. While Garg is currently in judicial custody, Dhawan was granted bail on January 4. All three have been arrested under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA). They were named as accused in the cases by the ED and the CBI. The ED registered a money laundering case in this
4-year-old mauled to death by a tiger
In a shocking incident, a four-year-old girl was mauled to death by a tiger in Kerala's Thrissur on Friday.The body was recovered by police from the nearby tea garden in Thrissur.As reported, police conducted a search operation in around the village where the victim used to live following a missing complaint filed by the parents of the girl early today.
Custody plea of suspended Bharathiar University V-C posted to
A court here today posted to February 12, the hearing of a petition filed by the DVAC seeking five days custody of suspended Bharathiar University vice-chancellor, A Ganapathy, who was arrested on graft charges. Ganapathy was arrested on February 3 for allegedly accepting Rs 30 lakh as bribe from an aspirant for the post of an assistant professor. He is lodged in the central jail along with chemistry professor Dharmaraj who allegedly brokered the deal. Since the Special Court Judge, John Mino, was on leave today, the accused were produced before the Chief Judicial Magistrate, Madurasekharan, who posted the hearing to February 12. The Directorate of Vigilance and Anti Corruption (DVAC) had filed the petition before the court yesterday, seeking five days custody of Ganapathy for further interrogation. While being taken back to the prison, Ganapathy asked journalists to report the matter as per their conscience and not sensationalise it. "I will come out clean from this ...
Goa Congress leader grilled by ACB in assets case
The Anti-Corruption Branch of Goa police today questioned Leader of Opposition in the Assembly Chandrakant Kavlekar in connection with a disproportionate assets case registered against him. Kavlekar, who was granted interim anticipatory bail by a court in Margao yesterday, appeared before the investigating officer here today. "He was questioned for three hours as we wanted some clarifications on missing links in the case. If required, we will call him again," a senior ACB official said. The Congress leader had been summoned by the ACB on February 5, but he didn't appear then, saying he was busy with preparations for the coming session of the Goa Assembly. Kavlekar, who represents Quepem constituency, is accused of having assets disproportionate to his known sources of income. His wife Savitri, who is a director in a company owned by him, is named in the case for abetment of crime. The first information report (FIR) registered against the couple states that he bought ...
Over Rs 18 lakh seized in fake notes; three held
Three persons have been arrested on charges of depositing fake currency notes in an automatic teller machine of a private bank here, police said today. Fake notes with a total face value of Rs 18.60 lakh, plain papers used for printing the notes and printing equipment were seized from their possession. Police said one of them, Jagangir, had allegedly deposited fake notes in the denomination of Rs 2000 with a face value of Rs 42,000 in the ATM. They said the Bank manager told them that the machine had rejected the notes, adding, Jagangir, Abbaz and Kathiresan, were arrested after CCTV footage at the ATM kiosk was accessed.
Forest officer shot at after he stops sand-carrying truck
Police have registered a case of attempt to murder against four men after one of them shot at a forest official when he stopped a truck carrying illegally excavated sand in the district. The forest officer was unhurt in the incident that took place in Nayatal forest area on the night of February 7. "We booked Raju, Raja, Balai and one unidentified person for firing at Forest Sub Division Officer Abhishek Tomar (45) for attempt to murder and other offences," Bijawar Sub Divisional Officer of Police (SDOP) S S Dhore said. Raju shot at Tomar after the latter stopped a tractor-trolley laden with sand, but the bullet didn't hit him, the police officer said. Mining sand from rain-fed streams in the forested area is banned, he added.
Muzaffarnagar authorities against withdrawal of riots cases
District authorities are not in favour of withdrawal of the cases, mostly against political leaders, related to the Muzaffarnagar riots of 2013 in which over 60 people were killed and over 40,000 rendered homeless, official sources said here today. The district authorities, in response to two letters from the Uttar Pradesh Department of Justice, have advocated against the withdrawal of 10 such cases as the court has already taken cognisance against the accused after charge sheets were filed by the police and the special investigation team (SIT) probing the riots cases, the sources said. Some of the cases were filed against UP minister Suresh Rana, former Union minister Sanjiv Balyan, MP Bhartendu Singh, MLA Umesh Malik and BJP leader Sadhvi Prachi. In the two letters to the Muzaffarnagar district magistrate, the Uttar Pradesh Department of Justice had sought information on 13 points including whether the cases could be withdrawn in public interest. The district ...