Page 2029 - Law Crime
SC asks activist to amend plea,says may reduce Rs 25 lakh fine
The Supreme Court said today that it was ready to reduce a fine of Rs 25 lakh imposed on a social activist for filing a "frivolous" public interest litigation, if he amends his petition. The top court, on July 3, last year, had slapped a fine of Rs 25 lakh on Karnataka-based activist T J Abraham for challenging, in a PIL, the shifting of mini Vidhan Soudha, an office complex of the government, by six kilometres in Gulbarga, Karnataka. It had said that it was not in public interest. A bench, comprising Chief Justice Dipak Misra and Justices A M Khanwilkar and D Y Chandrachud, asked Abraham to file an amended application within two weeks and protected him against any coercive steps on account of non-submission of the the fine. The petition was an abuse of the concept of public interest litigation as it did not espouse any kind of public cause, the apex court had said. During the hearing of his petition seeking extension of time for payment of the fine and reduction in the .
Minor girl raped by youth in Odisha
A minor girl was allegedly raped by a youth at Kodibahal village in Odisha's Boudh district, police said today. The incident took place on the night of January 27. The 14-year-old girl was allegedly forcibly lifted by two youths when she along with her paternal aunt had gone to fetch water from a nearby tube well in the evening. The girl, a student of class 9 was taken to the nearby forest where one of the youth allegedly raped her, the survivor's family said in complaint lodged at Kantamal Police station. "One of the youths raped me after abducting me. I have recognised the accused ... while another youth is not known to me," the girl told reporters. "The girl's family has lodged the complaint at around 10.30 pm yesterday night. The girl said that she had arrived in the village to attend a marriage function of a relative. One of youths has raped her," said Inspector-in-Charge (IIC) of Kantamal police station, Purna Chandra Kishan. "We have launched search operation to ...
Shah forms committee to look into rape, suicide of Dalit girl
BJP chief Amit Shah has formed a three-member committee of party leaders to look into the case of a minor Dalit girl in Odisha who allegedly committed suicide after she was raped. Shah has asked party general secretary Saroj Pandey, and MPs Jyoti Dhruve and Anju Bala to visit the state and submit a report to the party, a BJP statement said. The girl had alleged that she was raped by four men in uniform in Kunduli on October 10 last year when she was about 5km from her home in Musaguda village, in the state's Naxal- hit Koraput district. She later allegedly took her life.
Suggest ways to restrict No. of vehicles in Mumbai: HC to govt
The Bombay High Court today directed the Maharashtra government and civic authorities to suggest ways to limit the number of vehicles on Mumbai roads. A bench of Justices Naresh Patil and N W Sambre also asked the state transport department if it was possible to impose a condition that one must produce proof of having access to adequate parking space when buying a vehicle. The Transport Department and the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) should submit their suggestions within two weeks, the court said. "A person who can't afford to buy a car can't even walk on the sidewalk because there are vehicles parked illegally. You (the state) are snatching his right by indiscriminately allowing so many vehicles on the road and permitting their owners to park illegally," the bench said. "Does the BMC have any data on how many residents or families own more than one car? Lakhs of new vehicles are registered every day in the city. This can't be permitted to continue," it ...
37-year-old case: HC relief for senior CBI officer
The Delhi High Court today set aside a trial court order imposing a cost of Rs 10,000 on the Director of Prosecution of the CBI for causing delay in the trial of a 37-year-old theft case. Justice Vinod Goel also said that simply because a senior public prosecutor was transferred and another prosecutor was posted, "there was no authority for the Special Judge (trial court) to pass disparaging remarks" against the CBI or its Director of Prosecution. The court's order came on a plea by the CBI challenging the special court's September 2017 order of passing strictures against the agency and its director of prosecution. The trial court had also imposed a cost of Rs 10,000 on the Director of Prosecution, CBI for causing delay in adjudication of the sessions case by not posting a senior public prosecutor well in advance before the previous prosecutor was relieved. Setting aside the trial court's direction, the high court observed, "The special judge order was without any ...
Notorious criminal booked under PSA in J-K
A notorious criminal, who was allegedly involved in creating frequent disruptions in the completion of railway projects, was today arrested and booked for three months under the Public Safety Act (PSA) in Jammu and Kashmir's Reasi district, police said. Deputy Commissioner Reasi Prasanna Ramaswamy issued the detention order under the PSAagainst Shakoor Ahmad alias Shoki, a resident of Kattal Gran Morh. He was found to be involved in many criminal activities, besides creating frequent disruptions in the smooth completion of railway projects of national importance which are presently underway in the district, a police spokesperson said. As per the contents of the dossier, which was prepared by Senior Superintendent of Police Reasi Tahir Sajad Bhat, he said Ahmad was found to be involved in various cases registered against him in the district since 2015. "He had recently committed two crimes, including an attempt to murder a safety supervisor of AFCON'S company in a span of
SC asks firm to show its bonafide in purchasing Unitech's land
The Supreme Court today asked a firm, which is negotiating with embattled realtor Unitech Ltd for purchasing land in Chennai valued at around Rs 400 crore, to appear and deposit the money before it to show its bonafide in acquiring the property. The apex court did not comment on the request of Unitech Ltd Managing Director Sanjay Chandra to grant him custody parole for eight weeks to enable him to arrange money to refund homebuyers and complete the ongoing housing projects. The real estate firm told a bench headed by Chief Justice Dipak Misra that it was negotiating with a company to sell two portions of it lands in Chennai for around Rs 170 crore and Rs 229.45 crore respectively. The bench, also comprising justices A M Khanwilkar and D Y Chandrachud, directed the top court registry to issue notice to the company, which is negotiating with Unitech in acquiring the land, asking its competent authority to appear before it on February 16. "If the company is desirous of ...
13-yr-old killed by brother for resisting rape in Pakistan
A 13-year-old girl was killed by her own brother after she resisted a rape attempt by him in Pakistan's Baluchistan province, police said today. The victim's sibling had claimed that he had left the house for about 30 minutes and upon return, he found his sister strangled with her scarf. According to Quetta's Deputy Inspector General of Police (DIG) Abdul Razzaq Cheema, however, the brother today confessed to murdering his sister after attempting to rape her. The incident took place in Quetta's Killi Ismail area. The DIG said that the blood samples of the accused are being sent to Lahore for forensic analysis, adding that the police will present the accused in court to secure his remand. Since the beginning of 2018, there has been a marked upsurge in the reporting of sexual abuse cases across Pakistan. The brutal rape and murder of a seven-year-old girl in Kasur earlier this month, in particular, outraged the entire country and led to a nationwide drive to end violence ...
Security forces arrest KYKL militant in Manipur
Security forces arrested a cadre of the proscribed militant outfit Kanglei Yawol Kanna Lup (KYKL) from Manipur's Kakching district, the police said today. A combined team of Manipur police and Assam Rifles on Saturday arrested the KYKL cadre while conducting a search operation in and around Wangoo Lupa Marup area in Kakching district, a press release issued by PRO, Manipur Police said. A combined team comprising of Narcotics and Affairs of Border (NAB) of Manipur police, members of All Lilong Anti-Drug Association (ALADA) and Anti-Social Preventive Organization (ASPO) arrested one woman drug paddler from Thoubal district yesterday and seized heroin from her, the release added.
No custodial parole to Unitech MD Sanjay Chandra
The Supreme Court on Monday did not entertain a plea by Unitech Managing Director Sanjay Chandra for eight-week "custodial parole" as he said the people he was negotiating with to raise money were not willing to meet him in jail.
Shabir Shah's bail plea: Court seeks ED's reply by Jan 31
A Delhi court today directed the Enforcement Directorate (ED) to file its reply by January 31 to the fresh bail plea of Kashmiri separatist leader Shabir Shah in a 2007 money laundering case related to alleged terror financing. Additional Sessions Judge Sidharth Sharma, who had in August last year denied the relief to Shah citing the ongoing probe, passed the directions after the Enforcement Directorate's (Ed) special public prosecutor N K Matta sought time to file his reply. In his bail application filed through advocate M S Khan, the accused told the court that investigation into the case had been completed since the agency filed its charge sheet and there was no chance for Shah to hamper the probe. He told the court that no purpose would be served by keeping him in custody. The court had on August 22 last year rejected Shah's bail plea after the ED said it was probing whether he had received money from countries such as Pakistan to promote terrorism in India. On ...
'Allow adults to file complaint of sex abuse during childhood'
An Indian-origin scientist in Canada, who had suffered sexual abuse during her childhood, met Union Minister Maneka Gandhi here today and appealed to her to bring legislative amendments to allow victims to report such crimes even years later. The 51-year-old woman had suffered abuse at the hand of a member of her extended family for nearly seven years between the age of six and 13. According to her, when she approached Chennai Police to file a complaint last year, they said their hands were tied and that they didn't know how to help her since a lot of time had elapsed since the crime. The stringent Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act, which came into force in 2012, is not applicable to sexual abuse committed prior to its enactment. Crimes such as digital penetration and oral sex under the old law need to be reported within two years of the incident. Under the Criminal Law Amendment Act of 2013, the definition of rape was expanded to include non-penile
ED summons Karti Chidamabaram in INX Media case
The Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Monday issued fresh summons to Karti Chidambaram, son of Congress leader P. Chidambaram, in a money laundering case related to alleged irregularities in an FIPB clearance accorded to INX Media in 2007.
1993 Mumbai blasts: SC seeks Maha govt's reply on Salem's plea
The Supreme Court today sought response of the Maharashtra government on a petition filed by extradited gangster Abu Salem who was awarded life imprisonment in a 1993 Mumbai serial blasts case by a special TADA court. On March 12, 1993, a series of blasts in quick succession had rocked Mumbai, killing 257 people and injuring over 700. Salem, who was extradited from Portugal in 2005, was awarded life term in the case by a designated TADA court in Mumbai in September last year. Two convicts, Tahir Merchant and Firoz Abdul Rashid Khan, were handed down death penalty in the case by the trial court. Salem's appeal today came up for hearing before a bench of Jjstices N V Ramana and S Abdul Nazeer, which issued notice to the Maharashtra government and tagged his plea along with other pending petitions for hearing. Besides Salem, the TADA court had sentenced Karimullah Khan to life imprisonment while fifth convict, Riyaz Siddiqui, was awarded a ten-year sentence in connection ...
Minor girl abducted, gang raped in Odisha
A Class 9 girl was allegedly gang raped after being abducted by two youths in Odisha's Boudh district, police said on Monday.
Kasganj violence: Family of deceased rejects compensation
The family of Chandan Gupta who lost his life in clashes which took place in Uttar Pradesh's Kasganj area, on Monday refused to accept any kind of compensation.Pressing for justice, the family rejected the compensation of Rs. 20 lakhs.Sangeeta Gupta, the mother of the deceased, told ANI, "I want justice, the accused are roaming free, the compensation will not do justice."Chandan's sister also demanded justice."Why will I accept compensation? We want the accused to be booked. I would rather take bullets, but not money," Kirti Gupta told ANI.Chandan Gupta died of a bullet injury in the clashes that broke out during a "Tiranga bike rally" in Kasganj on Republic Day. He was participating in the rally.On Sunday, more than 30 people were sent to jail on charges of murder and 51 others were detained by police, in connection with the violence that erupted in the vicinity.Moreover, 112 people have been arrested for the fresh violence that erupted on Saturday after the cremation of the ...
Kamala Mills owner sent to judicial custody till Feb 12
Kamala Mills owner Ramesh Govani and Mojo's Bistro waiter Sayeed Ali sent to judicial custody till February 12.While the hukkah supplier Utkarsh Pandey have been sent to judicial custody till January 31.The bail pleas of three accused in the Kamala Mills fire will be heard on January 31.Earlier on January 25, a Mumbai Court rejected the bail applications of all five accused- Yug Tuli, Yug Pathak, Abhijit Mankar, Jigar Sanghvi and Kripesh Sanghvi, in connection with the Kamala Mills fire case that claimed 14 lives.Last week, Mumbai's Bhoiwada Court sent Kamala Mills owner Ramesh Govani to police custody till January 29 in this connection.He was detained on January 22 by police for interrogation.Earlier in the month, families of two people who lost their lives in the fire strongly opposed the granting of bail to the five accused.The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC), in its reports, had confirmed that the fire started from Mojo's Bistro and spread rapidly to '1 Above' restaurant.
NIA to probe forced conversion of Kerala woman
The National Investigation Agency has taken over the probe into a case of alleged forcible conversion of a Kerala woman and attempts to take her to Syria after her marriage with a Muslim man to be sold off to Islamic State terrorists. The central government made the submission in an affidavit filed before the Kerala High Court today. It said given the seriousness of the alleged offence, the government suo motu entrusted the investigation into the case with the National Investigation Agency (NIA). The Centre also informed the court that the NIA had filed an FIR before the NIA Special Court, Ernakulam against nine persons under the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act. They have also been charged under various IPC sections for offences including rape, forgery and forced religious conversion, it said. The Centre filed the affidavit in response to a petition filed by the victim woman, hailing from Pathanamthitta district of Kerala and settled in Gujarat, seeking NIA probe into
Tej Pratap meets father in Ranchi jail, accompanies him to court
Former Bihar Minister Tej Pratap met his jailed father and RJD chief Lalu Prasad in the Birsa Munda Central Jail in Jharkhand capital Ranchi on Monday and later accompanied him to a CBI court.
Parents of minor girl killed in J-K's Kathua meet CM Mufti
The parents of an eight-year-old girl, who was brutally killed a few days back in Jammu and Kashmir's Kathua district, met Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti here today. They sought an expeditious probe into the killing of their minor daughter so that the culprits are brought to justice soon, an official spokesman said. The chief minister assured them that the government had constituted a special investigating team to probe the case and in the meantime the case had also been handed over to the crime branch for further investigations, he said. Minister for Food, Civil Supplies and Consumer Affairs and Tribal Affairs, Choudhary Zulfkar Ali was also present during the meeting. The killing of the minor, whose body was recovered from the Rassana forest on January 17, a week after she went missing, had repeatedly rocked the House with the opposition raising questions and demanding action against the culprits. A special investigation team (SIT), constituted by the police had ...