Page 439 - Law Crime
Dozens of Australian journalists face charges over sex trial
An Australian state prosecutor has sent letters threatening to charge media organizations and dozens of journalists with breaching a gag order that banned reporting of Cardinal George Pell's convictions on charges of sexually molesting two choirboys, lawyers said Thursday. Reporting in any format accessible from Australia of details of the former Vatican economy chief's convictions in a Melbourne court in December was banned by a judge's suppression order that was only lifted this week. Such suppression orders are commonplace in the Australian and British judicial systems, and breaches can result in jail terms. But the enormous international interest in a criminal trial with global ramifications has highlighted the difficulty in enforcing such orders in the digital world. Victoria state Director of Public Prosecutions Kerri Judd has written more than 100 letters to journalists and media organizations advising that she intends to charge them with offenses relating to reporting on the ..
Oil trader killed while resiting snatching in Ghaziabad
An oil trader has been shot dead outside his house here for allegedly resisting snatching by two bike-borne men, police said Thursday. The incident took place Wednesday night after the trader, Bijendra Garg (52), reached the front gate of his home in Nasratpura colony in GT Road Kotwali area after closing his shop, they said. S P (City) Shlok Kumar said the two men accosted the trader, fired shots in the air and tried to snatch his bag containing cash when he was parking his scooty. When Garg opposed, they shot at him thrice and fled away after snatching his bag, he said. Garg's family members immediately rushed him to a nearby hospital where he was declared brought dead. Enraged over the incident, scores of disgruntled oil traders downed the shutters of their shops in protest, demanding early arrest of the accused. An FIR has been lodged and police teams have been constituted to nab the accused, the SP (City) said. Footage has been procured from the CCTV cameras installed in the ...
NCLAT directs NCLT Ahmedabad to take call on ArcelorMittal's Essar Steel bid by Mar 8
The National Company Law Appellate Tribunal (NCLAT) Thursday again directed the NCLT Ahmedabad bench to take a decision by March 8 on the Rs 42,000-crore bid submitted by ArcelorMittal for the acquisition of debt-ridden Essar Steel. This is the third time in last one month when NCLAT has directed the Ahemdabad bench of National Company Law Tribunal (NCLT) to pass a final order over the resolution plan submitted by global steel major ArcelorMittal. Earlier, on February 4 NCLAT had directed the Ahmedabad bench of the NCLT to take a decision on the plan by February 11 and failing to which it may call for records and pass appropriate order under Section 31 of the I&B Code. However, NCLT could not pass an order and the matter came up for hearing again on February 12, when the appellate tribunal had extended the deadline for a week to February 19 and directed to list the matter on February 28. A two-member NCLAT bench, headed by Justice S J Mukhopadhaya, on Thursday observed that ...
Police bust gang stealing copper from godowns
The police on Thursday claimed to have busted a five-member gang of thieves who used to allegedly steal copper from godowns in Punjab's Fatehgarh Sahib district and recovered the metal worth Rs 25 lakh. The police had received complaints from the industrialists of Mandi Gobindgarh town that a gang of thieves were stealing costly materials from godowns, Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Amneet Kondal said. After investigations, a raid was conducted and the suspected gang members were arrested along with weapons, Kondal said. She said the accused had admitted about their involvement in the theft of the costly material from godowns during night hours. Based on their disclosure, the police recovered 10-quintal copper worth Rs 25 lakh, the SSP said. The accused have been identified as Pardeep Singh, the alleged kingpin of the gang; Gobind Bahadur alias Lucky, Surak Kumar, Raj Kumar alias Raju and Suraj Khatri. The officer said the suspected kingpin was already facing six cases of theft
HC lists suggestions to TN govt over illegal bars
The Madras High Court on Thursday directed the authorities to hold frequent inspections to ensure there were no illegal bars and file a status report. The court also gave a slew of suggestions to the Tamil Nadu government with a view to curbing such bars including prescribing of an authority to seal such establishments. A division bench comprising justices S Manikumar and Subramonium Prasad gave the directive following a petition filed by D Prabakaran. The petition sought a court direction to Home and Prohibition Excise department for prevention and detection of fraud in TASMAC in issuing and collection of licence fee from bars. To this, the bench, which had earlier directed the authorities to shut down over 3,000 illegal bars, said the courts generally do not issue direction to the government to legislate. The bench said the magisterial courts are empowered to impose a fine amount up tor impose sentences according to the Tamil Nadu Home, Prohibition and Excise Act 1937. But, it said,
HC lists suggestions to TN govt over illegal bars
The Madras High Court on Thursday directed the authorities to hold frequent inspections to ensure there were no illegal bars and file a status report. The court also gave a slew of suggestions to the Tamil Nadu government with a view to curbing such bars including prescribing of an authority to seal such establishments. A division bench comprising justices S Manikumar and Subramonium Prasad gave the directive following a petition filed by D Prabakaran. The petition sought a court direction to Home and Prohibition Excise department for prevention and detection of fraud in TASMAC in issuing and collection of licence fee from bars. To this, the bench, which had earlier directed the authorities to shut down over 3,000 illegal bars, said the courts generally do not issue direction to the government to legislate. The bench said the magisterial courts are empowered to impose a fine amount up tor impose sentences according to the Tamil Nadu Home, Prohibition and Excise Act 1937. But, it said,
Amrapali case: SC directs arrest of CMD Anil Sharma, attachment of personal properties
Supreme Court on Thursday directed the arrest of Amrapali Group CMD Anil Sharma and two other directors in a criminal complaint filed against them.During the day's hearing, the apex court also directed the attachment of Anil Sharma's personal properties including his bungalow in South Delhi. It also made clear that the properties of the other two directors are also being attached.The top court has also directed the forensic auditors to complete their detailed investigation on transfer and/or divergence of homebuyers' money by Amrapali group before March 22.Supreme Court has fixed the matter for further hearing to March 26.On January 25, the court had given a go-ahead to the government-owned National Buildings Construction Corporation (NBCC) to start the process of completing two stalled Amrapali housing projects.The matter was heard by a division bench of Justice Arun Mishra and Justice UU Lalit. NBCC had told the court that they would start work on the two stalled projects of ...
AgustaWestland withdraws arbitraration proceedings against India
AgustaWestland firm on Wednesday informed the Delhi High Court that it is withdrawing arbitration proceedings against India, pending before an arbitration tribunal in wake of serious criminal charges against them.The government had filed a plea challenging the proceedings initiated by the Italian firm. "There are severe criminal proceedings going on against Agusta Westland due to which arbitration proceedings cannot be allowed to go on," Additional Solicitor General (ASG) Pinky Anand told the court. India had also filed a declaratory suit seeking a permanent injunction against the arbitral proceedings in view of the serious allegations of commission of acts of criminal nature being tried by Criminal Courts in India.The chargesheet filed in the criminal proceedings implicated Augusta Westland as an accused in the bribery and corruption case in the procurement of 12 VVIP helicopters. It was alleged that AgustaWestland and its officials amongst others were involved in giving kickbacks ...
Why has Michel been shifted to high-security prison: Court to Tihar jail authorities
"Why has he been shifted to a high-security prison," asked a Delhi court on Thursday while pulling up the Tihar jail authorities over a plea filed by AgustaWestland deal accused middlemen Christian Michel.Michel had filed a plea in the Patiala House court raising questions about putting him in solitary confinement and alleging that he had been shifted to a high-security jail where dreaded criminals like Chhota Rajan are keptSpecial CBI Judge Arvind Kumar directed a competent authority to appear before him on the next date of hearing, saying else it will summon the Director General (DG), Prisons.He later posted the matter to March 5.During Wednesday's proceedings, Michel's counsel Alio K Joseph had contended that for the last four days, Michel was being made to stay in the jail which also houses criminals like Chhota Rajan.Joseph had claimed, "The jail authorities are alleging that he is using a laptop inside the jail but when searches were made nothing was found. These are pressure ...
Customs seizes over 32 kg gold from Afghan national
In a big haul, the Customs Department Thursday claimed to have seized over 32 kg gold from an Afghan national, who has been put under arrest. The gold weighing 32.65 kg was seized from Adel Saeed Ghulam, an official statement by the Commissioner (Customs) Dipak Kumar Gupta said. Gupta said the gold was concealed inside an apple consignment and was seized at the Integrated Check Post (ICP) in Attari. Ghulam was arrested under the provisions of the Customs Act, 1962, he added in the statement.
Tribunal on extending SIMI ban commences proceedings
A tribunal headed by a Delhi High Court judge commenced proceedings on Thursday to ascertain whether there was sufficient cause to extend the ban on the Students Islamic Movement of India (SIMI) as an unlawful association. The tribunal presided by Justice Mukta Gupta issued a general notice informing the public at large and the organisation in question to approach it with any material in support of or against the Centre's decision to extend the ban on SIMI. Additional Solicitor General (ASG) Pinky Anand and advocate Balendu Shekhar appeared for the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA), which had on February 21 issued a notification setting up the tribunal under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, 1967. Shekhar said the tribunal commenced proceedings on Thursday by issuing notice to the public at large and the organisation in question and the next date of hearing was April 15. He added that hearings would also be held in other states where cases against SIMI have been registered. The ..
Chopper case: Delhi court pulls up Tihar Jail authorities for not giving reasons of shifting Michel
A Delhi court Thursday lashed out at the Tihar Jail authorities for failing to justify shifting of Christian Michel, arrested in the Rs 3,600-crore AgustaWestland chopper deal, to a high security cell in isolation, saying it will start an inquiry if it does not get a proper response. Special Judge Arvind Kumar said Michel has been lodged in jail for last 70 days and what happened suddenly due to which he has now been shifted to the high security ward. Deputy Superintendent of Tihar Jail told the court that Michel was shifted to cell number 2 (high security ward) keeping in mind his safety as it was a high profile case. However, he failed to justify the sudden shifting before the court. "Why was there no threat to his security till now. He was kept with other prisoners for 70 days. This was always a high profile case. If that was the case he should have been kept in a high security ward since the beginning. Tell me why all of a sudden he was shifted to a ward where hardened criminals ..
Woman's body with strangulation marks found dumped near railway line
The body of a 25-year-old woman with strangulation marks was found dumped in a sack near a railway line in southeast Delhi, police said Thursday. The deceased has been identified as Nisha Kumari, a resident of Dakshinpuri. Her body was found on the Sarita Vihar-Noida road on Wednesday, they said. A passerby who spotted the body had informed the Sarita Vihar police station. Investigations revealed that the woman had left home on February 25 at around 3 pm and later went missing, a senior police officer said. Nisha had told her mother that she was going for a job interview with a friend. However, when she did not return, her parents filed a missing report at the Ambedkar Nagar police station the next day, he said. In the police complaint, her father said Nisha had received a call from a friend regarding an interview with a company. She left for the same in the afternoon. At around 4.30 pm, when her parents tried contacting her, the phone was found switched off, the officer said. The ...
Five SIMI men get life sentence for possession of explosives
Five activists of the banned Students Islamic Movement of India (SIMI) were sentenced to life imprisonment by a special NIA court here Thursday for possession of explosives. Special judge Girish Dixit acquitted five others. Of the 12 accused in the case, Khalid Ahmed and Abdul Mazid were killed in a police encounter in October 2016, prosecutor Yogesh Tiwari said. The special court for National Investigation Agency (NIA) cases awarded life imprisonment Thursday to Abdul Aziz, Javed, Abdul Wahid, Jubar and Mohammad Adil. The court also imposed a fine of Rs 8,000 on each of them. Five others -- Umar, Sajid, Sadiq, Abu Faizal and Irfan Nagori -- were acquitted for want of evidence. Madhya Pradesh Police's Anti Terrorist Squad (ATS) had arrested three SIMI activists with a cache of explosives during a raid in Mahidpur area in Ujjain district on January 1, 2013. Nine others were arrested subsequently. Eight hundred gelatin sticks, 540 detonators, a 'gelatin bomb', a pipe bomb and 11 other ..
Goons assault, pull out hair, moustaches of MP Congress leader
Some unidentified persons in Dewas district of Madhya Pradesh allegedly pulled out hair from head and ears, and moustaches of a veteran Congress leader after assaulting him and his son, police said on Thursday.
2 arrested for ATM robberies
A 25-year-old man was arrested from Delhi's Najafgarh area for allegedly looting ATMs after stealing the whole machine, police said Thursday. The accused has been identified as Ajay alias Monu, the police said. According to the police, incidents of ATM burglary were reported in Delhi and the National Capital Region in September and October last year, where the accused persons removed the whole ATM machine. Acting on a tip-off that Ajay, suspected to be involved in the robberies, would come in Najafgarh on Wednesday evening to meet his friends, a trap was laid and the accused was arrested, said Ram Gopal Naik, deputy commissioner of police (crime). During interrogation, Ajay disclosed that he and his friends were in need of money to live a lavish lifestyle, police said. The accused said they removed the whole machine with the help of gas cutters and abandoned it after taking out cash, the DCP said.
Koregaon-Bhima violence: No way to verify seized documents, source, Bharadwaj's lawyer tells HC
Human rights activist Sudha Bharadwaj's lawyer on Thursday questioned the veracity of the letters and other documents the Pune Police has claimed to have seized during the probe of the Elgar Parishad-Maoist connection case. Bharadwaj, arrested in the case in August last year, has filed a bail application in the Bombay High Court. Her lawyer, senior advocate Yug Chaudhry, argued before the bench of Justice N W Sambre that these documents were not legally valid evidence. They were typed and not handwritten, did not bear signatures, and "there is no way to verify their authenticity and source," he said. "On the basis of such documents that were found on someone else's computer and that cannot pass the test of the Evidence Act, how can the police keep me (Bharadwaj) behind bars and label me a Maoist?," Chaudhry asked. Aruna Pai, representing the police, contended that they had ample evidence to prove Bharadwaj's links with Maoist organisations. She was "part of a conspiracy" and ...
Lawyer shot dead inside court campus in UP
An advocate was Thursday shot dead inside a court campus in neighbouring Basti district, police said. Citing eyewitnesses, police said Jagnarayan Yadav (63) was working in his chamber when the incident took place. At around 3.30 pm, a youth came to him and after talking to him for some time, took out a pistol and fired at him. The other advocates and people present there tried to chase the culprit, but the youth managed to escape. The police reached the spot and rushed Yadav to a hospital, where doctors declared him brought dead. "The body has been sent for autopsy. The reason behind the murder is not clear at this stage. The deceased was a native of Kaptanganj village," Additional Superintendent of Police, Basti, Pankaj Kumar said.
Delhi HC allows AgustaWestland to withdraw arbitration proceedings
The Delhi High Court on Thursday allowed AgustaWestland to withdraw proceedings against the central government at the arbitration tribunal.
Decision imposing life ban on Sreesanth 'fully sustainable in law': BCCI to SC
The BCCI Thursday told the Supreme Court that the life ban imposed on former Indian cricketer S Sreesanth for his alleged involvement in the 2013 IPL spot-fixing scandal was "fully sustainable in law" as he had "tried to influence" a match. Countering the arguments advanced by the counsel representing the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), Sreesanth's lawyer told the bench of justices Ashok Bhushan and K M Joseph that no spot-fixing took place during the IPL match and allegations levelled against the cricketer were not substantiated by evidence. The 35-year-old cricketer has challenged in the top court the decision of a division bench of the Kerala High Court which had restored the life ban imposed on him by the BCCI. A single-judge bench of the Kerala High Court had lifted the life ban imposed on Sreesanth by the BCCI and had set aside all proceedings against him initiated by the board. Later, the division bench of the high court had restored the ban on a petition filed by