Page 780 - Law Crime
SC to hear after 6 weeks plea for reinstatement of woman trial court judge in MP
The Supreme Court Monday granted four weeks to the registrar general of Madhya Pradesh High Court to reply to a plea by a woman judicial officer who is seeking reinstatement after having resigned following an inquiry into her allegations of sexual harassment against a sitting high court judge. The high court judge was given a clean chit in December 2017 by a Rajya Sabha-appointed panel which probed the allegations. A bench comprising justices A K Sikri and S Abdul Nazeer said the registrar general as well as the state government would file their responses on the plea within four weeks and the petitioner would file rejoinder within two weeks thereafter. The bench has listed the matter for hearing after six weeks. On October 12, the court had issued notices to registrar general of the Madhya Pradesh High Court and state government seeking their response within six weeks. Earlier, the counsel appearing for the petitioner had said that issue of reinstatement in service needs to be looked .
Family of Alabama mall shootout victim seeks justice
The family of Emantic Bradford Jr, who was mistakenly shot dead at Alabama mall, has sought justice for the youth.Civil Rights Attorney Benjamin Crump said the Hoover Police Department officer who shot Bradford failed to provide a warning before shooting him and rushed to judgment."He saw a black man with a gun and he made his determination that he must be a criminal. They concluded their investigation while EJ was (lying) on the mall floor, bleeding out, dying...There's a murderer on the loose largely because police rushed to judgment," CNN quoted Crump as saying.The family has asked the police to release all the videos of the deadly incident and expressed dismay at the fact that Hoover Police did not contact the family regarding the post-investigation report, adding that they were getting the updates from social media.Moreover, EJ's father said that he was frustrated with the response from the Hoover police."That's not protocol for you just to do something, kill my child and not ...
HC asks Maha govt to set up child-friendly courts on priority
The Bombay High Court directed the Maharashtra government on Monday to set up child-friendly court rooms in all the judicial premises across the state on a "priority basis". A bench of Chief Justice Naresh Patil and M S Karnik directed the state government to ensure that its pilot project to set up three model court rooms in the city which are child-friendly and also cater to vulnerable witnesses is implemented without further delay. The directions came after Advocate General Ashutosh Kumbhakoni, who was representing the state, told the bench that while the government had allocated Rs 23 lakh for setting up three such court rooms in the city, the project had faced some delay in the past months over budget allocations. "However, now the money has been allocated. There is a meeting later in the day between architects and officials of the Public Works Department following which the design for such court rooms will be finalised," he said. At this, the bench noted that the government must .
Brit academic charged for espionage pardoned by UAE
The United Arab Emirates has pardoned British academic Matthew Hedges, who was given a life-term over charges of espionage, with immediate effect.The Middle Eastern Studies expert was sentenced to a lifetime in jail in a hearing that lasted five minutes on November 22 on charges of spying. He was not provided legal representation during the proceeding against him.UK's Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt had earlier stated that there would be serious diplomatic consequences for UAE over the life sentence and rallied for the academic's release. He had also mentioned that the UK found no evidence to back up charges against Hedges, promising to do all that they can to "get him home".Hedges had been arrested at the Dubai airport on May 5 and kept in solitary confinement for six months before being given a bail, according to CNN.Further details are awaited.
26/11: Ten years on, trial drags on in Pakistani anti-terror court
As India Monday marked the 10th anniversary of the 26/11 carnage, the mastermind of the attack LeT operations commander Zaki-ur Rehman Lakhvi has virtually secured his acquittal and his six accomplices are expecting their exoneration anytime in the near future. The Mumbai attack case in which seven Lashkar-e-Taiba members are facing charges of planning and executing the deadly strike since 2009 is still being dragged on in a Pakistani anti-terror court though the Islamabad High Court in 2015 directed that the case should be wrapped up in two months. Lakhvi walked free from jail in April 2015 after securing a bail from the trial court, while the six others are in jail. After his release, Lakhvi went underground. He has virtually secured his acquittal with the Pakistan government indicating no plan to challenge his bail. The six others - Abdul Wajid, Mazhar Iqbal, Hamad Amin Sadiq, Shahid Jamil Riaz, Jamil Ahmed and Younis Anjum - have also "bright chances" of acquittal with their trial
CPI-M suspends Kerala MLA for 'misbehaviour'
The Kerala unit of the CPI-M on Monday suspended P.K. Sasi for six months from its primary membership for misbehaving with a women member, a communique said.
Aircel-Maxis case: CBI granted permission to prosecute Chidambaram
The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) on Monday informed the Patiala House Court that it has been granted permission to prosecute former finance minister P Chidambaram in connection with the Aircel-Maxis case.Patiala House Court's Special Judge OP Saini took up the Aircel-Maxis case, which arose out of the 2G spectrum allocation scam case. Solicitor General Tushar Mehta appeared for the CBI and the Enforcement Directorate (ED) and submitted that requisite sanction from the concerned authority has been received to prosecute Chidambaram in the matter.Mehta further said that there were a total of 18 accused in the case and prosecution sanctions were needed for six of them. He added that efforts were being made to obtain prosecution sanctions in respect of other five accused.Meanwhile, the court extended the interim protection granted to Chidambaram and his son, Karti, till December 18.On Saturday, Chidambaram had denied all charges leveled by the CBI and said the decision of his ...
Maha cop killed, 2 injured in attack by man wanted in old case
An assistant sub inspector was Monday killed and two other police personnel injured after a person they had gone to arrest attacked them in Maharashtra's Yavatmal district, a senior official said. The incident took place in the district's Hivari village, over 670 kilometres from here, in the early hours of Monday, the official added. ASI Raju Kurmate (50), along with policemen Madhukar Muke (52) and Pramod Fukare (25), had gone to apprehend Vilas Meshram who was wanted in an old case for trespass and causing hurt using dangerous weapons, the official said. Meshram (35) was not attending hearings in connection with the case and a local court had issued a warrant against him, he said. On receiving information that the accused was at his residence in Hivari, Kurmate, part of a five-member police team, set out to nab him in the early hours Monday, he added. "However, Meshram refused to obey the order of the police team to accompany them and attacked them with a heavy piece ..
Maha grape farmer with Rs 27 lakh debt dies after consuming
A farmer with a Rs 27 lakh debt died in a private hospital after allegedly consuming poison on November 11, a Nashik Rural police official said Monday. Vithal Lahanu Jadhav (38) had taken loans of Rs 27 lakh from various credit societies for his grape orchard and was unable to repay them, the official added. Jadhav was admitted to a local hospital in Niphad taluka in the district after his alleged suicide attempt on November 11 and died Sunday, the official informed. A note recovered by relatives, purportedly written by Jadhav, which mentioned the Rs 27 lakh loan as well as the deceased's anxiety over repaying it, has been handed over to police, the official added. "We have registered a case of accidental death and are investigating further," a Niphad police station official said. Officials said the tehsildar of Niphad had sent a report on Jadhav's death to the Nashik Collector.
Uber driver convicted over passenger's death
An Uber driver was on Monday convicted over the death of a British passenger in Sydney.
Court discharges 185 farmers in Maval firing case
A court here in Maharashtra has discharged 185 farmers facing trial in the 2011 Maval firing case, allowing the state government's application seeking withdrawal of the case filed against the cultivators. Three farmers, including a woman, were killed in the police firing and 16 farmers had received injuries during the agitation on August 9, 2011 in Maval tehsil of the district. Additional Sessions Judge S N Sonawane on November 22 allowed the state government's application to withdraw the case and discharged 185 cultivators who were booked under various Indian Penal Code sections, including attempt to murder and rioting. The judge in his order said, "After perusal of the charge sheet, it appears that there is substance in the submission (by state government) that no fruitful result will come out of the trial...and there are no specific allegations of any overt act against the accused." The judge said the farmers' intention was that water in their village, over which they have more ...
Justices to hear antitrust case over sale of iPhone apps
Apple is at the Supreme Court to defend the way it sells apps for iPhones against claims by consumers that the company has unfairly monopolized the market. The justices are hearing arguments Monday in Apple's effort to end an antitrust lawsuit that could force the iPhone maker to cut the 30 per cent commission it charges software developers whose apps are sold exclusively through Apple's App Store. A judge could triple the compensation to consumers under antitrust law if Apple ultimately loses the lawsuit. Apple says it doesn't own the apps or sell them. That's the responsibility of software developers. But the lawsuit says the Cupertino, California-based company exerts a lot of control over the process, including a requirement that prices end in .99. And iPhone apps are only available through the App Store. The issue for the Supreme Court is whether Apple can even be sued about the apps, given prior high court rulings in antitrust cases. In other cases, the justices have said there ..
SC seeks Centre's response on plea challenging validity of section 17A of PC Act
The Supreme Court Monday sought response of the Centre on a plea challenging constitutional validity of a provision of the anti-graft law which mandates prior sanction before starting a probe against a government servant in a corruption case. A bench comprising Chief Justice Ranjan Gogoi and Justice Ajay Rastogi issued notice to the Centre on the PIL filed by NGO 'Centre for Public Interest Litigation' (CPIL) against the validity of amended section 17A of the Prevention of Corruption Act. Lawyer Prashant Bhushan, representing the NGO, said the amended provision makes the prior sanction of appointing authority essential to launch investigation against government servants in corruption cases. "We think that you are entitled to a hearing and so we have issued the notice," he bench said.
Man kills neighbour who tried to mediate in argument
An 18-year-old man was arrested here in Maharashtra for allegedly killing his neighbour who tried resolve an argument between the accused and his mother, police said Monday. The accused, Nadeem Kadar Shaikh, had a tiff with his mother over a domestic issue on Sunday evening at their house in Mumbra township here, Thane police spokesperson Sukhada Narkar said. On hearing the noise from their house, Naushad Nawab Alsi Shaikh and wife, who resided in the neighbourhood, went there and tried to calm down Nadeem and his mother, she said. However, the accused got angry at Naushad for interfering in his family matters and in a fate of rage, allegedly stabbed him in the chest with a pair of scissors, Narkar said. He also tried to attack some other neighbours who had gathered at his house, she said. Naushad was rushed to a hospital but he succumbed to his injuries on the way, Narkar said. The accused was arrested late in the night and booked under IPC Sections 302 (murder), 324 ...
Second needle incident in strawberries in New Zealand
A needle has been found in a strawberry in New Zealand, police said Monday, the second incident to hit the country two months after a contamination crisis erupted in Australia. The needle was found in a punnet sold in the small South Island town of Geraldine over the weekend, a New Zealand police spokesman said. The supermarket owner Garry Sheed said he had since taken all strawberries off the shelves but would not comment on whether the punnet was from Australia or New Zealand. This is the second such incident in New Zealand since the scare was sparked in September, when more than 200 reported incidents of needles hidden in strawberries were reported in Australia. Some of those cases were found to be hoaxes or false complaints. A 50-year-old woman who worked at one of the strawberry farms where the tampered produce was grown has since been arrested in Queensland and charged with contaminating goods. The New Zealand Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI) said the person who found the ..
Dalit girl 'sexually harassed, beaten up' by youth in Muzaffarnagar
A 15-year-old Dalit girl was allegedly sexually harassed by a youth in a village and beaten up by him when she objected to his behaviour, police said Monday. The incident took place in Malira village Sunday when the girl went to buy milk. She was intercepted by the youth, who allegedly misbehaved with her. When she objected to his behaviour, the youth beat her up, Station House Officer Anil Kaperwan said. A case has been registered against the accused under relevant sections of the Indian Penal Code and the POCSO Act. The youth is on the run.
9 held in separate incidents of crime in Noida, Greater Noida
Nine men were arrested in Noida and Greater Noida in three separate incidents of trespassing and theft Sunday, police said. Five men were arrested in Moira's Sector 6 for allegedly breaking into private offices and committing thefts, the police said. On a tip-off, the accused were held with firearms near the Sandeep Paper Mill square falling under the Sector 20 police station limits, they added. "The accused would seek entry into offices and factory premises on some pretext, reconnoitre the area during the day and strike them at night," Station House Officer, Sector 20, Manoj Kumar Pant said. Those arrested were identified as Ritesh, Satya, Manoj, Mustafa and Rakesh, he added. Two pistols, two knives, two stolen laptops and computer accessories were seized from their possession, the SHO said. The accused were booked under Indian Penal Code sections 380 (theft), 457 (trespassing) and relevant sections of the Arms Act, he added. Four other men were held in Greater Noida's Ecotech 3 area
VHP to hold gatherings seeking support for legislation to build for Ram temple: Alok Kumar
Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) international working president Alok Kumar said Sunday the outfit will hold gatherings in every Lok Sabha constituency till December 6 to garner support for building a Ram temple at Ayodhya. The VHP will "order" the MPs to support a law for the construction ofRam temple, he said at a rally here. While the first case in the Ram Janmabhoomi-Babrio Masjid issue was filed in 1950, the matter is still dragging on, Kumar said, adding the Supreme Court had ordered the district court hearing the criminal case related to the conspiracy to demolish Babri Masjid to decide the matter by March 2019. Why then did the apex court not expedite the hearing of appeals on the title suit of Ram Janmabhoomi-Babri Masjid in the same way, he asked. The VHP leader cited the example of the ordinance which restored provisions related to immediate arrest in the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Arrest) Act after the Supreme Court had diluted it, and argued that even
Autorickshaw driver beaten to death by mob: Police
An autorickshaw driver was beaten to death allegedly by a mob that suspected him of being a thief in southwest Delhi's Uttam Nagar, police said Sunday. Two other men were also thrashed on the suspicion of being thieves, they added. The two men had boarded the autorickshaw driven by victim Avinash Kumar Saturday, the police said. Subsequently, they asked Kumar to wait for them and got off while the autorickshaw driver went to urinate, they added. When he came back, he saw a crowd thrashing the men, the police said. The duo told the mob that Kumar was their leader, following which the crowd attacked him, they added. The duo had allegedly stolen batteries and kept them in Kumar's autorickshaw, the police said. One of the accused was nabbed, while the others were yet to be identified, they added.
Man arrested for abducting, assaulting woman in Delhi
A 22-year-old man has been arrested for allegedly abducting and assaulting a woman, police said on Sunday. The accused, who has been identified as Ram Kaushik, abducted the woman from Millennium Depot in Sarai Kale Khan area on Friday, they said. The accused was arrested from Meerut and the woman's mobile phone was recovered from his possession, the police said. Information was received from Max Hospital, Ghaziabad at 1 am on Saturday night that a 24-year-old woman, who had been physically assaulted, had been admitted, they said. The woman told the police that her mother is employed as a sanitation worker at a public toilet in IP Park area. She was unwell on Friday, so the woman's sister went to work instead of their mother, Deputy Commissioner of Police (Southeast) Chinmoy Biswal said. The woman said she had gone to deliver lunch to her sister when the accused abducted her, he added. During interrogation, Kaushik revealed that he had first tried to fool the woman into coming with him