Page 122 - Supreme Court

SC-appointed SIT on black money asks probe agencies to coordinate with ED

The Supreme Court-appointed Special Investigation Team (SIT) on black money on Wednesday stressed the need to regulate online gambling and rising narcotic trade and asked anti-corruption probe agencies to coordinate with Enforcement Directorate (ED) and Income Tax for better results. SIT vice-chairman Justice (Retd) Arijit Pasayat made this remark after a meeting with various stakeholders, including ED director Rahul Navin, Central Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT) chairman Ravi Agrawal, and senior officials from state vigilance, customs, and excise. He also indicated that the SIT is expected to submit its ninth interim report to the Supreme Court within a fortnight to a month. To date, the panel has already submitted eight reports. "We have consistently argued that corruption should not be limited to the Prevention of Corruption Act alone. It must also be addressed under Income Tax laws and the Money Laundering Act, as black money represents undisclosed income," Justice Pasayat said. H

Bail is the rule, jail is exception, even under special laws like PMLA: SC

The Supreme Court reaffirmed that bail should be the norm even under stringent laws like the PMLA and UAPA, stressing that individual liberty remains paramount

Delhi excise scam: Court issues release warrant for BRS leader K Kavitha

A Delhi court on Tuesday issued release warrants for BRS leader K Kavitha in corruption and money laundering cases related to alleged Delhi excise policy scam. Special Judge Kaveri Baweja issued the order after being informed that the politician was granted bail earlier in the day by the Supreme Court in both the cases. The judge granted relief on a personal bond of Rs 10 lakh each in both the cases along with sureties. An apex court bench noted that Kavitha has been in custody for around five months and the probe against her by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) and the Enforcement Directorate (ED) was complete in these cases. The apex court set aside a July 1 Delhi High Court order denying her bail. The high court had dismissed Kavitha's bail pleas in both cases, saying she was prima facie one of the main conspirators in the criminal conspiracy related to the formulation and implementation of the now-scrapped Delhi Excise Policy 2021-22. The ED arrested Kavitha (46) from

SC-appointed task force for doctors' safety, security holds first meeting

The ten-member NTF deliberated on some of the inputs and representations that it has received for improving the safety, security, and working conditions of healthcare workers at medical establishments

SC stays Ayush Ministry's notification in Patanjali misleading ads case

'Rule 170 of Drugs and Cosmetic Rules 1945, which deals with prohibition of misleading advertisement of Ayurveda, Siddha or Unani drugs, shall remain in the statute book'

SC stays notice omitting rule against misleading Ayurvedic advertisements

Rule 170 of Drugs and Cosmetic Rules was meant to prohibit misleading advertisements of Ayurvedic, Siddha and Unani drugs. The Ministry of Ayush on July 1 by a notification, omitted the Rule 170 of 19

SC orders retrospective bail relief for first-time offenders. Details here

Under this ruling, first-time offenders in ongoing criminal cases can now seek bail under the BNSS provisions, significantly reducing the required detention period before release

Byju's foreign investors ask SC to hear their concerns in insolvency case

The four investors are the biggest foreign shareholders in Byju's with a combined stake of nearly 17 per cent

Supreme Court halts Ayush Ministry notification over misleading drug ad

The notification by the Ayush Ministry was in direct breach of the Supreme Court's earlier orders that mandate advertisers to submit a self-declaration before broadcasting or publishing ads

SC notice to Guj govt on plea against conviction in custodial death case

The Supreme Court on Tuesday sought the Gujarat government's response on former Indian Police Service (IPS) officer Sanjiv Bhatt's plea against his conviction in a 1990 custodial death case in which he was sentenced to life imprisonment. "Issue notice returnable in four weeks," a bench of Justices Vikram Nath and Prasanna B Varale said. The court also tagged the appeal with other matters related to the case. Bhatt has moved the top court challenging the Gujarat High Court's January 9, 2024 order dismissing his appeal. The court also upheld the conviction of Bhatt and co-accused Pravinsinh Zala under Sections 302 (murder), 323 (voluntarily causing hurt) and 506 (criminal intimidation) of the Indian Penal Code. The high court had dismissed the state government's appeal seeking to enhance the sentences of five other accused who were acquitted of murder but convicted under Sections 323 and 506. While Bhatt and Zala are behind bars, the court cancelled the bail bonds of the five other .

SC rules in favour of temporary SFF personnel denied pension benefits

The Supreme Court pointed out the arbitrary nature of the government's decision to withhold pension benefits, stating that this denial violated fundamental rights

WB govt seeks time to respond to replies filed in OBC status case in SC

The West Bengal government on Tuesday sought time to reply to the responses filed by litigants in a case pertaining to the Calcutta High Court verdict striking down the OBC status of several castes, mostly Muslim groups, in the state for granting reservation in public sector jobs and admissions in state-run educational institutes. The top court was scheduled to hear on Tuesday the appeal of the state government along with other petitions on the issue. Senior advocate Kapil Sibal, appearing for the state government, told the bench comprising Chief Justice D Y Chandrachud and Justices J B Pardiwala and Manoj Misra that bulky documents have been filed by the other side in the matter and he needed time to respond to them. "I need time to respond to them," Sibal said. "We will then list the matter in the Monday week (the week commencing from next Monday that is September 2)," the CJI said. On August 20, the state government had sought an urgent hearing on its plea against the high cour

SC says excerpt filed by IMA president in Hindu newspaper illegible

The Supreme Court on Tuesday said the Indian Medical Association president R V Asokan's unconditional apology published in a newspaper over his "damaging" statements in an interview to PTI was illegible and the font miniscule. A bench of Justices Hima Kohli and Sandeep Mehta directed senior advocate P S Patwalia, appearing for Asokan, to file file physical copies of 20 editions of The Hindu newspaper in which his apology has been published within one week. "We will not budge until we see advertisements in physical form, show us the actual size...The excerpt of the apology filed before us is illegible in as much as the font is miniscule. Counsel for IMA president is directed to file physical copies of 20 publications of The Hindu where the publication of apology has been done within one week," the bench said. On July 9, Asokan had told the apex court that his unconditional apology to the apex court over his "damaging" statements in an interview to PTI, where he had answered queries .

SC grants bail to BRS Leader K Kavitha in Delhi liquor policy case

Bharat Rashtra Samithi leader secures bail from Supreme Court after five months in custody

Chief secretaries of 18 states, UTs appear in SC over SNJPC non-compliance

Chief secretaries of 18 states and union territories appeared before the Supreme Court on Tuesday over alleged non-implementation of the Second National Judicial Pay Commission's (SNJPC) recommendations on payment of pension arrears and retirement benefits to judicial officers. The top court took note of compliance affidavits of states and union territories like Madhya Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Meghalaya, Himachal Pradesh, West Bengal, Bihar, Odisha, Kerala and Delhi and ordered the closure of proceedings against them. A bench comprising Chief Justice of India (CJI) D Y Chandrachud and Justices J B Pardiwala and Manoj Misra said the chief secretaries and finance secretaries of states which have complied with the top court's directions on payment of arrears relating to pay, pension and allowance to judicial officers need not appear before the court any more. "We have (find) no pleasure in calling the chief and finance secretaries of the states, but consistently the counsels of states have

SC adjourns hearing on Vijay Nair's bail plea in Delhi excise policy scam

The Supreme Court on Tuesday adjourned hearing on the bail plea of former Aam Aadmi Party communication in-charge Vijay Nair in a money laundering case related to the alleged Delhi excise policy scam. A bench of justices Hrishikesh Roy and SVN Bhatti deferred the matter after the counsel for the ED sought a weeks' time for filing a counter affidavit. "Reluctantly, time prayed for is granted," the bench said. The top court had issued notice to the Enforcement Directorate (ED) on August 12 on the plea of Nair while noting that he has been in custody for two years. Appearing for Nair, senior advocates Abhishek Singhvi and Vikram Chaudhary submitted before the court on August 12 that he was arrested on November 13, 2022, and he has challenged the trial court's July 29 order dismissing his default bail plea. Earlier, on July 3 last year, the high court refused to grant bail to Nair and other co-accused in the money laundering case. The money laundering case stems from a Central Bureau

SC directs states, UTs to provide complete information on open prisons

The Supreme Court has directed several states and Union Territories (UTs) to provide complete information with regard to the functioning of open prisons within four weeks. Semi-open or open prisons allow convicts to work outside the premises during the day to earn a livelihood and return in the evening. The concept was introduced to assimilate the convicts with society and reduce psychological pressure as they faced difficulties in leading normal lives outside. A bench of Justices B R Gavai and K V Viswanathan was informed by senior advocate K Parameshwar, who is assisting the top court as an amicus curiae in a matter related to congestion in jails, that several states and UTs have not yet filed their responses. The bench noted that states and UTs like Delhi, Himachal Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh and Punjab have not yet submitted the qualitative/quantitative charts despite circulation of a questionnaire seeking information in respect of the status and functioning of open correctional ...

SC-appointed task force on doctors' safety to hold first meeting on Tuesday

The Supreme Court-appointed National Task Force (NTF) to formulate a protocol for ensuring the safety and security of doctors and other healthcare professionals will hold its first meeting on Tuesday, sources said. The 10-member task force was constituted by the apex court last week after it took suo moto cognisance of the alleged rape and murder of a trainee doctor at Kolkata's RG Kar Medical College and Hospital which sparked widespread protests including by healthcare staff, impacting medical services. The Supreme Court had said the cabinet secretary, home secretary, health secretary, National Medical Commission chairperson and the National Board of Examinations president shall be the ex-officio members of the task force. The members of the task force include Surgeon Vice Admiral Arti Sarin, Director General (Medical Services, Navy); Dr D Nageshwar Reddy, the Chairman and Managing Director of Asian Institute of Gastroenterology and AIG Hospitals, Hyderabad; Dr M Srinivas, the ...

SC-appointed SIT on black money to submit interim report within 15 days

The Supreme Court-appointed Special Investigation Team (SIT) on black money will submit its ninth interim report to the apex court within 15 days, the panel's vice-chairman Justice (Retired) Arijit Pasayat said here on Monday. After coming to power in May 2014, the Narendra Modi government, in its first cabinet meeting, approved the appointment of the SIT as directed by the Supreme Court. We have already submitted eight reports to the Supreme Court while the ninth report will be submitted within 15 days, Justice Pasayat told reporters here. To a question, he said it would not be the last report as work is going on. The SIT vice-chairman came here on Monday on a three-day visit to the state. He is likely to hold a meeting of officers from IT, ED, Customs and Excise and Central Board of Indirect Tax departments in Cuttack on August 28. Director of ED Rahul Navin is also scheduled to attend the meeting.

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