Page 7 - Supreme Court

Manipur violence case: SC orders forensic test of full 48-minute audio clip

The Supreme Court on Wednesday ordered forensic examination of the entire 48-minute audio recording which a plea has alleged that the leaked clip points to the role of former Manipur chief minister N Biren Singh in the 2023 ethnic violence. A bench comprising Justices Sanjay Kumar and K Vinod Chandran said that the entire available leaked audio be forwarded to the National Forensic Science University (NFSU), Gandhinagar, for forensic examination. The entire 48 minutes of the conversation in question along with the admitted voice recordings of the former Manipur CM are available... All the voice recordings furnished to the respondents by the learned counsel for the petitioner shall also be included therewith and forwarded to the National Forensic Science University Gandhinagar, the bench ordered. It also asked the NFSU to expedite the process and submit final report in a sealed cover. During brief proceedings, lawyer Prashant Bhushan, appearing for the petitioner Kuki Organisation f

SC flags legal grey area on whether LS impeachment survives RS rejection

Supreme Court says rejection of an impeachment motion in one House may not block proceedings in the other, as it hears Justice Yashwant Varma's challenge to the inquiry panel

SC grants interim protection from arrest to singer Neha Singh Rathore

The Supreme Court on Wednesday granted interim protection from arrest to folk singer Neha Singh Rathore in a case filed against her over a social media post on the Pahalgam terror attack. The said comments allegedly targeted Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Home Minister Amit Shah and the BJP in connection with the killing of 26 tourists in Pahalgam in Jammu and Kashmir. A bench of Justices JK Maheshwari and Atul S Chandurkar issued notice to the Uttar Pradesh government and the complainant in the case, and said no coercive steps shall be taken against her. The top court directed Rathore to appear before the Investigating Officer and cooperate in the probe. The Lucknow bench of the Allahabad High Court on December 5 last year had rejected the anticipatory bail plea filed by the folk singer. It had observed that Rathore had not cooperated with the investigation despite directions issued by an earlier bench that had dismissed her petition seeking quashing of the FIR. The FIR against .

SC to hear plea by Sonam Wangchuk's wife challenging NSA detention on Thu

The Supreme Court on Wednesday adjourned to January 8 the hearing of a plea filed by Gitanjali J Angmo, the wife of jailed climate activist Sonam Wangchuk, against his detention under the National Security Act. A bench of Justice Aravind Kumar and Justice P B Varale deferred the matter. "Tomorrow? My brother (Justice Varale) wanted to go through this matter," Justice Kumar observed. Senior advocate Kapil Sibal, appearing for Sonam, agreed to the suggestion. The matter was earlier heard by a bench of Justices Aravind Kumar and N V Anjaria. The plea claims the detention is illegal and an arbitrary exercise violating his fundamental rights. On November 24, the top court deferred the matter after Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, appearing for the Centre and the Union Territory of Ladakh, sought time to respond to the rejoinder filed by Angmo. On October 29, the court sought responses from the Centre and the Ladakh administration on an amended plea of Angmo. Wangchuk was detained unde

People dying due to stray dog attacks, rules poorly enforced: Supreme Court

The Supreme Court flagged rising stray dog attacks and road accidents, blamed civic bodies for poor enforcement of animal birth control (ABC) rules

Electoral roll revision not barred by law, EC argues before Supreme Court

The Election Commission (EC) told the Supreme Court on Tuesday that it has the power and competence to undertake a Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of the electoral rolls, besides there is a constitutional duty to ensure that no foreigners are registered as voters. The submissions were made by senior advocate Rakesh Dwivedi on behalf of the EC before a bench of Chief Justice Surya Kant and Justice Joymalya Bagchi. The bench resumed final hearings on a batch of petitions challenging the EC's decision to undertake the SIR exercise in several states, including Bihar, raising significant constitutional questions on the scope of the poll panel's powers, citizenship and the right to vote. Dwivedi pointed out that all key constitutional functionaries across the three organs of the State must be Indian citizens, citing provisions such as Article 124(3) of the Constitution relating to the appointment of Supreme Court and high court judges. He said one of the key conditions for the appointme

SC urges Centre, Delhi govt to set up special court for ISIS-linked case

The Supreme Court on Tuesday asked the Centre and the Delhi government to consider setting up a special court to conduct a day-to-day trial in a 2021 case probed by the National Investigation Agency related to the ISIS links of a person. A bench comprising Chief Justice Surya Kant and Justice Joymalya Bagchi was hearing the bail plea of Md Heydaitullah who allegedly used Telegram groups to propagate the ideology of the terrorist group in India and recruit other persons. The CJI said that inordinate delay in trial gives to legitimate submissions on behalf of the accused that he cannot be kept in custody for a longer period of time, that too without the trial. The bench asked Additional Solicitor General Aishwarya Bhati, appearing for the government and the NIA, to apprise it within a week about the setting up of the special court here to conduct a day-to-day trial in the case in which 125 witnesses are to be examined. Earlier, the top court had, in a separate case, pulled up the Cen

Supreme Court grants bail to former Amtek Group promoter Arvind Dham

These companies had secured loans exceeding Rs 25,000 crore from a consortium of public sector lenders

'CAQM failing in duty': SC slams pollution watchdog, seeks report on causes

The Supreme Court directed CAQM to convene a meeting of experts in two weeks and submit a report on major causes of the worsening pollution in the national capital

Stray dogs case: SC says more pleas filed than even human matters

The Supreme Court on Tuesday took note of the number of interlocutory applications being filed before it in the stray dogs case and said that so many applications normally don't come even in cases of humans. A bench of Justices Vikram Nath and Sandeep Mehta made the observations when two lawyers mentioned the stray dogs matter before it. One of the lawyers said they have filed an interlocutory application in the case. So many applications normally don't even come in cases of humans, Justice Mehta observed. The bench said the stray dogs matter is slated to come up for hearing before the apex court on Wednesday. When another lawyer mentioned a transfer petition in the matter, the top court said many pleas would be taken up for hearing on Wednesday, and the bench will hear all the lawyers. A three-judge special bench comprising Justices Nath, Mehta and N V Anjaria is slated to hear the matter on Wednesday. Taking note of the alarming rise in dog bite incidents within institutional

Bank fraud: SC grants bail to Amtek Group ex-chairperson in ED case

The Supreme Court on Tuesday granted bail to former Amtek Group chairperson Arvind Dham in a money laundering case related to Rs 27,000 crore bank fraud. A bench of Justices Sanjay Kumar and Alok Aradhe set aside a Delhi High Court order which had denied bail to him. Justice Aradhe, who was sitting in a bench led by Justice PS Narasimha, pronounced the verdict, saying the court has allowed the appeal of Dham in the case. The Delhi High Court had denied bail to Dham on August 19 last year, saying premature release could risk undermining efforts to secure accountability. "With the advancement of technology and Artificial Intelligence, economic offences such as money laundering have emerged as a serious threat to the financial system of the country. These offences pose a significant challenge for investigating agencies, given the complex and intricate nature of the transactions and the involvement of multiple actors," the high court had said. The high court added that a meticulous an

Delhi riots case: Supreme Court denies bail to Umar Khalid, Sharjeel Imam

Supreme Court refuses bail to Umar Khalid and Sharjeel Imam in the Delhi riots conspiracy case, citing a prima facie UAPA case, while granting relief to other accused

SC asks Uttarakhand govt to disclose illegal constructions on forest land

Observing that the authorities have indulged in "persistent negligence", the Supreme Court on Monday asked the Uttarakhand government to file a comprehensive report, including the site plan, disclosing approximate details of illegal constructions which have come up on the forest land in the state. A bench of Chief Justice Surya Kant and Justice Joymalya Bagchi on December 22 expressed serious concern over the alleged large-scale and systematic grabbing of forest land in Uttarakhand and proposed to expand the scope of proceedings suo motu to examine, what it termed, a shocking failure of the state machinery to protect the forest land. The bench said the state authorities, apparently in collusion with land-grabbers, first allowed the encroachment of government land and then, in the garb of court orders, wanted to come clean. The CJI said that the state authorities have been persistently and consistently negligent in the case and "it appears to be a case of collusion and connivance wit

Adani Power gets relief as Supreme Court nixes SEZ electricity duty

A bench comprising Justices Aravind Kumar and NV Anjaria held that the customs department lacked statutory authority to impose duty on electrical energy cleared from the SEZ to the DTA

Supreme Court asks Centre to consider revising EPF wage ceiling of ₹15,000

The Supreme Court on Monday asked the Centre to consider taking a decision within four months on the revision of wage ceiling for the Employees Provident Fund Scheme (EPFO) which has not been revised in the last 11 years. A bench of Justices J K Maheshwari and A S Chandurkar passed the order on a plea filed by activist Naveen Prakash Nautiyal claiming that the Employees Provident Fund Organisation (EPFO), which administers social security schemes for employees, currently excludes from coverage those whose wages exceed Rs 15,000 per month. Advocates Pranav Sachdeva and Neha Rathi, appearing for the petitioner, said the wage revision has not taken place in over a decade despite the fact that the minimum wage notified by the central government and by various states is more than the EPFO wage ceiling of Rs 15,000 per month. Sachdeva said this has deprived the majority of workers of the benefits and protection of the EPFO scheme, which is essentially a social welfare scheme. The petitio

SC agrees to examine NCLT's power to transfer cases outside state

The Supreme Court on Monday agreed to examine the Gujarat High Court judgement which ruled that the National Company Law Tribunal cannot transfer a pending petition to another NCLT bench outside the state. A bench comprising Chief Justice Surya Kant and Justice Joymalya Bagchi agreed to examine the scope of the NCLT President's power to transfer cases across NCLT benches in different states. The controversy stems from Rule 16(d) of the NCLT Rules, 2016, which allows the NCLT President to "transfer any case from one Bench to another Bench when the circumstances warrant". The Gujarat High Court, in its recent order, held that this power is strictly intra-state. The High Court said that the Tribunal President cannot "alter or extend" territorial jurisdiction established by the central government, meaning that cases cannot be moved from one state to another. The top court "prima facie doubted" the stand and gave a hypothetical example that if a member must recuse at a location with on

Delhi riots conspirators must face strictest punishment: CM Rekha Gupta

Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta on Monday welcomed the Supreme Court's decision refusing bail to activists Umar Khalid and Sharjeel Imam in the 2020 Delhi riots conspiracy case, saying those responsible for pushing the city into violence must face the harshest punishment. The Supreme Court on Monday refused bail to Khalid and Imam in the larger conspiracy case related to the 2020 Delhi riots, but granted relief to five other accused, citing a "hierarchy of participation". A bench of Justices Aravind Kumar and N V Anjaria said there was a prima facie case against Khalid and Imam under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act. "We welcome the court's decision. The court has rejected the bail applications of Sharjeel Imam and Umar Khalid, who are accused in the Delhi riots case. Those who pushed Delhi into the fire of riots should receive the strictest possible punishment," Gupta told PTI Videos. A strong message should be sent to political parties that supported those involved in th

'Jail is my life now, relieved for those granted bail,' says Umar Khalid

Umar Khalid said he was happy and relieved for others who got bail, even as he said that jail is his life now, his partner Banojyotsna Lahiri quoted him as saying. The Supreme Court on Monday refused to grant bail to activists Umar Khalid and Sharjeel Imam in the 2020 Delhi riots conspiracy matter, saying there was a prima facie case against them under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act. However, the top court granted bail to activists Gulfisha Fatima, Meeran Haider, Shifa Ur Rehman, Mohd. Saleem Khan and Shadab Ahmad in the case. "'I am really happy for the others, who got bail! So relieved', Umar said. 'I'll come tomorrow for Mulaqat', I replied. 'Good good, aa jana. Ab yahi zindagi hai'. #UmarKhalid" Banojyotsna posted on X. The February 2020 riots in northeast Delhi left 53 people dead and more than 700 injured. According to the Court, delay in trial does not operate as a "trump card" which automatically displaces statutory safeguards. The February 2020 riots in northea

'Unfortunate': Umar Khalid's father as SC denies bail in Delhi riots case

Umar Khalid's father S Q R Ilyas said it was "unfortunate" that the Supreme Court denied bail to his son in the 2020 Delhi riots conspiracy case. The Supreme Court on Monday refused to grant bail to activists Umar Khalid and Sharjeel Imam in the 2020 Delhi riots conspiracy matter, saying there was a prima facie case against them under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act. "No comments. It is unfortunate. I have nothing to say. The judgement is there, and I have nothing to say," Ilyas said. A bench of Justices Aravind Kumar and N V Anjaria, however, granted bail to activists Gulfisha Fatima, Meeran Haider, Shifa Ur Rehman, Mohd. Saleem Khan and Shadab Ahmad in the case. Meanwhile, Umar Khalid's friend Banojyotsna, in a post on X, said that Umar was happy that others had got bail. "'I am really happy for the others, who got bail! So relieved', Umar said. 'I'll come tomorrow for Mulaqat', I replied. 'Good good, aa jana. Ab yahi zindagi hai'. #UmarKhalid" she posted on X. On Dece

BJP asks Congress to apologise after SC denies bail to Umar, Sharjeel

The BJP on Monday said the Supreme Court order denying bail to activists Umar Khalid and Sharjeel Imam in the 2020 Delhi riots case is a "big slap" on the Congress' face and demanded that the opposition party apologise for supporting the "tukde-tukde gang". Calling Khalid and Imam the "poster boys" of divisive forces in India, the BJP claimed that the Congress ecosystem was projecting them as "innocent victims" to protect them. The Supreme Court on Monday refused to grant bail to Khalid and Imam in the 2020 Delhi riots conspiracy case, saying there was a prima facie case against them under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act. A bench of Justices Aravind Kumar and N V Anjaria, however, granted bail to activists Gulfisha Fatima, Meeran Haider, Shifa Ur Rehman, Mohd Saleem Khan, and Shadab Ahmad in the case. Reacting to the Supreme Court decision, BJP national spokesperson Shehzad Poonawalla wrote on X, "Satyameva Jayate (truth alone triumphs)". "The Supreme Court has denied bai