Congress leader Rahul Gandhi and other UDF MPs protest the arrest of Catholic nuns in Chhattisgarh, alleging religious persecution by the BJP government and demanding their immediate release.
The Supreme Court has dismissed a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) seeking the registration of an FIR over the alleged discovery of burnt wads of cash at the official residence of Delhi High Court judge Yashwant Varma. The court said an in-house inquiry was underway and there would be several options open to the Chief Justice of India after the probe's conclusion.
In a statement, the non-governmental organisation underscored the challenges Saibaba faced during his incarceration and the toll it took on his health.
The Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita 2023, Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita 2023 and Bharatiya Sakshya Adhiniyam 2023 mark a significant step towards empowering Indian citizens and aim to create a more accessible, supportive and efficient justice system for everyone, official sources said.
An elderly Sikh man was assaulted in Los Angeles, suffering a skull fracture and potential brain trauma. A suspect has been arrested for the attack.
Freedom of speech is subject to reasonable restrictions and it does not include the freedom to make defamatory statements against any person or the Indian Army, the Allahabad High Court has said, rejecting Congress leader Rahul Gandhi's plea to quash summons against him for alleged derogatory remarks during his Bharat Jodo Yatra in 2022.
A bench of Justices Vikram Nath and Sandeep Mehta also restored the destruction of evidence charge levelled on deputy commissioner of police Parampal Singh for directing the removal of the number plate of the car after the firing incident in 2015 in which a driver was killed.
The Supreme Court is scheduled to hear on March 18 a plea seeking to debar from polls, candidates charged with serious offences. The plea, filed by advocate Ashwini Kumar Upadhyay, seeks directions to the Centre and the Election Commission of India (ECI) to restrain such candidates put on trial for serious offences. The plea alleges that despite recommendations of the Law Commission of India and court's previous directions, the Centre and the ECI did not act. The plea also highlights the increasing number of MPs with declared serious criminal cases since 2009, with one MP declaring 204 criminal cases against him, including culpable homicide, house trespass, robbery, criminal intimidation, etc. It claims that political parties are competing with each other in a race to the bottom as they couldn't afford to leave their competitors free to recruit persons with criminal antecedents.
Gandhi urged the prime minister to speak out "clearly, boldly and forthrightly" on behalf of the legacy that India has long represented.
The Supreme Court of India dismissed a plea seeking the inclusion of Vinayak Damodar Savarkar's name in the Emblems and Names (Prevention of Improper Use) Act, 1950. The petitioner, appearing in person, argued for the inclusion based on his 30 years of research and claimed a need to establish facts about Savarkar in a legally verifiable manner. However, the court found no violation of fundamental rights and suggested the petitioner make a representation to the Union of India for curriculum inclusion. This dismissal follows the court's earlier reprimand of Congress leader Rahul Gandhi for his remarks on Savarkar at a rally in Maharashtra, although criminal proceedings against Gandhi were stayed.
A plea in the Supreme Court of India seeks a direction to Delhi Police to lodge an FIR over the alleged discovery of semi-burnt stash of cash from the official residence of Delhi High Court judge Yashwant Varma. The plea challenges a 1991 judgement that prohibits criminal proceedings against judges without prior consent from the Chief Justice of India, arguing it violates the principle of equality before the law. It also seeks to declare the collegium's 3-member committee investigating the incident as having no jurisdiction and calls for action against corruption within the judiciary.
The Supreme Court on Tuesday granted protection from coercive action to a cartoonist accused of sharing alleged objectionable cartoons of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh workers on social media.
The Rajya Sabha secretariat has verified the signatures of 44 of the 55 MPs who had signed a notice to bring a motion for the removal of Allahabad high court Judge Shekhar Yadav over his 'hate speech' even as Kapil Sibal and nine others were yet to verify their signatures.
The representatives of youth-led Gen Z, which spearheaded the anti-government protests, held meetings with the top military brass to finalise a transitional government, but the talks hit a roadblock on the issue of who will head it.
The Supreme Court of India reprimanded Congress leader Rahul Gandhi for his remarks about Vinayak Damodar Savarkar, calling them "irresponsible." The court stayed criminal proceedings against Gandhi in a case filed in Uttar Pradesh for his comments but warned him against making such statements in the future. The court also asked Gandhi's lawyer if he was aware that even Mahatma Gandhi used terms like "your faithful servant" in his communications with the British.
The party said that given the anguish expressed by the families who had waged a long legal battle, a lot needs to be done to restore the faith of families of the deceased in the country's justice delivery system.
Bangladesh's ousted Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has launched a scathing attack on the interim administration, accusing Chief Adviser Muhammad Yunus of running a "fascist regime" that persecutes minorities and allows terrorists to operate freely. Hasina, who is currently in India, made the remarks in a virtual address to overseas Awami League supporters, vowing to bring Yunus and his allies to justice for alleged atrocities. Her comments come ahead of a visit by India's Foreign Secretary to Dhaka, where he is expected to raise concerns about the safety of minorities in Bangladesh.
The trial court shall, as far as practicable, conduct trial from day to day, and complete the same on or before July 31, 2024, the judge added.
The Supreme Court on Friday refused to entertain a plea by HDFC Bank CEO and MD Sashidhar Jagdishan challenging an FIR of cheating and fraud registered against him on a complaint by the Lilavati Kirtilal Mehta Medical Trust, which runs the prominent Lilavati Hospital in Mumbai. A bench of Justices P S Narasimha and R Mahadevan noted that the matter was already listed for hearing on July 14 before the Bombay high court.
The Bombay High Court criticized the Maharashtra government for arresting a 19-year-old student from Pune for her social media post on Indo-Pak hostilities, calling its reaction "radical." The court granted the student bail and said the state's actions were unwarranted and had turned a student into a criminal. The court also questioned the conduct of the college for rusticating the student, stating that an educational institution's approach should be to reform, not punish. The student had reposted a post on Instagram that criticized the Indian government for provoking a war against Pakistan, but she later deleted the post and apologized for her actions. The college, however, deemed the post to be anti-national and expelled the student. The court emphasized that mistakes are bound to happen, especially at a young age, and urged the college to focus on reforming students rather than punishing them.
The Delhi High Court has postponed the hearing of former Union Minister MJ Akbar's appeal challenging the acquittal of journalist Priya Ramani in a criminal defamation case over her accusations of sexual harassment against him. The hearing has been adjourned to September 19 after Ramani's counsel sought an adjournment due to the unavailability of the senior lawyer arguing the case. Akbar had challenged the trial court's February 2021 order acquitting Ramani, arguing that the court erred in considering the case as a complaint for sexual harassment rather than defamation. The trial court had dismissed Akbar's defamation complaint and acquitted Ramani, saying no charges were proved against her.
The Bharatiya Janata Party leaders said the 2008 Malegaon bomb blast case was a "slap on the face" of people who coined the term "saffron terror".
The Bombay High Court acquitted all 12 accused in the 2006 Mumbai train blasts case, citing a failure by the prosecution to prove their guilt and raising serious concerns about the investigation and evidence presented.
The Supreme Court will hear a plea on Friday seeking a direction to Delhi Police to lodge an FIR over the alleged discovery of semi-burnt stash of cash from the official residence of High Court judge Yashwant Varma. The plea was filed by lawyer Mathews J Nedumpara and three others on Sunday. It challenges the 1991 judgement in the K Veeraswami case, in which the top court ruled that no criminal proceedings could be initiated against a judge of the high court or the top court without the prior nod of the Chief Justice of India. The alleged cash discovery happened following a fire at Varma's Lutyens Delhi residence on March 14, prompting the fire officers to rush to the spot. A Supreme Court-appointed in-house committee visited the residence of Justice Varma on Tuesday to commence its inquiry in the matter. Justice Varma denounced any insinuation and said no cash was ever placed in the storeroom either by him or any of his family members.
'We may have the finest criminal laws, but of what use are they when it can ensure neither a quick, time-bound trial nor punishment?' 'The outcome, then, will be extra-judicial solutions like what the Telangana police has hit upon,' argues Saisuresh Sivaswamy.
The Karnataka High Court has directed suspended JD(S) leader Prajwal Revanna to approach the sessions court for bail in the rape case filed against him. The court clarified that Revanna could return to the HC if necessary, after the lower court considers his plea.
The Supreme Court addressed the issue of probe agencies summoning lawyers for providing legal advice to clients under investigation, emphasising that lawyers should not be summoned merely for offering legal advice but can be if they are assisting in the crime. The court is considering guidelines to prevent investigative overreach and protect lawyer-client privilege.
'Every report I filed for Rediff.com on the professor's incarceration, would leave me wondering for days, at the depth of the State's malevolence towards this disabled professor, and his equally deep capacity to tolerate it,' recalls Jyoti Punwani.' 'No country in the world would do what our country was doing to someone so helpless.'
Yunus said his administration took over to carry out three mandates 'justice, reform and elections.'
Sudha, who is staying at Tamil Nadu Bhavan in the area, was out on a routine morning walk when the unidentified persons snatched her gold chain and fled the spot, police said.
The Calcutta High Court has ordered the revival and prosecution of ten criminal cases related to murders in Nandigram and Khejuri during an anti-land acquisition movement in 2007. The court deemed the West Bengal government's decision to withdraw prosecution in these cases, involving the deaths of at least ten individuals, as unlawful. The bench emphasized that murders had indeed occurred and that allowing the prosecution to withdraw under Section 321 of the Criminal Procedure Code would not be in the public interest. The court stated that violence in any form should be eschewed in a democracy and that a state must exhibit zero tolerance towards it. The court set aside the state government's decision to withdraw prosecution and directed the public prosecutor to take appropriate measures within a fortnight.
A bench of Justices B R Gavai and K V Viswanathan clarified that its order will not be applicable to unauthorised structures on public roads, footpaths etc.
'In no way can an advocate be considered responsible for his or her client's actions.'
The Bombay High Court discharged Adani Group Chairman Gautam Adani and Managing Director Rajesh Adani from a case of alleged violations of market regulations involving nearly Rs 388 crore. The Serious Fraud Investigation Office (SFIO) had initiated the case in 2012 against Adani Enterprises Limited (AEL) and its promoters, accusing them of criminal conspiracy and cheating. The HC's single bench of Justice R N Laddha quashed the sessions court order and discharged the duo from the case.
A bench of Justices Ujjal Bhuyan and Manmohan asked the Madras high court chief justice to transfer the cases involving the ADGP to another bench as it set aside the directive of the high court asking the police to take Jayaram into custody.
The bench, which examined the online post by the professor, who heads the political science department in the Sonipat-based Ashoka University, questioned his choice of words, saying they were used deliberately to humiliate, insult, or put others in discomfort. "The choice of words are deliberately made to insult, humiliate or cause discomfort to others. The professor, who is a learned person cannot lack a dictionary... he could have conveyed the very same feelings in a simple language without hurting others. He should have shown respect for the sentiments of others. He could have used a simple and neutral kind of language, respecting others," Justice Kant said.
The CBI will seek police remand of eight Jammu and Kashmir Police personnel arrested for allegedly inflicting brutal custodial torture on a fellow constable in 2023. The case involves allegations of severe abuse and mutilation, leading to a Supreme Court-ordered investigation.
In a significant development, the Supreme Court on Tuesday asked the Election Commission of India to provide details of cases in which it had either removed or reduced the period of disqualification from electoral rolls of leaders post their conviction in criminal cases.
Lokesh Sharma, the former OSD of Rajasthan's ex-chief minister Ashok Gehlot, has turned approver in a phone tapping case that happened during the political crisis in the state in 2020. Sharma was accused of criminal conspiracy, criminal breach of trust and unlawfully intercepting telephonic conversations. He has alleged that Gehlot was involved in tapping of phones and gave evidence to support his claim. Sharma claims that he was directed by Gehlot to circulate recordings of phone calls to the media.
'Let us not fool ourselves into thinking that by sidestepping the rule of law, justice has been served in this case because we have once again very conveniently and completely absolved society's responsibility in all of this,' says Neetika Vishwanath.
