The high court also instructed both the Mamata government and the Centre to submit detailed reports on the situation. The matter is scheduled for further hearing on April 17.
Researcher Rona Wilson and activist Sudhir Dhawale, accused in the Elgar Parishad-Maoist links case, were released on bail from a Navi Mumbai prison on Friday, more than six years after they were arrested. The duo walked out of the Taloja jail after completing bail formalities before the special NIA court, over a fortnight after they were granted bail by the Bombay High Court. The HC granted bail to Wilson and Dhawale on January 8, noting they had been in jail since 2018 and the trial in the case, in which anti-terror act UAPA has been invoked, was yet to start. Apart from Dhawale and Wilson, 14 other activists and academicians were arrested in the case. Eight of them have been granted bail till now, with one, Mahesh Raut, still in jail as the appeal filed by the National Investigation Agency (NIA) against his bail is pending before the Supreme Court. Jesuit priest and activist Stan Swamy, one of the accused, died in 2021 while lodged in judicial custody. The case pertains to provocative speeches allegedly delivered at the Elgar Parishad conclave held in Pune on December 31, 2017, triggering violence at Koregaon-Bhima, a village outside Pune city, the next day. The Pune police had claimed the conclave was backed by Maoists. The NIA later took over the probe.
Mumbai 'Chai Wala' known as 'Chhotu' aka Mohammed Taufiq, whose alertness saved lives during the 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks stated that there is no need for India to provide Tahawwur Rana with cell and Biryani and facilities which were provided to Ajmal Kasab, one of the terrorists involved in Mumbai attacks.
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The nine targets struck under 'Operation Sindoor', four in Pakistan and five in Pakistan-occupied-Kashmir, were chosen by the IAF after receiving intelligence inputs about terror camps operating under the guise of health centres to evade detection at these sites, officials said on Wednesday.
The Delhi High Court granted two-day custody parole to jailed J&K MP Abdul Rashid Sheikh, allowing him to attend the ongoing Parliament session. The court imposed certain restrictions on Rashid, including a ban on using a cellphone or addressing the media, and ordered that he be escorted by armed police personnel to and from the Lok Sabha. The decision came after a legal battle between the National Investigation Agency (NIA), which argued against the parole, and Rashid's lawyers, who highlighted the importance of his representation in Parliament during the budget session. Rashid's case is linked to funding separatist activities in Jammu and Kashmir and connections to designated terrorist Hafeez Saeed.
The Delhi High Court has ruled that an undertrial's prolonged incarceration cannot be a reason to grant bail in terrorism cases, emphasizing the gravity of such offenses and their potential to destabilize the nation. The court denied bail to separatist leader Nayeem Ahmad Khan in a terror-funding case involving Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) and 26/11 Mumbai attack mastermind Hafiz Saeed. The court considered the accused's argument regarding a prolonged trial and his right to liberty but emphasized that the serious nature of the crime, with its potential to disrupt national unity and create fear among the public, outweighs the length of incarceration. Khan, who was arrested in 2017, has been accused of conspiring for secession of Jammu and Kashmir through terrorist activities, receiving funding from Pakistan, and organizing anti-India rallies and demonstrations. The court highlighted the evidence, including witness statements and documents, supporting the accusations against Khan.
Prolonged incarceration without trial amounts to infringement of the right to life under the Constitution, the Bombay high court said while urging a special court to expedite the trial in the 2018 Elgar Parishad-Maoist links case.
The Bombay High Court has granted bail to researcher Rona Wilson and activist Sudhir Dhawale, arrested in the Elgar Parishad-Maoist links case. The court noted that they had been in jail since 2018 and the trial was yet to start. The court said the two had spent more than six years in jail as under-trial prisoners. The NIA, the prosecution agency, did not seek a stay to the HC order. Eight other activists have been granted bail in the case, which pertains to provocative speeches allegedly delivered at the Elgar Parishad conclave held in Pune on December 31, 2017.
Security forces tightened their cordon around a forest area in the higher reaches of Doda district on Tuesday evening following an encounter with hiding terrorists, officials said.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi held a meeting with National Security Advisor Ajit Doval and External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar upon his arrival from Saudi Arabia to take stock of the situation following the terror attack in Pahalgam, Kashmir. The meeting also included Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri. The attack, which killed at least 26 people, including tourists from the UAE and Nepal, has sparked nationwide shock and outrage.
The raids were carried out in Punjab, Haryana, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, Delhi and the Union Territory of Chandigarh by the NIA as part of a mega operation that began early Thursday morning, a spokesperson of the premier investigating agency said.
The 4000-page chargesheet, which was filed in the court of special NIA judge AK Lahoti, has 16 protected witnesses.
The situation in these violence-hit places remained tense on Saturday morning, but no untoward incident was reported, officials said.
The United States has extradited Pakistani-Canadian Tahawwur Hussain Rana to India to face charges for his alleged involvement in the 2008 Mumbai terrorist attacks. Rana, 64, was convicted in the US in 2011 for providing material support to Lashkar-e-Taiba, the Pakistani militant group responsible for the Mumbai attacks. The US Department of State said it has long supported India's efforts to bring those responsible for the attacks to justice and that the extradition is a critical step towards seeking justice for the victims. Rana's extradition comes after the US Supreme Court denied his last-ditch attempt to evade extradition. He will now face justice in India for his role in the attacks which killed 166 people, including six Americans.
A delegation of the National Commission for Women (NCW), led by its chairman Vijaya Rahatkar, met with riot-affected women in Murshidabad district of West Bengal, assuring them of safety and demanding an NIA probe into the recent communal clashes. The women narrated their harrowing experiences and demanded permanent BSF camps in select areas of the district. The NCW team also visited relief camps in Malda district and assessed the condition of women affected by the violence.
The court passed the order after the Member of Parliament from Bhopal, a prime accused in the case, sought another exemption from appearance citing health problems.
Tahawwur Hussain Rana, an accused in the 2008 Mumbai terror attacks, has been extradited to India from the US. Former home secretaries believe he will be convicted and could face the death penalty. Rana was an associate of David Coleman Headley, who played a key role in the attacks. The extradition is seen as a significant achievement for India and a message to terrorists that they will face justice. Rana's testimony is expected to provide valuable information about the planning and execution of the attacks.
The National Investigative Agency (NIA) on Wednesday conducted raids at 51 locations in six states in connection with the crackdown on a terror-gangster network operating in India and Canada, officials said.
The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has brought back Salman Rehman Khan, an alleged member of the Lashkar-e-Taiba, from Rwanda. Khan was wanted by the NIA for terror-related offences in Bengaluru. He was traced to Rwanda and returned to India on November 28, 2024. The return of Khan comes after similar operations in coordination with Interpol, where two other accused were brought back from Saudi Arabia.
The West Bengal government has assured the Calcutta High Court that the law and order situation in violence-hit Murshidabad district is under control. The court was hearing a petition by the Leader of the Opposition, Suvendu Adhikari, who alleged bomb blasts during communal riots and sought an NIA investigation. The state government claims adequate steps have been taken to quell the violence, while the Centre has requested an extension of CAPF deployment in the district. The violence erupted during protests against the Waqf (Amendment) Act in Murshidabad, displacing several families. The state government has reported that some families have returned to their homes.
The BJP has lauded the extradition of Tahawwur Rana, a key accused in the 26/11 Mumbai terror attack, as a testament to "New India's" zero-tolerance stance against terrorism under Prime Minister Narendra Modi. However, the Congress has countered the claim, stating that the extradition was the result of diplomatic efforts initiated during the UPA government's tenure. The BJP highlighted Rana's return as a tribute to security personnel who lost their lives fighting Pakistan-sponsored terrorism and a step towards justice for victims of the attack. The Congress, however, asserted that the Modi government did not initiate the extradition process but benefited from the UPA's groundwork. The exchange of accusations has added a political dimension to Rana's extradition, with both parties vying for credit for the development.
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Two constituents of the All Parties Hurriyat Conference (APHC) in Jammu and Kashmir have announced they are severing all ties with separatist groups. Union Home Minister Amit Shah welcomed the decision, asserting it will strengthen India's unity. The Jammu and Kashmir People's Movement (JKPM) and the J&K Democratic Political Movement (JKDPM) have both distanced themselves from the separatist ideology, vowing allegiance to India and the Constitution. The JKPM, led by Shahid Saleem, and the JKDPM, led by Shafi Reshi, issued statements detailing their decision. Shah said the move is a big victory for Prime Minister Narendra Modi's vision of a developed, peaceful, and unified India. The APHC, which has been banned by the government, has been unable to address the legitimate aspirations of the people of Jammu and Kashmir, Saleem said.
The NIA's action was part of its raids conducted at several locations in six states against the banned PFI in connection with a case related to creating a disruption during Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit to Bihar last year, officials said.
The raids in the twin capitals of Srinagar and Jammu along with Budgam in central and Kulgam and Anantnag in south Kashmir led to the seizure of incriminating documents and digital devices connected with the activities of JeI and its related Trusts and more than Rs 20 lakh, a spokesperson of the federal agency said.
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The raids were conducted at the premises of suspects in Dewas district of Madhya Pradesh, Gir Somnath district of Gujarat, Azamgarh district of Uttar Pradesh and Kozhikode district of Kerala, leading to the seizure of incriminating documents and digital devices, a spokesperson of the federal agency said.
The special court also directed the ATS to hand over the custody of all the five accused to the NIA and also granted their transit remand to the central investigation agency, said public prosecutor (ATS) Vijay Fargade.
Documents released by the Justice Department of British Columbia, Canada show that all four alleged accused in the murder of National Investigation Agency (NIA) designated terrorist Hardeep Singh Nijjar appear to be no longer in custody.
The National Investigation Agency (NIA) has arrested a suspected terrorist for his alleged links with Myanmar-based rebel groups and conspiring to wage war against India by exploiting the current ethnic unrest in Manipur, an official said.
Gangster Aman Sahu was killed in an encounter when members of his gang tried to free him from police custody in Jharkhand's Palamu district.
The locations raided by the NIA were spread across the districts of Moga, Jalandhar, Ludhiana, Gurdaspur, Mohali and Patiala in Punjab and Kurukshetra and Yamunanagar in Haryana.
Two men were arrested in Kerala for allegedly placing a telephone post across a railway track, endangering the lives of passengers. The accused, Rajesh and Arun, were taken into custody and confessed to placing the post on the tracks, but the police are still investigating a possible sabotage angle. The incident occurred on the Kollam-Shenkotta route, and the accused have a criminal track record, with one involved in 11 criminal cases and the other in five cases. The police are investigating whether more people were involved in the incident.
Tightening its noose around Canada-based 'designated individual terrorist' Gurpatwant Singh Pannu, the National Investigation Agency (NIA) confiscated a house and land of the self-styled general counsel of the outlawed Sikhs for Justice (SFJ) outfit in Punjab's Amritsar and the Union Territory of Chandigarh on Saturday, an official said.
The NIA and CBI officials working in Imphal in an ethnically charged environment have been facing the daunting task of completing investigations in various cases, including those related to attacks on Army personnel in 2015, the probe agencies said.
The case was originally registered by the Bengaluru City Police on July 18 last year following the seizure of arms and ammunition, hand grenades and walkie-talkies from seven of the accused persons. The seizure was made when the seven men were in the house of one of the accused.
The probe into the killing of Jammu and Kashmir Police inspector Masroor Ahmad Wani has been handed over to the National Investigation Agency (NIA), a senior police officer said in Srinagar on Friday.
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