PTI, New Delhi, Jun 2, 2024 : A court here on Sunday sent Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal to judicial custody till June 5 in a money laundering case related to the alleged excise scam.
Duty judge Sanjeev Aggarwal passed the order after the chief minister was produced before the court through video conference after surrendering at Tihar jail upon the expiry of his interim bail granted by the Supreme Court for campaigning in the Lok Sabha polls.
The judge passed the order on an application filed by the Enforcement Directorate, seeking extension of judicial custody by 14 days.
The application was moved by the ED on May 20 while Kejriwal was out on interim bail.
The court sent Kejriwal to judicial custody till June 5, noting that the judge concerned was scheduled to pass an order on his interim bail plea on health grounds on that day.
PTI, Kolkata, Jun 1, 2024 : Widespread violence between supporters of the TMC and the BJP over alleged electoral malpractices in strife-torn Sandeshkhali marred the final phase of Lok Sabha polls in West Bengal on Saturday, resulting in injuries to a number of people.
A 69.89 per cent voter turnout was recorded till 5 pm across the nine contested seats that went to polls, several of which witnessed sporadic violence.
The Election Commission received 2,667 complaints until 4 pm, alleging EVM malfunction and obstruction of agents entering booths.
The TMC, Congress, ISF, and BJP each filed hundreds of complaints related to poll violence, voter intimidation, and assaults on agents. Despite these issues, the Election Commission stated that “barring a few incidents, the polling was peaceful”.
“Highest polling of 76.56 per cent was registered in Basirhat, followed by Mathurapur (74.13), Jaynagar (73.44), Diamond Harbour (72.87), Barasat (71.80), Jadavpur (70.41), Dum Dum (67.60), Kolkata Dakshin (60.88), and Kolkata Uttar (59.23),” he said.
Voter turnout in Baranagar bypoll until 5 pm was 66.70 per cent, the official added. Voting commenced at 7 am and was scheduled to conclude at 6 pm.
Sources suggest the turnout may increase further as long queues were observed outside polling booths.
All nine seats are presently with the TMC. In the last parliamentary polls, Basirhat, Mathurapur, Jaynagar, Diamond Harbour, and Barasat recorded 85, 84, 82, 81, and 81 per cent voter turnout, respectively.
The voter turnout in Jadavpur, Dum Dum, Kolkata Dakshin, and Kolkata Uttar was 79, 76, 69.82, and 65 per cent, respectively, in 2019.
In Sandeshkhali which comes under the Basirhat Lok Sabha seat, clashes broke out between TMC and BJP supporters over allegations of electoral malpractices.
The police used batons and tear gas to control the situation. BJP candidate Rekha Patra alleged that TMC goons stopped voters from casting their votes.
Women voters of Sandeshkhali accused the TMC of not allowing them to cast their votes freely, an allegation dubbed baseless by the state’s ruling party.
The TMC made counter-allegations and accused Patra and BJP goons of trying to vitiate the poll atmosphere.
As both groups came to blows on the Basanti Express Highway, the police resorted to baton charges and tear gas shell firing to disperse the mob.
The BJP also claimed that shots were also fired by the TMC goons.
Clashes among the police, BJP, and the TMC activists were reported from three pockets of Sandeshkhali as in several areas TMC and BJP workers were seen hurling bricks at the police.
Basirhat SP Hossain Mehedi Rahaman said three persons were injured during the clash between TMC and BJP supporters at Bayramari in Sandeshkhali, adding that one person was arrested in this connection.
Sandeshkhali’s Bermajur area has been on the boil since last night as the BJP made allegations that TMC workers, accompanied by policemen, intimidated its polling agents by visiting their homes on Friday night.
Sporadic violence was also reported in the other eight constituencies voting in West Bengal.
Clashes broke out among the TMC, ISF, and the BJP in different pockets as the parties clashed over stopping polling agents from entering booths.
A confrontation erupted in Bhangar within the Jadavpur constituency between backers of Trinamool Congress and the Indian Secular Front (ISF), with allegations of crude bombs being hurled from both sides. Police intervention ensued, triggering protests as both factions accused each other.
Angry voters of Kultuli within the Joynagar constituency threw EVMs and VVPAT machines into nearby water bodies alleging electoral misconduct.
TMC supporters have accused the ISF of orchestrating the violence to intimidate voters. Prompt action from local law enforcement led to lathi charges and the arrest of suspects in the Polerhat area of Bhangar.
In the Canning area, clashes were reported between the TMC and the BJP.
BJP candidate Abhijit Das accused the ruling party of malpractices, which the TMC denied. As Das approached a polling booth, TMC activists staged protests and shouted “Go back” slogans. In response, Das got out of his car and shouted counter slogans.
Similarly, CPI(M) candidate Patikur Rehman faced “go back” slogans from TMC workers when he attempted to visit a booth in the Canning area.
In Jadavpur, CPI(M) workers were allegedly beaten by the TMC activists and their camp offices were ransacked.
In Baranagar assembly seat, where a by-poll is on, CPI(M) candidate Tanmay Bhattacharya was allegedly assaulted when he was standing outside a booth as TMC workers accused him of trying to influence the voters.
In some areas, media persons were also injured while covering the clashes.
The TMC exuded confidence about retaining all nine seats.
“The BJP tried to vitiate the poll atmosphere. But overall the people could cast their votes and we are confident of a win,” Education Minister Bratya Basu said.
BJP leader Suvendu Adhikari demanded re-polling in several booths of the Diamond Harbour constituency alleging malpractices.
“The TMC in a pre-planned way stopped the Hindus from casting their votes in various seats. We want re-polling in various booths of the Diamond Harbour constituency as the violence and irregularities have been rampant,” he said.
CPI (M) state secretary Mohammad Salim claimed that the election process in the Diamond Harbour constituency, where TMC’s Abhishek Banerjee is seeking a third consecutive term, was “fraudulent”.
MP, 1 June 2024, Kolkata: The state Criminal Investigation Department (CID) has formed a Special Investigation Team (SIT) to probe the Bangladesh Member of Parliament (MP), Anwarul Azim Anar murder case.
The SIT will be led by the Inspector General (IG) I of CID, Vishal Garg. The SIT will comprise three Deputy Inspector Generals (DIG) and about 10 other officers.
Meanwhile, the CID has decided to go for a DNA test of the pieces of flesh and hair found from the septic tank of the housing complex in New Town where Anar was murdered and his body was mutilated.
The CID is waiting for the forensic report of the flesh and hair to ascertain that it is a human. Anar’s daughter will soon come to Kolkata for the DNA test and proceedings for her VISA to come to India have reportedly begun in Bangladesh. However, the other body parts of the Bangladesh MP have still not been found.
Apart from the investigation by the CID, Bangladesh Police on Friday again produced the three arrested accused identified as Amanullah alias Shimul Bhuiyan, Shilasti Rahman and Tanvir Bhuiyan before the Dhaka Metropolitan Court after their eight days police remand was over.
On Friday, the Bangladesh Police reportedly appealed for their police remand again. After the hearing, five days police remand was allowed by the Dhaka Metropolitan Court.
In another development, the state CID has reportedly tracked another accused identified as Siyam in Nepal. A police team might go to Nepal soon in connection with the probe. However, before that both CID and Bangladesh Police might contact Nepal Police with a request to intercept Siyam.
MP, 1 June 2024, Kolkata: The Calcutta High Court recently gave bail to five people who had accompanied Rekha Patra during an agitation in front of the office of Rekha Patra. The accused have been directed not to enter Sandeshkhali apart from June 1 to cast their votes.
The Vacation Bench of Justice Tirthankar Ghosh and Justice Biswaroop Chowdhury granted bail to Gita Bar, Utpal Maity, Ajit Sardar, Suprakash Mondal and Sudeb Dey.
The matter will be heard again by the regular bench on June 12, after vacation. BJP candidate from Basirhat Lok Sabha seat Rekha Patra had also approached Calcutta High Court seeking protection from coercive action by the state police. The lawyer representing Patra reportedly stated that several false cases have been filed against her by the police. Patra also sought for security and protection from the Calcutta High Court, which was given to her.
Earlier, the High Court had ordered release of Sandeshkhali BJP worker Piyali Das alias Mampi, who had surrendered before the lower court over a case filed against her for allegedly getting women to sign on white paper. Justice Jay Sengupta directed for Das’s release on personal bond.
According to a news report, the Court further directed that a final report on the investigation in the case against Das cannot be submitted without its permission. The matter will be heard again on June 19.
The advocate representing Das submitted that IPC 195A (forcing a person to give false evidence) which is a non-bailable section was added against her by the police after she had surrendered before the lower court. Das surrendered in Basirhat Sub-Divisional Court on May 14.
There were allegations against her of getting women in Sandeshkhali to sign on white papers which was later filled up as sexual assault complaints against TMC leaders.
The lower court rejected the bail plea and sent her to seven days judicial custody. When questioned by the media, Das said that the allegations against her are false and that there is no evidence to support those allegations.
AP, Washington, May 31, 2024 : Donald Trump has been found guilty of all 34 charges of falsifying business records by a grand jury in New York, an unprecedented and historic verdict that makes him the first former president in American history to be convicted of a felony, as he makes a bid to return to the White House in November.
In a landmark verdict, a panel of 12 Manhattan jurors on Thursday said they unanimously agreed that Trump, 77, falsified business records to conceal a USD 130,000 hush money payment to adult film star Stormy Daniels to influence the 2016 presidential election.
It will ultimately be up to voters on November 5 to decide the significance of the guilty verdict delivered by 12 ordinary New Yorkers, which, on a legal basis, does not prevent him from being elected president again.
Over a six-week trial, the court heard from 22 witnesses, including Daniels, whose alleged sexual encounter with the former president was at the centre of the case.
As the verdicts were read, Trump remained silent and still. But the former president spoke to reporters outside the courtroom, calling the trial a “rigged, disgraceful trial” and saying that the “real verdict” will be rendered on Election Day.
Prosecutors had argued that, by approving a scheme to disguise the money as legal expenses, Trump broke election law.
Trump’s sentencing is scheduled for July 11, four days before the Republican National Convention in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, where he will be formally nominated as the party’s presidential candidate against incumbent Joe Biden, an 81-year-old Democrat, in the elections.
For now, Trump has been released without having to pay bail.
“This was a disgrace. This was a rigged trial by a conflicted judge who was corrupt. It’s a rigged trial, a disgrace. They wouldn’t give us a venue change. We were at 5 per cent or 6 per cent in this district, in this area. This was a rigged, disgraceful trial,” said Trump shortly after the verdict was read.
“The real verdict is going to be November 5th by the people. And they know what happened here, and everybody knows what happened here. You have a Soros-backed DA, and the whole thing, we didn’t do a thing wrong. I’m a very innocent man, and it’s okay, I’m fighting for our country. I’m fighting for our Constitution. Our whole country is being rigged right now,” Trump said.
Trump alleged that this was done by the Biden administration to wound or hurt a political opponent.
No former president or presumptive party nominee in the US has ever faced a felony conviction.
During the trial, the prosecution set out to prove that Trump had falsified records when he repaid his former lawyer Michael Cohen for a hush-money payment to Daniels. The Biden Harris campaign welcomed the jury’s verdict. “In New York today, we saw that no one is above the law,” said Biden-Harris 2024 Communications Director. (AP)
‘Trump will try to turn verdict into campaign fuel’
New York, May 31: Being convicted of a felony – let alone 34 of them – is the kind of blow that would normally tank any politician’s ambitions.
Donald Trump will instead try to turn what might otherwise be a career-ending judgment into campaign fuel.
Trump will return to the campaign trail Friday with a news conference at his namesake tower in Manhattan a day after he was convicted of trying to illegally influence the 2016 election through a hush money payment to a porn actor who claimed they had sex. His lawyers and allies described him as defiant and ready to fight a verdict they argue is illegitimate and driven by politics.
No former president or presumptive party nominee has ever faced a felony conviction or the prospect of prison time, and Trump is expected to keep his legal troubles central to his campaign. He has long argued without evidence that the four indictments against him were orchestrated by Democratic President Joe Biden to try to keep him out of the White House.
“There is nobody who is more defiant,” said Trump spokesman Jason Miller on Fox News hours after the verdict was read. “He’s ready to get out there and start fighting again.” Trump and his campaign had been preparing for a guilty verdict for days, even as they held out hope for a hung jury. On Tuesday, Trump railed that not even Mother Teresa, the nun and saint, could beat the charges, which he repeatedly labeled as “rigged.”
His top aides on Wednesday released a memo in which they insisted a verdict would have no impact on the election, whether Trump was convicted or acquitted.
The news nonetheless landed with a jolt. Trump, his team and reporters at the courthouse had been under the impression that the jury on Thursday would wrap up deliberations for the day at 4:30 p.m. Trump sat smiling and chatting with his lawyers as the proceedings seemed to be coming to a close.
Trump had spent the hours before the verdict was announced sequestered in the private courtroom where he had spent breaks throughout the trial, huddled with his attorneys and campaign aides, eating from a revolving lunch menu of McDonald’s, pizza, and subs.
Revanna on Friday was remanded to police custody till June 6, by a Court in Bengaluru over the obscene videos case
Prajwal being taken to a hospital for medical examination under tight security, in Bengaluru, on Friday,
PTI, Bengaluru, May 31, 2024 : Suspended JD(S) MP Prajwal Revanna, facing sexual abuse allegations, was remanded to police custody on Friday, hours after he was arrested by a special team upon his return from Germany.
A special court in the city remanded him to police custody till June 6. Prajwal was arrested in the wee hours of Friday by a Special Investigation Team (SIT), minutes after he landed here past midnight from Germany. He had left the country on April 27.
In a clear messaging early in the day, a team of women police personnel ‘welcomed’ Prajwal Revanna upon his arrival here, as they were deputed to execute a warrant and take him to the CID office for interrogation.
After evading summons and staying out of the country for a little over a month, the 33 year-old grandson of JD(S) supremo and former Prime Minister HD Deve Gowda landed here from Germany’s Munich, only to be arrested by the SIT minutes later and whisked away for questioning. He had issued a video statement earlier this week, stating he would appear before the SIT on Friday.
Prajwal was later produced before the 42nd Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate K N Shivakumar, who heard the remand application and objection argument from Prajwal’s advocate. He later remanded Prajwal to police custody.
The NDA Lok Sabha candidate from Hassan, facing allegations of sexually abusing several women, was arrested after completing the due process, Karnataka Home Minister G Parameshwara said.
Prajwal’s advocate said the former was extending full cooperation to the SIT probe and cautioned against any media trial in the case.
“Prajwal Revanna landed around 12.40-12:50 am from Germany’s Munich. As there was an arrest warrant against him, SIT accordingly arrested him and took him into custody,” Parameshwara said.
Speaking to reporters here, he said, “…naturally he should have cooperated to the arrest. His immigration papers were cleared and he was brought out (of airport). As he had a diplomatic passport, things happened easily. After completing all the due process, he was arrested,” he added.
Asked if the government will appeal to more victims to come forward following his arrest, Parameshwara said, “We have already said, those who have faced trouble from him to come forward and give complaints to SIT and police, and we will provide them all kind of protection. We will have to wait and see further developments.”
The SIT, sending out a message, deputed an all-woman police team to execute the warrant against Prajwal. Soon after he alighted from the plane from Munich, he was received by women in Khaki, SIT sources said.
During the procedure of executing the arrest warrant, he was flanked by the women police personnel who were led by two IPS officers, Suman D Pennekar and Seema Latkar. He was then taken in a jeep in which only women police were present. They took him to the CID office.
“It was a conscious call to send women officers to arrest Prajwal, sending home a message that the JD(S) leader exploited his seat and power as an MP with women. The same women have authority to arrest him through all legal proceedings,” a source in the SIT said.
There was also a symbolic message to the alleged victims that women officers were not afraid of anyone, the source added.
The MP was later taken for medical examination under tight security. Escorted by female police officials, he was taken to Bowring and Lady Curzon Hospital here.
The SIT is also contemplating a potency test on Prajwal. A potency test is done to ascertain if a rape accused is capable of committing sexual assault on victims.
Meanwhile, Prajwal’s advocate, met him earlier.
“I went to speak to him. He has told to the media that he has come forward to cooperate with the investigation. So he has requested that there be no media trial. Let there be no negative campaign unnecessarily,” advocate G Arun said.
“Prajwal said — I have come forward, the whole purpose of me coming to Bengaluru or before SIT is that I have to stand by my words. I have come forward. I will give the fullest cooperation — these are his words,” he added.
Prajwal had on May 29 filed an anticipatory bail plea at the Principal City and Sessions Court for Elected Representatives, which issued a notice to the SIT to file objections before posting the hearing for Friday.
In the first case registered against him at the Holenarasipura Town police station in Hassan on April 28, Prajwal is accused of sexually harassing a 47-year-old former maid. He is listed as accused number two, while his father and local MLA, H D Revanna, is the primary accused. Prajwal has been so far booked in three cases of sexual assault. There are also charges of rape against him.
The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) has served a show-cause notice to Prajwal, asking him why his diplomatic passport should not be cancelled as sought by the Karnataka government in view of allegations of sexual abuse against him.
Deve Gowda had recently issued a ‘stern warning’ to Prajwal, asking him to return to the country and face probe into the sexual abuse allegations, while asserting there will be no interference from him or other family members into the enquiry.
The JD(S) supremo had reiterated that his grandson should be given the harshest punishment under the law “if found guilty”.
JD(S) has suspended Prajwal Revanna from the party following the allegations.
MP, 30 May 2024, Cooch Behar: A security guard’s gun and bullets were stolen from the Balrampur branch of the State Bank under the Tufanganj Police Station in Cooch Behar district.
According to police and bank sources, the thieves entered the bank building after breaking the ventilation during the early hours of Thursday.
A mobile phone, security guard’s gun and ammunition were stolen from inside the bank. However, according to police sources, nothing was tampered with inside the bank cupboard. It is not yet known whether money disappeared from the bank.
Although the bank authorities have not made any statements about this matter, Cooch Behar District Superintendent of Police Dyutiman Bhattacharya said: “According to the CCTV footage, a young man entered the bank around 3:30 am today.
A mobile phone, currently switched off, as well as the security guard’s gun and bullets, are missing. CCTV footage has been collected from various locations.”
MP, 30 May 2024, Siliguri: The Special Operation Group (SOG) of Siliguri Metropolitan arrested the prime accused, Siddharth Shankar Laha, Head of the Department of Lifelong Learning and Extension of the University of North Bengal (NBU), in the suicide case of a research scholar of the university from Assam.
He was brought to Siliguri on Wednesday and was produced at Siliguri Court on Thursday. On May 16, the body of a research scholar of the Rural Development department of NBU was found hanging at a rented house in Shiv Mandir area.
The deceased was a resident of Tufanganj, Cooch Behar and was staying in the rented house in Shiv Mandir area Also Read – ‘No one can stop change of power in Delhi on June 4’ in Siliguri.
A suicide note was found in the house where it was mentioned that the accused Siddharth Shankar Laha, had a physical relationship with the deceased and refused to marry her. Therefore, she committed suicide.
Her mobile phone and laptop were also missing from the room.On May 18, family members of the deceased lodged a written complaint. SOG began a search for the accused as he went absconding after the incident and tracked his mobile phone.
First, he went to Kalimpong, then Lataguri, then Cooch Behar.
A few days ago, he went to Goyalpara in Assam from where he was arrested. He was booked under various sections of the IPC. He has been taken into police remand for further investigation.
MP, 30 May 2024, Siliguri: 4 arrested in teenager’s suicide case BY MPost30 May 2024 11:13 PM MPost30 May 2024 11:13 PM Siliguri: The Pradhan Nagar Police arrested four people in connection with the suicide of Bappa Barman, a teenager from Devidanga in Siliguri.
The arrested include the minor lover of the deceased, her mother, father and elder sister. The girl’s father is a member of a Panchayat Samiti. As the girl is a minor, she was produced at juvenile court.
The rest were produced at Siliguri Court on Thursday. On Wednesday, chaos erupted over the suicide of a 17-year-old teenager in Devidanga area.
Furious people pelted stones at the police and vandalised police vehicles. The youth was found hanging inside his room on Wednesday morning. According to reports, the deceased had a relationship with a girl.
Allegedly, the girl and her family member had assaulted the deceased on Tuesday humiliated over which he committed suicide.
They have been booked under sections 305 (Abetment of Suicide), 34 (Criminal Act done by several person), 323 (Punishment of voluntarily causes hurt), Indian Penal Code (IPC).
PTI, New Delhi, May 30, 2024 : A Delhi court on Thursday issued notice to the ED on Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal’s plea seeking regular bail in a money laundering case related to the alleged excise scam.
Special Judge Kaveri Baweja, who initially directed the central probe agency to file its response to Kejriwal’s plea by Saturday, later fixed the matter for June 7 after the Enforcement Directorate (ED) sought more time to respond.
The judge, however, directed the ED to file its response by Saturday on Kejriwal’s another plea seeking interim bail for a week on medical grounds.
Kejriwal is currently out on interim bail, granted by the Supreme Court, in the case till June 1.
The Supreme Court registry on Wednesday refused urgent listing of Kejriwal’s plea seeking extension of his interim bail by seven days for undergoing certain medical tests, saying since he was given liberty to move the trial court for regular bail, the plea was not maintainable.
The AAP leader had sought extension of his interim bail by seven days to undergo a host of medical tests, including a PET-CT scan, in view of “sudden and unexplained weight loss coupled with high ketone levels”, which are indicative of kidney, serious cardiac ailments and even cancer.
The chief minister, in his fresh plea filed before the apex court on May 26, said he wanted to surrender before the Tihar jail authorities on June 9 instead of June 2, the scheduled date for his return to prison.
The top court had on May 10 granted 21-day interim bail to the chief minister to enable him to campaign during the Lok Sabha polls.
It had directed him to surrender on June 2, a day after the last phase of the seven-phase poll gets over.
The matter relates to the alleged corruption and money laundering in the formulation and execution of the Delhi government’s now-scrapped excise policy for 2021-22.
MP, 29 May 2024, Siliguri: As many as eight Rohingyas, including a child, were arrested at New Jalpaiguri Railway Station on their way to Punjab via New Jalpaiguri (NJP) Railway Station. Among those arrested, four were women, three were men.
The accused have been identified as Zubera Begum, Rehana Akhtar, Ashiya Begum, Hasina Begum, Noor Hakim, Saddam Hussain and Azinur.
“We apprehended eight people, including a child. All of them have been presented at Court. We have commenced an investigation,” said Selvamurugan, the Superintendent of Railway Police (SRP) of Siliguri GRP.
All those who were arrested were living in the Kutuk Fallung Refugee Camp in Bangladesh. The Government Railway Police (GRP) of NJP received a tip-off about the Rohingyas.
Based on that tip-off, they raided the North-East Samparkranti Express Train on platform number three at NJP Railway Station on Tuesday evening and arrested them.
According to GRP, they had boarded the train from Badarpur Junction in Assam to Delhi. From there, they planned to go to Punjab. On Wednesday, all the accused were produced at the Jalpaiguri Court.
Gourab Neto, MP, 30 May 2024, Kolkata: Following the discovery of pieces of flesh and hair strands in a septic tank of a housing complex in New Town, the daughter of the slain Bangladeshi Member of Parliament (MP) Anwarul Azim Anar may soon come to Kolkata to undergo a DNA test for matching the reports. An arrested person, who police claimed is a butcher by profession, allegedly chopped the body of the Bangladesh lawmaker and mixed them with turmeric before disposing of them at different locations. “In case the body parts are not found, then we will conduct DNA tests on the blood samples and match the result with the DNA of one of Anar’s family members to establish the identity and start a case according to the law,” an officer told a news agency. Also Read – ‘Mercury set to soar in South Bengal; thunderstorms to continue in North’ In another development, the state CID suspects that another accused identified as Siyam had fled to Nepal. A police team might go to Nepal soon in connection with the probe. On Tuesday CID was reportedly requested by the Bangladesh Police to search the septic tank of the apartment building to find any traces of Anar’s body as the arrested accused Jihad Hawaladar reportedly told the cops that he had flushed some body parts through the commode.Honouring the request when the septic tank was searched, where about 3.5 kg pieces of flesh and hair strands were reportedly recovered. However, other body parts are still not found despite repeated searches of the Bagjola Canal in the Krishnamati area of Polerhat. Meanwhile, Dhaka Metropolitan Police told the media persons in Bangladesh that the motive behind Anar’s murder is still unknown.
A bench of Justice C.T. Ravi Kumar and Justice Rajesh Bindal passed the directions while disposing of an appeal filed by the mother of a juvenile challenging the order of a juvenile justice board in Karnataka that her son be tried as an adult in a case relating to rape under the POSCO Act
R. Balaji, TT, New Delhi, 29.05.24 : The Supreme Court has passed a slew of guidelines for courts to follow in cases related to juveniles, particularly on the question of whether the juvenile/child in conflict with the law deserves to be treated as an adult for heinous crimes or under the Juvenile Justice Act.
A bench of Justice C.T. Ravi Kumar and Justice Rajesh Bindal passed the directions while disposing of an appeal filed by the mother of a juvenile challenging the order of a juvenile justice board in Karnataka that her son be tried as an adult in a case relating to rape under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act (Pocso) Act, 2012.
In view of the discussions, the appeal was disposed of with the following directions:
(i) The provision of Section 14(3) of the act, providing for three months for completion of a preliminary assessment (of the juvenile’s mental status) under Section 15 of the act, is not mandatory. The same is held to be directory. The period can be extended for reasons to be recorded in writing by the chief judicial magistrate or as the case may be the chief metropolitan magistrate.
(ii) The words “children’s court” and “court of sessions” in the Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Act, 2015, and the 2016 rules shall be read interchangeably. Primarily jurisdiction vests in the children’s court.
However, in the absence of constitution of such children’s court in the district, the power to be exercised under the act is vested with the court of sessions.
(iii) Appeal under Section 101(2) of the act against an order of the board passed under Section 15 of the act can be filed within 30 days. The appellate court can entertain the appeal after the expiry of the period, provided sufficient cause is shown. Endeavour has to be made to decide any such appeal filed within 30 days.
(iv) In all the orders passed by the courts, tribunals, boards and the quasi-judicial authorities, the names of the presiding officer and/or the members who sign the orders shall be mentioned. In case any identification number has been given, it can also be added.
(v) The presiding officers and/or members while passing the order shall properly record the presence of the parties and/or their counsels, the purpose for which the matter is being adjourned and the party on whose behalf the adjournment has been sought and granted.
A copy of the judgment will be sent to all the registrar generals of high courts for circulation amongst the judicial officers and the members of the juvenile justice boards, the directors of the National Judicial Academy and the state judicial academies.
The apex court passed the directions after senior advocates Sidharth Luthra and R. Basanth complained that many children’s courts and juvenile justice boards were not following the statutory rules prescribed under the act.
Cong on Rajkot probe
The Congress on Tuesday demanded a probe under the supervision of a sitting Supreme Court or high court judge into the fire at the Rajkot game zone and alleged that the BJP government in Gujarat was “not serious” about taking action in the case.
PTI, KOLKATA, May 28, 2024 : The Bangladesh Police will be conducting DNA tests of the blood specimen found in a flat in New Town near here and match the results with that of one of the relatives of Bangladesh MP Anwarul Azim Anar to confirm that the politician was murdered, an officer said on Tuesday.
It is suspected that Anar, who has been missing for a fortnight, was killed in that flat and his body parts were thrown into a canal.
The DNA tests would be conducted as the last option in case the body parts of the Awami League MP could not be found, an officer of the Dhaka police visiting Kolkata as part of the investigation said.
“In case the body parts are not found, then we will conduct DNA tests on the blood samples and match the result with the DNA of one of Anar’s family members to establish the identity and start a case according to the law,” the officer said.
A three-member team of Dhaka Metropolitan Police’s Detective Branch is in the city to investigate the death of Anar. The team is being led by the Detective Branch chief Mohammad Harun-or-Rashid.
The Disaster Management Team of the Kolkata Police on Tuesday resumed search in the Bagjola canal adjacent to an amusement park near Rajarhat, an officer said.
Kolkata Police officers, however, said that finding the body parts would be a tough job due to heavy rainfall following Cyclone Remal on Monday.
“It’s been over a fortnight that the crime was carried out. The body parts were chopped into smaller parts and there was a high chance that those were eaten up by aquatic animals. The Bagjola Canal has dirty water and the body parts could be swept away by the flow,” the police officer said.
Divers were employed to spot the body parts as well as the murder tools from the canal, he added.
Assuming that blood was drained out from the bathroom of the flat, where the lawmaker of the Bangladeshi ruling party, was suspected of being murdered, a team of police officers were testing the drain pipes, he said.
The search for the missing MP, who reportedly arrived in Kolkata on May 12 to undergo medical treatment, began after Gopal Biswas, a resident of Baranagar in north Kolkata and an acquaintance of the Bangladeshi politician, filed a complaint with the local police on May 18.
Anar had stayed at Biswas’s house upon arrival.
In his complaint, Biswas stated that Anar left his Baranagar residence for a doctor’s appointment in the afternoon of May 13 and that he would be back home for dinner.
Biswas claimed that the Bangladesh MP went incommunicado on May 17, which prompted him to file a missing complaint a day later.
Citing its investigation, the Enforcement Directorate said there is reason to believe that the person, Purshottam Chavan, is guilty of the offence of money laundering
PTI, Mumbai, 28.05.24 : A special court dealing with cases under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) here on Monday sent a man to 14-day judicial custody in a Rs 263-crore income tax refund fraud linked money laundering case investigation.
Citing its investigation, the Enforcement Directorate said there is reason to believe that the person, Purshottam Chavan, is guilty of the offence of money laundering.
He is “actively involved in crime” and played a “crucial role” at various stages in laundering the proceeds of crime, said ED.
The agency arrested Chavan on May 20, a day after the agency raided his premises in Mumbai.
He was produced before special PMLA judge MG Deshpande at the end of his remand on Monday. The court sent him to judicial custody as sought by the probe agency.
The ED told the court that the accused has destroyed evidence which could lead to unearthing the end utilization of the funds received by him.
The accused, during his custodial interrogation, did not share details about the amount of funds he actually received, its mode and manner as well as further utilization of the money, the ED said.
Further, in respect of property documents recovered from his residence, the probe agency said the accused did not disclose facts.
Therefore, his judicial custody is very essential as his release at this stage will definitely hamper the ongoing investigation, the ED said.
The court then remanded the accused to judicial custody.
The investigation pertains to alleged fraudulent generation and issuance of TDS (tax deducted at source) refunds from the Income-tax department to the tune of Rs 263.95 crore.
A case registered by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) is the basis of the ED’s money laundering case.
The ED has earlier arrested the main accused and a former senior tax assistant Tanaji Mandal Adhikari, Bhushan Patil, Rajesh Shetty and Rajesh Brijlal Batreja in this case.
Batreja and Chavan were “in touch regularly and shared incriminating messages related to hawala transactions and diversion of the proceeds of crime”, the ED alleged.
Assets worth Rs 168 crore of various accused have been attached till now and a charge sheet was filed in September 2023 by the ED against Adhikari and ten others.
Prajwal, 33, who is seeking re-election from his Hassan Lok Sabha constituency, had flown abroad just as the accusations against him became public, triggering allegations that he was fleeing justice
Prajwal Revanna.: File picture.
K.M. Rakesh, TT, Bengaluru, 28.05.24 : Janata Dal Secular MP Prajwal Revanna on Monday released a video announcing he would return to India and, at 10am on May 31, appear before Karnataka police’s special investigation team that is probing sexual abuse allegations against him.
Prajwal, 33, who is seeking re-election from his Hassan Lok Sabha constituency, had flown abroad just as the accusations against him became public, triggering allegations that he was fleeing justice.
“I will appear before the SIT on May 31 at 10am and fully cooperate with the investigation,” Prajwal, grandson of JDS patriarch and former Prime Minister H.D. Deve Gowda, says in the video.
“I am confident of coming out clean against these false allegations through the courts, since I have complete faith in the judiciary.”
It appears unlikely that Prajwal would have the chance to appear before the SIT by himself. A city court issued an arrest warrant against him on May 18, which would enable the SIT to detain him at the airport itself.
Prajwal has not, however, revealed his flight details or his current location. His father and Holenarasipura MLA, H.D. Revanna, has said Prajwal flew to Germany on a prescheduled trip.
A former domestic help of Prajwal has accused him of sexual abuse. Father and son are also accused of having abducted her to intimidate her against accusing Prajwal.
The SIT probing Prajwal is also investigating pen drives containing 2,976 files — including video clips and pictures of suspected sexual abuse of multiple women — that were found discarded in Hassan just days before the April 26 election there. While the Opposition has alleged the man in the clip is Prajwal, the SIT hasn’t yet officially confirmed it.
Prajwal begins the nearly three-minute video message saying: “I apologise to my parents, grandfather, my Kumaranna (uncle and former chief minister H.D. Kumaraswamy), the people of my state and all the party workers.”
He claims he had no idea about the charges against him until a few days after leaving Bengaluru, which he did early on April 27.
“There was no case against me when the election was held on April 26. There was no SIT, either. My overseas trip on April 26 was already planned,” he says. “Three or four days after I reached overseas, I happened to see news on YouTube about this.”
He says he sought seven days from the police to respond, contacting the force from abroad through his lawyer, but slipped into depression after the allegations were widely discussed in public forums.
“But even after that (his May 1 tweet saying he had sought time from the police) Congress leaders including Rahul Gandhi started discussing this issue in open forums. I slipped into depression and went into isolation,” he says.
Prajwal’s announcement comes after repeated appeals to him from Deve Gowda and Kumaraswamy to return and face the law.
In a public statement on X recently, Deve Gowda had warned Prajwal that he would have to face the anger of his family if he did not return to India.
The home minister said earlier charge sheet meant submission of volumes of documents, but once the new laws come into force the charge sheet will be contained in a pen drive and the response to it can also be delivered digitally on a pen drive.
PTI NEW DELHI: Technology will be a key enabler for the new criminal laws that come into effect July 1 as summons will be issued by SMS, 90 per cent witnesses will appear through video calls and courts will issue orders within three years of filing of an FIR, Union Home Minister Amit Shah has said.
“I can tell you with confidence that after three years, our criminal justice system will be the most modern criminal justice system in the world,” he told PTI in an interview over the weekend.
Piloted by the home minister himself, the newly enacted criminal laws — the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita and the Bharatiya Sakshya Act will come into effect from July 1, replacing the colonial-era Indian Penal Code, the Code of Criminal Procedure and the Indian Evidence Act of 1872 respectively.
In the interview, Shah laid out for the first time many details of the new criminal justice system, which he said are almost entirely driven by technology. For example, all court matters will become online and FIR, court diary and judgement will be digitised. Already, officials have collected finger prints data of nine crore criminals across the country in the last five years.
After lifting finger prints from a crime scene, police will be able to identify the criminal and also if the crime has been committed by a repeat offender from that data base of finger prints within seven and half minutes, Shah said.
“We have brought very big reforms (through the new criminal laws). After the laws come into effect, 90 per cent people will not have to go to courts. The witnesses will appear online,” he added.
Earlier, he said, summon meant physically serving it to someone at their home.
“Many such changes have been incorporated (in new laws). Similar is the case with regards to the charge sheet too,” he said. The Home Minister said earlier charge sheet meant submission of volumes of documents, but once the new laws come into force the charge sheet will be contained in a pen drive and the response to it can also be delivered digitally on a pen drive. “All these matters will now be online.
The FIR, court diary, judgement will also be digitised. We have made forensic evidence compulsory in cases where there is a provision for imprisonment for a period of minimum seven years,” he said.
Asked about the preparation for rolling out the new laws, the Home Minister said it is going on full swing and training of officials is almost over.
