Archives for January 2018

New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Thursday refused to entertain a plea seeking to restrain the media from publishing, discussing and politicising issues raised by four seniormost judges in the January 12 press conference. A bench headed by Chief Justice Dipak Misra said it will look into the matter only after the apex court registry takes the petition on record and lists it for hearing.

The plea, which mentioned urgent listing and hearing, sought to restrain “the printing, discussion, politicisation and debate on the subject matter of the press conference dated January 12 with immediate effect to control further damage to the institution”.

Four senior-most judges- Justices J Chelameswar, Ranjan Gogoi, Madan B Lokur and Kurian Joseph – had in an unprecedented presser on January 12 raised a litany of problems, including the assigning of cases in the apex court, and said there were certain issues afflicting the country’s highest court.

(PTI)

New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Thursday paved the way for an all-India release for Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s “Padmaavat” on January 25 by staying the operation of orders banning the release of the film by the Gujarat, Rajasthan and Haryana governments. The film industry hailed the decision.

Staying the “notifications and orders” banning the release of the controversial film by the three states, Chief Justice Dipak Misra, Justice A.M. Khanwilklar and Justice D.Y. Chandrachud said the remaining states will not ban the screening of the film.

Referring to its earlier judgement, the court said it was incumbent upon the state governments to ensure law and order.

The court order came on a plea by “Padmaavat” producers — Bhansali Productions and Viacom18 Motion Pictures — challenging the ban on the screening of the film by the three states that didn’t want it to be screened over alleged distortion of historical facts.

Rajput outfit Shree Rajput Karni Sena, which is at the forefront of the protests against the movie, has chalked out its next strategy.

A leader of the group told IANS that they it reach out to cinema hall owners across the country asking them to not show the movie or face consequences.

Film fraternity members Shyam Benegal, Manish Mundra, Madhur Bhandarkar and Ashoke Pandit were among those who lauded the Supreme Court decision.

Benegal told IANS that it’s “quite clearly a victory of freedom of expression” while filmmaker Pandit said: “It’s a very big success for the film industry.”

“This judgement has broken the arrogance of the political parties who banned the film thinking they can do it,” Pandit told IANS.

Producer Mundra tweeted: “Banning the film ‘Padmaavat’ even after CBFC certification was a cowardly act by the states. Were trying to do vote bank politics and or shying away from their responsibilities of managing law and order.”

Trade expert Komal Nahta said the judgement was “a tight slap on the faces of the states which banned the film”. “Red letter day … the film industry and lovers of cinema all over.”

Actor Ayushmann Khurrana hailed it as the “best news of the day which restores faith in our democracy”. Filmmaker Bhandarkar welcomed the decision for the movie, which features Deepika Padukone, Ranveer Singh and Shahid Kapoor.

Author Chetan Bhagat said it’s a “great decision” as “every story can’t be told how bullies want it”.

Filmmaker Rohit Shetty hoped the movie gets a “great release”.

“Padmaavat”, which was earlier scheduled to release as “Padmavati” on December 1, is hitting the screens after facing multiple hurdles.

Bhansali was first assaulted on the film’s set in Jaipur last year, after which the film’s set in Kolhapur was vandalised.

Rajput outfits and some groups backed by the BJP have been actively protesting its release, contending that it plays with Rajput pride – something that the makers have repeatedly denied.

Bhansali has said the film is inspired by 16th century poet Malik Muhammad Jayasi’s poem “Padmavat” and that it’s a film Indians will be proud of.

(IANS)

Mumbai: The Shiv Sena today latched on to VHP leader Pravin Togadia’s claim of a plot to kill him to target Prime Minister Narendra Modi and BJP chief Amit Shah.

The BJP’s bickering ally, which has been regularly criticising the Modi government on a host of issues, asked the two leaders to clarify Togadia’s stunning claim.

“When pro-Hindutva people in India have to fear for their lives, Modi and Amit Shah should come out and clarify. After the new (BJP-led) government came to power, voices of many, including L K Advani, have been stifled,” the Sena alleged in an editorial in its mouthpiece ‘Saamana’.

The Uddhav Thackeray-led party said it remained to be seen what “title” is given to the 62-year-old international working president of the VHP after he alleged there was a conspiracy to silence him.

“Togadia has levelled a string of allegations against the prime minister. When four senior SC judges came out and revealed the interference (of the Centre) in the judiciary, they were termed anti-nationals and agents of the Congress.

“It remains to be seen what title is given to Pravin Togadia now,” the Marathi daily read.

The Sena claimed attempts have been made in the past to “stifle” the voice of the party, an old ally of the BJP, using power and threats.

The Sena organ said it was surprising that a leader like Togadia, who is known for giving fiery speeches, was in tears and fearing for his life.

“Hindutva mascots Veer Savarkar and Balasaheb Thackeray (the Sena founder) never shed tears or exhibited their helplessness.

“It is sad that Togadia, seen as a Hindutva mascot, is in a condition where he has to shed tears,” the editorial read.

The Sena sought to know if “murderers” were trying to reach the physician-turned-Hindutva leader under the garb of policemen.

“Were murderers trying to reach Togadia under the garb of policemen as chief ministers of Rajasthan and Gujarat had no idea about their police personnel having been dispatched to arrest the VHP chief,” it read.

The Sena said it remains firmly committed to the cause of Hindutva.

“We have never fought the fight for Hindutva through guerrilla tactics. For us, Hindutva is not a game or a means to play politics but our national duty.”

Togadia, a Z plus category protectee, went untraceable on January 15 after a team of the Rajasthan police arrived at Ahmedabad to arrest him in connection with a case registered at Gangapur in Sawai Madhopur district and was found unconscious in a park in Shahibau and admitted to a hospital.

At a press meet in the hospital a day later, the firebrand leader alleged attempts were being made to silence him for raising issues related to the Hindu community.

Togadia moved to tears and claimed he went into hiding after learning a Rajasthan police team had come to arrest him. He claimed he got messages from “some people” that he might be killed in a (fake) “encounter”.

The Congress demanded an “independent” probe into the allegations levelled by Togadia, while RSS leader M G Vaidya said he should reveal who was behind the alleged conspiracy to kill him.

(PTI)

Kanpur: As many as 16 people, including a noted builder, were arrested by the Kanpur police in connection with the seizure of over Rs 96 crore in demonetised currency notes from the builder’s ancestral house in Swaroop Nagar here.

Senior Superintendent of Police Akhilesh Kumar Meena said on Wednesday that Rs 95 crore belonged to Anand Khatri, the builder, and over a dozen others owned the remaining amount. They were arrested along with the builder.

This is the biggest seizure since old currency notes in the denominations of Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 were banned in November 2016. Meena said the NIA had gathered inputs about some companies and individuals involved in converting illegal currency into legal money and shared the information with Inspector General of Police, Kanpur, Alok Singh.

The IG collected more information about those running the money conversion racket and briefed the SSP Kanpur, directing him to carry out raids discreetly. Following a tip-off, the SSP formed several teams headed by SP (East) Anurag Arya and SP (West) Gaurav Grover.

They nabbed four men involved in conversion of illegal money from the Swaroop Nagar area. Initially they tried to mislead police, but later during intensive interrogation they broke down and confessed their crime, the SSP said.

They divulged information about the builder involved in converting black money into white by exchanging the old currency notes. It was revealed that huge amount of demonetised currency was stored in guny bags in the builder’s ancestral house near Gole Chauraha in Swaroop Nagar.

The police later nabbed the builder, who led the team to the site where the currency was stashed, said SP (East) Anurag Arya. The police also raided three hotels from where 11 people were arrested, he said.

Preliminary probe indicated that the cash was hidden with an intention of converting it into legal currency, the SP said, but discounted the possibility of any terror angle.

(PTI)