Archives for October 2022

Uttarakhand Additional Chief Secretary Radha Raturtri

Dehradun/Lucknow: Uttarakhand Additional Chief Secretary Radha Raturi got into a war of words with the Uttar Pradesh Police on Monday with the latter accusing her of making “irresponsible” statements, days after an unsuccessful raid in the hill state to nab an alleged sand mining mafia led to the death of a local BJP leader’s wife.

At a press conference, Uttarakhand’s Additional Chief Secretary Radha Raturi said crimes should be investigated properly and the guilty should be punished, not the innocent.

“Many times, the Uttar Pradesh Police catch innocent persons and claim they are guilty. It should not be like that. Catching one innocent person may lead to the rise of 99 more wrongdoers,” she said.

Taking strong exception to the statement, the Uttar Pradesh Police termed it “irresponsible” and suggested that a civil servant should refrain from such comments.

In Lucknow, Additional Director General, (Law and Order) Prashant Kumar said, “The Uttar Pradesh Police has seen and heard the statement of the additional chief secretary, home, Uttarakhand. The ACS has issued an irresponsible statement without knowing the facts. Any civil servant should avoid such statements especially when it is related to the matter of the country’s biggest and sensitive state.”

“This statement is regrettable and not based on facts. Does Mukthar Ansari and Vijay Mishra convicted by the courts appear innocent to the ACS?”

“Does Zafar, a mining mafia, who is wanted or senior block head of Udham Singh Nagar appears innocent for her? The statement is unfortunate as the UP police has taken strict action against criminals in the state and also against PFI,” he said.

Later, Raturi clarified that she wanted to say that “crimes should be investigated properly and only the guilty should be punished, not the innocent. Police of all states are performing well. Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand police often work together to solve crimes.”

The Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand police are locked in a standoff over an unsuccessful raid a few days ago.

The police had attempted to arrest sand mining mafia Zafar and his associates from Bharatpur village of Udham Singh Nagar district in Uttarakhand on October 12 night, but a clash broke out between the police team and villagers.

In the clash, the wife of a local BJP leader was killed and five others, including four Uttar Pradesh Police personnel, were injured. Several police personnel were also held captive by villagers in Bharatpur and were freed following the intervention of senior police officials.

Udham Singh Nagar Senior Superintendent of Police had claimed that the Uttar Pradesh Police team did not inform their Uttarakhand counterparts about the action in advance.

Zafar was arrested on Sunday from Uttar Pradesh’s Moradabad.

At the press conference on Monday, when asked about the deadline of three days given to police officials for solving three crime cases in the state, Raturi said there is no ultimatum. They have been asked to investigate the cases properly and punish the guilty, she said.

She also blamed the media for the “high morale” of criminals in the state, saying if it was reported that action was being taken, their morale would not have been so high.

Jay Shah

Mumbai : BCCI secretary Jay Shah on Tuesday made it clear that India will play Asia Cup next year at a neutral venue.

The 2023 edition, which will be played in the 50 over format ahead of the ODI World Cup in India, has been allotted to Pakistan. “We have decided to play at a neutral venue,” Shah was quoted as saying by multiple cricket websites after the conclusion of BCCI AGM.

The Asia Cup being held at neutral venues is not unprecedented. Shah also happens to be the Asian Cricket Council president, after the BCCI’s Annual General Meeting (AGM) here. He was re-elected as secretary for a second term.

The 2022 Asia Cup was held in the UAE last month after hosts Sri Lanka expressed their inability to host the event amid the economic crisis back home.

India and Pakistan only play each other in Asia Cup and global events due to political tensions between the two countries. Both teams played twice in the Asia Cup last month and are set to clash in Melbourne on October 23 in the T20 World Cup.

BCCI’s cash reserves grew by approx Rs 6000 crore in last 3 years ;

At the AGM, outgoing treasurer and new IPL chairman Arun Dhumal informed the state units that the BCCI’s treasury grew from Rs 3648 crore to Rs 9629 crore in the last three years.

The Ganguly-led regime had taken charge in 2019 after the Supreme Court-appointed Committee of Administrators’ 33-month tenure.

“When the current team took over the reins of the BCCI in 2019, the BCCI’s coffers had funds of Rs 3648 crore. We are handing over an organisation that sits over a treasury that has Rs 9629 crore of funds which is roughly thrice of what we got at the time of our taking over from COA,” said Dhumal in his speech.

“The disbursement to the state associations has seen a jump of nearly five times, from Rs 680 crore in the COA time to Rs 3295 crore now,” he added.

Bilkis Bano

New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Tuesday remarked the Gujarat government’s reply to pleas challenging the remission granted to 11 convicts in the Bilkis Bano gang-rape case is very bulky wherein a series of judgments have been quoted but factual statements are missing.

The top court granted time to the petitioners to file their response to the Gujarat government’s affidavit and said it will hear on November 29 the pleas challenging the remission of sentence and release of convicts in the 2002 case also involving the murder of seven members of her family during the Gujarat riots.

“I have not come across a counter affidavit where a series of judgments are quoted. Factual statement should have been made. A very bulky counter. Where is the factual statement, where is the application of mind?” a bench headed by Justice Ajay Rastogi observed.

The bench, also comprising Justice C T Ravikumar, directed that the reply filed by the Gujarat government be made available to all parties.

Senior CPI(M) leader Subhashini Ali and two other women have filed the PIL against the remission of sentence of the convicts and their release.

At the outset, senior advocate Kapil Sibal, appearing for the petitioners, submitted that he needed time to file the response.

Justice Rastogi observed that even before he could go through the Gujarat government’s reply, it was visible in the newspapers.

Addressing Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, Justices Rastogi said he has not come across a counter affidavit where a series of judgments have been quoted.

Mehta concurred with the observation and said it could have been avoided. “The judgments were mentioned for easy reference, it could have been avoided,” Mehta said.

The Solicitor General submitted strangers and third parties cannot raise the challenge to the remission of sentence and release of the convicts.

The apex court then granted time to the petitioners and posted the matter for hearing on November 29.

The Gujarat government had on Monday defended in the apex court its decision to release the convicts in accordance with the 1992 remission policy since they had completed more than 14 years in prison and their conduct was found to be good.

It also clarified the convicts were not granted remission in consonance with the circular for grant of remission to prisoners as part of ‘Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav’ celebrations.

The state home department said all the convicts had completed more than 14 years in prison under life imprisonment.

“Opinions of the concerned authorities have been obtained as per the policy of July 9, 1992 and submitted to the ministry of home affairs, government of India, vide letter dated June 28, 2022, and sought the approval/suitable orders of India,” the affidavit stated.

The Gujarat government told the top court the Ministry of Home Affairs, Government of India, approved the premature release of the convicts vide letter dated July 11, 2022.

The reply also disclosed the proposal for the premature release of the convicts was opposed by the Superintendent of Police, CBI, Special Crime Branch, Mumbai and the Special Civil Judge (CBI), City Civil and Sessions Court, Greater Bombay.

Bilkis Bano was 21 years old and five-month pregnant when she was gang-raped while fleeing the riots that broke out after the Godhra train burning incident. Her three-year-old daughter was among the seven family members killed.

The 11 men convicted in the case walked out free from the Godhra sub-jail on August 15 after the Gujarat government allowed their release under its remission policy.

The 11 convicts granted premature release are Jaswantbhai Nai, Govindbhai Nai, Shailesh Bhatt, Radheshyam Shah, Bipin Chandra Joshi, Kesarbhai Vohania, Pradeep Mordhiya, Bakabhai Vohania, Rajubhai Soni, Mitesh Bhatt, and Ramesh Chandana.

The investigation in the case was handed over to the CBI and the trial was transferred to a Maharashtra court by the Supreme Court.

A special CBI court in Mumbai had on January 21, 2008 sentenced the 11 to life imprisonment on charges of gang-rape of Bilkis Bano and murder of seven members of her family.

Their conviction was later upheld by the Bombay High Court and the Supreme Court.

The state government had submitted its reply to a PIL filed by CPI(M) leader Subhashini Ali, Revati Laul, an independent journalist, and Roop Rekha Verma, who is a former vice chancellor of the Lucknow University.

The Gujarat government’s affidavit had said, “A bare perusal of the circumstances in which the present petition is filed manifest that the petitioner is not an aggrieved person but a mere interloper, who has invoked Article 32 jurisdiction vested with this court under the Constitution of India, for extraneous purpose”.

Referring to a 1976 verdict of the apex court, the state government said a person aggrieved should be one who has personal and individual right in the subject matter and that there is infringement of the said legal right or prejudice to some legal interest.

The affidavit noted the petitioner being a “third-party stranger”, has no locus to challenge the remission order passed by the competent authority as per applicable law in the instant case under the “garb of PIL”.

The state government had said it is its bona fide belief that the present petition is nothing but an abuse of PIL jurisdiction of this court and is motivated by “political intrigues and machinations”.

On September 25, a convict Radhey Shyam had also questioned the locus standi of the petitioners challenging the remission given to him and the 10 other convicts in the case, saying they are “complete strangers” in the matter.

On August 25, the top court had sought responses from the Centre and the Gujarat government to the petition challenging the remission granted to the 11 convicts in the case.

Chandigarh: Upset over his wife’s refusal to return home from her parents’ place, a 30-year-old man allegedly burnt the woman and four members of her family alive while they were asleep, police said on Tuesday.

Paramjit Kaur and her two minor children from a previous marriage had been living with her parents in Punjab’s Jalandhar district for five-six months, they said.

Kuldeep Singh wanted Paramjit to return to his house in Ludhiana’s Khurshedpur village but she refused to go back as Kuldeep used to allegedly beat her and the kids up, the police said.

Late Monday night, Kuldeep and two of his accomplishes doused all five victims with petrol as they were sleeping and set them on fire, Jalandhar (Rural) Superintendent of Police Satbjit Singh said over the phone.

The victims were identified as Paramjit Kaur, her father Surjan Singh, mother Jogindero, and her two kids Arshdeep (8) and Anmol (5), the official said.

A search operation is underway to nab the accused, the police said, adding that a murder case has been registered.

Meerut: Two people were feared drowned when a boat with around 15 people on board capsized in river Ganga here on Tuesday morning, officials said.

The incident occurred in Hastinapur area when the boat collided with a pillar, owing to the fast current in the river, and overturned, Senior Superintendent of Police Rohit Singh Sajwan said

The boat was on its way to Bijnor, he said.

National Disaster Response Force and State Disaster Response Force personnel have undertaken the rescue work, officials said.

Eleven people were rescued by a steamer boat that was passing through the area, he said.

New Delhi: A Delhi court on Tuesday refused to cancel the bail of Bihar Deputy Chief Minister Tejashwi Yadav on a plea moved by the CBI in connection with the IRCTC scam.

Special Judge Geetanjali Goel, however, asked Yadav to be more careful and choose appropriate words.

The CBI had claimed that at a recent press conference, Yadav had attempted to subvert the process of law and thwart the entire investigation as well as the consequent trial, and blatantly abused the liberty granted to him.

The court passed the directions after hearing arguments during which Yadav claimed that he did not violate any condition set in the bail granted to him earlier.

I (Yadav) am in opposition parry and raising questions on wrongdoing is my duty. The CBI and ED are being ‘misused’ by the present government. All opposition parties are feeling this, Yadav’s counsel told the court.

The court said a detailed order will be passed later.

The court had in October 2018 granted bail to Yadav after he appeared before it in pursuance to summons issued against him in the matter related to alleged irregularities in granting operational contract of two Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation (IRCTC) hotels to a private firm.

New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Tuesday said it will hear on November 29 the pleas challenging the remission of sentence and release of 11 convicts in the 2002 Bilkis Bano gang-rape case and murder of her seven family members during the Gujarat riots.

A bench of Justices Ajay Rastogi and C T Ravikumar directed that the reply filed by the Gujarat government be made available to all parties.

The petitioners have been given time to file their reply to the affidavit filed by the Gujarat government.

“A counter has been filed by the Gujarat government. Let counter affidavit be made available to all counsels,” the bench said.

The Gujarat government on Monday had told the apex court that petitioners challenging the remission are nothing but an “interloper” and a “busybody”.

It had also said that since the investigation in the case was carried out by the CBI, it had obtained “suitable orders” for grant of remission of the convicts from the Centre.

Bilkis Bano was 21 years old and five-month pregnant when she was gang-raped while fleeing the riots that broke out after the Godhra train burning incident. Her three-year-old daughter was among the seven family members killed.

The 11 men convicted in the case walked out free from the Godhra sub-jail on August 15 after the Gujarat government allowed their release under its remission policy. They had completed more than 15 years in jail.

Sukesh Chandrashekhar

New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Tuesday refused to entertain a fresh plea by alleged ‘conman’ Sukesh Chandrashekhar seeking transfer from Mandoli jail in the city to any other jail which is not under control of the Director General of Prisons, Delhi.

 A bench of Justices Ajay Rastogi and C T Ravikumar declined to interfere in the matter.

“We find no reason to entertain the petition. We don’t appreciate this kind of behaviour,” the bench said.

The counsel appearing for the alleged conman submitted before the bench that in spite of several assurances Chandrashekhar was being allegedly assaulted in jail. The lawyer also alleged that Chandrashekhar is being pressured to pay 25 lakh per month in jail.

The top court on August 23 had ordered that Chandrashekhar and his wife be shifted from Tihar Jail to Mandoli Jail in the city. It had passed the order on a plea filed by Chandrashekhar and his wife alleging a threat to their lives and seeking a transfer to a prison outside Delhi.

Chandrashekhar is lodged in jail on charges of alleged money laundering and duping several people.

In an affidavit filed earlier by Director General (Prisons), Delhi Prisons, it was said that the contents of Chandrashekhar’s application that he was assaulted in jail are vehemently denied as totally and wholly false and fabricated for the ulterior motive of seeking transfer to another prison to repeat his misdemeanours and offences.

On June 20, the ED had made some startling revelations against Chandrashekhar that he indulged in money laundering, extortion, impersonation of public officials including those holding constitutional posts, and had opposed his plea for prison transfer outside Delhi.

The probe agency has sought to intervene in the plea filed by Chandrashekhar and his wife.

The probe agency named several TV and Bollywood personalities with whom the alleged conman has contacts and used to give them expensive gifts.