Archives for 2018

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)

Chennai: Veteran actor Kamal Haasan has announced he will commence his political journey from his hometown Ramanathapuram on February 21, when he will also reveal the name of his party.

He made the announcement in a statement issued late on Tuesday night, saying his purpose in life is to “challenge the status quo that has been plaguing the politics of Tamil Nadu for some time now”.

“I intend to embark on a journey across the state from February 21, 2018 to truly understand as to what the needs of my people are?, what is afflicting them?, what their aspirations are?

“Further, this momentous journey of meeting people across Tamil Nadu is neither an act of rebellion nor is it a gathering for glamour. Simply put, this is a journey of discovery and learning and an opportunity for me to truly understand my people,” said Haasan, 63.

This, he said, is being planned and executed in phases and over a period of time.

“I believe it will be truly appropriate if my political journey commences from the place of my birth and hometown Ramanathapuram. Following this, I intend on meeting and spending time with the people from the districts of Madurai, Dindigul and Sivagangai.

“In addition, at the commencement of the journey, I intend to announce the name of my political party along with the guiding principles we intend to live by,” Haasan added.

With his political foray, Haasan intends to “question mediocrity and raise the bar on governance and welfare for the people of Tamil Nadu”.

“The journey is intended towards that goal. I begin this journey with your support. Join hands with me to empower our country and state,” said the acclaimed actor, who feels the love he has for people of the state needs to be “manifested in action and deed”.

(IANS)

New Delhi: A five-judge Constitution bench of the Supreme Court on Wednesday began hearing the matter related to the constitutional validity of linking Aadhaar card to a number of government schemes.

The five-judge Constitution bench, headed by Chief Justice of India Dipak Misra and four other judges Justices A. M. Khanwilkar, Adarsh Kumar Sikri, D.

Y. Chandrachud and Ashok Bhushan will hear a number of petitions filed challenging the validity of the identification number.

Since inception, the validity of the Aadhaar and possible leakage of data has cropped up time and again. The top court has also received petitions regarding the linkage of this 12-digit number with mobile phones, bank accounts and so on, the last date for which was extended to March 31 this year.

While data breach has been widely debated in the recent past, the government had refuted all claims of the same.

Most recently, The Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI) decided to enable ‘Face Authentication’ infusion mode on registered devices by July 1, so that people facing difficulty in other existing modes of verification such as fingerprints, iris, and one-time-password (OTP) could easily authenticate.

(PTI)

A file photo of activist-lawyer Prashant Bhushan. Photo: PTI

New Delhi: Supreme Court lawyer Prashant Bhushan on Tuesday said he had filed a complaint against Chief Justice of India Dipak Misra in the medical college scam case and requested five senior most apex court judges, including the four rebel judges, to hold an in-house inquiry into the matter.

As a convenor of Campaign for Judicial Accountability and Reforms, Bhushan demanded in-house inquiry against Justice Misra saying that “the CJI has apparently committed several acts of serious misconduct that should be inquired into by a committee of three/five Judges of this court”.

Bhushan levelled four charges against the chief justice in his complaint addressed to Justices J Chelameswar, Ranjan Gogoi, Madan B Lokur and Kurian Joseph — who held a presser last week complaining against the CJI — and Justice A K Sikri.

“The facts and circumstances relating to the Prasad Education Trust case show prima facie evidence suggesting that CJI Misra may have been involved in the conspiracy of paying illegal gratification in the case, which at least warrants a thorough investigation,” Bhushan said.

M Quddusi, a retired Judge of the Orissa High Court was arrested by the Central Bureau of Investigation and later granted bail, Biswanath Agarwala, a middleman, and BP Yadav of the Prasad Education Trust, the institution which was barred by the Medical Council of India from admitting medical students and subsequently appealed before the Allahabad High Court and Supreme Court.

The complaint also questioned Justice Misra’s denial of permission to the CBI to register a case against Justice Narayan Shukla of the Allahabad High Court in the Prasad Education Trust matter.

Bhushan’s second charge against Justice Misra dealt with the “alleged misuse of his administrative powers by ignoring the clear principle of conflict of interest and proceeding with hearing of a petition for an independent inquiry by a former CJI into the irregularities in the Prasad Education Trust matter”.

After hearing the petition himself, Justice Misra nullified the order of another bench of Justice Chelameswar who had ordered the matter to be listed before five senior Judges of the Supreme Court. The CJI constituted a three-Judge bench to hear the petition which later dismissed the plea filed by the Campaign for Judicial Accountability and Reforms.

Bhushan alleged that Justice Misra “conducted a serious act of forgery by ante-dating an administrative order dated 6 November, 2017”.

The Supreme Court advocate also alleged that “Justice Misra as lawyer acquired land for a fodder farm in Odisha by furnishing a false affidavit”. Later, the land deal was cancelled by a local Magistrate in 1985 but Justice Misra surrendered the land in 2012 after he was elevated to the Supreme Court.

The 24-page complaint read: “The abovementioned matters have tarnished the reputation of the court and have brought the judiciary into disrepute. It is a matter which needs to be swiftly dealt with.”

“The inquiry must be swiftly done so that the reputation of the judiciary is not damaged further and its integrity and independence remains intact.”

(IANS)

Panaji: Goa Water Resources Minister Vinod Palyekar today accused Karnataka of “paying” money to a witness to appear before a tribunal, which was looking into the dispute over the sharing of the Mahadayi river water between the two states.

Karnataka and Goa, the riparian states of the Mahadayi (known as Mandovi in Goa), have been locked in a bitter battle over the sharing of the water of the river, which originates in Belagavi in Karnataka.

The matter is pending before the Mahadayi Water Dispute Tribunal.

In a series of tweets, Palyekar, who has been engaged in a war of words with the Congress government in Karnataka, made fresh accusations against the neighbouring state.

“Goa never paid for its witnesses. Our witnesses worked keeping in mind #GoemGoenkarGoemkarponn (interest of the state) in #Mahadayi matter (sic),” one of his tweets read.

“Unlike Karnataka witness A K Gosain who had confessed in tribunal that he was paid 50k per day by Karnataka for being the witness and 5 lakhs to prepare report (sic),” the minister further said.

The Goa government has claimed that Karnataka has resumed work on a tributary canal of the river at Kankumbi village, in “violation” of a Supreme Court order.

Palyekar had said the state would file contempt petitions against Karnataka in the apex court and also in the tribunal.

Meanwhile, Karnataka Irrigation Minister M B Patil had visited Kankumbi yesterday and said that the claims made by Goa were “false”. He had also said that no fresh work was going on at the proposed dam site.

Palyekar, in a late evening statement yesterday, had called Karnataka “habitual liars” on the Mahadayi issue.

The Goa government made a representation before the tribunal on the river-sharing issue yesterday.

(PTI)

New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Wednesday agreed to hear the plea of producers of controversial Bollywood movie ‘Padmavaat’ against the ban imposed on its release by various state governments.

A bench comprising Chief Justice Dipak Misra and Justices A M Khanwilkar and D Y Chandrachud considered the submission of the counsel of the producer that the matter be heard urgently in view of the ban on its release by various state governments.

Rajasthan, Haryana, Gujarat and Madhya Pradesh have banned the movie citing law and order issues.

The movie is scheduled to be released on January 25.

(PTI)