Enforcement Directorate (ED) officials on Saturday conducted searches at the residence and offices of former Union Minister and TDP MP Y.S. Chowdary here for alleged financial irregularities.

The searches, which began late Friday, continued on Saturday. The officials checked the records, computers and laptops at the offices of the Sujana Group owned by Chowdary.

The officials conducted simultaneous searches at the offices of Splendid Metal Products Ltd and Sujana Universal Industries and also the head office and residence of Chowdary.

The searches, the second in less than a month, were in connection with a case booked by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) against Best & Crompton Engineering Project Limited, a company owned by Srinivas Kalyan Rao, son of former CBI Director Vijaya Rama Rao.

Kalyan Rao was accused of cheating nationalised banks to the tune of Rs 304 crore and diverting funds to shell companies.

The ED began the probe into allegations that the shell companies had links with firms owned by Chowdary.

Agency officials had also conducted searches at Chowdary’s residence and offices last month.

Chowdary, a member of the Rajya Sabha, is a close aide of Telugu Desam Party (TDP) President and Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu.

Chowdary was Minister of Science and Technology in the Narendra Modi Cabinet till March when the TDP pulled out of the BJP-led NDA.

Saturday’s raids come just days after the Andhra Pradesh government withdrew the “general consent” it had earlier given to the CBI to operate within its territory.

The CBI now requires the permission of the Andhra Pradesh government to conduct raids in the state.

The move had come following a series of raids by the Income Tax authorities against TDP leaders including Naidu’s close aide and MP C.M. Ramesh.

The party leaders alleged that the Modi government was misusing central agencies to target them.

A court on Tuesday awarded death penalty to a man and life imprisonment to another after holding them guilty of murder in the 1984 anti-Sikh riots.

Additional Sessions Judge Ajay Pandey awarded the death penalty to Yashpal Singh and sentenced Naresh Sherawat to life imprisonment.

The prosecution demanded death penalty to the two, saying it was the rarest of rare case. But the defence counsel pleaded for leniency.

Last week, the court convicted Sherawat and Yashpal Singh for murder, attempt to murder, dacoity and voluntarily causing hurt with dangerous weapons.

Sherawat and Yashpal Singh were accused of killing Hardev Singh and Avtar Singh in Mahipalpur area of south Delhi during the riots that followed the assassination of then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi.

On a complaint by the victim’s brother Santokh Singh, the police lodged a case. But in 1994, the police wanted to close the case citing lack of evidence. The case was reopened by the Special Investigation Team (SIT).

IANS

The Supreme Court on Thursday issued a series of directions to eight high courts and state governments on the appointment of judges to the vacant positions in the subordinate judiciary, including infrastructure and court staff in a time-bound manner.

The states included Uttar Pradesh, Maharashtra, West Bengal, Goa, NCT Delhi, Chhattisgarh, Assam, Manipur, and Meghalaya.

The hearing saw the court pulling up the Uttar Pradesh, West Bengal, Delhi and other state governments for their lackadaisical attitude in providing infrastructure and manpower for the functioning of the subordinate court.

Uttar Pradesh, with more than 1,000 vacancies in the subordinate and higher judiciary, was directed to complete the process of appointment in a time-bound manner by adhering to the time-lines given to it for the filling of vacancies, court infrastructure, supporting staff and accommodation for the judges.

The bench of Chief Justice Ranjan Gogoi, Justice Sanjay Krishan Kaul and Justice K. M. Joseph took a dim view of the way the things were progressing in Uttar Pradesh and West Bengal.

The court asked Delhi to state on affidavit indicating difficulties it was encountering and the possible solutions.

The court order came as Delhi said it faced with serious financial constraints. The court was broadly satisfied the way things were progressing in Maharashtra and Assam.

The today’s proceedings saw Chief Justice Ranjan Gogoi making it abundantly clear that top court wants vacancies in subordinate judiciary to be filled up coupled with required infrastructure for their functioning.

“We need judges, we need court rooms and the staff”, declared CJI Gogoi.

Making it clear that it would not let the proceedings be hostage to reports, proposals and recommendation of the committees, CJI Gogoi said: “We will ensure that posts of judicial officers are filled up and it was incumbent upon the state governments to provide both the infrastructure and the manpower to run the courts.”

IANS

The Karnataka state government is under pressure to take action against officers who are found to have failed to prevent unauthorised construction.

The Karnataka High Court has sought the state government’s response to a PIL asking for the government to take action against jurisdictional officers over unauthorised construction in their area. A division bench including Chief Justice Dinesh Maheshwari and Justice S Sujatha asked the counsel appearing on behalf of the state government about its response to the PIL, filed by Umapathi S, an advocate based in Bengaluru.

The petitioner raised the complaint that the state government has not yet laid out punishment for jurisdictional officers in case they failed to prevent unauthorised construction. The officers found guilty are liable for punishment as per Section 321B of the Karnataka Municipal Corporations Act, 1976.

The Act was brought in to keep illegal constructions in check by taking action against erring officials.

The petitioner further added that since 2013 the issue has been pulled up by the High Court on a number of occasions, but punishments have yet to be prescribed. The petitioner also pointed out that it has been more than 11 years since the punishments were mentioned in Section 321 B of the KMC Act in 2007.

The overall-in-charges of local bodies and urban development, BBMP officials are protected by legal lapses due to the lack of penalties imposed on those proven to be guilty of allowing illegal constructions to take place, the petition noted.

The counsel appearing for the government told the High Court that the issue is currently being discussed by the government. The hearing in the case was adjourned to November 28.

Over the years, illegal building constructions in lake bed areas and on storm water drains have become a point of contention in the city. The situation prompted then speaker KB Koliwad to issue a panel report on illegal encroachment in the city in 2017, which named many prominent builders in the city.

PTI

Initial jubilation after Tuesday’s five-judge Supreme Court bench decision, to reconsider its September judgment that allowed women of all ages to enter the Sabarimala temple, was muted when news trickled that the apex court had not stayed its earlier verdict. Now, stakeholders including the Kerala government, protesting devotees and political outfits admit that the Supreme Court’s decision to revisit its earlier verdict has added more confusion.

With just three days left to the annual pilgrimage season to start, fingers are crossed. The stalemate has also affected preparations. Flood-ravaged Pambha, the main base camp of the temple, remain crippled without any facility. The row has taken a toll on preparations, say regulars at the temple adding that instead of restoring basic facilities the government has waded into an unseemly controversy. The state government’s ‘rebuild Kerala’ slogan after the flood of the century has been swept away in the temple tide.

Protestors believe that if women enter the temple during the 61-day window period when the shrine opens, all review petitions will turn invalid so they have decided to step up their vigil. The hill temple will open on Saturday and close only on January 14, with a small break in between. There will be two breaks–Mandalam (November 16-December 27) and Makara vilakku (December 30-Jan 14, 2019).

However, the state government has made it clear that if any woman decides to trek to the temple during this period it is duty-bound to provide security.

Sensing opportunity opposition parties have upped their ante. Congress, which has been keeping a low-profile, has jumped on the bandwagon with party working president K Sudhakaran saying that party workers will stop women in the 10-50 age group entering the temple. RSS leader Valsan Thilankeri went further warning the government that it will have to pay a heavy price if customs were flouted.

“The temple is not a war zone. We need free movement of devotees as well. We hope after the all-party meet on Thursday everything will be settled,” said Travancore Dewasom Board president A Padmakumar. The BJP has said that it will walk out of the meet if it failed to get an assurance from CM?Pinarayi Vijayan.

When Kerala police opened its popular portal, sabariamalaq.com, last week at least 560 women in the 10-50 age group have registered for a ‘darshan’ during the seasonal pilgrimage. To add to its woes, Bhumata Brigade leader Trupti Desai has announced her intention to visit the temple on Saturday. She has sent a letter to the CM seeking protection to her six member group. More women including social activists are expected to arrive unannounced.

The overstretched police force says they expect a tumultuous season this year. “Unlike earlier two occasions, monthly pooja and the one-day chithiray attam, are very sensitive. Even a minor scuffle can lead to major mishap. If political leadership won’t arrive at a consensus there are possibilities of stampede or bloodshed,” said a senior police official on condition of anonymity. He added that the hilltop was a ticking bomb. The TDB commissioner has also submitted a report to the High Court that any tension can trigger mishaps. According to an estimate of the TDB during peak season, more than 8-10 lakh pilgrims visit the temple every day.

The fate of CBI director Alok Verma may be decided on Friday by Supreme Court. The Central Vigilance Commission (CVC) Monday filed its preliminary probe report relating to CBI Director Alok Kumar Verma in a sealed cover in the Supreme Court.A bench comprising Chief Justice Ranjan Gogoi and Justice S K Kaul took the report on record and fixed the matter for next hearing on November 16.

During the hearing, interim CBI Director M Nageswar Rao also filed report on decisions taken by him since October 23 to 26, when the apex court had ordered for the probe. Solicitor General (SG) Tushar Mehta, appearing for the CVC, told the court that former apex court judge A K Patnaik supervised the CVC inquiry which was completed on November 10.

The CJI observed that the Registry was open on Sunday also but no intimation was given to the Registrar regarding filing of the report. Later the SG tendered an apology and said though he was not explaining the circumstances there was delay on their part in submitting the report. On October 26, the top court had appointed Justice Patnaik to supervise the ongoing inquiry of CVC against Verma. The apex court had also issued notices to the Centre and the CVC seeking their replies on Verma’s petition challenging the government’s decision to divest him of his powers as CBI chief and sending him on leave. Verma’s deputy Rakesh Asthana, Special Director CBI, was also sent on leave by the Centre.

The court on October 26 had also set a deadline of two weeks for the CVC to complete the preliminary inquiry against the CBI director.It had also barred Rao, who has been given interim charge of the CBI, from taking any major decision. It had said that a list of all the decisions taken by Rao since October 23 including decisions with regard to transfer of investigations, change of investigating officer(s) etc will be furnished to the court in a sealed cover on or before November 12, 2018 whereafter orders as would be appropriate will be passed by the court.”

Mehta had said that the CVC has been conducting an inquiry into the allegations made in the August 24 note/letter of the Cabinet Secretary with regard to Verma. Besides the plea filed by Verma, the court is also seized of the PIL filed by NGO Common Cause, which has sought a probe by special investigation team against CBI officers including Asthana, and had issued notices to the Centre, CBI, CVC, Asthana, Verma and Rao asking them to respond to it by November 12.
Asthana has also moved the Supreme Court with a separate petition in the matter and has sought removal of Verma from the post of CBI Director.

Later, on November 4, Congress leader Mallikarjun Kharge had moved the top court contending that divesting Verma of his statutory powers and functions is “completely illegal and arbitrary”. In an interlocutory application filed in the pending petition, Kharge, who is also a member of the three-member selection committee which appoints the CBI director, said, “As a concerned stakeholder he brings to the attention of the court the brazen and illegal actions” of the political executive in interfering with the independent functioning of the CBI director.

PTI

The Supreme Court Monday declined early hearing of petitions in the Ram Janmabhoomi-Babri Masjid title dispute case. A bench comprising Chief Justice Ranjan Gogoi and Justice SK Kaul said it had already listed the appeals before the appropriate bench in January.

“We have already passed the order. The appeals are coming up in January. Permission declined,” the bench said while rejecting the request of early hearing of lawyer Barun Kumar Sinha, appearing for Akhil Bharat Hindu Mahasabha.

Following the recommendation of the Collegium, the Centre notified the transfer of six judges of the High Court on Friday. Out of these six judges, four were recommended for return to their parent High Courts, reported Bar and Bench. These six judges are Justice Nirmaljit Kaur, Justice Pavankumar Bhimappa Bajanthri, Justice Satrughana Pujahari, Justice Sujit Narayan Prasad, Justice Raghvendra S Chauhan and Justice Rajiv Sharma.

Justice Nirmaljit Kaur has been transferred from the Rajasthan High Court to the Punjab and Haryana High Court. She was reportedly the whistleblower of the 2008 cash-in-bag scam, which involved a then-sitting High Court judge in a case of bribery. At the time, a clerk of an advocate dropped of a bag containing Rs 15 lakh at her doorstep, meant for Justice Nirmal Yadav. After Justice Nirmaljit Kaur informed the police about the incident, following which a CBI probe was initiated. She has been serving at the Rajasthan High Court since July 2012.

Justice Satrughana Pujahari from the Madras High Court to the Orissa High Court. He was appointed as a judge in the Madras High Court in November 2017. Karnataka High Court judge Justice Raghvendra Singh Chauhan was transferred to the Telangana and Andhra Pradesh High Court at Hyderabad.

Uttarakhand High Court Justice Rajeev Sharma was transferred to the Punjab and Haryana High Court. Justice Pavankumar B Bajanthri has been asked to transfer from the Punjab and Haryana High Court to the Karnataka High Court. Justice Sujit Narayan Prasad, who has been at the Orissa High Court since March 2015 has been transferred to the Jharkhand High Court.

Justice Nirmaljit Kaur, Justice Pavankumar B Bajanthri, Justice Satrughana Pujahari and Justice Sujit Narayan Prasad have been repatriated to their parent High Courts. The repatriation was recommended by the Collegium by way of four resolutions on October 29.All judges have been asked to assume charge on

Following Supreme Court guidelines, Telangana’s Chief Electoral Officer, Dr Rajat Kumar, has issued instructions to all candidates contesting the elections with criminal records that they must provide details of the cases pending against them and other such antecedents, in the specified format while filing their nominations.

The CEO also said that these candidates are mandated to inform their respective parties about these criminal cases and antecedents besides publishing these details in widely circulated newspapers in the areas of their respective constituencies.

According to SC guidelines, the CEO said that the details had to be published thrice on three different dates besides similar details being broadcast on electronic media.

“This should be done during the period from the day following the last date for withdrawal of candidature and up to two days before the date of polling,” the Election Commission said in a press note.

“The concerned political party shall be obligated to put up on its website, the aforesaid information pertaining to candidates having criminal antecedents,” the EC added.

Last week, the Election Commission allotted time slots on All India Radio (AIR) and Doordarshan to the 11 registered political parties in the state that are contesting the elections.

“Out of them, seven are national parties; Congress, BJP, NCP, All-India Trinamool Congress, BSP, CPI and CPM. The remaining are all state recognised parties; AIMIM, TRS, TDP and YSRCP. The period of broadcasts/telecasts will be between the last day of filing nominations and two days before the polling. The Prasar Bharati Corporation (PBC) will decide the actual date and time for the broadcasts and telecasts, subject to the technical constraints governing actual time of transmission available,” the EC said in a press release.

Each of the national parties and state recognised parties is allotted a base time of 45 minutes and additional time is allowed on the basis of poll performance in the constituencies that fell under Telangana in the last Assembly elections in 2014.

Telangana will witness single-phase polling on December 7 to elect a 119-member Assembly after Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao and his cabinet decided to dissolve the Legislative Assembly on September 6. Chief Election Commissioner OP Rawat said that the Model Code of Conduct was in force in the state and the counting of votes will be held on December 11.

TNM

The Supreme Court ban during Diwali was violated in full swing across Delhi and NCR with people bursting firecrackers till late night leading to thick haze on Thursday morning and deteriorating air quality, which experts say was six times higher than normal.

“The Air Quality Index (AQI) of Delhi and National Capital Region between 8 and 9 p.m. on Wednesday was recorded around 150-160. It continued increasing slowly and crossed 250 (severe category) by 3 a.m. The AQI crossed 300 (very severe category) by 6 a.m. The AQI index increased because of bursting of firecrackers,” a Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) official told IANS requesting anonymity.

Asked if the CSE has any data on bursting of firecrackers in Delhi and NCR, the official said: “CSE is not taking much stand exactly on firecrackers this time but it (pollution) was 6.5 times higher in Delhi and NCR than the standard (60) category within 24 hours.”

Delhiites continued to burst firecrackers on Diwali long after the 10 p.m. deadline set by the Supreme Court. Despite the apex court’s order imposing stringent rules on sale of firecrackers and its use, people managed to buy it illegally from the sellers in neighbourhood markets.

Violations of the Supreme Court order were reported from the areas comprising IP Extension, Mayur Vihar’s Phase I, II and Extension in east Delhi, Lajpat Nagar in south Delhi, Lutyens Delhi, Dwarka in west Delhi and most of the sectors in Noida.

The police admitted that there were violations, adding that they would take serious legal action against sellers.

The Supreme Court had allowed bursting of firecrackers from 8 pm to 10 pm only on Diwali and other festivals. It had also allowed the manufacture and sale of only “green crackers”, which have a low light and sound emission and less harmful chemicals.

The court had asked the police to ensure that banned firecrackers were not sold and said in case of any violation, the station house officer (SHO) of the police station concerned would be held personally liable and it would amount to committing contempt of court.

Delhi Police said it seized over 1,300 kg of firecrackers during overnight operation on Diwali across the city following tip off, arrested over 50 people and registered more than 25 cases.

Of the seizure, over 700 kg of firecrackers were seized from south Delhi, 140 kg from North West Delhi, 200 kg from Dwarka, 278 kg from South East and 72 kg form North Delhi, said police.

The Delhi Fire Service (DFS) department said it received a total of 501 calls within 32 hours — between 12.1 a.m. on Wednesday and 8 a.m. on Thursday — on the occasion of Diwali. It was all time higher since 2007.

The DFS said it received 271 calls — 256 related to fire and 15 of rescue and other — between 12.1 a.m. to 11.59 p.m. on Wednesday. From 1 a.m. to 8 a.m. the DFS said to have received 230 fire calls.

The number calls received by DFS during Diwali was 204 in 2017 and 243 in 2016, 290 in 2015, 211 in 2014, 177 in 2013, 184 in 2012, 206 in 2011, 169 in 2010, 207 in 2009, 158 in 2008 and 184 in 2007.

Chief fire officer (DFS) Atul Garg told IANS the fire related calls were received from all across the national capital and the peak time was between 6 p.m. on Wednesday to 6 a.m. on Thursday. “A total of 223 calls were received during this period.”

IANS