A special CBI court in Lucknow has convicted seven individuals, including gangster Atiq Ahmed and his brother Ashraf, in the murder case of former BSP MLA Raju Pal. The late Atiq Ahmad was also an accused. The victim was shot due to political rivalry, and the CBI took over the case in 2016. Atiq Ahmad and Ashraf were later shot and killed while under police custody.
A Mumbai Supreme Court advocate and family were attacked in Ujjain after refusing to buy Prasad at a temple kiosk. The advocate suffered head injuries, and a case has been filed against the assailant, with ongoing investigations. The district collector ordered the demolition of illegal shops near the temple, and the accused has been arrested.
The UPSC allows Manipur’s hill district candidates to change their exam center from Imphal, with the state government facilitating travel. New centers include Aizawl, Kohima, Shillong, Dispur, Jorhat, Kolkata, and Delhi. Request for change accepted from April 8-19 via email. Manipur will cover transportation and accommodation costs. Contact UPSC helpline for assistance.
The Supreme Court will hear the bail plea of former Tamil Nadu minister V Senthil Balaji, arrested for money laundering by the Enforcement Directorate. Balaji’s plea challenges the Madras High Court’s decision dismissing his second bail petition. The High Court suggested expediting the trial instead of granting bail, emphasizing public interest.
In Thane, Maharashtra, a government official was acquitted in a bribery case due to a procedural error. The court found that the engineer lacked authority to approve the prosecution, dismissing charges against Janardan Sakharam Devkate, a peon at MSEB. The court’s order allows for future legal proceedings pending necessary approval, as reported on Friday.
The Enforcement Directorate filed a complaint against Hemant Soren and others in a money laundering case related to a land scam. Soren’s custody was extended until April 4 by a PMLA court. This follows previous extensions from February 15. The complaint comprises hundreds of pages and Soren has been in judicial custody since January 31.
The Madras High Court permitted the Tamil Nadu government to withdraw appeals related to the construction of a new Secretariat building. The appeals were against a previous order cancelling a government directive regarding irregularities. The court dismissed the appeals as withdrawn, affirming the government’s right to withdraw legal proceedings. The impleading petitions were also dismissed as unnecessary.
The Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh High Court declared that retaining seized vehicles at police stations for extended periods is pointless. Justice Nargal stressed the prompt release of such property and stated that the court can handle it based on possession under Section 452 of the CrPC. The court invalidated previous orders and returned the matter for reconsideration.
The Nagpur bench of the Bombay High Court decided to postpone the Akola West Assembly by-election due to the remaining term of the elected member being less than a year. This decision led to the Election Commission of India withholding the notification for the by-election. The court’s interpretation of the Representation of the People Act, 1951, was central to the ruling.