2G Spectrum Trial begins in a special court: Statement of Himanshu Kumar Lal, Joint Director of Enforcement Directorate (ED) recorded

On 17.11.2014 the trial in the 2G scam related money laundering case began before a Special Court (Special CBI Judge O P Saini). The accused include former Telecom Minster A. Raja and DMK MP Kanimozhi. The statement of prosecution witness Himanshu Kumar Lal, Joint Director of Enforcement Directorate (ED) was recorded.Lal, is the complainant in the case and he had been given charge of probing...

Tihar Jail to approach HC after CIC ordered disclosure of details of execution of Afzal Guru

More than a month after CIC had ordered that  details of execution of Afzal Guru be disclosed, Tihar Jail has now sent a letter to the Aligarh- based RTI applicant Paras Nath Singh.The letter, sent by Director General of Prisons at Tihar reportedly states "It is informed that Prison Department is going to file an appeal before the High Court of Delhi against the decision of CIC,"However,...

Dr. Baxi called Justice Iyer “A Rebel with several causes”

The All India Lawyers Union (AILU) organized a meeting to celebrate Justice V.R. Krishna Iyer’s 99th Birthday or 100th year. The meeting was filled with stories from those who knew him personally and professionally.Mr. A.K. Pandey gave a brief history of how the AILU was formed. The inaugural speech was given by Former Judge of the Supreme Court of India, Justice K.S. Radhakrishnan. He...

Kerala Government to move SC in Mullaperiyar Issue

After the sudden rain and the increase in the water level in the Mullaperiyar dam which is the bone of contention between Tamil Nadu and Kerala,the Kerala government moved the Supreme Court to restrict Tamil Nadu from increasing the level beyond 136 feet after the level touched 140.8 feet on Saturday.The State Government said that the application was in the interest of bith the states and...

The settled law is that there is no such thing as vicarious criminal liability: SC, Senior Advocate Fali S. Nariman appears for Toyota Kirloskar Motors

The complainant, Gautam Sharma, registered an FIR against all of the Directors of Toyota Kirloskar Motors. In an accident in November 2012 in Uttar Pradesh, the airbags of his SUV did not deploy and led to the death of his driver. Mr, Sharma had sustaining injuries. He filed an FIR under sections 420 (cheating), 468 (forgery for the purpose of cheating) and 120B (criminal conspiracy) Indian...

Law Ministry writes to Law Officers, asks them not to take up private cases

Reminding law officers about Rule 8 of the the Law Officers (Condition of Service) Rules, 1987, the Law Ministry has asked the law officers to not to take up private cases until unless there exists a compelling reason.Rule 8 (1) of the the Law Officers (Condition of Service) Rules, 1987 states, ‘A Law Officer shall not (1) hold briefs in any court for any party except the Government of India...

Compulsory voting in Gujarat: revolutionary or unconstitutional

The Gujarat Local Authorities Laws (Amendment) Bill 2009 which makes voting in local body elections compulsory has been approved by the State's Governor OP Kohli. The same Bill also provides for 50% reservation for women in all local body elections. After the Bill was approved by the Governor, the state government issued a notification for its enforcement. Hence Gujarat has become the first...

No Prosecution against Judges for their judicial acts except when on the basis of material which could show that the judgment which was given, based on extraneous considerations or after accepting bribe; Bombay HC [Read the Judgment]

In CRIMINAL WRIT PETITION NO.3611 OF 2014, in the Bombay High Court, the Petitioner was seeking criminal prosecution of a Judge in respect of acts discharged during judicial functions. It was held no Court shall entertain or continue any civil or criminal proceeding against a Judge for any act, thing or word committed, done or spoken by him, when, or in the course of, acting or purporting to...

Rejecting first appeal without hearing is illegal: CIC [Read the Order]

Refusing to give details of foreign tours by ministers and officers, and staff particulars of AG without hearing the appellant was wrong. The Central Information Commission M Sridhar Acharyulu on 12th November, 2014, has set aside the order of First Appellate Authority of Department of Legal Affairs as it was given without hearing the appellant. CIC also recommended action against the...

Delhi Court awards ten years to rapists, upholds sex worker’s dignity

A Delhi Court awarded ten years imprisonment to four persons charged with rape of a Rwandan woman. The persons convicted have been ordered to pay Rs. 59,000 to the woman.In their defence, they raised the plea that the woman was a prostitute and an illegal immigrant who had dishonestly involved them in the case, to find a reason to stay on in India. The Court out rightly rejected this...

Homeless persons: Supreme Court asks Centre to convene a meeting of all Chief Secretaries in ten days

"It is desirable that a responsible person of the Urban Development Ministry will call a meeting of chief secretaries of all the states to find out what steps they have taken in implementing the scheme of urban homeless people," said the three judge Bench of the Supreme Court, comprising of Chief Justice of India HL Dattu and Justices Madan B Lokur and AK Sikri. The Centre has been asked...

Prof. Shamnad Basheer awarded Infosys Prize 2014

The Infosys Science Foundation (ISF) has announced the winners of the Infosys Prize 2014 across six categories: Engineering and Computer Science, Humanities, Life Sciences, Mathematical Sciences, Physical Sciences and Social Sciences.Shamnad Basheer, Founder and Managing Trustee, Increasing Diversity by Increasing Access (IDIA), Bangalore and Founder – SpicyIP, India has been awarded the...