KERALA HIGH COURT ACQUITS TWO MUSLIM MEN IN UAPA CASE
The Kerala High Court on January 27 acquitted Thadiyantevida Nazeer and Shafaz, prime accused in Kozhikode twin blast case. A Division Bench of Justice Vinod K Chandran and Justice C. Jayachandran also dismissed the appeal filed by the NIA challenging the trial court’s order acquitting two other accused in the case, Abdul Halim and Abubaker Yusuf, Live Law reported. The blast which took place on March 3, 2006, at the Kozhikode Mofussil bus stand and the KSRTC stand was initially investigated by the local police, the case was taken over by the NIA in 2009. Nazeer and Shafaz, the first and fourth accused in the case, had filed an appeal seeking to quash the life sentence imposed on them by the NIA Special Court Ernakulam. The duo refuted the trial court’s finding that they had committed offences under the draconian UAPA.
CAN’T KEEP SOMEONE IN JAIL INDEFINITELY: SC
The Supreme Court on January 24 said no particular person may be indefinitely kept in jail with an open-ended investigation by probe agencies on a conjectural apprehension that actions of an accused might contain a bigger conspiracy which can show detrimental to national security. This statement was made by a bench of Justices DY Chandrachud and Dinesh Maheshwari while granting bail to Md Enamul Haque, the alleged prime accused in the trans-border cattle smuggling case. When CBI additional solicitor general Aman Lekhi mentioned investigation into a ‘bigger conspiracy’ continues to be pending, Justices Chandrachud and Maheshwari requested, “This open ended investigation is what we do not comprehend. How detaining a person indefinitely will help in probing larger conspiracy when other accused have been granted bail? Is one year and two months, for which he has been in custody, not enough for probing the larger conspiracy?”
BJP, BD WORKERS PROTEST INAUGURATION OF TIPU SULTAN GROUND
Following the inauguration of a refurbished sports complex in Malwani funded by Mumbai Guardian Minister Aslam Shaikh, a large number of BJP and Bajrang Dal workers held protests on January 26 stating that they were opposing the move to “rename” the place after Mysore king Tipu Sultan. Located at Malwani in Malad West, the place is popularly known as the Tipu Sultan Ground. Congress leader and state cabinet minister Aslam Shaikh, who also represents the Malwani constituency, had undertaken the refurbishment work and expansion of facilities at the ground through his MLA development fund. With work on the project having been completed, he was scheduled to inaugurate the facility on January 26. The BJP, however, registered its protest, claiming that the event would be held to “rename the ground” after Tipu Sultan.
JIH OPPOSES DECISION TO SELL WINE IN SUPERMARKETS
Jamaat-e-Islami Hind (JIH) Maharashtra has opposed the Maharashtra government’s recent decision of allowing sale of wine in “the supermarket and walk-in store” and making access of Liquor easy. Rizwan Ur Rahman Khan, the state President of JIH said on January 28, “We strongly believe that Liquor including Wine is an evil for our society, injurious to the public health and a major cause of family disputes especially domestic violence.” He said that the decision is also against the Directive Principles of State Policy, wherein Article 47 of the Constitution states, “The State shall regard the raising of the level of nutrition and the standard of living of its people and the improvement of public health as among its primary duties and, in particular, the State shall endeavour to bring about prohibition of the consumption except for medicinal purposes of intoxicating drinks and of drugs which are injurious to health.” Following the other states like Gujarat, Bihar, Mizoram, the JIH demanded a complete ban on the use of alcohol in Maharashtra.
HINDUTVA GOONS PREVENT STUDENTS FROM OFFERING NAMAZ
In an incident of communal unrest in Karnataka, Hindutva goons barged into a school in the Kolar district and created a scene over Muslim students offering prayers in the school premises. In a video that surfaced on social media on January 23, Muslim students can be seen offering prayers inside a classroom and in the same video, the group of men can be seen shouting and attempting to intimidate the school management. Following this, the police had to intervene and the men can be seen indulging in an argument with the cops as well. Students of the Mulbagal Someshwara Palaya Bale Changappa Government Kannada Model Higher Primary School have been reportedly offering Friday prayers inside the premises since December 2021. The district collector has reportedly ordered a probe after protests by members of a Hindutva outfit.
ACTION URGED AGAINST THOSE DISTURBING HARMONY
Anjuman-e-Islam has urged the state government to initiate action against those trying to disturb communal harmony and igniting hatred among the people. Condemning the murder of a youth belonging to the minority community at Nargund in Gadag district recently, Anjuman-e-Islam Society members submitted a memorandum at the deputy commissioner’s office on January 21. The memorandum stated that fringe elements were trying to spoil peace and harmony igniting fear among the minorities. They demanded that the state government take stern action against all those involved in this incident and prevent such incidents in future.
MP HC JUNKS PLEA AGAINST RENAMING HABIBGANJ STATION
The Madhya Pradesh High Court has dismissed a petition challenging the government’s decision to rename Habibganj railway station after Gond queen Rani Kamlapati and imposed a fine of Rs 10,000 on the petitioner. A division bench of Justices Sheel Nagu and Sunita Yadav dismissed the petition, terming it as ‘frivolous’ and ‘vexatious’ piece of litigation which has consumed precious time of the court. The court dismissed the plea observing that it does not perceive any public cause involved in the petition. The petition was filed by a Seoni-based lawyer, Ahmed Sayeed Qureshi on the ground that in 1973 one Guru Habeeb Miyan had donated his land to the Railways on which the station was constructed. Therefore, the station’s old name (Habibganj) should be restored.
Jamia Hamdard Gets New Chancellor
Mr. Hammad Ahmed was appointed Chancellor of Jamia Hamdard, New Delhi on January 25. Earlier, he was serving as Co-Chairman and President, Hamdard National Foundation (India) – HECA and Chief Mutawalli (Trustee) of Hamdard Laboratories India (Foods). Mr. Ahmed is a well-known philanthropist, man of wisdom and exemplary character. He is one of the founding members of Hamdard National Foundation at its inception in 1964. Over more than 50 years, he has forged Hamdard National Foundation into one of India’s most prominent and respected charitable organisations. He has been involved in Jamia Hamdard before its recognition as Deemed University status in 1989. Over the years, he has served in the Executive Council, Finance Committee and various other advisory bodies of the University and has championed the growth of Jamia Hamdard through sustained attention and interest.