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‘Surpassed Laxman Rekha, indelible scar’, ex-judges, bureaucrats on SC remarks against Nupur Sharma

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A group consisting of 15 retired judges of various high courts, 77 retired bureaucrats and 25 retired armed forces officers have written an open letter criticising the observations of the Supreme Court on a plea by former BJP spokesperson Nupur Sharma.

They alleged that the comments made by the two judges — Justices Surya Kant and Justice J.B. Pardiwala — are unfortunate and unprecedented, and the top court surpassed the ‘Laxman Rekha’ and called for urgent rectification steps.

The statement said: “In the annals of judiciary, the unfortunate comments have no parallel and are an indelible scar on the justice system of the largest democracy. Urgent rectification steps are called for as these have potentially serious consequences on democratic values and security of the country.”

The veterans said they believe that the democracy of any country will remain intact till all the institutions perform their duties as per the Constitution. “Recent comments by the two judges of the Supreme Court have surpassed the Laxman Rekha and compelled us to issue an open statement.”

It further added that observations are not in sync with judicial ethos and by no stretch these observations, which are not part of the judicial order, can be sanctified on the plank of judicial propriety and fairness.

The veterans said through such observation, perceptionally there is virtual exoneration of the dastardliest beheading at Udaipur in broad daylight. “The observations also graduate to the most unjustifiable degree that this was only to fan an agenda… In the annals of judiciary, the unfortunate comments have no parallel and are an indelible scar on the justice system of the largest democracy,” said the three-page open statement. They said Sharma was de facto denied access to the judiciary and in the process, there was an outrage on the Preamble, spirit and essence of the Constitution.

The veterans said the legal fraternity is bound to be surprised and shocked at the observation that an FIR should lead to arrest and the observations on other agencies in the country, without notice to them, are indeed worrisome and alarming. “Forcing a petitioner by such damning observations, pronouncing her guilty without trial, and denial of access to justice on issue raised in the petition, can never be a facet of a democratic society,” added the statement.

Sharma had moved the top court seeking clubbing of FIRs, registered in various parts of the country, into one FIR at Delhi in the matter connected with her remarks against the Prophet Muhammed. On July 1, the apex court slammed Sharma for her controversial remarks.

The statement said the allegations constitute only one offence for which separate prosecutions (FIRs) were launched and Article 20 (2) of the Constitution prohibits prosecution and punishment more than once for the same offence. “Article 20 falls under Part III of the Constitution and is a guaranteed fundamental right. The Supreme Court in a number of cases, including Arnab Goswamy vs. Union of India (2020) and T.T. Anthony vs. State of Kerala clearly laid down the law that there can be no second FIR and consequently there can be no fresh investigation in respect to the second FIR on the same issue. Such an action is violative of fundamental rights as guaranteed under Article 20(2) of the Constitution”, it said.

“Such an approach of the Supreme Court deserves no applause and impacts the very sanctity and honour of the highest court of land,” it added.

The signatories include former chief justice of the Bombay High Court Kshitij Vyas, former Gujarat High Court judge S.M. Soni, former Delhi High Court judge S.N. Dhingra, former chief justice (acting) Gauhati High Court K. Sreedhar Rao, former Rajasthan High Court judges R.S. Rathore and Prashant Agarwal.

The other signatories include: former IAS officers R.S. Gopalan and S. Krishna Kumar, former DGPs S.P. Vaid and B.L. Vohra, ambassador (retired) Niranjan Desai, Lt Gen V.K. Chaturvedi (retired) and Air Marshall (retired) S.P. Singh. The coordinators are Justice P.N. Ravindran, former judge of Kerala High Court, and Anand Bose, former chief secretary, Kerala.

National News

Dawoodi Bohra community met PM Modi, said thank you for the Waqf law

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Delhi News: A delegation of the Dawoodi Bohra community met Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday (April 17). During this, the Dawoodi Bohra community expressed gratitude to Prime Minister Narendra Modi for recently passing the Waqf Amendment Act 2025. The community described the Waqf Amendment Act as a long-pending demand. Union Minister Kiren Rijiju was also present with the Prime Minister during this meeting.

The delegation of the Dawoodi Bohra community, who came to meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi, said that this law was being demanded for a long time through the Dawoodi Bohra community, which has now been fulfilled by the government. The delegation said that this has strengthened the vision of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s ‘Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas, Sabka Vishwas’.

PM Modi gave this assurance
The delegation of the Dawoodi Bohra community met Prime Minister Narendra Modi and expressed its full faith in the policy of ‘Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas, Sabka Vishwas’. He said that the decisions taken by the government promote the inclusion and progress of all sections. The delegation appreciated the positive changes taking place under the leadership of Prime Minister Modi and thanked him for his efforts. The Prime Minister also interacted with the representatives of the community and appreciated their contribution and assured that the government is committed to the equal development of all communities.

Who is the Dawoodi Bohra community
The Dawoodi Bohra community belongs to the Muslim sect, which is mainly from West India and whose members are settled in more than 40 countries of the world. The Dawoodi Bohra community connects its heritage to the Fatimi Imams, direct descendants of Prophet Muhammad in Egypt. Dawoodi Bohras around the world are guided by their leader Al-Dai al-Mutlaq (unrestricted preacher), who earlier operated from Yemen and has been operating from India for the last 450 years.

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Crime

Put under house arrest again, says Mirwaiz Umar Farooq

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Srinagar, April 18: Senior religious and Huriyat Conference (HC) Chairman, Mirwaiz Umar Farooq, said on Friday that authorities have placed him under house arrest, thereby denying him the right to offer congregational prayers during the day.

Mirwaiz Farooq said on X, “Every Friday I am put under arbitrary house arrest ! Putting pressure on me not to speak up, the ban also aims to weaken the centrality of Muslim institutions of the valley-the Jama Masjid, office of the Mirwaiz, and cause collective grief to Muslims and all those who oppose this authoritarian and sectarian outlook. My house detention case is still pending in court, where I am seeking relief from the Hon’ble High Court, but In such times patience remains our only strength.”

Mirwaiz traditionally delivers the Friday sermon at the Jamia Masjid in the Nowhatta area of old Srinagar city. He also heads the Anjuman-e-Nusratul Islam, a religious organisation that runs some educational institutions in Kashmir, including the Islamia High School in Rajouri Kadal area of Srinagar.

The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) last month declared the Mirwaiz-headed Awami Action Committee (ACC) a banned organisation for five years. The ACC was formed in 1963 during the Holy Relic agitation by Mirwaiz Maulana Mohammad Farooq. After the elder Mirwaiz was assassinated in 1990 by the terrorists, the ACC came to be headed by his son, Mirwaiz Umar Farooq.

The MHA order said that the ACC has been encouraging youth to violence and is acting in a manner prejudicial to the interests of the state.

Mirwaiz Farooq, who is the chairman of the Hurriyat Conference, has witnessed the desertion of several affiliates. As many as 12 Hurriyat-linked organisations have broken off from secessionism, reposing trust in the Constitution of India.

Union Home Minister Amit Shah has said that “separatism has become history in Kashmir”, and the unifying policies of the Modi government have eliminated separatism in J&K. He has also said this is a victory of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s vision for ‘Ek Bharat Shreshtha Bharat’.

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Crime

Harpreet Singh, responsible for terror attacks in Punjab, arrested by FBI

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Chandigarh, April 18: National Investigation Agency (NIA) charge-sheeted Harpreet Singh, accused of carrying out terror attacks in Punjab, has been arrested by the US security agencies – the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and the Enforcement and Removal Operations in California’s Sacramento.

The FBI said on Friday that Harpreet Singh, alias Happy Passia, entered the US illegally and used burner phones to evade capture.

Hailing from Passia village in Ajnala, the terrorist has been linked to at least 16 grenade attacks in Punjab, targeting police posts, religious sites, and residences.

On March 23, the NIA chargesheeted four terror operatives of the Babbar Khalsa International (BKI) terrorist organisation in the 2024 Chandigarh grenade attack case.

The chargesheeted accused include Pakistan-based designated individual terrorist Harwinder Singh Sandhu, alias Rinda, and US-based Happy Passia.

Sandhu and Passia were the primary handlers and conspirators behind the attack. They had provided logistical support, terror funds, weapons, and ammunition to India-based on-ground operatives in Chandigarh for executing the grenade attack, said the NIA.

The September 2024 attack was intended to target a retired officer of the Punjab Police, whom the assailants believed to be the occupant of the house.

NIA investigations revealed that Rinda, along with Passia, had orchestrated the conspiracy to strike terror among law enforcement officials and the public through the grenade attack, as part of the broader aim to promote BKI’s terrorist agenda.

They had recruited local operatives, Rohan Masih and Vishal Masih, who were tasked with carrying out the attack on their direct instructions.

Rinda and Passia directed the other accused, Rohan Masih and Vishal Masih, to conduct reconnaissance on the target twice before hurling the grenade, investigations revealed.

In the chargesheet filed before the Special NIA Court in Chandigarh, all four accused have been charged under multiple sections of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA), the Explosive Substances Act, and other related provisions, for their roles in planning and supporting the attack.

Investigations in the case are continuing, and the NIA is trying to track down other members of the BKI terror group and dismantle its network in India.

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