Connect with us
Friday,09-May-2025
Breaking News

National News

Bilkis Bano case: SC judge recuses from hearing plea against release of convicts

Published

on

 A Supreme Court judge, Justice Bela M. Trivedi, on Tuesday recused from hearing the petition filed by Bilkis Bano against the release of 11 men convicted of gang-raping her in the 2002 Gujarat riots, and also accused of murdering her family members.

The matter was listed before a bench of Justices Ajay Rastogi and Bela Trivedi. Justice Trivedi chose to recuse from the case.

In the plea, Bano said release of all the convicts came as a shock.

The petition, filed through advocate Shobha Gupta, said: “The premature release of all the convicts came as a shock not only to the petitioner, to her grown up daughters, to her family, but also to the society at large, nationally and internationally, and the society across segments had shown their anger, disappointment, distrust and protest to the clemency shown by the government by releasing criminals like the 11 convicts of the case.”

Terming the release order mechanical, the plea said the en masse premature release of the convicts in the much talked about case of Bilkis Bano, has shaken the conscience of the society and resulted in a number of agitations across the country.

The plea contended that shocking news of premature release of all the convicts, including the writ petitioner, was revealed to the present petitioner and public at large when the convicts were honoured and photographed in full public glare.

Bilkis Bano said she was “extremely-extremely” hurt, disturbed, and full of dejection with the early release and sudden and traumatising presence and existence of 11 of her rapists who brutally gang-raped her while she was five months pregnant and inflicted on her person and soul extreme level of violence and brutality.

Bano has also separately filed a review petition against challenging the May 13 judgment of the apex court, saying that Maharashtra’s remission policy should be applied in the present case instead of 1992 remission policy of Gujarat since the trial had happened in Maharashtra.

National News

Proud of our military, nation stands united: Samajwadi Party’s Nadvi

Published

on

New Delhi, May 9: In the wake of heightened tensions between India and Pakistan following the terror attack in Pahalgam, Samajwadi Party (SP) MP Mohibbullah Nadvi on Friday lauded the Indian Armed Forces for their strong and decisive response to Pakistan’s aggression following Operation Sindoor.

The Indian forces responded to unprovoked attacks from Pakistan firmly, gaining widespread support and admiration from across the nation. Terming the response as a “moment of pride for the entire nation”, Nadvi emphasised the bravery and unity of the Indian people.

Speaking to IANS, Nadvi said, “It is a moment of pride for the whole country. We are all proud of our military, which is courageously giving a befitting reply to the enemy. Today, the entire nation stands united. Clearly, such action should have been taken a long time ago in response to Pakistan’s shameful behaviour. Though delayed, this step was necessary.”

He strongly remarked that India would not rest until Pakistan’s terror infrastructure is dismantled completely.

“Until the terror factories in Pakistan are completely shut down, and until our armed forces achieve their objectives, we must remain firm. Today, we are proud that all political parties, all religions, and every Indian citizen are standing together. We salute the bravery of our soldiers,” he added.

Nadvi’s remarks come at a time when international concern is mounting over the possibility of an escalation between the two nuclear-armed neighbours. Addressing comments made by US Vice President J.D. Vance, who expressed hope that a nuclear war would be avoided, Nadvi responded firmly.

“Of course, no one wants a nuclear war. But for over 50 years, India has endured pain in Kashmir that no one else, not even the US, Russia, or any global power, can truly understand. We have warned Pakistan many times to abandon its path of terrorism. They did not listen, and now they are facing the consequences of their actions,” Nadvi stated.

As tensions continue to rise, calls for international intervention to pressure Pakistan into dismantling terror networks have intensified.

Continue Reading

National News

India negates Pak drone/missile attack on over 15 places, knocks out Lahore air defence system

Published

on

New Delhi, May 8: In a significant operation, India on Thursday morning targeted the Air Defence Radars and systems at a number of locations in Pakistan, during which the one at Lahore has been neutralised, said the government in a statement.

On the night of May 7-8, Pakistan attempted to engage a number of military targets in Northern and Western India, including Awantipura, Srinagar, Jammu, Pathankot, Amritsar, Kapurthala, Jalandhar, Ludhiana, Adampur, Bhatinda, Chandigarh, Nal, Phalodi, Uttarlai, and Bhuj, using drones and missiles.

These drones and missiles were neutralised by the Integrated Counter UAS Grid and Air Defence systems. “The debris of these attacks is now being recovered from a number of locations that prove the Pakistani attacks,” said the release.

Following this, India launched a major strike and targeted Pakistan’s Air Defence Radars and systems at several locations.

“The Indian response has been in the same domain with the same intensity as Pakistan. It has been reliably learnt that an Air Defence system at Lahore has been neutralised,” the government statement read..

Pakistan has increased the intensity of its unprovoked firing across the Line of Control using mortars and heavy-calibre Artillery in areas in Kupwara, Baramulla, Uri, Poonch, Mendhar and Rajouri sectors in Jammu and Kashmir.

The government said that India was compelled to take the action in view of Pakistan’s unprovoked heavy shelling across the Line of Control (LoC) in Jammu and Kashmir. In the firing by the Pakistan Army, 16 lives have been lost so far.

“Sixteen innocent lives have been lost, including three women and five children, due to Pakistani firing. Here too, India was compelled to respond to bring Mortar and Artillery fire from Pakistan to a halt,” said the release.

The Indian Armed Forces have reiterated their commitment to non-escalation, provided the same is respected by the Pakistani military.

During the Press Briefing on Operation Sindoor on May 7, India had called its response as focused, measured and non-escalatory.

It was specifically mentioned that Pakistani military establishments had not been targeted. It was also reiterated that any attack on military targets in India will invite a suitable response.

Continue Reading

National News

Abdul Rauf Azhar, Masood Azhar’s Brother & Kandhar IC-814 Hijack Mastermind Critically Injured In Operation Sindoor: Reports

Published

on

Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) chief Masood Azhar’s brother, Abdul Rauf Azhar, was critically injured in Indian airstrikes carried out under Operation Sindoor in Pakistan’s Bahawalpur, according to reports.

Abdul Rauf Azhar, who is also the terror group’s second-in-command and played a role in the Kandahar IC-814 hijacking and various other terrorist activities in India, is currently undergoing treatment at a Pakistani military hospital, the sources added.

The reports about Rauf Azhar come after the JeM chief confirmed in a statement that 14 members of his family and four close aides were killed in the Indian strikes.

Among those killed in the Indian strikes were Azhar’s elder sister, her husband, his nephew and his wife, another niece, and five children, along with Azhar’s mother and three key aides, as per reports.

Meanwhile, amid reports suggesting drone strikes in Pakistani cities, Union Defence Minister Rajnath Singh reportedly told political leaders during the all-party meeting in Delhi that Operation Sindoor is still ongoing.

Separately, the Prime Minister chaired a high-level meeting on Thursday with secretaries of various ministries and departments to review national preparedness and inter-ministerial coordination in light of recent developments concerning national security.

Prime Minister Modi stressed the need for seamless coordination among ministries and agencies to uphold operational continuity and institutional resilience. He also reviewed the planning and preparations by ministries to deal with the current situation, the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) said in a statement.

Continue Reading

Trending