National News
Can’t grant anticipatory bail merely because custodial interrogation not required: SC
The Supreme Court has set aside a Kerala High Court order granting anticipatory bail to an accused under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act, 2012, holding that anticipatory bail cannot be granted merely because custodial interrogation is not required.
Criticising the high court order, a bench of Justices Surya Kant and J.B. Pardiwala said: “There may be many cases in which the custodial interrogation of the accused may not be required, but that does not mean that the prima facie case against the accused should be ignored or overlooked and he should be granted anticipatory bail.”
It said the first and foremost thing that the court, hearing an anticipatory bail application, should consider is the prima facie case put up against the accused, thereafter, the nature of the offence should be looked into along with the severity of the punishment.
It added that custodial interrogation can be one of the grounds to decline anticipatory bail, however, even if custodial interrogation is not required or necessitated, by itself, cannot be a ground to grant anticipatory bail.
The complainant’s counsel submitted before the bench that the high court wrongly exercised its discretion while granting anticipatory bail to the accused in a very serious crime like POCSO and, therefore, the order passed by the high court should be quashed and set aside.
The bench said: “In many anticipatory bail matters, we have noticed one common argument being canvassed that no custodial interrogation is required and, therefore, anticipatory bail may be granted. There appears to be a serious misconception of law that if no case for custodial interrogation is made out by the prosecution, then that alone would be a good ground to grant anticipatory bail.”
It noted the victim is traumatised to such a high degree that her academic pursuits have been adversely impacted alone, coupled with the legislative intent especially reflected through Section 29 of the POCSO Act, are sufficient to dissuade a court from exercising its discretionary jurisdiction in granting pre-arrest bail.
As the accused’s counsel submitted that charge sheet has already been filed, the court said: “It will be unfair to presume on our part that the Investigating Officer does not require Respondent No 1 for custodial interrogation for the purpose of further investigation.”
“Be that as it may, even assuming it a case where Respondent No 1 is not required for custodial interrogation, we are satisfied that the high court ought not to have granted discretionary relief of anticipatory bail.”
Setting aside the high court order, the top court said the high court ought not to have exercised its jurisdiction in granting protection against arrest as the investigating officer deserves a free hand to take the probe to its logical conclusion.
National News
Woman cop goes undercover at Hyderabad bus stand at night, 40 men approached her

In a late-night undercover operation aimed at assessing women’s safety on the streets, Malkajgiri Commissioner of Police V Sumathi, posed as a regular commuter at a bus stop in Dilsukhnagar between 12.30 am and 3.30 am.
According to police sources, the Indian Police Service (IPS) officer remained alone at the location to observe ground conditions faced by women travelling during late hours.
What followed painted a troubling reality. During the three-hour operation, nearly 40 men allegedly approached her. Several of them were suspected to be under the influence of alcohol or ganja, officials said. The group included young men, some identified as students and private employees.
Plainclothes police teams, already stationed nearby as part of the operation, intervened and detained individuals found behaving in a suspicious or inappropriate manner. Police said action was taken against those who were allegedly involved in harassment or causing disturbance around the bus stop.
The initiative was reportedly conducted to evaluate night patrolling effectiveness, identify vulnerable public spaces, and examine the risks faced by women commuting alone during late hours.
In a parallel account of the operation, it was stated that the commissioner was approached by multiple individuals within minutes of her arrival, following which enforcement teams moved in and detained those suspected of misconduct. Police also carried out counselling sessions as part of a broader women’s safety awareness drive.
Further official details regarding the identities and legal status of those detained are awaited from the police department.
International News
Operation Sindoor: Pakistan’s fake victory spectacle couldn’t hide crisis within terror groups

New Delhi, May 8: For Pakistan, ‘Operation Sindoor’ resulted in a loss of face. After terror infrastructure was hit hard by the Indian armed forces who were avenging the Pahalgam terror attack, Pakistan set out a fake narrative of emerging victorious.
Rallies and processions were taken out to create an impression that the Pakistan Army had hit back and won the battle. While the perception was created, the reality was something different.
An official said that events were strategically planned across Pakistan to commemorate fake victory. On the other hand, social media handles run by Pakistanis worked overtime to put out false narratives.
Following the conclusion of ‘Operation Sindoor’, Pakistan’s Army chief instructed the Shehbaz Sharif government to release Rs 500 crore. This money was then distributed evenly to federal governments, business and religious groups. All were asked to organise massive rallies across Pakistan. The programme mandate by the Pakistan Army was titled ‘Ashra-e-Tashakur Fateh-E-Muneeb,’ which means ten days of gratitude for a decisive victory.
To cement the fake claim further, Asim Munir even pressured the Sharif government to make him Field Marshal.
An Intelligence Bureau official said that while these rallies took place on a grand scale for ten days, something more serious was brewing within. Some of the rallies even focussed on thanking the Jaish-e-Mohammad and Lashkar-e-Tayiba for the so-called victory.
However, within the ranks of these two terror groups something serious was simmering. Both Hafiz Saeed and Masood Azhar had started to question the Pakistan Army and the ISI. They wanted to know what happened to the guarantees and protection that they had been assured. These groups have been operating with ease only due to the funds and protection that the Army and the ISI offer them.
During ‘Operation Sindoor’, the Jaish-e-Mohammad lost its Bahawalpur headquarters. Its chief Masood Azhar even lost most of his family members and several other cadres. The Muridke camp, which is the Lashkar-e-Tayiba’s primary training facility was blown to pieces during the Indian operation.
Both these terror groups, which have wrecked havoc in India, had not witnessed such a huge hit. There have been encounters and terrorists have been killed on Indian soil. However never have they been struck so hard and that, too, deep inside Pakistan.
Another official said that the impression that the Pakistan establishment sought to create in the aftermath of the operation worked among a few people, but clearly their proxies were not impressed. They knew what they had lost and the fact that the Army could not even defend them is what left them completely disgruntled. The official also said that many cadres, too, had started questioning their own leadership.
Officials say that all these factors led to rifts within these two terror groups and this explains why they are taking so long to rebuild.
During the numerous processions, the Army insisted that the cadres of the Lashkar-e-Tayiba and Jaish-e-Mohammad should take part. Many of them did, but in their minds, they knew what the reality was. In this desperation to show that Pakistan was victorious, the Army ended up showcasing to the world that globally banned terror groups such as the Jaish-e-Mohammad and Lashkar-e-Tayiba are welcome within the ecosystem of the establishment, the official added.
Pakistan watchers point out that it was nothing but desperation on part of the Army. It had to indulge in this circus and claim a false victory. In reality, the Pakistan Army and its chief were the hardest hit thanks to ‘Operation Sindoor’, the experts also point out.
Business
Apple to invest Rs 100 crore in India’s renewable energy infrastructure

New Delhi, May 7: US tech giant Apple has announced an investment of Rs 100 crore to support the development of renewable energy infrastructure in India as part of its broader sustainability and carbon neutrality goals.
The company said the investment will be made in collaboration with CleanMax, one of India’s leading renewable energy developers, to help build more than 150 megawatts of new renewable energy capacity across the country.
According to the iPhone maker, the planned capacity would be enough to power nearly 1.5 lakh Indian households annually and may be expanded further in the coming years.
The initiative is aimed at strengthening renewable energy adoption across Apple’s supply chain operations in India and supports the company’s target of becoming carbon neutral across its entire footprint by 2030.
“At Apple, our commitment to the environment is also a driving force for innovation across the company and around the world,” said Sarah Chandler, Apple’s Vice President of Environment and Supply Chain Innovation.
“We are proud to expand our efforts to invest in India’s clean energy economy and protect the country’s precious natural resources,” she added.
Moreover, the US-headquartered firm had earlier partnered with CleanMax on rooftop solar projects to power its offices and retail stores in India with 100 per cent renewable energy.
Apart from renewable energy investments, it also announced new partnerships in India focused on reducing plastic pollution and promoting green entrepreneurship.
The company said it is working with WWF-India to support recycling and waste management initiatives to improve material recovery and reducing plastic leakage into ecosystems.
The iPhone maker is also partnering with Acumen to provide grants and mentorship support to early-stage green enterprises working in areas such as waste management, regenerative agriculture, and circular economy solutions.
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