National News
‘It’s a human issue’: SC stays Uttarakhand HC’s order for eviction of over 4k families
The Supreme Court on Thursday stayed the Uttarakhand High Court direction for eviction of over 4,000 families from the railway land in Haldwani in the state’s Nainital district.
A bench of Justices Sanjay Kishan Kaul and Abhay S. Oka said: “There is a human angle to it”, and added there cannot be uprooting of several thousand people in seven days.
The bench also noted that it may not be correct to say that paramilitary forces have to be deployed to remove people, who have been living there for many decades.
The top court stayed the high court’s direction for eviction of families within a week and that their houses be demolished. It observed that a large number of people cannot be uprooted by using force without examining their occupancy rights, and emphasised that alternate arrangements would have to be made before uprooting people.
The petitioners claimed they are poor people who have been lawful residents of Mohalla Nai Basti and Line No 17 & 18, Banbhulpura (Azad Nagar), Haldwani for more than 70 years.
The top court issued notice to the Uttarakhand government and the railways on a batch of petitions filed against the judgment passed by a division bench of the high court on December 20, 2022.
During the hearing, the top court asked the railways to find a practical solution to the issue and stressed that many of the occupants have been residing there for decades, claiming rights on the basis of leases and auction purchases.
The bench said, “There are two aspects of the issue. One, they claim leases. Two, they say people migrated after 1947 and the lands were auctioned.”
Justice Kaul said that there are establishments on the land in question and questioned, “how can you say in seven days clear them off?”
Justice Oka noted that the people have been staying there for 50 years. He further added: “How do you deal with the scenario of people who have purchased the land in auction. You may acquire the land and utilise…”
Additional Solicitor General Aishwarya Bhat, representing the Railways, submitted that the land belongs to the Railways and several orders for eviction have been passed under the Public Premises Act.
Advocate Prashant Bhushan, representing some of the petitioners, submitted that they were ex-parte orders passed during the Covid period. Bhati contended that the petitioners claim the land as their own and that they have not sought rehabilitation.
The bench pointed out that the high court passed the order without hearing the affected parties. It added, “Find out some solution. It is a human issue…”
Justice Kaul added that the human issue arises from long periods of occupation and maybe all of them cannot be painted with the same brush. “Maybe there are different categories… Somebody will have to verify the documents,” he said.
Senior advocate Siddharth Luthra submitted that many petitioners had government leases executed in their favour.
Bhati said the land is gateway to the state and critical for its development and proceedings under the Public Premises Act were initiated, and no stay was granted on it.
After staying the high court direction, the top court scheduled the matter for further hearing on February 7, and asked the state government and the railways to find a “practical solution”.
Senior advocates Salman Khurshid, Colin Gonsalves, Luthra and advocate Bhushan represented the petitioners in the matter. One of the petitions was filed ‘Jan Sahyog Sewa Samiti’ through its President Salim Saifi and others against the high court order.
The petitioners have claimed that they are in possession of valid documents that clearly establish title and valid occupation. Also, the names of the local residents have been recorded in the municipal records in the house tax register and they are paying the house tax regularly. They said there are five government schools, one hospital, and two overhead water tanks in the area.
National News
Mumbai: Cooper Hospital Doctors Raise Alarm As Security Overhaul Leaves OPD Unprotected; MARD Warns Of Mass Leave

Mumbai, Nov 24: A sudden overhaul of the security system has created confusion among doctors at Cooper Hospital in Vile Parle after they noticed the absence of guards in the Out-Patient Department (OPD).
The hospital has witnessed several assaults on doctors in recent weeks, increasing anxiety among staff and prompting the Cooper Hospital unit of the Maharashtra Association of Resident Doctors (MARD) to raise concerns with the administration.
On November 8, three doctors were attacked by a man after a 60-year-old patient died during treatment. Shockingly, the security personnel present in the emergency ward allegedly remained passive during the incident, raising serious questions about the efficiency of the contracted security agency.
Following the incident, the BMC administration removed around 150 personnel of the outsourced agency and initiated the process to appoint a new one. It later emerged that both the old and proposed agencies were operated by the same individual under different company names.
As the appointment of a new agency will take time, the BMC temporarily deployed its own staff. About 90 personnel were pooled from various departments and assigned to Cooper Hospital. The abrupt shift led to confusion among doctors, who initially believed no security had been deployed.
Chief Security Officer Ajit Tawade said the misunderstanding has now been cleared. “Doctors were not aware that BMC security personnel had been deputed,” he said. Tawade added that 90 guards will be deployed round the clock in three shifts, with fewer staff required at night. Previously, 150 guards were posted across the hospital.
Under the revised arrangement, one guard will be assigned to each floor instead of every ward or OPD, raising concerns about reduced vigilance.
“With limited manpower, we cannot post guards in each ward or OPD. Doctors are demanding the same strength they had with the private agency. We deploy security in the same manner at Sion, KEM and other hospitals. At present, we are functioning with only 50 percent of the required strength,” Tawade said.
MARD president Dr. Chinmay Kelkar said doctors have been assured that security deployment will be gradually increased. “If there is no improvement, we will be forced to go on mass leave,” he warned.
Crime
Thane Shocker: Young Woman’s Body Found Stuffed Inside Suitcase Under Desai Khadi Bridge On Kalyan–Shil Road; Police Launch Murder Probe

Kalyan, Nov 24: A shocking incident has come to light after the body of a young woman was discovered inside a suitcase under the Desai Khadi bridge on the Kalyan–Shil Road on Monday. The gruesome finding has triggered panic and concern throughout the area, as it clearly indicates a cold-blooded murder.
According to police sources, the age of the deceased woman is estimated to be between 25 and 30 years. The body was packed inside a medium-sized suitcase and dumped beneath the bridge, suggesting that the killers deliberately chose a secluded spot to dispose of the evidence.
Prima facie, officers believe the woman was murdered before being stuffed into the suitcase and abandoned. However, the exact cause of death will be known only after the post-mortem examination.
The identity of the victim remains unknown at this stage. The police have begun checking missing women complaints from Kalyan, Dombivli, Navi Mumbai, Thane, Mumbai and surrounding regions.
Forensic experts have been called to examine the suitcase and surrounding area for fingerprints, blood traces, or any other clues that may help identify the perpetrators.
CCTV footage from nearby locations, toll plazas, and road junctions along the Kalyan–Shil corridor is also being collected and analyzed to trace the vehicle or individuals who might have transported the suitcase.
The Dyghar Police have officially launched a murder investigation and formed a special team to trace the identity of the woman and hunt down those responsible. Police have appealed to the public to contact them immediately if they have information about a missing woman matching the victim’s description.
The brutal killing has sent a wave of shock across the city, raising serious concerns about safety. Police say they are treating the case with utmost urgency and are confident of making a breakthrough soon.
Crime
J&K: ED attaches property valued at Rs 1 crore in money laundering case

Jammu, Nov 24: The Jammu Sub-Zonal Office of the Enforcement Directorate (ED) in Jammu and Kashmir said on Monday that the agency has attached immovable property worth Rs 1 crore under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), 2002.
A press statement by the ED said, “The Jammu Sub-Zonal Office of the Enforcement Directorate (ED) has provisionally attached immovable property worth nearly Rs 1 crore under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), 2002.
“The provisionally attached property comprises industrial land at Panipat, Haryana, of M/s Vidit Healthcare Private Ltd., Sirmour, Himachal Pradesh, the ED initiated investigation in respect of case registered by the Jammu NCB against M/s Vidit Healthcare (Managing Partner, Neeraj Bhatia) Niket Kansal and others for illegal diversion of a codeine-based cough syrup (CBCS), “Cocrex”, for misuse as intoxicant/drug, from manufacturer, M/s Vidit Healthcare,” the statement added.
“ED investigation revealed that M/s Vidit Healthcare supplied CBCS to entities viz. M/s S.S. Industries, M/s Kansal Industries, M/s Nouveta Pharma, M/s Kansal Pharmaceuticals and N.K Pharmaceuticals (all operated and controlled by Niket Kansal r/o Delhi) during 2018-24, to the tune of about Rs 16.74 crore. Part of such illegally diverted CBCS was supplied to Raees Ahmed Bhat, a resident of Srinagar, from whom large quantities of CBCS was seized on January 14, 2024 by NCB.”
“ED investigation further revealed that M/s Vidit Healthcare earned gross profit estimated to be nearly Rs 2.92 crore as proceeds of crime from the sale of codeine-based cough syrup (CBCS) to entities operated by Niket Kansal viz. M/s S.S. Industries, M/s Kansal Industries, M/s Nouveta Pharma, M/s Kansal Pharmaceuticals and N.K Pharmaceuticals. Earlier in this case, ED has conducted search at the premises of Neeraj Bhatia and Niket Kansal on February 13, 2025, resulting in seizure of cash amounting to Rs 32 lakh and jewellery valued at Rs 1.61 crore from the residential premises of Neeraj Bhatia and in furtherance of investigations, ED has further attached immovable property in the form of land at Panipat of M/s Vidit Healthcare, worth nearly Rs one crore.”
“Further investigation is underway,” the statement said.
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