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‘Jana Gana Mana’ and ‘Vande Mataram’ stand on same level: Centre to Delhi HC

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Responding to a plea for equal status to ‘Vande Mataram’ with ‘Jana Gana Mana’, the Centre has told the Delhi High Court that both stand on the same level and every citizen of the country should show equal respect to both.

“..National song occupies a unique and special place in the emotions and psyche of the people of India,” the Ministry of Home Affairs submitted.

The MHA, in its reply, also pointed out that on January 24, 1950, the President of the Constituent Assembly of India adopted the ‘Jana Gana Mana’ as the National Anthem of India.

The ‘Orders relating to the National Anthem of India’ were issued regarding the manner and the circumstances in which the National Anthem has to be played or sung.

In 1971, the action of preventing the singing of the National Anthem or causing disturbances to any assembly engaged in such singing was made a punishable offence by the enactment of the Prevention of Insults to National Honour Act, 1971.

The Centre’s response came on a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) moved by BJP leader and lawyer Ashwini Kumar Upadhyay seeking parity of treatment between the National Anthem and National Song and also to frame guidelines for the National Song ‘Vande Mataram’ giving it the same honour and status at par with the National Anthem of India.

However, the Centre, clarified that similar penal provisions have not been made by the Government in the case of the National Song ‘Vande Mataram’ and no instructions have been issued laying down the circumstances in which it may be sung or played. The Centre also referred to the Supreme Court order in Upadhyay’s similar earlier plea.

In its judgment dated January 17, 2017, the apex court observed that Article 51A (a) of the Constitution of India does not refer to ‘National Song’. It only refers to National Flag and National Anthem.

“5IA. Fundamental duties – It shall be the duty of every citizen of India-(a) to abide by the Constitution and respect its ideals and institutions, the National Flag, and National Anthem. Therefore, we do not intend to enter into any debate as far as the National Song is concerned,” the earlier SC order read.

Crime

Delhi Police arrests thief who stole jewellery from relative’s house; gold items recovered

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New Delhi, Nov 24: Delhi Police on Monday arrested a thief who stole jewellery from his own relative’s house. The Bindapur Police Station team of the Dwarka district recovered the stolen gold items following the arrest.

According to a statement released by the Dwarka Police, the team recovered one gold chain with a locket, another gold chain, one pair of gold chains, one pair of gold earrings, two gold rings, and a 20-gram gold biscuit at the instance of the accused.

On November 9, an online e-FIR (No. 80106448/25) under Section 305 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) was received at Bindapur Police Station. The police team reached the location and met the complainant, Manjinder Kaur, wife of Aslam Saleem and a resident of Arya Samaj Road, Uttam Nagar, Delhi. She reported that unknown persons had stolen jewellery from her residence. Based on her complaint, the aforementioned e-FIR was lodged.

Maintaining a zero-tolerance approach as directed by the DCP of Dwarka District, a dedicated crack team from Bindapur Police Station was formed to solve the case and apprehend the culprit. The team comprised Head Constable Neeraj, Head Constable Ashok, Constable Rajesh Dagar, and Constable Ashish, under the supervision of Inspector Naresh Sangwan, Station House Officer, and overall supervision of Rajkumar, Assistant Commissioner of Police, Dabri.

In pursuit of the investigation, the team visited the crime spot and examined CCTV footage from the house and surrounding areas. Notably, there were no signs of forced entry, no locks or doors had been broken leading the police to suspect involvement by someone familiar with the house or residing in the same building.

During the enquiry, it came to light that a cousin of the complainant had visited and stayed at the house for three days. Police questioned the cousin, identified as Parmjeet Singh, a resident of GTB Nagar, Lalhedi Road, Ludhiana, Punjab. When questioned, Parmjeet initially introduced himself as Sub-Inspector Parmveer Singh. However, he failed to produce any identity card and could not give a satisfactory answer regarding his alleged posting.

As his statements appeared suspicious, police conducted a more thorough interrogation. During sustained questioning, Parmjeet admitted that he worked as a commission agent dealing in old cars and ultimately confessed to committing the theft at the house of the complainant, who is the daughter of his maternal aunt.

He further revealed that he had hidden the stolen jewellery at his maternal grandfather’s house in Ambota, Himachal Pradesh, concealing it inside a bed. Based on his disclosure, Parmjeet was arrested, produced before the court, and placed under police remand. A police team accompanied him to Himachal Pradesh, where the stolen items were successfully recovered.

Further investigation is underway.

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Crime

Dahisar Woman Dies By Suicide After Years Of Alleged Abuse; Husband Arrested For Harassment And Abetment By MHB Police

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Mumbai: A 36-year-old woman, Sapna Tribhuvan, allegedly died by suicide by hanging herself with a cloth at her residence in Dahisar West after enduring prolonged mental and physical abuse over trivial family matters. Her husband, Gautam Tribhuvan, has been arrested by the MHB police for allegedly harassing her and abetting her suicide.

According to the FIR, the incident occurred on Monday, November 17, between 12 pm and 1 pm at Navagaon, Dahisar West.

The complainant, Sangeeta Mhaske, 54, has been residing in Nashik for the past five years, where she works in a reputed hospital. Sapna was her daughter and had married Gautam in November 2007.

According to Mhaske, Gautam began mentally and physically abusing Sapna shortly after their marriage over trivial household issues. He allegedly assaulted her frequently. Sapna had informed her mother about the harassment several times.

In 2021, exhausted by the constant abuse, Sapna left Gautam’s house with her two children and went to live with her mother. During this period, Gautam did not visit her even once, but continued to abuse and threaten her over the phone. Following these threats, Sapna filed a petition against him in family court. In May 2025, the couple reached a settlement on Gautam’s assurance, and Sapna returned to his Dahisar residence with their children, hoping for a better future.

Initially, things improved, but Gautam soon resumed mentally and physically abusing her. During this time, Sapna learned that he was allegedly having an extramarital affair. When she confronted him, he refused to end the relationship and allegedly told her to either leave the house or die by suicide. This caused her immense mental stress, and on Monday, November 17, she allegedly ended her life.

On receiving the news, Sangeeta Mhaske rushed to Mumbai with her son and daughter-in-law. At Bhagwati Hospital, she learned that doctors had declared Sapna dead. MHB police reached the spot and recorded her statement, in which she alleged that her daughter was consistently harassed, beaten, and tortured by Gautam, who was also involved in an extramarital affair.

Based on her complaint, the police registered a case against Gautam for harassment and abetment to suicide. He was arrested on Tuesday and later produced before a local court in Borivali, which remanded him to police custody.

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Crime

SC to hear Delhi Police arguments today against bail in 2020 riots case

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New Delhi, Nov 24: The Supreme Court is slated to continue hearing on Monday the bail pleas of student leaders Sharjeel Imam, Umar Khalid, Meeran Haider, Gulfisha Fatima, and Shifa-ur-Rehman — all accused under the stringent Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) in the alleged “larger conspiracy” behind the 2020 North East Delhi riots.

As per the the causelist published on the apex court’s website, a Bench of Justices Aravind Kumar and N.V. Anjaria will continue to hear the submissions of the Delhi Police opposing bail.

In an earlier hearing, Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, representing the Delhi Police, had submitted that the 2020 violence was not a spontaneous communal clash but a “well-designed, well-crafted” attack on national sovereignty.

“Your lordships were told, there was a protest, and it resulted in communal riots. First of all, I would like the myth to be busted. This was not a spontaneous riot but well-designed, well-crafted, orchestrated, pre-planned, choreographed riots, and that will emerge from the evidence collected,” S-G Mehta submitted, claiming that evidence, including speeches and WhatsApp chats, revealed a “clear and discernible attempt to divide the society on communal lines”.

Referring specifically to Sharjeel Imam’s alleged statements, the Centre’s law officer had told the apex court: ‘He (Imam) says it is his heartfelt wish that there be a chakka jam in every city where Muslims reside.”

S-G Mehta also sought to place reliance on WhatsApp chats recovered by the Delhi Police, which allegedly show “how the property is to be damaged, how money is to be collected”, adding that it was “a systematic and synchronised attempt to divide the society and divide the nation”.

On Thursday, Additional Solicitor General (ASG) S.V. Raju, appearing for the Delhi Police, played before the top court video clips of Sharjeel Imam’s speeches as well as visuals of the 2020 riots.

ASG Raju submitted that the material revealed during the course of the investigation reflected a “clear, deliberate, and coordinated” attempt to provoke unrest. The Delhi Police, in its counter-affidavit, has described Umar Khalid as a “key conspirator” and “mentor” to others, including Imam, alleging that the conspiracy was pre-planned to coincide with the official visit of US President Donald Trump.

“This was done to draw the attention of ‘international media’ and to make the issue of CAA a global issue by portraying it as an act pogrom of the Muslim community in India. The issue of CAA was carefully chosen to serve as a ‘radicalising catalyst’ camouflaged in the name of ‘peaceful protest’,” the affidavit said.

Earlier, the Delhi High Court had rejected the bail pleas of all the accused.

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