Crime
Kids’ kidnap-murder case: Bombay HC commutes death verdict for 2 to life
Bombay High Court.
The Bombay High Court on Tuesday commuted the death sentences on two prime accused – both step-sisters – to life term till death in jail, in the sensational case of the kidnapping of 13 minor children and murdering at least 5 of them, that rocked the state in the early 1990s.
The accused, Seema Mohan Gavit, 39, and Renuka Kiran Shinde, 45, were arrested by Maharashtra Police in 1996 and have so far spent around 25 years under the shadow of the hangman’s noose, at the Yerawada Central Jail, Pune.
Another prime accused and their mother, Anjana, who was also arrested and charged in the case, passed away in 1998 during the pendency of the trial.
A division bench of Justice Nitin Jamdar and Justice Sarang Kotwal commuted the death penalty, rapping the delays by the government authorities in taking a decision on the mercy pleas of the two.
In 2001, the half-sisters were convicted and awarded the death penalty by the Kolhapur Sessions Court for the stunning kidnappings of 13 children and killing 5 of them brutally.
The death sentence was confirmed by the Bombay High Court in 2004 and then the Supreme Court in 2006.
The sisters had earlier filed mercy pleas before the Governor in 2008 that were declined in August 2013, and later to the President, which was rejected in July 2014, even as people from the USA Japan, Canada, and India appealed to the President for commuting the death verdict, saying that execution of women is extremely rare.
After the rejection of their appeals from both the Governor and the President, they moved the Bombay High Court.
The matter was taken up urgently on August 19, 2014, as the two sisters awaited the gallows that day.
The Public Prosecutor issued telephonic instructions to the YCJ Jail Superintendent Yogesh Desai to stop the hangings till their pleas were heard and the matter came up on the board the following day.
The petitioners contended that the government machinery did not adhere to the rules that required utmost expediency and resorted to a “most casual approach” resulting in a delay of nearly 8 years, which the division bench upheld.
The sisters contended, through their lawyer Aniket Vagal, that the delay was attributable to the executive including the Governor and the Maharashtra Government, the Ministry of Home Affairs, and the President, which was denied by the Centre’s lawyer Sandesh Patil.
The judges noted that from the date of the sisters submitting their mercy plea on September 1, 2006 till it was finally disposed of on July 30, 2014, it took 7 years, 10 months and 15 days.
Justice Jamdar and Justice Kotwal also observed how the chronology showed that there was “nothing but the movement of files, delay, and casual approach demonstrated at each stage” and the state government moved “as if it was a routine file, perhaps even slower than that”, at each stage “officers exhibited utter casualness”.
The court also frowned at how, in the period between 2006-2014, modern electronic communication facilities, email, courier, transportation were easily available to all government officers, and termed as “abhorrent” the movement of files/papers in such a crucial matter within the state or the city after gaps of 15 days, month, six months or up to one year.
It also commented on how the matter was circulated before the court only by the petitioner-sisters in 2021 and not by the government since 2016, and the manner in which the two convicts were kept isolated in the ‘Death Convict Yard’ which has an ominous connotation, and was described as “brooding horror of hanging, daunting the prisoner in the condemned cell” by the late Justice Krishna Iyer.
However, the evidence on record shows the kids were brutally murdered, showing the “depravity” of the two convict-sisters which was “heinous and beyond words to condemn”, the bench said, ordering “life imprisonment is till the life of the convict” unless the competent authority decides otherwise, though the (convicts) were beyond reform for society.
The court also cancelled the unexecuted death warrants against the two sisters and disposed of the petition.
Crime
Delhi HC sentences YouTuber to six months jail for criminal contempt

New Delhi, May 19: The Delhi High Court has sentenced YouTuber Gulshan Pahuja, who runs the channel “Fight 4 Judicial Reforms”, to six months’ simple imprisonment in two criminal contempt cases for making derogatory and scandalous remarks against the judiciary and judicial officers.
A division bench of Justices Navin Chawla and Ravinder Dudeja also imposed a fine of Rs 2,000 in each matter while observing that the contemnor had shown no remorse and had, in fact, compounded the contempt through further scandalous submissions made during the hearing.
However, the Delhi High Court suspended the sentence for 60 days to enable Pahuja to challenge its judgment holding him guilty of criminal contempt before the Supreme Court.
The Justice Chawla-led Bench said that despite being given an opportunity to make submissions on punishment, the contemnor questioned the conviction itself and, during oral arguments, made further scandalous remarks against the judicial system.
“He, in fact, compounds his contempt by making further scandalous submissions before this Court and thus, evidently, he is neither repentant nor deserves any mercy,” the order said.
Rejecting his plea to recall the conviction judgment, the Delhi High Court said it could not sit in review of its earlier order and that the contemnor was free to challenge the same in accordance with law.
“As far as his submissions on our judgment dated 21.04.2026 are concerned, we cannot sit in review of the said judgment and the contemnor has full right and had an opportunity to challenge the same in accordance with law,” the bench said.
It further recorded that during oral arguments, Pahuja made remarks such as “adaalaton ki manmarzi badhti jaa rahi hai aur main koi nyay ki umeed nahi kar raha (the wilfulness of the courts is constantly increasing and I am not hopeful of any justice)” and described the functioning of courts as “taanashahi (dictatorship)”.
Advocate Harsh Prabhaka, amicus curiae appointed in the matter, submitted that Pahuja had shown “no course correction or remorse” and continued uploading videos targeting judicial officers despite earlier directions restraining him from doing so.
Considering the nature of the conduct, the Delhi High Court observed that leniency in such circumstances could embolden similar conduct in the future and that the case warranted maximum punishment.
“We also find that by not imposing adequate punishment on him, we may encourage him to repeat these acts in future and to embolden him in doing the same. [W]e are of the opinion that these cases call for the imposition of the maximum punishment,” the bench observed.
Accordingly, the Delhi High Court sentenced Pahuja to six months’ simple imprisonment along with a fine of Rs 2,000 in each case, directing that the sentences would run concurrently.
It further ordered that in case of default in payment of the fine, he would undergo an additional one month’s simple imprisonment.
However, taking note of the contemnor’s submission that he intends to challenge the judgment before the Supreme Court, the bench suspended the sentence for a period of 60 days.
“In case an order suspending the sentence… is not passed by the Supreme Court, the contemnor shall on his own surrender before the Registrar General of this Court forthwith on expiry of the above-mentioned period,” the order said.
The contempt proceedings arose from videos and online content uploaded by Pahuja on his YouTube channel, in which he made sweeping and unverified allegations against judicial officers and the judiciary. In its earlier judgment, the Delhi High Court had held that such remarks were intended to scandalise the institution and lower public confidence in the justice system, and were not protected under the right to free speech.
Crime
Delhi Police bust gambling racket in Dwarka, 14 arrested

New Delhi, May 19: Continuing its crackdown on illegal activities, the Dwarka District Police on Tuesday busted a gambling racket operating in JJ Colony in Sector-3, Bindapur, and arrested 14 persons allegedly involved in the operation, officials said.
Police recovered stake money amounting to Rs 6,810 along with gambling-related material, including writing pads, charts, satta slips, carbon papers, pens, mobile phones, and electronic devices used for maintaining gambling transaction records.
According to police officials, the operation was carried out as part of the district police’s ongoing campaign to curb organised crimes such as gambling and bootlegging and to maintain a safe and crime-free environment for residents.
To strengthen action against illegal activities, the Special Staff of Dwarka District had intensified intelligence gathering, activated local informers, and increased surveillance in vulnerable areas. A dedicated team was constituted under the leadership of Inspector Kamlesh Kumar, in charge of Special Staff, Dwarka District, under the close supervision of ACP Operations Subhash Malik.
The team comprised SI Dinesh Kumar, SI Topesh, ASI Vijay Singh, HC Jagat Singh, HC Jairam, HC Naresh, HC Rajesh, and Constable Manjeet, who were tasked with collecting intelligence and identifying hotspots where illegal activities were taking place.
On May 7, at around 10 p.m., the team received specific information regarding a gambling racket operating in the Sector-3 JJ Colony area of Bindapur. Acting swiftly on the information, the police team laid a strategic trap near the identified location.
At around 10:30 p.m., the police spotted several individuals gathered in a narrow lane and allegedly engaged in gambling activities. The team immediately conducted a raid and apprehended 14 persons at the spot.
During the search operation, police recovered stake money worth Rs 6,810, along with charts, satta slips, writing pads, carbon papers, pens, and registers allegedly used for maintaining gambling records and transactions. The local beat staff also reached the spot during the operation.
Following the recovery, a case vide FIR No. 255/2026 under Sections 12/09/55 of the Gambling Act was registered at Police Station Bindapur. All the accused were arrested after sustained interrogation.
The arrested accused have been identified as Sandeep (26), Ajay (25), Sartaj (42), Bappi Haldhar (60), Suresh (36), Neeraj Kumar (44), Abul Hasan (40), Chandan Sahni (35), Sudama (27), Maniyappan (42), Ashok (46), Diwari Sahni (37), Mathwef (41), and Jony (35), all residents of different areas of Dwarka, Uttam Nagar, Matiala, and nearby localities in Delhi.
Police said the recovery made during the raid included cash worth Rs 6,810, two charts, eight pads, five carbon papers, three pens, and around 350 satta slips allegedly used in gambling activities.
Officials stated that further investigation is underway to ascertain whether the accused were linked to a larger gambling network operating in the area.
The operation highlights the proactive policing efforts of Dwarka District Police in cracking down on unlawful activities and maintaining law and order in the national capital.
Crime
Dangerous Love Triangle In Mira-Bhayandar: Youth Kidnapped, Brutally Beaten, & Burned With Cigarettes Over Affair With Same Girl

Mira Bhayandar: A shocking incident has emerged from the jurisdiction of the Navghar Police Station in the Mira-Bhayandar twin city. A youth was allegedly kidnapped and brutally assaulted over suspicions stemming from a love triangle involving a girl and two young men. The Navghar Police have arrested two accused in connection with the case, while three others remain at large.
According to the information shared by Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP) Rahul Chavan, the incident took place late at night on May 12 in the Pooja Nagar area of Bhayandar East. The complainant, Shreyas Mishra, was at his residence around 11:30 PM when one of the accused, Ashish Raj, called him downstairs. Once there, the accused individuals forced Mishra into a car.
The attackers drove him around the Mira-Bhayandar area throughout the night, brutally thrashing him at various locations. The victim also alleged that the accused inflicted painful cigarette burns on his body.
Mishra was dropped back home the following morning. However, as his condition deteriorated and grew serious, his family rushed him to a hospital for medical treatment, which eventually brought the horrific ordeal to light.
Following the revelation, the Navghar Police registered a case under relevant sections for kidnapping, robbery, and assault. While two of the accused have been taken into custody, a manhunt has been launched to track down the remaining three fleeing suspects. DCP Rahul Chavan stated that a love triangle appears to be the primary motive behind the crime, and further investigation is underway by the Navghar Police.
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