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SC closes PIL against alarming rise in lynchings, mob violence

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New Delhi, Feb 11: The Supreme Court on Tuesday disposed of a PIL seeking directions to DGPs of states to take immediate action in lynching and mob violence cases in accordance with the directions of the apex court and added that the directions in the Tehseen Poonawalla vs. Union of India case were binding on all authorities across India.

A Bench of Justices B.R. Gavai and K.Vinod Chandran opined that sitting in the national Capital, it cannot monitor incidents in different areas of different states across the country.

“Sitting in Delhi, we cannot monitor incidents in different areas of the country and in our view such micromanagement would not be feasible,” said the Justice Gavai-led Bench.

It added that the directions laid down by the top court in the case of Tehseen Poonawalla vs. Union of India, are binding on all authorities across the country under Article 141 of the Constitution.

In its 2018 judgment in the Poonawalla case, the Supreme Court had directed designation of nodal officer in each district for taking measures to prevent incidents of mob violence and lynching.

“The Director General of Police/the Secretary, Home Department of the concerned states shall take regular review meetings (at least once a quarter) with all the Nodal Officers and State Police Intelligence heads,” it had ordered.

In its order, the Justice Gavai-led Bench stated that an aggrieved person can always seek remedy in accordance with the law, clarifying that the apex court cannot lay down any uniform criteria for the grant of compensation to the victims of mob lynching incidents since the quantum of compensation ought to be decided on a case to case basis.

Further, the apex court refused to examine the validity of cow protection laws introduced in several states, suggesting the litigants to approach the jurisdictional High Court.

“It will be appropriate that persons who are aggrieved approach jurisdictional High Courts to challenge the vires of the legislations/notifications,” the SC said.

During the course of hearing, Solicitor General (SG) Tushar Mehta, the second-highest law officer of the Centre, submitted that mob lynching is a distinct offence under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) and if there is any violation, the law will take its own course.

In an earlier hearing, the top court had pulled up the state governments of Assam, Chhattisgarh, Telangana, Maharashtra, and Bihar for not filing their counter-affidavits.

“We clarify that in the event counter affidavits are not filed by the above-mentioned states, the Chief Secretaries of the said states shall remain personally present in the court on the next date of hearing to show cause as to why an action should not be taken against them for non-compliance of the orders of the court,” it had said in an order passed on November 5, 2024.

Earlier in April last year, the apex court had granted six weeks to various state governments to file their reply detailing the action taken in cases of lynchings and mob violence.

“It was expected of the state governments to at least respond and give details as to what action has been taken in respect of the said instances (of lynchings and mob violence). We, therefore, grant six weeks’ time to all the state governments – who have not yet filed their affidavits – to file their counter-reply and give an explanation as to what action has been taken by the states in respect of incidents mentioned in the writ petition or interlocutory applications,” the SC had said.

In July 2023, the Supreme Court issued notice to the Centre and the Haryana, Madhya Pradesh, Bihar, Rajasthan, Odisha, and Maharashtra governments. Later, all state governments were added as parties in the PIL on an application moved by Islamic clerics’ organisation Jamiat Ulama-i-Hind. The plea prayed for a minimum uniform compensation to be determined by the court that should be granted to the victims or their families in addition to the amount determined by the authorities.

“In most cases, minimal action of merely registering FIRs is the only thing that is done by the authorities which seems to be more of a formality than any genuine initiation of the criminal machinery,” the plea said.

Crime

Chilling Highway SCAM In Maharashtra! Mumbai Man Cornered By Fake Recovery Agents Claiming ₹10 Lakh Dues Near Lonavala

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A Mumbai resident’s unsettling experience on a highway near Lonavala has gone viral after he shared details of the incident on Reddit, raising concerns about possible impersonation by recovery agents and road safety risks.

The user stated that he had purchased a second hand 2017 Hyundai Verna in November 2025 through a dealership in Goregaon. The vehicle, registered under MH12, was bought for ₹5 lakh and officially transferred to his name at the Mumbai RTO in December 2025.

On 21 March, the user, who described himself as a new driver, was travelling towards Lonavala when he noticed two men following his car for a few kilometres.

The situation escalated when the men stopped his vehicle under a flyover on a relatively deserted road towards Pune. They allegedly asked him to roll down the windows and claimed that the car carried an outstanding loan of ₹10 lakh from a bank, demanding cooperation.

The driver, however, remained cautious and only partially lowered his window. He maintained that the car was legally registered in his name and suggested they contact the original owner if there were any concerns.

Sensing danger, the driver immediately contacted the police. After a brief exchange lasting around ten minutes, the men reportedly changed their tone and left the spot once they realised that authorities had been alerted. Before leaving, they questioned how the car had been transferred without a no objection certificate.

Upon returning home, the user checked the vehicle’s history and found that the loan taken in 2018 had been closed within the same year, with hypothecation removed. This contradicted the claims made by the unidentified men, making the incident appear suspicious.

The post triggered strong reactions online, with many users warning against stopping in such situations. Several advised drivers to head directly to the nearest police station and avoid engaging with unknown individuals on isolated roads, highlighting concerns over safety and potential scams.

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Crime

Mumbai Crime: 31-Year-Old Railway Engineer Booked For Posting Wife’s Private Photos On Instagram Amid Divorce Row

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Mumbai: An incident has come to light in which a man allegedly uploaded his wife’s objectionable photos on social media after she filed an application for divorce over his alleged extramarital affairs.

The 31-year-old victim, originally from Rajasthan and currently residing in Malad East, is preparing for the UPSC (Union Public Service Commission) examination. Her husband, also 31, works as a senior section engineer with Western Railway, with his office located at Khar Road in Bandra East. After their marriage on November 25, 2020, the couple began living in Goregaon West.

According to the FIR, soon after the marriage, the complainant discovered that her husband was involved in an extramarital affair, which led to frequent arguments between them. Following repeated altercations, she moved to her parents’ house on August 23, 2024. Subsequently, the accused allegedly visited her parental home, verbally abused her, threatened to commit suicide, and warned that he would implicate her and her family in false cases.

Thereafter, the complainant started living separately. The accused allegedly gained access to her Instagram account, changed her profile details, and began chatting with her friends while impersonating her. When she objected, he allegedly threatened to defame her.

Police said that the accused’s behaviour became more aggressive after she filed for divorce at the Bandra family court in June 2025. On January 15, 2026, he allegedly altered her Instagram profile and uploaded objectionable photos and posts from her account. He also allegedly threatened her over the phone, stating that if she proceeded with the divorce, he would ruin her life and kill her.

Again, on March 18, 2026, the accused allegedly uploaded her private photos with a ‘one-time view’ caption and later deleted them. However, the complainant managed to view the content using another mobile phone.

It is further alleged that the accused defamed the woman by making the photos viral on Instagram. The complaint also states that he sent abusive voice messages to her female friend and her friend’s husband, defaming the complainant’s character.

Based on her complaint, the Dindoshi police registered an FIR against the accused on March 21 under relevant sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), including Sections 351(2), 352, and 356, along with Sections 66C, 66E, and 67A of the Information Technology Act.

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Crime

Mumbai Crime: 16-Year-Old Boy Stabbed To death By Minor In Santacruz Brawl; Accused Sent To Juvenile Custody

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Mumbai: A 16-year-old boy was allegedly killed by one of his friends in Santacruz West on Sunday. Police said that an altercation broke out between the deceased and his friends, during which a person from another group stabbed him with a knife. The deceased has been identified as Prem Harijan, who had recently appeared for his Class 10 examinations. The accused, identified as Faizan, was arrested and has been sent to juvenile custody, police said.

According to the police, Prem was a resident of Santacruz West, while the accused Faizan resides in Khar Danda. The incident occurred at around 8:15 pm near Harba Mauli Bridge in Juhu Koliwada, Santacruz West. The accused allegedly stabbed Prem on the left side of his chest.

Additionally, the accused attacked Prem’s friend, Harsh Jha, who sustained injuries to the left side of his waist and the back of his left thigh. Police said the accused also attempted to kill Jha.

Prem’s father, Omprakash Harijan, 42, who works as a cleaning staff member, filed a complaint. Based on his complaint, the police on Monday registered a case of murder and attempted murder against Faizan, who is a labourer.

Police said that one of the deceased’s friends had informed him about a dispute with another group. Prem then went with his friend to meet the group from Khar Danda, where a physical fight broke out between them. When local residents intervened and asked them to leave the area, Prem and his friends moved towards a nearby bridge, where Faizan allegedly attacked him.

Prem was rushed to Bhabha Hospital in Bandra West, where doctors declared him dead during treatment.

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