National News
SC issues notice to Centre on petitions challenging ED director’s tenure extension

The Supreme Court on Tuesday issued notice to the Central government on petitions challenging the extension of tenure of current Director of Enforcement Directorate (ED) Sanjay Kumar Mishra.
A bench of Chief Justice of India N.V. Ramana issued notice to the Centre and scheduled the matter for further hearing after 10 days. The bench, also comprising Justices Krishna Murari and Hima Kohli, said: “We issue notice on all the petitions. List after 10 days.”
The top court was hearing a batch of eight petitions filed by Trinamool Congress and Congress leaders — Dr. Jaya Thakur, Randeep Singh Surjewala, Saket Gokhale, Mahua Moitra — and other petitions filed by advocate M.L. Sharma, Krishna Chander Singh, and Vineet Narain, challenging the extension of tenure of the ED director.
The petitions have challenged the order issued by the Centre on November 17, 2021 to extend the term of the ED Director Sanjay Kumar Mishra by one more year, and also the Central Vigilance Commission (Amendment) Act 2021, which allows the extension of the term of the Director of the Enforcement of Directorate up to 5 years.
Senior advocate A.M. Singhvi, representing Congress leader Randeep Singh Surjewala, submitted that the amendment allows the Central government to give yearly extensions to the ED director up to 5 years, which puts the officer at government’s discretion and compromises the independence of the post. Singhvi added that in the Common Cause v. Union of India judgment, the top court had directed last year that Mishra cannot be given further extension.
A counsel pointed out that Mishra had completed 4 years as the ED Director. Another counsel argued that the ED director’s failure to upload his immovable property returns from 2017-2020 and the vigilance rules and the official memorandum states that clearance for the top post won’t be granted if the returns aren’t uploaded.
Advocates Shashank Ratnoo and Varun Thakur appeared for Thakur, where the Congress leader had challenged the extension granted to Mishra as well as amendments brought out through ordinance in Vigilance Commission Act. The counsel argued that the pertinent point of extension order and amendments being in contradiction of apex court’s own judgment and the soul of VC Act.
The petitioners have argued that extension given to Mishra is a blatant violation of the top court’s directions by promulgating an ordinance to amend the Central Vigilance Commission Act to allow an extension up to 5 years for the term of ED Director.
Crime
Bihar: 7-yr-old boy dies after brutal assault by teacher

A seven-year-old boy died in Bihar’s Saharsa district on Friday after an alleged brutal assault by his teacher.
The victim, Aditya Kumar, was an LKG student at a private school in a village under the Sadar police station. He had been living in a hostel since the last 10 days.
His parents are residents of the adjoining Madhepura district.
According to the police, the school administration informed Aditya’s parents that he became unconscious and was admitted to a private hospital.
By the time his parents arrived, the victim died.
“We sent our child to the school cum hostel in Saharsa district on March 14. We received a phone call on Friday that Aditya became unconscious and was admitted to a private hospital. When we reached the hospital, he was already dead,” said Prakash Yadav, Aditya’s father.
“We have sent the body for post-mortem to ascertain the actual cause of death. The family members alleged that he died due to the physical assault. We are also trying to arrest the owner of the school. He is absconding. We have lodged an FIR and efforts are on to nab him,” said Brajesh Chauhan, Sub-inspector of Sadar police station.
Crime
Maharashtra: 4 killed as truck rams into tempo on Ahmednagar-Pune highway

The accident, in which the truck driver also suffered injuries, took place near Kamargaon on the Ahmednagar-Pune highway in western Maharashtra.Four people were killed and seven others injured after a truck collided with their tempo on a highway in Ahmednagar district of Maharashtra in the early hours of Thursday, said police.
The accident, in which the truck driver also suffered injuries, took place near Kamargaon on the Ahmednagar-Pune highway in western Maharashtra.
According to the police, approximately 15 people were returning to their native place in Shirur tehsil of Pune district in a vehicle after visiting some religious sites in Ahmednagar district.
A truck coming from Pune suddenly veered off from its path, jumped the divider and collided with their vehicle. Three people died on the spot, while another person succumbed to his injuries in hospital,” said an officer from the Ahmednagar police.
He said seven other passengers in the ill-fated vehicle were injured and were being treated at a hospital.
According to the police officer, a case has been filed against the truck driver under relevant sections of the Indian Penal Code.
National
Supreme Court: Being a member of unlawful association is an offence under UAPA.

The Supreme Court on Friday held that mere membership of unlawful association is sufficient to constitute an offence under UAPA. The apex court upheld the Section 10 (a) (i) of the Unlawful Activities Prevent Act.The apex court, according to Bar and Bench report, also said all High Court decisions to the contrary are overruled. A bench of Justices MR Shah, CT Ravikumar and Sanjay Karol pronounced the verdict.
While allowing petitions of the Union government and the Assam government seeking review of the apex court’s 2011 verdicts on membership of banned outfits, the court said the Union government was required to be heard when a provision enacted by Parliament is read down.
The top court said the 2011 verdicts were passed while relying on American court decisions which cannot be done without considering the condition prevailing in India.In India right to freedom of speech and expressions is not absolute and is subject to reasonable restriction. However, decisions of the American court can be guiding light”, the bench said.
On February 9, the top court while reserving its verdict on batch of review pleas had noted that the Union of India was not heard by its two-judge benches when the 2011 verdict was passed reading down section 3 (5) of Terrorist and Disruptive Activities (Prevention) Act, 1987 (now repealed).
The top court on February 3, 2011, had acquitted suspected ULFA member Arup Bhuyan, who was held guilty by a TADA court on the basis of his alleged confessional statement before the Superintendent of Police, and said mere membership of a banned organisation will not make a person a criminal unless he resorts to violence or incites people to violence or creates public disorder by violence or incitement to violence.
Similar views were taken by the apex court in two other verdicts of 2011 in Indra Das versus State of Assam and state of Kerala versus Raneef, where the bench relied upon the three US Supreme Court decisions which have rejected the doctrine of ‘guilt by association’.
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