National News
SC orders release of death row convict found to be juvenile at the time of crime
The Supreme Court has set side the death sentence of a rape-murder convict, after it was established that he was a juvenile on the date of commission of the offence.
A top court bench of justices B.R. Gavai, Vikram Nath and Sanjay Karol said: “The conviction of the appellant is upheld; however, the sentence is set aside. Further, as the appellant at present would be more than 20 years old, there would be no requirement of sending him to the Juvenile Justice Board (JJB) or any other child care facility or institution. The appellant is in judicial custody. He shall be released forthwith.”
The apex court affirmed the trial court order convicting him for the offence of rape and murder, but set aside the death sentence awarded to the accused, convicted in a December 2017 rape and murder case in Madhya Pradesh.
The bench noted that it is of the view that merits of the conviction could be tested and the conviction which was recorded cannot be held to be vitiated in law merely because the inquiry was not conducted by the JJB.
“It is only the question of sentence for which the provisions of the Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection) Act, 2015, would be attracted and any sentence in excess of what is permissible under the 2015 Act will have to be accordingly amended as per the provisions of the 2015 Act. Otherwise, the accused, who has committed a heinous offence and who did not claim juvenility before the trial court, would be allowed to go scot-free,” added the bench.
The top court judgment came on a man’s plea challenging the Madhya Pradesh High Court’s order dated November 15, 2018. The Indore bench of the high court had upheld the death sentence awarded by the lower court and dismissed the appeal filed by the appellant challenging his conviction and sentence.
The accused, during the pendency of these appeals, moved an application claiming juvenility and consequently the benefits available under the provisions of the 2015 Act.
The bench said the appellant is held to be less than 16 years, and therefore, the maximum punishment that could be awarded is up to three years.
“The appellant has already undergone more than five years. His incarceration beyond three years would be illegal, and therefore, he would be liable to be released forthwith on this count also,” it added.
The bench considered a report from the Court of First Additional Sessions Judge, Manawar, Dhar district, Madhya Pradesh, dated October 27, 2022 along with all the material evidence both documentary and oral adduced before it on the basis of which the report has been submitted.
The top court accepted the trial court report and held that the appellant was aged 15 years, four months and 20 days on the date of the incident.
It added, “It would also be pertinent to notice that the institution is not a private institution, but a government primary school and this court does not find any reason to disbelieve or even doubt the testimony of government servants both working and retired.”
The bench noted, “The intention of the legislature is to give benefit to a person who is declared to be a child on the date of the offence only with respect to its sentence part.”
National News
Maharashtra Govt Asks Ladki Bahin Beneficiaries To Complete E-KYC By November 18

Mumbai: The Maharashtra government has asked beneficiaries of the ‘Mukhyamantri Majhi Ladki Bahin’ scheme to complete the mandatory e-KYC by November 18.
State Women and Child Development Minister Aditi Tatkare said that the honorarium for October will be disbursed from Wednesday, and the amount will be credited directly into the Aadhaar-linked bank accounts of all eligible women beneficiaries.
The state government’s flagship scheme, launched in July last year, provides monthly assistance of Rs 1,500 to women in the 21-65 age group, whose annual family income is less than Rs 2.5 lakh.
The government made e-KYC mandatory for the scheme in September, giving beneficiaries two months to complete the process and issued a government resolution regarding this.
Tatkare, in a post on X, said that the scheme, launched as a social and economic empowerment initiative for women across Maharashtra, continues to gain widespread support and trust from women in the state.
She said that to ensure smooth continuation of the scheme, an e-KYC facility was available on the official portal, ladakibahin.maharashtra.gov.in, since last month, and all beneficiaries have been asked to complete the e-KYC process by November 18.
Talking to PTI, the minister said, “The government has stopped monthly disbursal of Rs 1,500 to 12,000 bank accounts held by men, while the amount disbursed to ineligible women beneficiaries, who were government employees and those covered by other government schemes, over the last year has been recovered.” At present, more than 2.3 crore beneficiaries are registered under the scheme, and the monthly instalment for October will be disbursed from Wednesday, she said.
Crime
Punjab bypoll: Drugs, liquor, freebies valued at Rs 57.47 crore seized

Chandigarh, Nov 4: After the enforcement of the Model Code of Conduct for the by-election to the Tarn Taran Assembly constituency, Punjab Police, following the directions of the Election Commission, has made seizures of drugs, liquor, cash and freebies valued at over Rs 57.47 crore.
According to details, from October 7, the day the Model Code of Conduct came into effect, till November 3, the police in the Tarn Taran constituency seized 51,429.50 litres of liquor valued at Rs 32,89,160, narcotic substances of Rs 56,67,10,500 (21,811.10 grams), cash amounting to Rs 9,73,480, and other items valued at Rs 37,85,700.
Chief Electoral Officer Sibin C said the police have been directed to maintain round-the-clock surveillance through CCTV cameras at all checkpoints in the constituency to curb illegal smuggling activities.
He added that strict action is being ensured against those attempting to influence voters by distributing cash or any other kind of freebies during the elections.
The Chief Electoral Officer said there are a total of 192,838 voters in the constituency, which includes 100,933 men, 91,897 women and eight third-gender voters. There are 1,357 service voters, 1,657 voters aged above 85 years, 306 NRI voters, and 1,488 voters with disabilities. The number of young voters aged between 18 and 19 years stands at 3,333.
He said there are 222 polling stations set up at 114 polling station locations, of which 60 are urban and 162 are rural.
The Tarn Taran bypoll on November 11 was necessitated by the death of AAP MLA Kashmir Singh Sohal, who had won the seat with 52,935 votes, defeating Shiromani Akali Dal’s Harmeet Singh Sandhu.
Fifteen candidates are in the fray. They include Sukhwinder Kaur of the Shiromani Akali Dal, Harjit Singh Sandhu of the BJP, Harmeet Singh Sandhu of the Aam Aadmi Party, and Karanbir Singh of the Congress.
National News
Mumbai Police Rescue 60-Year-Old Man Attempting Suicide From 22nd Floor In Malad

Mumbai, November 4: In a timely and coordinated operation, the Kurar Police in Mumbai prevented a major tragedy by rescuing a 60-year-old man who was attempting to jump from the 22nd floor of a residential building.
The quick-thinking officers acted immediately upon receiving information about the distress call, showcasing the Mumbai Police’s commitment to protecting lives beyond law enforcement duties.
As per a post shared by Mumbai Police on their official handle on X, officials from the Kurar Police Station rushed to the scene soon after receiving the alert.
Recognising the urgency, the police sought assistance from the Fire Brigade, who quickly arrived with rescue equipment. Together, they managed to reach the man and safely bring him down before any harm could occur.
After being rescued, the 60-year-old man was taken to the Kurar Police Station, where he was provided immediate counselling and emotional support. Authorities ensured he was safe and received the necessary care following the traumatic incident.
The Mumbai Police continue to emphasise the importance of mental health awareness and urge citizens to seek help during emotional distress, reminding everyone that timely intervention can save lives.
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