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SC questions Gujarat govt over FIR against Cong MP Imran Pratapgarhi

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New Delhi, Feb 10: The Supreme Court on Monday raised questions over an FIR registered against Congress Rajya Sabha MP and poet Imran Pratapgarhi for allegedly disturbing social harmony.

The complaint dates back to January 3, 2025, when a complaint was filed at Jamnagar police station by an advocate’s clerk.

The complainant alleged that a video posted by Pratapgarhi on Instagram, which featured a poem, was inciting unrest and harming social peace.

“Please see the poem. It’s ultimately a poem. It is not against any religion. It is not against any particular community. Please apply your mind to the poem,” remarked a Bench of Justices Abhay S Oka and Ujjal Bhuyan as it adjourned a hearing on the request made by the Gujarat government’s counsel.

The matter will be heard next after three weeks.

Earlier on January 21, the Justice Oka-led Bench, in an interim order, shielded Imran Pratapgarhi from arrest as it issued a notice to the Gujarat government and posted the matter for further hearing on February 10.

In the meantime, the apex court ordered that no coercive steps would be taken against Pratapgarhi in any manner on the basis of the impugned FIR.

The Gujarat High Court had turned down Pratapgarhi’s plea to quash the FIR lodged against him.

In its order, the Gujarat HC stated that as a lawmaker, Pratapgarhi must act responsibly and respect the legal process.

It further directed him to submit an affidavit clarifying the origin of the poem used in the video.

Pratapgarhi was asked to specify whether the poem was written by him or sourced from elsewhere, and if so, provide the details of its author.

During the hearing before the Gujarat High Court, Pratapgarhi claimed that the poem in question was either written by renowned poets Faiz Ahmed Faiz or Habib Jalib.

He stated that he had found the poem through online sources, including internet forums and chat rooms, but could not provide a definitive source.

Pratapgarhi presented screenshots from an AI tool (ChatGPT) to support his claims.

He argued that the poem, which promotes love and non-violence, was harmless and did not constitute a criminal act.

However, the prosecution disagreed, asserting that as a Parliamentarian, Pratapgarhi had a responsibility to act with caution and not to incite public unrest through social media.

The police had issued a notice to Pratapgarhi on January 4, asking him to appear on January 11, but he failed to cooperate with the investigation.

The Gujarat High Court highlighted that Pratapgarhi’s action could not be defended simply based on his status as a public figure.

His failure to appear before the authorities and his lack of clarity about the origin of the poem were key factors in turning down his petition.

The Gujarat HC ultimately dismissed Pratapgarhi’s plea, reinforcing that lawmakers must uphold the law and act responsibly.

Maharashtra

Mumbai: 32-Year-Old Woman Dies By Suicide In Santacruz; Partner Takes Body To Parents’ Home

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Mumbai: A 32-year-old woman, identified as Farhana Khan, allegedly died by suicide after hanging herself from a ceiling fan at her residence in the Davri Nagar locality of Vakola, Santacruz East, on Monday afternoon, police said.

According to officials, following the incident, Khan’s live-in partner did not inform the police or seek medical help. Instead, he transported her body to her parents’ home, as reported by news agency PTI. The Vakola police have registered a case and are investigating the circumstances surrounding the incident. Further details are awaited.

In another tragic incident of suicide in the city, a 34-year-old man was found hanging at his residence in Andheri West on Monday. The deceased has been identified as Manish Thombare, who worked with a private company and lived in Sai Baba Society, Gaondevi Dongari.

According to DN Nagar police, the incident occurred between 11:30 pm. on Sunday and 11:30 am on Monday. Thombare lived with his brother and sister-in-law. He had gone to sleep in an upstairs room, and when he failed to come downstairs the next morning, his brother went to check on him and found him hanging from the ceiling fan with a saree.

He was immediately rushed to a nearby hospital, where doctors declared him dead. His body was later sent to Cooper Hospital in Vile Parle (West) for a post-mortem examination. Preliminary investigations suggest that Thombare was suffering from depression due to family issues. He was married in 2022 but got divorced four months ago. He had no children. An Accidental Death Report (ADR) has been registered, and further investigation is underway.

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National News

Supreme Court Cancels Bail Of Chhota Rajan In 2001 Mumbai Hotelier Murder Case

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New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Wednesday cancelled the bail of mafia don Rajendra S. Nikalje, alias Chhota Rajan, in the 2001 sensational murder of Mumbai hotelier Jaya Shetty.

A Bench of Justices Vikram Nath and Sandeep Mehta allowed the special leave petition (SLP) filed by CBI (Central Bureau of Investigation) challenging a Bombay High Court’s order granting bail to Chhota Rajan and suspended his life sentence.

The Justice Nath-led Bench noted the submission of Additional Solicitor General (ASG) S.V. Raju, who appeared on CBI’s behalf, that Chhota Rajan stood convicted in four other cases and remained absconding for around 27 years.

After a Special MCOCA Court convicted Rajan and others in the sensational murder case and handed him his second life sentence in nearly nine years, Rajan filed an appeal before the Bombay High Court.

In October last year, a Bench of Justices Revati Mohite-Dere and Prithviraj K. Chavan suspended the sentence pending disposal of the criminal appeal and ordered his release on bail. However, Rajan could not avail the benefit of bail as he is already serving a life sentence in New Delhi’s Tihar Central Jail for the 2011 daylight murder of crime journalist Jyotirmoy Dey at Powai.

The Shetty murder case was among the dossier of 71 major offences that were handed over by the CBI to the Indonesian government after Rajan was nabbed in the tourist haven of Bali and subsequently deported to India in November 2015.

Shetty, the owner of the Golden Crown Hotel in south Mumbai, was shot dead by two gunmen on May 4, 2001, with the hit ordered by Rajan, a bitter rival of the absconder terrorist don Dawood Ibrahim Kaskar, triggering a huge sensation in the hospitality and political circles.

After the long trial, the Special MCOCA Court Special Judge A. M. Patil found Rajan guilty and sentenced him to life in jail, along with the other accused, Rahul Pansare, Ajay Mohite, and Pramod Dhonde.

Shetty had become a victim in an alleged extortion case and had been provided with police security, which was withdrawn a couple of months before he was targeted and killed.

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Maharashtra

Mumbai: Red Paint Thrown At Meenatai Thackeray’s Statue At Shivaji Park; Raj Thackeray Visits Site, Uddhav Expected Soon

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Mumbai: Political tensions emerged at Dadar’s Shivaji Park on Wednesday after miscreants threw red paint on bust of Meenatai Thackeray’s- Shiv Sena founder Balasaheb Thackeray’s wife. The bust is located at the entrance of the park. Shiv Sena (Uddhav Thackeray) workers reached the spot and removed the paint. The incident took place early morning. By afternoon, Sena UBT workers put garlands on the Meenatai’s bust after cleaning it.

As per locals, there is a security guard always deployed 24/7 at the park and expressed surprise at the incident. MNS Chief Raj Thackeray, who resides in Dadar’s Shivaji Park, went to the site of the desecration after being made aware of the incident and took stock of the situation. As per locals, Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray will also visit Shivaji Park later in the afternoon.

As per reports, CCTV footage from the area shows a person near the statue around the time of the incident. Investigations are underway to establish the identity of the individual. No formal complaint with the police has been registered so far.

The iconic Shivaji Park ground holds historic importance, socially as well as politically. The park also houses late Balasaheb Thackeray’s memorial next to Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj’s statue inside the ground.

As per the tradition, the ground will hold Shiv Sena UBT’s Dussehra melave next month.

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