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‘Shocking for a religion-neutral country’: SC calls for suo moto action on hate speech crimes

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The Supreme Court on Friday issued a slew of directions to curb hate speeches and directed the Delhi, UP, and Uttrakhand Police to take suo motu action, even without complaint, in cases related to hate speeches.

The top court emphasised that action needs to be taken, without looking at the religion of the accused, to preserve the secular character of the country, and also orally observed that it is tragic, what we have been reduced to in the name of religion.

A bench of Justices K.M. Joseph and Hrishikesh Roy said this is the 21st century, while condemning the incidents of hate speeches.

Senior advocate Kapil Sibal and advocate Nizam Pasha, representing the petitioner, sought formation of an SIT in the matter connected with hate speeches.

At this. Justice Joseph asked Sibal, “Are Muslims also making hate speeches, why only?….people are from both sides, we are saying.” Sibal said they should not be spared. Justice Joseph orally remarked, it is tragic, what we have reduced to in the name of the religion, and emphasised on the importance of scientific temper in the 21st century.

In reference to hate speeches brought on record by the petitioner, the bench said that these statements are certainly very shocking for a country that is to be religion neutral, and such kind of statements by anyone is condemnable.

The plea contended that there should be complete harmony in the country. The bench said the country should live in harmony and the matter deserves attention of this court.

Sibal, representing petitioner Shaheen Abdullah, cited a speech made by BJP MP Parvesh Verma in Delhi as one of the hate speeches as he said: Such kind of hate speeches are made, what are they propagating?”

The top court, in its order, noted that plea relates to the atmosphere of hate in the county which, according to the petitioner, has led to hate speeches, despite suitable provisions in penal law and also lack of action by authorities concerned.

It said there cannot be fraternity unless members of different communities live in harmony, and asked police forces of Delhi, UP, and Uttarakhand to file a report on action taken in connection with hate speech incidents in the petition.

The bench added that police should ensure that when an incident of hate speech occurs, even without any complaint, suo motu action should be taken and the authorities should proceed against the offenders in accordance with law. It added that any hesitation to act in accordance with this direction will be viewed as contempt of court and appropriate action shall be taken against the erring officers.

It clarified that action must be taken irrespective of the religion of the person who made the speech, so that the secular character of the country is preserved.

Petitioner moved the top court also seeking direction to the Centre and states to initiate independent, credible, and impartial probe into the incidents of hate crimes and hate speeches across the country. The plea claimed that Muslim community is being “targeted and terrorised” by the participation of the members of the ruling political party in delivering the hate speeches.

Crime

Haryana IPS suicide: Punjab Scheduled Caste panel seeks report from Chandigarh DGP

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Chandigarh, Oct 11: The Punjab State Scheduled Castes Commission on Saturday took suo moto notice in the suicide case of Haryana’s ADGP Y. Puran Kumar in Chandigarh and sought a report from the Chandigarh Director General of Police.

Commission Chairman Jasvir Singh Garhi said this matter has come to his notice through the media, on which he has taken action and he has instructed the Director General of Police of Chandigarh to submit a report regarding this matter and the action taken so far on the suicide note and the complaint given by his wife Amneet Kaur through an ADGP-level officer to the commission on October 13.

Also, the Scheduled Castes Commission Chairman will visit the victim’s family’s house on October 13.

Meanwhile, Jai Narayan, a spokesperson for the 31-member committee for justice for Puran Kumar, told the media here that they formed this 31-member committee on Friday to sustain the movement across all over Haryana with key members from various regions.

“The government has not conducted any meaningful investigation, and we demand that at the very least, those responsible be terminated; only then will the post-mortem be performed,” he said.

Meanwhile, protests were held in Rohtak, demanding arrest of the accused in the suicide case. Inspector General of Puran Kumar, who allegedly shot himself dead at his Chandigarh residence on October 7 with his service revolver, left behind a “final note”.

The victim’s spouse, Amneet P. Kumar, a Haryana cadre senior bureaucrat, in a letter to Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini has sought justice for her husband.

The letter, marked urgent and confidential, two days ago expressed anguish over what she described as a “grave injustice” and “complete administrative inaction” even after more than 48 hours of her husband’s death.

In a nine-page “suicide note”, Puran Kumar reportedly accused nine serving IPS officers of the Haryana Police, a retired IPS officer and three retired IAS officers of “caste-based discrimination”.

The serving officers included DGP Shatrujeet Singh Kapur and Rohtak Superintendent of Police Narendra Bijarniya.

Meanwhile, the government has removed Bijarniya from his post and has been replaced by Surinder Singh Bhoria as the Superintendent of Police of Rohtak.

No posting has been given to Bijarniya as of now. Congress Parliamentary Party chairperson Sonia Gandhi wrote a letter to the wife of late Haryana IPS officer, saying the incident “reveals that even the highest-level officers can be denied social justice on account of discriminatory attitude”.

“The passing away of Mr Y Puran Kumar reveals that even the highest-level officers can be denied social justice on account of the discriminatory attitude and the preconceived notions of the powers that be. Crores of Indians stand with you in your fight for justice,” she wrote.

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Mumbai Press Exclusive News

Crores of rupees were defrauded in the name of government jobs, the accused was arrested from Delhi… The accused had received money from hundreds of unemployed people

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Mumbai: The Mumbai Economic Wing has claimed to have arrested the accused in a case of cheating in the name of getting government jobs in the central and state governments in several districts of Maharashtra. Santosh Ganpat, a businessman from Navi Mumbai, filed a complaint that the accused Nilesh Kanshi Ram Rathore had charged him Rs 5 lakh for a government job and Rs 5 to 15 lakh for medical tests and appointment letters. The EOW has registered a case against him because he has cheated him of Rs 2.88 crore by promising him a job and during the investigation it was revealed that he has cheated him of Rs 10 crore. The Economic Wing has formed a team to arrest the absconding accused and searched him in Akola and other areas. The accused cheated hundreds of youths for recruitment in RCF in 2022. His complaint was filed with the EOW. The EOW received information that the accused was trying to escape from Delhi, on which the police arrested him from Delhi. The accused has been booked in Mumbai EOW and Pune Deccan. A criminal case has been registered and further investigation is underway. This operation has been carried out under the leadership of EOW chief Nisht Mishra.

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Mumbai Press Exclusive News

ANC action, drugs worth crores seized, 6 arrested

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Mumbai: The Anti-Narcotics Cell has claimed to have arrested six drug smugglers, including a Nigerian, including a Nigerian, including MD and Natropum tablets worth Rs 7.01 crore, during operations at various locations in Mumbai. 523 grams of cocaine, worth Rs 5.23 crore, was seized from a Nigerian in Vakola, Mumbai. Five accused were arrested in raids conducted in Ghatkopar, Kurla CST, Mazgaon, tardeo, Borivali areas, from whose possession Mephedone MD worth Rs 54.65 lakh was seized. These are part of five inter-state drug gangs. Other drugs including Natropum tablets were also seized in this operation. This operation was carried out by DCP Nunath Dhule on the instructions of the Mumbai Police Commissioner.

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