Crime
To ensure absolute impartiality, SC appoints retired HC judge to monitor probe in Lakhimpur Kheri case
The Supreme Court on Wednesday appointed Justice Rakesh Kumar Jain, a former judge of Punjab and Haryana High Court, to monitor the Lakhimpur Kheri violence probe and to ensure fairness and independence in the investigation.
A bench headed by Chief Justice N.V. Ramana said: “We appoint Rakesh Kumar Jain (retired judge of Punjab and Haryana High Court)…to ensure absolute impartiality in the investigation of the case.”
The top court also ordered the Uttar Pradesh government to include three senior IPS officers, which includes a female officer Padmaja Chauhan, present IG of Uttar Pradesh, on the SIT, which it said would continue with the investigation, under supervision of Justice Jain. The top court said it will list the matter after the charge sheet is filed in the case, and a detailed order will be uploaded on it.
On November 15, the Supreme Court had said it will also consider the names of some retired apex court judge or high court judge to monitor day-to-day investigation in the Lakhimpur Kheri violence incident.
The top court also directed the Uttar Pradesh government to upgrade its task force investigating the matter with some high-ranking officials.
Senior advocate Harish Salve, representing the Uttar Pradesh government, submitted that the top court can appoint a retired judge to monitor the SIT probe. The top court said, “Now, we have a lot of freedom for a retired SC or HC judge. Let us see…” The bench had noted that it will find out a judge who is willing to take up the assignment.
During the hearing, the top court emphasized that the UP government should upgrade the task force investigating the matter. It said the officers must be high-ranking officers, currently there are local Lakhimpur Kheri, sub-inspector level and DSP level officers on the task force.
The bench told Salve that it needs one more day’s time to finalize the name of the judge. “We are considering Rakesh Kumar Jain (former Punjab and Haryana HC judge) or others. We have to consult them”, said the bench.
Salve submitted, “Judge can be appointed from any other state”. Earlier, the top court had said it wanted to appoint a judge outside of Uttar Pradesh.
Concluding the hearing, the top court asked the UP government to look into grievances of victim’s families, who have not been paid compensation. Additional advocate general Garima Prasad submitted that the state would take necessary steps.
The violence occurred on October 3, resulting in the killing of eight persons, including four farmers who were allegedly mowed down by the vehicles in the convoy of Ashish Misra, the son of Union Minister and BJP MP Ajay Kumar Misra.
Crime
Gurugram hit-and-run case: Car driver, cousin sent to two days’ police custody

Gurugram, Sep 16: A Gurugram court on Wednesday sent Kalyan Bainsla, the driver accused of hitting a woman biker on Golf Course Road, and his cousin to two days’ police custody in connection with the hit-and-run case.
Bainsla and his cousin Lavneesh were produced before Judicial Magistrate First Class (JMIC) Nidhi Beniwal, who sent them to police custody.
Both accused will be produced before the court again on September 18.
The development came a day after Gurugram police arrested Bainsla from Rajasthan’s Dausa and Lavneesh from Haryana’s Palwal in connection with the incident.
Lavneesh was allegedly present in the car along with Bainsla at the time of the incident.
The Gurugram Police had earlier added Section 109 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), pertaining to attempt to murder, to the FIR after the victim, Sia, and her family approached the police seeking stringent action against those involved.
The case was initially registered after the police took suo motu cognisance of a video showing a car hitting a female biker on Golf Course Road.
Following a detailed investigation and analysis of CCTV footage, the police added the attempt-to-murder charge, which carries a punishment of up to 10 years.
The development came after Sia’s family submitted her written statement to Inspector Manoj Kumar, Station House Officer of Gurugram’s Sector-56 police station. The police are also recording her detailed statement as part of the investigation.
The Gurugram police have maintained that lawlessness will not be tolerated and said they are committed to taking strict action against those responsible.
Meanwhile, Sia on Wednesday appealed for strict punishment for all four occupants of the car, saying it was necessary to send the right message to society regarding women’s safety.
Speaking to media, Sia said she had “great expectations” from the court and wanted justice in the case. “I stated in court yesterday that all four, who were in the car, should be arrested and that strict action taken against all of them. In my opinion, they should face harsh consequences; that is the only way to send a message to such young men—so that anyone thinking of committing such an act would think twice,” she said.
Reacting to the accused’s reported claim that he was in a hurry to use the restroom, Sia said the explanation was “despicable”, stating that the entire incident had been recorded on video. She said that had the dashcam on her bike not recorded the incident, she “probably wouldn’t have even been able to justify what happened”. “So many women, who might be heading to work, have to face this kind of harassment. They don’t have cameras, and often, cases like this don’t even get registered,” she said.
Sia reiterated that all four occupants of the car should face action, saying: “All four must be punished; only then can we set an example for our society.”
Crime
Yemen nationals found staying ‘illegally’ in Pune, cases filed against two house owners

Pune, Sep 16: Pune Police have registered separate cases against two house owners for allegedly renting out their flats to Yemeni nationals for the past seven to eight years, without informing the police.
According to police, the tenants’ passports had expired and the Foreigners Regional Registration Office (FRO) had issued restriction orders against them. Their passports have been deposited with the authorities.
The cases were registered at Kondhwa police station under relevant provisions after the house owners allegedly violated police orders by concealing information about the foreign nationals staying at their properties.
Senior Police Inspector Santosh Khetmals of Kondhwa police station told media that deportation proceedings against the Yemeni nationals have been initiated by the FRO.
In the first case, a case was registered against house owner Khan Faheema Jabbar, 55, a resident of Ghorpade Peth, for allegedly renting out her flat to a Yemeni family without informing the police.
In the second case, house owner Jabbar A. Sattar Khan, 62, also a resident of Ghorpade Peth, was booked for allegedly renting out his flat to another Yemeni family without informing the police.
Police said further action in the matter is being taken in coordination with the FRO.
This is however not the first such incident in Pune.
Earlier, on August 13, the special branch of Pune City Police arrested and detained 11 Yemeni nationals and two Afghan nationals from Yevalewadi, Phursungi and Kondhwa for allegedly staying illegally in India.
In 2022, Pune Police had deported a six-member family from Yemen, comprising three adults and three minor children, after they were found to have overstayed in India.
The police had identified the deported Yemeni nationals as Alkharraz Waled Abdurabu Ateq, 37, his wife, Heba Yahya Mohammed Hussen, 33, his brother, Shawqi Abdurabu Ateq, 34, and his three minor children.
Crime
Drugs worth over Rs 40 crore seized in Tripura; one arrested

Agartala, Sep 16: In a major narcotics haul, the Tripura Police have seized highly addictive methamphetamine tablets worth over Rs 40 crore and arrested a drug peddler on Wednesday.
Informing about the drug seizure, Tripura Chief Minister Manik Saha, in a post on his X, said, “A major breakthrough in our fight against drugs ! In a significant operation, North Tripura Police under Panisagar Police Station seized 50 kg of Yaba tablets valued at approx. ₹40 crore, a major blow to the illicit drug network.”
“This success reflects the unwavering commitment of our police and security forces to protect our youth and society from the menace of drugs and strengthens our mission towards a Nasha Mukt Tripura,” said CM Saha, who also holds the home portfolio.
Police said that the seized drugs were suspected to have been smuggled from Myanmar, and through Mizoram, the narcotics entered Tripura to be smuggled to neighbouring Bangladesh. Tripura shares a 109 km interstate border with Mizoram, and the 856 km international border with Bangladesh.
The methamphetamine tablets, also known as Yaba or “party” tablets, contain a mixture of methamphetamine and caffeine and are misused as high-dosage drugs in Bangladesh and neighbouring countries, besides India.
The drugs were banned in India. Various types of cough syrups containing codeine phosphate are also commonly misused and illegally smuggled into Bangladesh.
Mizoram and Manipur have emerged as major drug-trafficking corridors in the Northeast due to their long and porous international borders with Myanmar and proximity to the Golden Triangle, one of the world’s major illicit narcotics-producing regions. Six districts of Mizoram and five districts of Manipur share around 910 km of unfenced international border with Myanmar.
CM Saha had earlier said that his government follows a zero-tolerance policy towards the drug menace. “Law enforcement agencies must take all-out measures to curb drug-related activities,” he had said.
The Chief Minister also said that the state government has decided to set up drug de-addiction centres in all eight districts of Tripura, with Rs 20 crore earmarked for each centre. He said the Union Ministry of Development of North Eastern Region (DoNER) has already sanctioned Rs 198 crore to set up a special drug de-addiction centre at Bishramganj in Sepahijala district.
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