News Analysis India

Tag: arrest

  • Hemant Soren drops plea against arrest after SC questions ‘conduct’

    The Supreme Court on Wednesday criticised Hemant Soren for his “blameworthy conduct” of not disclosing complete facts in a plea challenging his arrest by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) even as the former Jharkhand chief minister’s counsel withdrew the plea.

    A vacation bench headed by Justice Dipankar Datta verbally observed that Soren had availed “parallel remedies” by filing two separate pleas, one challenging his arrest and another seeking bail, but did not disclose it to the top court.

    Soren also did not disclose that his regular bail already stands dismissed by the trial court, the bench observed.It disapproved of the “crafty drafting” of Soren’s petition and told senior advocate Kapil Sibal that the court expected “some candour from your client”.AllUttar PradeshMaharashtraTamil NaduWest BengalBiharKarnatakaAndhra PradeshTelanganaKeralaMadhya PradeshRajasthanDelhiOther StatesSibal said it was his own mistake and not of Soren. “It is my personal fault and not of my client,” he told the bench. “The client is in jail and we are lawyers acting for him. Our intention was never to mislead the court and we have never done it.”Speaking for the bench, Justice Datta verbally observed that it appears that “the person in custody is not acting with bona fide”.To this, Sibal responded that Soren “is not in touch with us. It is not his (Soren) fault at all”.Sibal withdrew the plea after the bench said it would dismiss the same.

    Pointing out factual dissimilarities between the case of Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal and Soren, both challenging their arrest by Enforcement Directorate (ED), the apex court on Tuesday had sought to know whether Soren’s plea would be maintainable especially after his regular bail has been rejected and the fact that a special court has taken cognisance of a prosecution complaint (equivalent of a charge sheet) filed by ED against Soren and other accused.

  • ED opposes JMM leader Hemant Soren’s interim bail plea in SC

    New Delhi: The Enforcement Directorate opposed in the Supreme Court on Monday former Jharkhand chief minister Hemant Soren’s plea seeking interim bail in a money-laundering case linked to an alleged land scam to campaign in the Lok Sabha polls. In its affidavit filed in the top court on Soren’s plea against his arrest and for interim bail, the probe agency said the materials on record establish that the Jharkhand Mukti Morcha leader was involved in the acquisition and possession of properties in an illegal manner which are proceeds of crime. A vacation bench headed by Justice Dipankar Datta is scheduled to hear Soren’s plea against his arrest and interim bail on Tuesday. “Various Statements recorded under section 50 of PMLA, 2002, which establish that property admeasuring 8.86 acres, situated at Shanti Nagar, Near Lalu Khatal, Bariyatu is under illegal acquisition, possession and use of Hemant Soren and the same has been done in a camouflaged and concealed manner,” the agency said. Opposing the interim bail of Soren for campaigning during the ongoing Lok Sabha elections, the ED said, “It is relevant to note that the right to campaign for an election is neither a fundamental right nor a constitutional right and not even a legal right.” AllUttar PradeshMaharashtraTamil NaduWest BengalBiharKarnatakaAndhra PradeshTelanganaKeralaMadhya PradeshRajasthanDelhiOther StatesThe probe agency said that there is an active attempt on Soren’s part to subvert the investigation by misusing state machinery and project the proceeds of crime as “untainted through his stooges”. Soren was arrested on January 31 in the money-laundering case linked to the alleged land scam after he resigned as the Jharkhand chief minister. He has challenged a May 3 order of the Jharkhand High Court that dismissed his petition against his arrest by the ED. He has also sought interim bail for campaigning in the Lok Sabha polls till the court delivers its verdict on his plea against his arrest.

    On May 13, referring to the top court’s recent order in a money-laundering case involving Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, Soren sought interim bail for campaigning in the election.

  • Sandeshkhali: Police arrest Trinamool leader Shibu Hazra amid accusations of torture and assault

    Trinamool leader Shibu Hazra,accused by villagers for torturing people and assauling women in Sandeshkhali, was arrested by police on Saturday. This is second major arrest after arrest of Uttam Sardar another close aide of absconding Trinamool leader Sheikh Shajahan.

    DGP Rajeev Kumar said, “We will be reviewing all the 19 areas where Section 144 is imposed. In a day or two we will remove it in some areas to ensure people continue to lead a normal life..”

    “Some questions were raised about imposing Section 144 when there was no loss of life. It was because some people were trying to give a communal colour or spread lawlessness around the incident, which is why we imposed it to maintain law and order,.” Kumar added”There has been the case of one lady- it is also on record that she did not make any kind of allegations against us when we talked to her but what we have come to know is that in a 164 before a magistrate she has made one statement. We have added it and will bring all the perpetrator to the book whosoever it is,” Kumar said.

    Kumar told media persons, “In the case of land grabbing which seems to be the main factor, from tomorrow there will be camps, and teams from the land department will be visiting to register and accept complaints.”

    Meanwhile, Officials of West Bengal Commission for Protection of Child Rights (WBCPCR) on Saturday visited the home of a woman in Sandeshkhali who has claimed that she and her child were assaulted last week by “miscreants in the presence of police”.The six-member team recorded the woman’s statement and arranged for two security officers to be deployed at her village home for protection.The woman has claimed that miscreants broke open her door one night last week. “I was assaulted by the miscreants in the presence of police in the middle of the night, and my child fell on the floor during the scuffle,” the woman told the WBCPCR team, adding that her husband fled the scene out of fear.

    She said she was able to identify two policemen of Sandeshkhali police station among the attackers.

    The WBCPCR has sought an action-taken report from the police and sought the district magistrate’s intervention in the matter.

    The team then visited Sandeshkhali police station and also arranged a medical checkup for the child.

    The woman has alleged that her family was attacked as they are BJP supporters. “My husband has fled the house and I could not get out after the incident to file a complaint and get my child treated,” she claimed.

    Tulika Das, chairperson of WBCPCR, said, “We have sent a letter to the Superintendent of Police. A team of CMOH will do a medical checkup of the child. As she is staying alone now, we will provide food and safety. When asked, she told me about the need.”

    The local villagers said the miscreants were dressed as policemen but none wore shoes.

    WBCPCR member Sudeshna Ray said, “We are looking into the matter. Our main focus is to provide safety and security of the child and mother. We are doing that and we will definitely take the necessary action. We will mention the two police officers identified by the woman. However, she could not identify others.

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  • Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra led by Congress leader Rahul Gandhi cannot move from the middle of Guwahati city: Assam CM Himanta Biswa Sarma

    Guwahati: Assam chief minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said that it is made clear that Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra led by Congress leader Rahul Gandhi cannot move from the middle of Guwahati city and if the same is not complied government will file case and ensure two or three leaders are brought to Assam by the police.

    Sarma on Thursday said, “We will give all the necessary permission for the rally however if they insist on going right from the middle of Guwahati city, we will not arrange for police security. If they do so we will register a case of violation and after elections will arrest them. There is a medical college here and people will really dislike them if they move through the middle of Guwahati.”

    Sarma said, “Those who break the law, we will not show off; however after one or two months, two people, one which include former personnel of SPG will be arrested. They will be the government’s guest if they violate this. We may even arrest them from Siliguri in West Bengal.” He said it is not a Nyay rally but a Miya rally.” In those places where there are Miyas there will be people in the rally and in the places where there is no Miya there will be no crowd. Even Women from the Miya community will not come, only some men from the community will turn up.

    Former Youth Congress leader Angkita Dutta who alleged harassment and gender discrimination Youth Congress president Srinivas BV had moved court. She protested on Thursday seeking justice for herself. On April 19 last year, she was expelled from Assam Youth Congress.

    Sarma said, “From Congress no one can expect justice, what to expect from them as 900 people were killed in Assam Agitation, they bombed the Aizawl.” The chief minister said that the Gandhi family is the most corrupt family in the country. “From Bofors deal to ensuring safe passage to Warren Martin Anderson, CEO of Union Carbide Corporation plant in Bhopal, Gandhi’s corruption is everywhere. In fact, this family is not originally Gandhi, they are duplicate. In case of duplicate license, one is arrested however I do not know what the consequences are of having a duplicate surname, that is why they are roaming around.” Bengali speaking Muslims are often referred as Miya Muslims. Muslims comprise 34% of the 3.12 crore population of Assam, of which 4% are indigenous Assamese Muslims and the remaining mostly Bengali-speaking Muslims.