INX Media case: P Chidambaram's CBI custody to end today; offers to extend detention till 2 September
In an unprecedented plea, former finance minister P Chidambaram Thursday offered in the Supreme Court to remain in CBI's custody till 2 September in the INX Media corruption case.
Chidambaram, who was arrested on 21 August, is in the CBI custody till Friday and will be produced before the concerned trial court on Friday on expiry of his remand.
The offer was made after a bench of Justices R Banumathi and AS Bopanna said it would hear on 2 September the plea of Chidambaram challenging the orders passed by the trial court remanding him in the CBI custody in the corruption case.
The bench, which did not comment on the offer of the former minister, said it would pronounce on 5 September its order on Chidambaram's plea challenging the Delhi High Court's August 20 verdict denying him anticipatory bail plea in the INX Media money laundering case lodged by the Enforcement Directorate (ED).
The bench also extended the interim protection from arrest granted to Chidambaram till 5 September.
Chidambaram, in his plea, has sought anticipatory bail in the money laundering case.
Senior advocates Kapil Sibal and Abhishek Manu Singhvi, appearing for Chidambaram, told the bench that since the plea challenging the remand orders is listed on 2 September, Chidambaram is offering to remain in CBI's custody till then.
"I am offering myself to remain in CBI's custody till 2 September. Enforcement Directorate should not have any problems with the offer. My CBI remand is coming to an end tomorrow (30 August) in the CBI's case," Sibal said.
Solicitor-General Tushar Mehta opposed the submission saying an extension of remand can only be done by the trial court as the case is pending there.
"If the same offer is made before the trial court tomorrow (30 August), then we may have no objection to it," Mehta said.
Under the Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPC), an arrested accused is remanded in judicial custody and sent to jail after the conclusion of the custodial interrogation by the investigative agency.
The Supreme Court on Thursday reserved its order for 5 September on the interim bail plea by senior Congress leader from ED. The interim protection, earlier granted to Chidambaram by the apex court in the case, was also extended till 5 September.
Army chief to travel Srinagar, first such visit since abrogation of Article 370 in Kashmir
Army chief General Bipin Rawat is all set to visit Srinagar on Friday, for the first time since the revocation of Article 370 in Jammu and Kashmir. During his visit, Rawat will review the security situation and preparedness of security forces in the Kashmir valley.
File image of Bipin Rawat. PTI
It is worth mentioning that the Army Chief's visit comes at a time when Jammu and Kashmir governor Satya Pal Malik and Ministry of External Affairs were stressing that normalcy is returning to the Valley.
On Wednesday, Malik had said that there have been no civilian casualties in Kashmir after the abrogation of Article 370.
"We managed to keep things under control during Panchayat elections, Lok Sabha elections and even now. Every Kashmiri life is valuable to us, we don't want the loss of even a single life. There has been no civilian casualty, only the few who got violent are injured," he said in a press conference here.
He had announced that the government will open 50 new colleges in the region to enhance educational facilities in the Valley.
Security was beefed up in the region after the abrogation of Article 370 and bifurcation of the state into two Union Territories: Jammu and Kashmir, and Ladakh on 5 August.
Chinmayanand sexual harassment case: SC to take up plea of missing UP law student who levelled allegations against BJP leader
The Supreme Court on Thursday took cognisance on its own over reports of a woman student going missing after levelling allegations of harassment against former union minister and BJP leader Swami Chinmayanand.
The issue, which was mentioned before the apex court on Wednesday by a group of lawyers urging it to take cognisance in the matter, would come up for hearing on Friday before a bench of Justices R Banumathi and AS Bopanna.
The Shahjahanpur police had on Tuesday lodged an FIR against Chinmayanand after the student went missing following her allegation in a video clip that he had been harassing her.
Her father had filed a complaint with police accusing Chinmayanand of sexually harassing her, a charge refuted by the BJP leader's lawyer who claimed it was a "conspiracy" to blackmail him.
The woman's father alleged that she has gone missing at the behest of the 72-year-old BJP leader, who heads Mumukshu ashram. She is a post-graduate student in one of the colleges run by the ashram.
The group of lawyers, in a letter, addressed to Chief Justice of India Ranjan Gogoi, had requested him to take suo motu action based on media reports that the student has gone missing for the past three days.
"Your lordships, we the undersigned members of the legal fraternity and practising lawyers of this court are extremely disturbed and concerned about the wellbeing of the girl concerned. We as a society cannot allow another 'Unnao case' to happen. This court has been interfering in letter petitions when it comes to the protection of human rights," the letter said.
It urged the court to take cognisance in the matter and issue notices to the chief secretary and director general of police of Uttar Pradesh as also the principal of the college, where the woman is studying so that immediate action can be taken to trace her and give protection to the woman and her family.
Government to announce two big steps to boost consumption
Stating that consumption needs to be given a push, Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on 29 August said the Centre will announce two more big steps in the coming days to give momentum to industry.
The government has decided to increase spending and has announced a slew of measures to arrest the sluggishness in the automobile market, she said at a press conference in Guwahati.
She also informed that authorities have been instructed to clear all pending GST refunds within the next 30 days, while asking to release all such refunds within 60 days in future.
India eye series win against West Indies in Jamaica
West Indies will have their task cut out against a formidable Indian side when they take on Virat Kohli and his troops in the second Test at Kingston, Jamaica starting on Friday. The hosts are trailing two-match Test series 0-1 after India hammered their way to a massive 318 runs win in the first Test in Antigua and Jason Holder-led side would be desperate to draw level with a win at Sabina Park. The Caribbean side has not won a Test series against India since 2002 when Carl Hooper's men edged India 2-1 in a five-match series, with two of them ending in a draw.
Apple to launch its next-gen iPhones on 10 September
Apple has started sending out invites for the launch of its upcoming new iPhones. The event will be taking place on 10 September at the Steve Jobs theater in Cupertino. Like last year, this time around as well the company is expected to announce three new phones
from Firstpost India Latest News https://ift.tt/2Pn2g7D
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