Legopolis

The Supreme Court on Friday issued notice to the Ministry of Personnel, Public Grievances and Pensions and the State of Uttar Pradesh in a petition seeking expeditious CBI probe into the alleged murder of Manish Gupta, a Kanpur-based property dealer. The petition was filed by Meenakshi Gupta, wife of the deceased. A bench comprising of Justice D.Y. Chandrachud and Justice B.V. Nagarathna issued notice and listed it for November 12 for further hearing. According to the police, they had information on “suspicious” men living at the hotel. Pursuant to the same, they entered the room where Manish Gupta was staying with his two friends to check their identities. They further claimed that Manish Gupta was drunk and while they were questioning the three men, he fell and suffered a head injury. He was taken to the BRD Medical College where he died while undergoing treatment. The petition says the CCTV footage of the hotel shows that Manish Gupta was taken away by police in an unconscious con...

Do you permit anybody to put tents anywhere on the road, Justice Palli rebukes Delhi Police over Refugees outside UNHC The Delhi High Court, on Friday, sought response from the Centre, Delhi Government and Delhi Police, among others, in a plea filled against congregation of foreign nationals, who claim to be refugees or asylum seekers, outside the office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees in Delhi’s Vasant Vihar. A single-judge bench of Justice Rekha Palli, while refraining to pass any speaking order at the moment, issued notice in Vasant Vihar Welfare Association’s plea, and posted the matter for December 12, 2021. “What are your guidelines? Do you permit anybody to put tents anywhere on the road?” the bench stated while rebuking Delhi Police’s lackadaisical approach in dealing with the issue. The Delhi Police informed the Bench that only six persons have squatted outside the UNHCR office. Filed through Advocates Shahrukh Ejaz and Nilotpal Bansal, the plea states...

The Delhi High Court on Friday has sought a response from the petitioner restaurants on the short affidavit filed by the Delhi Government. The petitioners had approached the court aggrieved by the Delhi Disaster Management Authority’s  Order dated August 3, 2020, whereby it had prohibited sale of Herbal Hookah. A single-judge bench of Justice Rekha Palli recorded that the Department of Health and Family Welfare, Delhi Government had in violation of the court’s order had not passed an order considering allowing the sale of Herbal Hookah. The Delhi Government had filed a short affidavit, which was not on record, in the short affidavit the AAP Government had stated the reasons for not allowing the sale of Herbal Hookah. Previously, the court had directed the Department of Health and Family Welfare, Delhi Government to pass an order considering to allow sale and service of Herbal Hookah in Delhi, whilst also to file an affidavit regarding...

The Supreme Court today reserved the interim order on how to enforce the previous orders regarding ban on firecrackers and restrictions on sale, manufacture and transportation of crackers and stated, “This case is not a normal case, it is a very serious situation that needs detailed study and we have to consider all the reports before passing any order!” The Division Bench of Justices M.R. Shah and A.S. Bopanna have sought reply from firecracker manufacturers on a CBI enquiry report claiming manufacturers were using banned barium chemicals. “We are very, very serious about the conduct on the part of manufacturers, there is a CBI report against them and there is no reason for us to doubt the report of CBI.”  Dushyant Dave replied, “But your lordship may not order any harsh directions against us without even allowing us to go into detail at this stage.”  At the last hearing, the bench expressed strong displeasure at the Central and State Governments on the open sale of c...

The Bombay High Court on Friday released bail conditions for Bollywood actor Shah Rukh Khan’s son Aryan Khan and the other two co-accused Arbaaz Merchant and Munmum Dhamecha who were arrested in an alleged drug case on October 3 from Mumbai.  As per the bail orders, Aryan Khan, who was granted bail by the Bombay High Court on Thursday evening, will be released today if the 5-page bail order reaches the prison’s bail box by 5:30 pm. If it reaches after that, he would have to spend another night in jail. Aryan Khan and other 2 co-accused will be released from the jail on the following conditions: Each accused be released on bail on furnishing personal bond of Rs. 1 lakh with one or more sureties of like amount. They shall not leave the country without prior permission. Aryan Khan shall not make any statement regarding present proceedings before the Special Court in any form of media. They were not allowed to leave Mumbai without permission. Aryan Khan will be directed to atten...

The Madras High Court recently reviewed the plight of workers laid off during the Covid-19 pandemic and the subsequent lockdown imposed by the Centre, which resulted in the loss of income of many workers/employees owing to non-employment. Equally, the employers were also facing huge monetary losses owing to non-production. A single-judge bench of  Justice M.S. Ramesh noted, “It is no doubt true that the Covid-19 pandemic has created a disaster, affecting the conditions of service of the workers/employees, as well as the business activities of the employers, particularly in industries, factories and other establishments to which labour and industrial laws apply.” The Court directed the Secretary, Labour Welfare and Skill Development Employment, to assess the situation in consultation with all the Commissioners of Labour, and file a detailed report with regard to the conditions of service, non-employment particulars of the workers/ employees in the state of Tamil Nadu. Along with a...

The Meghalaya High Court recently dismissed a PIL seeking the declaration of Section 10A(2)(b) of the Mines and Minerals (Development and Regulation) Act, 1957 as ultra-vires of the Constitution while observing that the provision is not applicable to the state of Meghalaya. The division bench comprising Chief Justice Ranjit More and Justice H.S. Thangkhiew having perused the provision of Section 10 of the Mines and Minerals (Development and Regulation) Act, 1957  coupled with the decision of the Supreme Court in State of Meghalaya (supra), were of the view that Section 10A(2)(b) is not applicable to the State of Meghalaya. The petitioner has approached the High Court in the interest of the people of Meghalaya and of people affected by the impugned order/notification who are unable to approach the High Court for personal reasons. Amit Kumar, Advocate General, challenged the maintainability of the PIL in Meghalaya High Court on the ground that Section 10A (2)(b) of the Mines and M...