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Hindustan Times
12 hours ago
- Hindustan Times
Allahabad HC grants bail to former SHO accused in Bikru ambush
The Allahabad high court has granted bail to Vinay Kumar Tiwari, a former station house officer of Kanpur Nagar's Chaubepur police station who is an accused in the Bikru ambush. Tiwari had allegedly informed the main accused, gangster Vikas Dubey, ahead of a police raid on him. As a result of the ambush by the gangster and his henchmen, eight policemen were killed on July 3, 2020. After hearing both sides, Justice Siddharth, in an order dated June 16, directed the applicant to be released on bail. The court observed, 'Having considered the submissions of the parties, finding force in the submissions made by the counsel for the applicant, keeping in view uncertainty regarding conclusion of trial, one sided investigation by police, ignoring the case of accused side, applicant being under-trial having fundamental right to speedy trial, the larger mandate of the Article 21 of the Constitution of India, considering the dictum of apex court in the case of Manish Sisodia Vs. Directorate of Enforcement, 2024 Lawsuit (SC) 677, considering 5-6 times overcrowding in jails over and above their capacity by under trials and without expressing any opinion on the merits of the case, let the applicant involved in the aforesaid crime be released on bail.' During the hearing, the counsel for the applicant submitted that the applicant was in jail since July 8, 2020. The prosecution took more than two-and-a-half years to commence the trial on March 1, 2023 after filing of the charge-sheet on September 30, 2020. 'Before the trial court, there are 102 prosecution witnesses and only 13 have been examined till date,' the counsel said. 'There is no credible evidence collected by the investigating officer against the applicant to prove that he informed the main accused, Vikas Dubey, about the police raid against him nor his relationship with the gangster - Vikas Dubey was proved. A number of co-accused have been enlarged on bail,' the applicant's counsel said The state counsel opposed the prayer for bail of the applicant. He submitted that the applicant and co- accused, KK Sharma, who is a police personnel, conspired with the gangster, Vikas Dubey, which led to the incident and eight police personnel were murdered. On July 3, 2020, DSP Devendra Mishra and seven other Uttar Pradesh police personnel were killed in an ambush by the Vikas Dubey gang at Bikru village in Kanpur when they were on their way to arrest Dubey. About a week later, Dubey was himself killed in an encounter after he allegedly tried to escape from police custody.
India Gazette
12 hours ago
- Politics
- India Gazette
BJP slams Karnataka government over religion-based reservation, calls it 'unconstitutional'
Bengaluru (Karnataka) [India], June 20 (ANI): The Karnataka government's decision to increase reservation for minority communities under housing schemes has sparked strong criticism from the BJP. State party president Vijayendra Yediyurappa has called it 'unconstitutional' and accused the Congress of indulging in vote-bank politics. In a post on X, Yediyurappa accused the Congress government of turning welfare into vote-bank politics and claimed that the new reservation policy deprives SCs, STs, and OBCs of their rightful opportunities. 'Reservation on the basis of religion is unconstitutional! @INCKarnataka in Karnataka has converted welfare into a marketplace for vote-bank politics. First, 4% quota in government contracts. Now, 15% quota in housing schemes. Where does this appeasement end? This is a dangerous attempt to institutionalise communal vote-bank politics. It not only robs SCs, STs, and OBCs of their rightful opportunities, but also sends a disturbing message that merit, backwardness, and constitutional principles are secondary to religious appeasement,' he wrote. He asked the Congress to read the Constitution of India, asserting that reservations are intended for those who are socially and educationally backwards, not based on religious identity. 'I urge Congress to pick up the Constitution they love to wave at public meetings. Had they read it even once, they would know that reservations are based on social and educational backwardness, and not handed out based on 'who votes for me.' Under the guise of welfare, this government is brazenly pushing religion-based reservation, striking at the very foundation of Dr. BR Ambedkar's Constitution and dragging his vision through the dirt of appeasement politics,' he added. 'The Congress government's reckless appeasement will not survive judicial scrutiny, nor escape the judgment of history. Karnataka deserves governance, not divisive experiments with the Constitution,' the BJP leader said. Earlier, Union Minister Pralhad Joshi condemned the move, calling it unconstitutional by referring to the Supreme Court's 'rejection' of religion-based reservation. Speaking to ANI, Joshi said, 'This is against the Constitution. The Supreme Court has also rejected a religion-based reservation. This reduces the quota for OBC, ST, and poor people from the general caste. The Karnataka government is doing the politics of appeasement. I condemn this. We will also approach the court against this.' On Thursday, the Karnataka Cabinet approved an increase in the reservation quota for minority communities under various housing schemes from 10 per cent to 15 per cent. Karnataka Minister HK Patil stated that this move does not require any new rules to be drafted. 'The reservation for all minority communities will be increased. There are Christians, Jains, Buddhists,' the Minister said. (ANI)
NDTV
13 hours ago
- Politics
- NDTV
Karnataka Increases Muslim Housing Quota, BJP Calls It "Unconstitutional"
The Karnataka government's decision to increase reservation for minority communities under housing schemes has sparked strong criticism from the BJP. State party president Vijayendra Yediyurappa has called it "unconstitutional" and accused the Congress of indulging in vote-bank politics. In a post on X, Mr Yediyurappa accused the Congress government of turning welfare into vote-bank politics and claimed that the new reservation policy deprives SCs, STs, and OBCs of their rightful opportunities. "Reservation on the basis of religion is unconstitutional! @INCKarnataka in Karnataka has converted welfare into a marketplace for vote-bank politics. • First, 4% quota in government contracts. • Now, 15% quota in housing schemes. Where does this appeasement end? This is a dangerous attempt to institutionalise communal vote-bank politics. It not only robs SCs, STs, and OBCs of their rightful opportunities, but also sends a disturbing message that merit, backwardness, and constitutional principles are secondary to religious appeasement," he wrote. He asked the Congress to read the Constitution of India, asserting that reservations are intended for those who are socially and educationally backwards, not based on religious identity. "I urge Congress to pick up the Constitution they love to wave at public meetings. Had they read it even once, they would know that reservations are based on social and educational backwardness, and not handed out based on "who votes for me." Under the guise of welfare, this government is brazenly pushing religion-based reservation, striking at the very foundation of Dr. BR Ambedkar's Constitution and dragging his vision through the dirt of appeasement politics," he added. "The Congress government's reckless appeasement will not survive judicial scrutiny, nor escape the judgment of history. Karnataka deserves governance, not divisive experiments with the Constitution," the BJP leader said. Reservation on the basis of religion is unconstitutional! @INCKarnataka in Karnataka has converted welfare into a marketplace for vote-bank politics. • First, 4% quota in government contracts. • Now, 15% quota in housing schemes. Where does this appeasement end? This is a… — Vijayendra Yediyurappa (@BYVijayendra) June 19, 2025 Earlier, Union Minister Pralhad Joshi condemned the move, calling it unconstitutional by referring to the Supreme Court's 'rejection' of religion-based reservation. Speaking to ANI, Mr Joshi said, "This is against the Constitution. The Supreme Court has also rejected a religion-based reservation. This reduces the quota for OBC, ST, and poor people from the general caste. The Karnataka government is doing the politics of appeasement. I condemn this. We will also approach the court against this." On Thursday, the Karnataka Cabinet approved an increase in the reservation quota for minority communities under various housing schemes from 10 per cent to 15 per cent. Karnataka Minister HK Patil stated that this move does not require any new rules to be drafted. "The reservation for all minority communities will be increased. There are Christians, Jains, Buddhists," the Minister said.
The Hindu
a day ago
- Politics
- The Hindu
Notice to Bihar Chief Secretary, DGP over Lalu's ‘insult' to Ambedkar
The National Commission for Scheduled Castes (NCSC) has now taken cognisance of former Bihar Chief Minister Lalu Prasad Yadav's alleged 'insult' to Dr. B.R. Ambedkar and issued a notice to the State's Chief Secretary and Director-General of Police. This comes a week after visuals emerged of the Rashtriya Janata Dal chief celebrating his birthday on June 11, during which a portrait of Dr. Ambedkar was purportedly seen being placed near his feet. This had kicked off a political storm, with leaders from the Bharatiya Janata Party, including State and Union Ministers, taking aim at him for allegedly 'insulting' the leader who led the Constitution of India's drafting committee. Protests were also seen across the State over the perceived insult to Dr. Ambedkar. Soon after the incident, Bihar's State Commission for Scheduled Castes had also issued a notice to Mr. Yadav over the insult. On Thursday (June 19), the NCSC issued a notice to the State police chief and the Chief Secretary, seeking a detailed report on the action taken in this case within 15 days of receiving it. The Commission said that it had taken cognizance of the 'insult' to Dr. Ambedkar through newspaper reports and social media posts and was hence taking up the matter.
Deccan Herald
a day ago
- Politics
- Deccan Herald
'Despicable': Allahabad HC slams family's objection to woman marrying person of choice
Providing protection to the 27-year-old woman who feared abduction, a bench of Justices J J Munir and Praveen Kumar Giri said the right to marry a person of one's choice is protected under Article 21 (right to life and personal liberty) of the Constitution of India.
