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Surat POCSO court sentences Ashad Altaf to 20 years in prison for raping minor Hindu girl: Breaking down victim statement and court judgement

Anurag
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Surat POCSO court sentences Ashad Altaf to 20 years in prison for raping minor Hindu girl: Breaking down victim statement and court judgement

On 18th March 2025, Surat POCSO Court sentenced Ashad Altaf Virani to rigorous imprisonment for 20 years and imposed a fine of Rs 1,00,000 on him for raping a minor Hindu girl. Ashad was booked by Vesu Police in Surat, Gujarat, under Sections 376(2)(N), 450, 465, 468, 471, and 120(b) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) and Sections 4, 6, and 17 of the POCSO Act on 19th September 2023, based on the complaint of the victim’s mother. He was arrested on 22nd September 2023. At the time of his arrest, Ashad was 19 years old. Two other accused, Rudra Chandresh Patel and Pravin Netrapalsing Chaudhary, booked under the same provisions, were acquitted by the court.

The Special Fast Track Court (POCSO) was presided by Justice Shakuntala Naresh Solanki. DV Dave was the Public Prosecutor. Ashad was represented by advocate KP Reshamwala, Rudra by advocate MH Chaudhary and Pravin by advocate SS Katyare.

Background of the case

On 19th September 2023, the victim’s mother approached Vesu Police Station to file a complaint against Ashad for raping her minor daughter, who was 17 years old at the time of the incident. In her complaint, the victim’s mother said that she noticed her daughter was talking to someone on the phone and sending messages from time to time. She became suspicious and took her phone to check. The mother found some nude photographs of her daughter with a boy.

When enquired, the victim revealed that around six or seven months earlier, her friend Aryan Mehta had introduced her to a young man, Ashad Altaf Virani. He used to take her to parties from time to time at different places. The victim admitted that she was having a love affair with him. Ashad had taken her to the Weekend Home hotel at Dumas Road and also to his house, where they had sexual intercourse.

As the girl was a minor, the police filed a case under the POCSO Act and other relevant sections of the IPC. Rudra and Pravin were also booked by the police during the course of the investigation as they had allegedly modified the victim’s Aadhaar card so that she could submit it at the reception of the hotel where Ashad had taken her. Rudra and Pravin were arrested by the police on 30th September 2023.

Victim’s mother’s statement in court

In her statement in the court, the victim’s mother deposed that on 18th or 19th September, she checked her daughter’s mobile phone and saw nude photographs of the victim and Ashad. Aryan, a common friend of the victim and Ashad, was the key person who arranged the first meeting between the two.

The victim’s mother called Aryan to her home. Aryan told the mother that he was aware of the relationship between the victim and Ashad. Aryan would take her from the house and drop her off with Ashad while the mother was under the impression that the victim was going to Aryan’s house for skateboarding. The mother then called Ashad, who apologised to her. After that, she went to the police station and filed a complaint against the accused.

Notably, court documents revealed that after that day, Aryan went to London and did not turn up for a statement in the court.

After filing the complaint, the victim was taken to the hospital for a medical examination. The victim’s phone and clothes were taken away by the police as evidence.

In her statement, she revealed that when she learnt that Aryan and Ashad had taken the victim to Weekend for a party, it was disclosed to her that they had made a fake ID for her so that Ashad could take her to a hotel. She alleged that at the hotel, Ashad gave her daughter a drink, and after taking that drink, she lost consciousness. When she regained consciousness, the victim felt that something had happened.

When she was taken for a medical examination, the victim told her mother that Ashad had taken nude photographs on his and the victim’s phone and that there had been sexual intercourse between them.

Statement of the victim

In her statement recorded in front of the magistrate, the victim, referred to as the ‘prosecutrix’ in the judgment as she was a minor, said that she already knew Ashad studied at her school and his younger cousin, Zidant, was her classmate. Aryan, her friend, was her schoolmate. Aryan introduced her to Ashad.

During the first meeting, they went to have soft drinks. Days later, they met again to play some sports. Slowly, it became a frequent meeting spot for them. Soon, she and Ashad began texting, and their interactions evolved into private meetups. Her mother was aware that she and Ashad were friends and disapproved of the relationship as Ashad was from a different community. She forbade her from meeting Ashad. However, the victim continued to meet him secretly.

One evening, Ashad texted her, eager to meet. He picked her up, and they drove around. Ashad offered her a drink that tasted bitter. When questioned, he dismissed it and urged her to drink. He then drove to a complex where he took her phone and left the car. After returning, he told her that he had booked a room upstairs. They used a fake ID made by Rudra so that she could go to the room with him. In the room, he offered her more drinks, which left her disoriented yet conscious. Ashad assaulted her and took photos. Later, he drove her back to her home.

Despite her reluctance, Ashad soon insisted on meeting, using the nude photos he had taken to coerce her. He would arrive with alcohol and weed, forcing her to partake before assaulting her again. He threatened the victim with leaking the images if she resisted. As the victim was fearful of her mother’s reaction, she remained silent. Their encounters grew frequent, often marked with forced drinking and assault.

One day, when she refused to meet him, Ashad came to her home unannounced as she was alone and assaulted her. In June 2023, he took her out on his birthday and assaulted her again. Later, he assaulted her under the guise of watching a movie at his home. In August, he mentioned that he was planning to go abroad, which provided temporary relief to the victim, but those plans were stalled. In September 2023, he again took her to a hotel and continued the abuse.

When her mother discovered that the victim had been assaulted multiple times, she filed a complaint at Vesu Police Station. As the hearing proceeded, at one point, the victim became hostile. However, during cross-examination, she restated the facts she had mentioned in her statement in front of the magistrate.

The court noted that while in her statement the victim said the sexual relationship was without consent, at one point she mentioned that it had happened with her consent. However, the court observed that, though there was a contradiction, the sexual abuse happened multiple times, with or without the victim’s consent. Interestingly, based on the photos and videos of the victim and the accused, the court noted that it appeared the victim was a consenting party, but as she was a minor at the time, her consent was deemed invalid.

‘FIR is not an encyclopaedia’

In the judgment, the court noted that the defence tried to discredit the statement given by the victim’s mother in front of the magistrate, stating that it was different from what she had told the police in her complaint that led to the FIR. The court invoked the principle that “an FIR is not an encyclopaedia.”

The court stated that the FIR does not necessarily have to contain all the intricate details of the case, as its purpose is merely to set the criminal law in motion. The aim of filing an FIR is not to serve as a comprehensive or final statement of facts. At the time of lodging the FIR, the complainant is often under emotional distress, especially in cases involving sexual assault.

Hence, expecting the victim’s mother to articulate everything—from the names of all involved and exact locations to the modus operandi—is both unreasonable and legally unwarranted. The court emphasised that what matters more is whether the subsequent investigation and trial testimonies consistently establish the offence. Therefore, minor omissions in the FIR do not nullify the prosecution’s case if the core allegations are substantiated by evidence.

Acquittal of Rudra and Pravin

The court acquitted Accused Nos. 2 and 3, Rudra Chandresh Patel and Pravin Netrapalsing Chaudhary, on the grounds that the prosecution failed to prove their involvement beyond a reasonable doubt. While it was alleged that they had forged the victim’s Aadhaar card by altering her birth year to help Ashad gain hotel access with a minor, the evidence presented did not conclusively establish their active role in fabricating or using the document.

No direct proof was submitted to show that either accused had personally used or submitted the false ID at any hotel. Furthermore, forensic analysis of their mobile phones did not reveal any incriminating data supporting the allegation of forgery or conspiracy. Given the lack of credible and corroborative evidence, the benefit of doubt was extended to them, leading to their acquittal.

Judgment

In its judgment, the court convicted Ashad of offences under Sections 376(2)(n) and 450 of the Indian Penal Code, and Sections 4, 5(l), and 6 of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act, 2012, and sentenced him to 20 years of rigorous imprisonment and a fine of Rs 1 lakh. Out of the fine, Rs 95,000 was to be paid to the victim as compensation.

In default of payment, he would undergo an additional one year of imprisonment. He was also sentenced to three years of rigorous imprisonment and a fine of Rs 2,000 under Section 450 of the IPC, as he had trespassed into the victim’s house and committed sexual assault there. The court ordered all sentences to run concurrently, and the period of detention already undergone by the accused was to be set off.

Disha Salian’s father names Aaditya Thackeray, other big names in fresh complaint in daughter’s death case

ANI
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Disha Salian’s father names Aaditya Thackeray, other big names in fresh complaint in daughter’s death case

Satish Salian, father of the late Disha Salian, on Monday, filed a written complaint with the Mumbai Police Commissioner seeking the registration of an FIR against Aaditya Thackeray and others accused in connection with the offences of gang rape and murder of his daughter.

Satish Salian’s advocate, Nilesh Ojha, said that the complaint had been accepted by the Joint Commissioner of Police, and the accused in the case, include Aaditya Thackeray, former Commissioner of Police Parambir Singh, Officer Sachin Vaze and actor Aditya Pancholi.

“Today, we have filed a written complaint to the CP office and the JCP Crime accepted it and this complaint is the FIR now… The accused are Aaditya Thackeray, Dino Morea, Suraj Pancholi and his bodyguard, Parambir Singh, Sachin Vaze, and Rhea Chakraborty are all accused in this FIR…Parambir Singh was the main mastermind for the coverup in this case… He did a press conference and fabricated lies to save Aaditya Thackeray…All the details are in the FIR… NCB’s investigation paper proves that Aaditya Thackeray was involved in a drug business, that detail has been mentioned in this FIR,” the advocate told reporters.

He further alleged that Parambir Singh was the “main mastermind” behind the “coverup” in this case back in 2020.

Ojha also alleged that Aaditya Thackeray is linked with a “drug cartel”, which he said is also mentioned in the complaint.

“Aaditya Thackeray is the main accused in this gangrape and murder case. Uddhav Thackeray is the main accused of misuse of power for the coverup… Aaditya Thackeray is found in the drug cartel and this is in the official records of NCB. We have also mentioned this in the complaint… Today, we will also release some pictures in support of this,” he added.

Earlier, Satish Salian approached the Bombay High Court seeking a probe into his daughter’s death and requesting the registration of an FIR against Aaditya Thackeray, among others.

Disha was found dead on June 8, 2020, days before actor Sushant Singh Rajput was found hanging in his flat in suburban Bandra, Mumbai.

This development came on the heels of the CBI reportedly submitting a closure report on the death of Bollywood actor Sushant Singh Rajput in 2020.

According to sources, the closure has been filed in a Mumbai Court nearly five years after Sushant Singh’s death.

Sushant, 34, was found dead at his Bandra residence on June 14, 2020, which created a huge controversy, with the investigation later being handed over to the Central Bureau of Investigation. His postmortem report stated the cause of death was asphyxia. The postmortem was conducted at Mumbai’s Cooper Hospital. 

(This news report is published from a syndicated feed. Except for the headline, the content has not been written or edited by OpIndia staff)

‘Separatism history in Kashmir’: Amit Shah hails decision of two Hurriyat-affiliated groups to sever ties with separatism

ANI
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‘Separatism history in Kashmir’: Amit Shah hails decision of two Hurriyat-affiliated groups to sever ties with separatism

Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Tuesday hailed the decision of two Hurriyat-affiliated organizations to break away from separatism in Jammu and Kashmir, calling it a “significant victory” for Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s vision of a peaceful and united India.

Shah’s reaction came soon after the significant development came to the fore with the two organizations affiliated with the Hurriyat Conference announcing their decision to sever ties with separatism in Jammu and Kashmir.

“Separatism has become history in Kashmir. The unifying policies of the Modi government have tossed separatism out of J&K. Two organizations associated with the Hurriyat have announced the severing of all ties with separatism,” Shah expressed his views through his ‘X’ handle.

“I welcome this step towards strengthening Bharat’s unity and urge all such groups to come forward and shed separatism once and for all. It is a big victory for PM Shri @narendramodi Ji’s vision of building a developed, peaceful and unified Bharat.”

The two Hurriyat-linked groups’ decision is seen as a reflection of the changing political landscape in the Union Territory. Over the past few years, the government has implemented a series of measures to curb separatist activities, including strict enforcement of anti-terror laws and socio-economic reforms.

Officials believe this development signals a significant shift in Jammu and Kashmir’s political scenario, paving the way for further integration and peace.

(This news report is published from a syndicated feed. Except for the headline, the content has not been written or edited by OpIndia staff)

BJP is building roads to loot Bihar’s water: Congress leader Kanhaiya Kumar’s bizarre conspiracy theory against development projects in Bihar

OpIndia Staff
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BJP is building roads to loot Bihar’s water: Congress leader Kanhaiya Kumar’s bizarre conspiracy theory against development projects in Bihar

On Monday (24th March), Congress leader Kanhaiya Kumar came up with a rather bizarre theory during a press meet while on the party’s ‘Palayan Roko Naukri Do Yatra’ in Bihar. Kanhaiya claimed that the way water is depleting in the world, the capitalists and businessmen of the world are eyeing the water of Bihar. He went on to claim that the BJP is bringing development projects in Bihar to loot the state’s water resources.

Kanhaiya Kumar said, “Bharatmala Project is under progress in Bihar, why is it being built? If Bihar does not have anything, then why are roads being constructed? Bihar has something the world is going to yearn for. Bihar has water. Water will become more valuable than petrol. “

“When industrialisation should actually have happened then it did not happen. Now that the industry has become automatic and local people will not get employment, these people are bringing small units to exploit Bihar’s water. Big roads are being built around us here. We do not have any income, so they are building roads. For whom are they building roads? To loot the resources here and take them away,” he added.

Notably, the Bharatmala Project envisages the development of about 26,000 km length of Economic Corridors, which along with the Golden Quadrilateral (GQ) and North-South and East-West (NS-EW) Corridors, are expected to carry the majority of the Freight Traffic on roads.

Further, about 8,000 km of Inter Corridors and about 7,500 km of Feeder Routes have been identified for improving the effectiveness of Economic Corridors, GQ and NS-EW Corridors. The programme envisages the development of Ring Roads/bypasses and elevated corridors to de-congest the traffic passing through cities and enhance logistic efficiency; 28 cities have been identified for Ring Roads; 125 choke points and 66 congestion points have been identified for their improvements.

The Congress leader resorted to fear mongering and invoking businessman Gautam Adani’s name to assert that somehow if a BJP leader becomes Chief Minister of Bihar, the state’s resources will fall in the hands of Adani.

“What do you think? The Prime Minister has gone after giving a speech on Makhana. Industrialists have their eyes on the resources here. I am not talking about elections, when elections will be held, we will speak on this issue with full force. BJP wants their Chief Minister to be elected in Bihar at any cost. If BJP manages to have its own Chief Minister, it means that Bihar’s resources will be in the hands of Adani,” Kumar said.

AAP govt failed its promise of 11,000 buses, DTC incurred losses worth thousands of crores: Delhi CM Rekha Gupta tables CAG Report, exposes DTC’s failure under AAP

Shraddha Pandey
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AAP govt failed its promise of 11,000 buses, DTC incurred losses worth thousands of crores: Delhi CM Rekha Gupta tables CAG Report, exposes DTC’s failure under AAP

On Monday (24th March), a Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) report on the Delhi Transport Corporation (DTC) was tabled by Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta in the Assembly. The CAG report highlighted operational inefficiencies and financial losses the corporation suffered under the previous Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government.

The report evaluates DTC’s key operational and financial aspects, pointing to inefficiencies and areas needing improvement. It examines fleet management, revenue generation, operational sustainability, and adherence to public transport policies.

AAP govt failed to fulfil 11,000 new buses promise, fleet reduced from 4344 in 2015 to 3937: CAG report

Notably, under the previous AAP government, the CAG report indicates blatant mismanagement of the public transport system. This resulted in financial losses and a decline in DTC’s bus fleet. The Aam Aadmi Party government not only failed to fulfil its promise to launching 11,000 new buses in 2013-15, but the number of DTC buses also decreased from 4,344 in 2015 to 3,937.

“During the period 2015-23, fleet of the Corporation reduced from 4,344 (2015-16) to 3,937 buses (2022-23). The Corporation could procure only 300 Electric buses (EBs) during 2021-22 and 2022-23 despite the availability of funds from GNCTD. There was a delay in addition of EBs in the fleet for which penalty amounting to ₹ 29.86 crore for delayed delivery was not imposed on the operators,” the CAG report reads.

Citing data, the CAG report stated that since 2015, the DTC has not had a sufficient number of buses and it was requisite that new buses be purchased to expand the existing fleet alongside replacing the old and unserviceable buses. Even though ₹ 236.82 crore was available for procurement of buses in 2015 and ₹ 233.06 crore was available for this purpose as of March 2022,

However, the Delhi Transport Corporation under the AAP government “failed to induct new buses (except two Electric Buses in March 20223 and 298 buses after March 2022 up to November 2022) into its fleet during the last 10 years (last bus was inducted in 2011-12). Further, number of buses remained same during the review period excluding Standard Floor Buses which were completely phased out in 2019-20.”

The report also said that the number of old buses in the fleet had risen to 44.96%, impacting vehicle productivity and increasing incidences of breakdowns. Poor route planning led to an operational loss of a whopping Rs 14,198.86 crore during the seven years audited, which was further aggravated by missed kilometres and flaws in route planning, there was a potential revenue loss of Rs 668.60 crore between 2015-22.

The CAG report also found that the Corporation was unable to achieve optimum utilisation of its fleet, which in turn, impacted its operational performance adversely. Between the years 2015-16 to 2018-19, the trend of fleet utilisation by the Delhi Transport Corporation was below All India Level.

Even on the Vehicle Productivity criteria, while the all India Average per bus per day was 343 KMs to 348 KMs during 2015-16 to 2018-19, for the Delhi Transport Corporation, it ranged from 180 KMs to 201 KMs during 2015-22.

“Vehicle Productivity of the Corporation was less than Vehicle Productivity of other Metropolitan Cities having a higher percentage of over-aged fleet viz. Metropolitan Transport Corporation (MTC) (Chennai) Limited (252 to 287 per bus/KM/day) or Bengaluru Metropolitan Transport Corporation (200.4 to 208.5 per bus/KM/day), although these Corporations were operating in similar crowded city road conditions,” the CAG report reads.

There were about 41 fire incidents during the 7-year observation period ending in March 2022, of these, 6 buses were set ablaze by mobs and records regarding 5 others were unavailable with DTC. The 30 bus fire incidents happened due to short circuits, High Tension (HT) lead burnt due to engine overheating, wheel overheating, HT cable /lead loose, wheel jam, lapse in maintenance by AMC, etc. The CAG report said that this indicates poor maintenance by contractors and the ineffectiveness of the measures undertaken by the DTC to prevent such incidents.

DTC under AAP government failed to chalk out short and long-term plans, didn’t sign the Planning Department-recommended MoU

The CAG report says that to ensure the provision of an efficient, adequate and economical transport service to the people of Delhi, DTC should have prepared Long Term and Short-Term Plans. The Corporation prepares operational plan which involves determination of routes to be operated, number of trips to be scheduled, setting of annual operational targets and preparation of schedule for off-shedding buses at different times of the day etc.

“However, it has prepared neither any Business Plan containing a formal statement of its goals and determining targets of operational and financial parameters to achieve the goals, nor a Perspective Plan i.e. a blue print regarding the objectives and targets for long term growth during the period of seven years ending March 2022,” the CAG report on DTC states adding that since there was no proper plan, the Corporation’s efforts to achieve its goals were “directionless and un-coordinated”.

Back in 2010, the Planning Department stressed that the Delhi Transport Corporation should sign a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Transport Department for setting targets in respect of various physical and financial parameters to contain its working losses. The Planning Department said that doing so would help the corporation curb losses.

“However, neither the Corporation signed any MoU with the Department nor did the Department pursue the matter. This was especially important as the Corporation was consistently suffering losses over the years. In the absence of targets, GNCTD was deprived of the parameters for evaluation of performance of the Corporation,” the CAG report reads.

The report mentions that the Corporation made no efforts to conduct any study on profitability/sustainability to make necessary improvements in its operations to increase economy and efficiency even though it was incurring continuous losses over the years.

The CAG report further states that DTC failed to utilise the expertise of Delhi Integrated Multi-Modal Transit System Ltd. (DIMTS) which also operates Cluster buses, to enhance its financial and operational performances. DTC’s nonchalance came despite the fact that DIMTS performed way better than the DTC on the basis of certain performance indicators such as  fleet utilisation, vehicle productivity, load factor and reduced breakdown. The DTC also failed to conduct a comparative analysis.

In response to CAG’s query, the Corporation said that financial performance of DTC and DIMTS was not comparable in May 2023 due to huge Permanent and Contractual staff and payment of Ground Rent and Property Tax of the Depots which were used by DIMTS as well for its Cluster buses without any cost.

The CAG report, however, pointed out that the DTC management failed to justify poor operational performance despite having huge permanent and contractual staff at its disposal.

The report reiterated its DTC-GNCTD MoU recommendation and emphasised that the Corporation must chalk out short and long-term plans.

The CAG report also observed that the Delhi Transport Corporation did not benchmark its performance with parameters of other State Road Transport Undertakings (SRTUs) to determine areas which call for improvements. It also did not follow the best practices of other SRTUs like Call Centres for obtaining Passenger Feedback like other states.

From a profitable entity to perpetual loss maker: The fall and the fall of DTC under AAP government

Data indicates that the DTC was profitable, but under AAP, the corporation’s overall losses surged to ₹ 8,498.33 crore, increasing by ₹5,000 crore during AAP’s tenure. A closer look at the revenue decline indicates that DTC’s operating income dropped from ₹ 914 crore when AAP took power to ₹ 558 crore.  

The CAG audit found that revenue from operations had slumped over the years even if the Covid years are overlooked,  an increasing trend of operating loss as operating expenditure was always on the higher side corresponding to operating revenue which made the Corporation dependent heavily upon the financial support—revenue grant— from GNCTD.

Moreover, during the period 2015-22, the total operating revenue of ₹ 5147.15 crore was less than total operating expenditure of ₹19345.93 crore. “However, revenue grant received by the Corporation from GNCTD during the above period was only ₹ 13,381 crore, thereby revenue gap was accumulated to ₹ 817.78 crore,” the report reads.

Detailing the financial ratios, the CAG report said that 43.36 per cent of Debtors were more than three years old and their realisation was “doubtful”.

“Although, prima-facie, the Current Assets of the Corporation seems to comfortably cover the Short-Term Liabilities (as the Current Ratio has improved to 2.92 in 2020-21), however, Current Assets include Debtors and Advances (54.40 per cent in 2021-22) which were blocked up (mainly because of deposit with court and unrealised debtors),” the report reads.

It further stated that from the years 2015-16 to 2021-22,  the DTC’s net worth was negative and increased from (-) ₹23,316.02 crore (2015-16) to (-) ₹58,757.18 crore (2021-22) due to huge accumulated losses. Thus, as on 31st March 2022, the DTC was not able to pay off its huge liabilities amounting to ₹60,483.69 crore.

Highlighting the reason behind this erosion, the CAG report said the Corporation’s revenues were not sufficient to service its operational expenditure. This resulted in an accumulation of losses to ₹60,741.03 crore as of 31st March 2022.

Even if the accrued interest on the unpaid (since 2011-12) GNCTD loans is excluded from accumulated losses, the DTC’s net worth stayed s constant with minor change from (-) ₹ 10,816 crore (2015-16) to (-) ₹ 10,956.75 crore (2021-22) mainly due to old accumulated losses.

“Thus, overall financial position and working results of the Corporation raise a serious concern about its Long-Term Solvency and Fiscal sustainability due to persistent Operational Losses and old accumulated losses,” the CAG report states.

In an apparent case of financial irregularities, the AAP government allotted 3.18 lakh square meters of DTC land to private cluster buses without collecting ₹ 225.31 crore in rent.

The AAP government failed to procure new buses despite having ₹223 crore in 2022 for the Delhi Transport Department.

“Neither the amount was realized nor of any assurance was obtained from the Department. It is pertinent to mention that Department had realised rent for these spaces from Concessionaires of Cluster buses as per the agreement between Concessionaires and the Department but did not pass on it to the Corporation,” the CAG report states.

The CAG report also mentions that back in 2012, the Delhi government directed the DTC that the construction and maintenance of all Bus Queue Shelters (BQSs) in NCT of Delhi would be carried out by Delhi Transport Infrastructure Development Corporation Limited (DTIDCL).

Consequently, the DTC transferred 884 BQSs to DTIDCL by 2015-16. However, the order was made no mention regarding payment to be made by DTIDCL against the cost of these BQS.

In August 2015, the Corporation demanded ₹ 21.29 crore against the cost of construction and Project Management Consultancy (PMC) charges of 156 BQSs on DTIDCL which was not paid as of December 2022.

As per the CAG report, however, it was observed that the Corporation raised a claim for the original cost of construction of BQS instead of the depreciated value of ₹ 7.33 crore on the date of

transfer. The Corporation instead of escalating the matter with the Department for resolving with DTIDCL keeps on corresponding with DTIDCL. Due to this, over the years, the matter has remained unresolved.

The CAG report also mentions that the DTC made an “avoidable expenditure” of ₹16.51 as it failed to transfer an arbitration case to DTIDCL.  

DTC missed opportunities to earn revenue from additional sources

Since DTC was continuously incurring losses, it should have prioritised augmenting revenues from sources other than operations, however, the Corporation failed to earn additional revenue through advertisements, and commercial utilisation of spaces at depots, among other sources.

The report mentions that the DTC failed to finalise a proposal for installation of LED screens in its buses which would have been used to display advertisements. The Corporation’s indecisiveness deprived it from tapping additional non-operational revenue. The DTC under AAP government also failed to make commercial use of bus depots.

It also mentions that the DTC missed an opportunity of availing ₹49 crore subsidy from the Central government’s Department of Heavy Industries under the FAME (Faster Adoption and Manufacturing of (Hybrid &) Electric Vehicles) Scheme launched in April 2015. In 2017, the Corporation submitted a proposal for the procurement of 100 Electric Buses to the Centre, against which the Centre approved 40 e-buses for Delhi. The DTC failed to go ahead with the 40 e-bus deal worth ₹ 88 crores of which ₹ 34 crores was to be provided by DHI as an incentive and ₹ 54 crore by GNCTD as equity to the Corporation, despite the Centre extending the FAME Scheme.

Detailing how the DTC missed the central subsidy, the CAG report states, “The Corporation intimated the Department (9 January 2018) that it would not be feasible for it to place LOI by 28 February 2018 and as per its past experience, it would be able to place order by July 2018. It also informed that project for purchasing 40 E- buses would involve estimated expenditure of ₹ 88 crore (₹ 34 crore to be provided by DHI as incentive and ₹ 54 crore by GNCTD as equity to Corporation) besides involvement of expenditure on creating charging infrastructure in Depots. The Corporation decided not to go ahead with the sanctioned project though the FAME scheme was extended by GoI from time to time up to March 2019.

“Thus, in spite of sanction of 40 E-buses for Delhi under FAME-I scheme and extension of the scheme from time to time till 31 March 2019, the Corporation did not procure 40 E-buses and lost the opportunity to avail the Central Subsidy of ₹ 49 crore under FAME scheme (₹ 34 crore towards cost of electric buses and ₹ 15 crore towards creation of charging infrastructure),” it adds.

The report also describes how the DTC failed to procure electric buses due to a delay in finalising bids for the FAME-II Scheme.

DTC wrongfully availed Input Tax Credit

In around 2017-18, the Delhi Transport Corporation availed Input Tax Credit to the tune of ₹224.34 crore on earnings of AC/Non-AC/Hiring of buses and common services against eligibility for ₹ 39.41 crore.   

“Out of the total ineligible ITC claimed/availed of ₹ 184.93 crore, claims of ₹ 132.33 crore were withdrawn (₹ 55 crore on September 2021, ₹ 24.73 crore in October 2021 and ₹ 52.60 crore in August 2022) and ₹ 38.47 crore was paid in April 2022. In May 2022, GST Department directed the Corporation to pay the balance ITC availed of ₹ 14.13 crore and also levied Interest and Penalty of ₹ 82.18 crore (Interest of ₹ 56.56 crore and Penalty of ₹ 25.62 crore) for wrongly availing of ineligible ITC,” the CAG report reads.

“Thus, availing ineligible ITC by the Corporation resulted in avoidable liability of Interest and Penalty amounting to ₹ 82.18 crore which was not paid so far (December 2022) and the matter was pending with the GST Department,” it adds.

Fare freeze increased the financial burden

The CAG report states that DTC had not raised bus fares since 2009 and despite repeated requests to allow an increase in fares, the governments over the years remained reluctant. What further exacerbated the situation was the Aam Aadmi Party’s free travel for women scheme. The Delhi government provided ₹13,381 crore revenue grant to DTC, but there still remained a ₹818 crore funding gap.

The DTC also failed to modernise fare collection system. In this direction, a project was initiated 9 years ago, however, the Corporation failed to implement an automatic fare collection system. Besides, the Corporation also fell short in installing CCTV surveillance systems meant to ensure increased customer security even those installed were found not functioning.

Overall, the CAG audit found that the DTC’s Internal control mechanism was deficient and there were inefficient managerial controls in addition to a lack of accountability. “Audit noticed indecisiveness in finalising the tenders for purchase of new buses, weak operational control, lack of coordination amongst divisions, lack of follow up with debtors, delay in statutory compliances, etc., leading to losses to the Corporation,” the CAG report stated.

Viral video: Pastor Bajinder assaulted a woman and her brother after the man stopped his sister from going to the controversial preacher’s Church

OpIndia Staff
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Viral video: Pastor Bajinder assaulted a woman and her brother after the man stopped his sister from going to the controversial preacher’s Church

After a video of Pastor Bajinder Singh assaulting a woman and a man at his office in Punjab’s Jalandhar went viral, the duo have been identified as residents of Mohali. Reports say that those assaulted by Singh were opposing the latter’s activities. Bajinder Singh accused the duo of theft and assaulted them. So far, the victims have not issued a statement regarding the incident.

The man was reportedly beaten up as he had stopped his sister from coming to Pastor Bajinder’s church, where he uses fraudulent tactics to lure gullible people into Christianity. Meanwhile, the statement of the woman from Kapurthala who had accused the pastor of sexual harassment has been recorded in the court.

In a CCTV footage that has surfaced on social media, Bajinder was seen assaulting some people inside an office. The viral video showed Pastor Bajinder Singh flinging a bag at a man and then slapping him multiple times. The self-styled Christian preacher was also seen attacking the woman seated in his office. He first threw a pile of papers at the victim and then pushed and slapped her several times.

Pastor Bajinder Singh runs the Church of Glory and Wisdom and is known for fraud ‘miraculous healings.’ He was previously arrested for the rape of a woman in Zirakpur (Punjab) in July 2018. Prior to that, he was lodged in a jail in a murder case.

The ‘Yesu Yesu’ fame Pastor Bajinder has over 3.74 million subscribers on YouTube and over a million followers on Instagram and regularly posts videos demonstrating his self-proclaimed healing powers. From hearing disabilities to HIV-AIDS, paralysis to even Cancer, Prophet Bajinder Singh claims to have healed people with these conditions using his ‘Hallelujah’ miracles in his Changai Sabhas (healing congregations).

Mahua Moitra attacks media for covering the ‘cash scam’ involving Delhi High Court judge Yashwant Varma, peddles conspiracy theory

OpIndia Staff
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Mahua Moitra attacks media for covering the ‘cash scam’ involving Delhi High Court judge Yashwant Varma, peddles conspiracy theory

Days after hordes of cash were discovered at the residence of Justice Yashwant Varma, controversial Trinamool Congress (TMC) MP Mahua Moitra attacked the media for diligently covering the corruption allegations against the Delhi High Court judge.

She was visibly upset that the sensational story was picked up and debated at length in the media, thereby ensuring the possibility of a free and fair investigation in the matter.

Mahua Moitra brazened out, “I am digressing to speak on an issue which has immense controversy and intrigue attached. The story about a bundle of currency notes discovered in the outhouse of a judge of the Delhi High Court. Now the veracity of the incident is still being ascertained, but the Godi media has gone to town debating whether the appointment of judges and how the government of the day must have a preponderance say in the appointment process.“

The TMC MP alleged that the claims about the discovery of unaccounted cash at Justice Yashwant Varma’s house was not verified, despite the Supreme Court releasing video evidence showing burnt currency notes.

She further peddled conspiracy theories that the matter was being extensively covered in the media at the behest of the BJP. Mahua Moitra alleged that the ulterior motive was to bring back the decade-old National Judicial Appointments Commission (NJAC) Act under the pretext of the Varma case.

“Now you see this media are trying to mahol banao, they are trying to toe the government line to suborn the higher judiciary. Someone who cannot be named in this house, who presides over a neighbouring chamber has already added his two cents and said how he thinks that the government should do away with the collegium system,” Mahua Moitra claimed.

She also misled about the nature of the NJAC, which was enacted by the Parliament in 2014 to ensure the appointment of the judges in a transparent manner.

Mark my words, just like the election commission has been emasculated by the government takeover of its appointments process, this…is the beginning of an effort to bring back something like the NGAC with complete government control and do away with the collegium system amount of money apportioned to the judiciary will be of any avail unless its independent character is zealously guarded. 

The ‘cash scam’ involving Justice Yashwant Varma

Ever since the news of the fire accident at Justice Varama’s residence boke out, new twists and turns have been emerging in the matter every day.

The hushed manner in which the matter has been dealt with by the authorities also raises serious questions on the accountability and transparency of the judiciary as well as the administration.

Interestingly, the fire incident occurred on 14th March but the news about the incident broke out on 20th March, a week later.

Moreover, the Delhi Fire Services chief Atul Garg initially denied reports of finding piles of cash at the judge’s residence but later on, he denied having given any such statement to any media outlet and dismissed his earlier quoted by the media as fake news.

In the meantime, a transfer order was also issued by the Supreme Court transferring Justice Varma to Allahabad High Court.

However, the Supreme Court yesterday denied any link between Collegium’s proposal to transfer the judge to Allahabad High Court, saying that it was a routine transfer proposal that has not been finalized yet.

On 22nd March, the Supreme Court publicly released a report on its website including three images and a video of the incident. The same day, a three-member committee was formed by the Supreme Court to conduct a probe into the matter.

The committee is chaired by Justice Sheel Nagu, Chief Justice of the Punjab and Haryana High Court, alongside Justice GS Sandhawalia of the Himachal Pradesh High Court and Justice Anu Sivaraman of the Karnataka High Court.

The committee will investigate the allegations and submit a report to the Chief Justice of India, Sanjiv Khanna. The CJI also asked the Chief Justice of Delhi High Court to not assign any case to Justice Varma.

Meet Justice V. Ramaswami: The first Judge to face impeachment motion in Parliament in history of independent India

Rukma Rathore
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Meet Justice V. Ramaswami: The first Judge to face impeachment motion in Parliament in history of independent India

The controversy surrounding Delhi High Court Justice Yashwant Varma has left the entire country, including the legal circles in shock. Following the revelation of unreported cash found in his residence during a fire incident on 14th March, everyone is questioning the accountability of Judiciary. The Supreme Court also confirmed the incident and released a report which included images and footage of the burnt cash.

The Chief Justice of India Sanjiv Khanna then formed a three-member commitee to look into the matter and instructed Delhi High Court Chief Justice D K Upadhyaya not to assign any judicial work to the accused judge. The panel consists of Justices Sheel Nagu (Chief Justice of the Punjab and Haryana High Court), G S Sandhawalia (Chief Justice of the Himachal Pradesh High Court) and Karnataka High Court Judge Anu Sivaraman. Recommendation of his transfer to the Allahabad High Court has also been made.

The case has captured the attention of the entire nation and has raised concerns about the extent of corruption within the judiciary, however, this is not the first instance in which a Judge has faced scrutiny. A political and judicial storm in the early 1990s centered around Justice (retired) V. Ramaswami who passed away this year. He was the first judge to be subjected to an impeachment motion and if the Lok Sabha had accepted the resolution which was presented by the opposition, on 11th May 1993, he would have been the first Supreme Court justice to be removed from office.

He stood as the first and only judge selected through the endorsement of his father-in-law who was a chief justice and later resigned during the Emergency after the CBI (Central Bureau of Investigation) found undeclared money in his home. Ramaswami’s appointment caused quite a stir when he entered the Madras High Court in 1971 because of this extraordinarily unusual move.

Afterward, his career got tarnished by allegations of impropriety, including his profligacy, which led to the impeachment move. He ran into trouble after it was unveiled in the media that while serving as Chief Justice of the Punjab and Haryana High Court in Chandigarh, he had incurred egregiously extravagant expenses for his official residence. He misused government vehicles and resources and bought pricey furniture, carpets and other goods with public money for his own gain. A motion demanding his impeachment was also approved by the Supreme Court Bar Association.

Ramaswami had been promoted to the Supreme Court by the time of the investigation. After reviewing the accusations, Sabyasachi Mukharji, the Chief Justice of India at the time, advised him to refrain from serving till the matter was resolved. He received the official letter on 18th July 1990, and immediately requested a six-week leave of absence, effective 23rd July 1990.

A committee composed of three Supreme Court Judges (BC Ray, KJ Shetty and MN Venkatachaliah JJ) was then appointed by the Chief Justice of India to investigate the facts and determine whether the accusations had any prima facie truth that would have prevented the judge from performing his duties. It was founded solely to evaluate the facts in a preliminary way. It was not a committee of inquiry into the charges.

The panel stated, following an investigation, that it did not find evidence of improper behavior constituting moral turpitude. It then examined whether Ramaswami might be asked to stop serving as a Judge before a formal probe is launched. It held that he could not be compelled to abstain from performing his judicial duties as long as the constitutional warrant designating him as a Supreme Court Judge remained in effect.

Committee found Ramaswami guilty

108 Lok Sabha members, afterward, moved the Speaker of the 9th Lok Sabha to address the President on 28th February 1991, asking for the removal of the  Judge in accordance with Article 124(4) of the Constitution and the Judges (Inquiry) Act of 1968. A notice to file a resolution in the Lok Sabha was put out by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and Left parties, during the Viswanath Pratap Singh government.

On 12th March 1991, Rabi Rai, the speaker of the Lok Sabha at the time, approved the motion and established an inquiry committee. It consisted of Justice P B Sawant of the Supreme Court, Justice P D Desai of the Bombay High Court, and Justice O Chinnappa Reddy, a retired Supreme Court judge was established.

They assessed that he had engaged in “willful and gross misuse of office, intentional and habitual extravagance at the cost of the public exchequer, moral turpitude by using public funds for private purposes and reckless disregard of statutory rules” pronouncing him guilty on 11 of the 14 charges. He, on the other hand, refused to appear before the committee. Ramaswami’s case was argued by Congress stalwart and senior counsel Kapil Sibal. On 10th May 1993, the proposal was brought up for discussion in the Lok Sabha after the committee determined that the accusations had merit.

Charges framed against Ramaswami. (Source: Parliament Digital Library)

“Justice Sawant is my junior in the Supreme Court. Therefore, I do not accept it,” Ramaswami was quoted by senior advocate and CPI (Communist Party of India) leader Somnath Chatterjee who had moved the motion in the Lok Sabha. Chatterjee added that aspersions were cast on the members of the panel and technical issues were raised instead of providing cooperation. “No, no. I would not accept your jurisdiction. Therefore, I would not put questions. They will suggest questions for others to be put,” Ramaswami stated after he was told to send his attorneys if he could not appear before the panel. “There was no defence given on merit,” the CPI MP outlined.

Ramaswami refused to cooperate in the probe. (Source: Parliament Digital Library)

It was claimed that Ramaswami had relocated to Chandigarh during the height of the Punjab militancy and had enthusiastically taken on cases involving the insurgency. However, several previous judges and even politicians disagreed with the submission. According to reports, prior to becoming Prime Minister, even former Prime Minister Narasimha Rao attempted to speak with Rai to prevent the impeachment resolution. Furthermore, Kapil Sibal alleged that since his client never visited Punjab and knew no one in the state, he could not be aware of any dealers in Chandigarh.

Kapil Sibal argued in favour of Ramaswami. (Source: Parliament Digital Library)

The house had 401 members, but only 196 of them voted in favor. It was not opposed by anyone. The motion failed because 205 Members of Parliament from the Congress and a few other parties abstained. According to the law, the motion must have the support of at least two-thirds of all members who are present and voting. However, Chatterjee pointed out that “no MP is against this motion,” as there were no negative votes and highlighted, “Therefore, the Judge should understand that there is only one view.”

The ruling Congress initially maintained that after hearing both sides, its members would be free to use their discretion and cast their votes any way they deemed appropriate. Union Minister for Parliamentary Affairs and Water Resources, VC Shukla, told reporters that “by not asking the members to vote in a particular manner, we want to uphold the highest tradition” in reference to the decision of the Congress Parliamentary Party under the leadership of Narasimha Rao. A year later, Ramaswami retired and never rendered his resignation.

The motion could not be adopted in the Parliament. (Source: Parliament Digital Library)

Congress leaders spoke in support of Ramaswami

The debate on the impeachment motion lasted 16 hours over two days. Senior attorney and Congress leader Debi Prasad Pal opposed accepting the probe committee’s conclusions, which were suggested by Jaswant Singh, another prominent lawyer and senior leader of the Bharatiya Janata Party. “This is not the law under section 6 of the Judges Enquiry Act. The report is to come before the house for consideration.” He added that it is merely a report by a group of people, “however, highly placed they may be” to investigate the charges.

He further referred to the Supreme Court decisions and conveyed, “It is a statutory committee and not disciplinary tribunal or a court whose verdict is binding upon everybody. Like a fact finding enquiry in a proceedings, the authority gives its report. The disciplinary authority might accept that report or might modify or reject it. This committee’s report stands on no better position or footing than this and is only a recommendation.”

Image via Parliament Digital Library

The former minister of state for finance insisted, “You cannot accept it as a biblical truth. You, as a judge, has got to consider how far it is acceptable or not.”

Image via Parliament Digital Library

Congress veteran Mani Shankar Aiyar alleged that the change in the government and the political landscape of the country “and in that atmosphere, an interal audit report, which has subsequently been found to be erroneous on a large number of points of fact, was leaked to the press and a controversery was started against the interests of Justice Ramaswami.” He claimed that he promply left for leave after Chief Justice Sabyasachi Mukherjee asked him, in an effort to counter the charges levelled against Ramaswami.

Image via Parliament Digital Library

He also credited Ramaswami for going to Punjab in the aftermath of “Operation Black Thunder ।” and claimed, “At that extremely sensitive time every judge was subjected to an overall and generalised threat.” He mentioned that a proxy war was launched against India by the country’s hostile neighbour and other vested interests. “I do not need to (name them) because everybody here nows that enemies of India with crores and crores in their hands, not crores of rupees but dollars, were willing to subvert our judiciary which is part and parcel of the totality of the system.

Image via Parliament Digital Library

He then lauded Ramaswami and announced that he was proud of the Judge who “proved himself to be Indian first by conducting himself and the affairs of the Punjab and Haryana High Court in such a manner from November 1987 through October 1989 that even in the surcharged political atmosphere of 1990 and 1991, nobody has suggested that there was an element of impropriety of corruption, of treachery about his actions as a judge.”

“I do not think that a model of rectitude in a court, without a single stain upon his character when he steps into the official portion of the residence, suddenly becomes a monster, a demon and rakshasha when he goes into his private bed room,” he then dramatically claimed.

Image via Parliament Digital Library

He also endorsed Ramaswami’s decision to snub the inquiry panel and added that “it was explained to us by Mr. Kapil Sibal that the reason why he had to present all his arguments for the first time here in this house was because he had chosen not to accept the jurisdiction of the committee of judges. A man is innocent until proved guilty. He has every right to defend himself and he has every right to the determine procedure by which he will defend himself.”

Image via Parliament Digital Library

Congress MP CK Kuppuswamy declared Ramaswami, while presenting arguments in favour of him. He asked, “What did Justice Ramaswamy do? He had purchased certain things which was used by him in his official residence and later on continued to be used by his brother judge who came there after his transfer. These sort of frivolous charges should not have been made against an honourable judge of the highest court of the country.” He even slammed “The Indian Express” for mocking him as “Carpet Ramaswami.”

He even attacked George Femandes in a disparaging manner and accused, “I would like to refer to his conduct of an honourable member of this house. During emergency he was at large. What did do? He was living with the Sandalwood Smugglers. That member was in the hiding for about 15 days in Veerapandi near Trippur. Such a member is claiming that he stands for sincerity, honesty and integrity. Such people are accusing Ramaswami.”

Congress leader and author Kartikeswar Patra pointed out that the probe panel formed its report without presenting Ramaswami’s side (because he didn’t appear before them) and voiced, that “without having heard the guilty person, the committee has submitted its report. I would like to know whether it is mandatory on the part of the august house to consider the report of that committee. The august house should freshly hear the guilty person and consider it freshly. But, l am afraid, whether we can do wrong or some sort of justice at this stage.”

Image via Parliament Digital Library

Ramaswami’s controversial career and profound connection with Congress

There were many disputes during Ramaswami’s time as a Judge in Madras. He kept about ten buffaloes in his garden for dairy, reported India Today. His decision to rule on a matter involving his wife, Sarojini, in 1986 spurred a row. It was about a set of petitions that contested the purchase of land. Ramaswami, who was in charge of a division bench, allowed the others but removed his wife’s name off the list. The following day, her petition was heard by a single Judge who was constrained by the division bench’s judgment.

Additionally, Ramaswami came under fire for some of his conclusions about his Naidu community. Due to his prejudice, a lecturer who was involved in a lawsuit with his Naidu-run PSG College of Technology in Coimbatore in the early 1980s asked him not to hear the case. As expected, he was found in contempt. A newspaper, Sigappu Nada, was taken to task for making a similar implication in its criticism of a ruling that remarked employees could not participate in a company’s winding up proceedings. The business was owned by R. Prabhu who was a Naidu and a Congress (Indira Gandhi faction) MP.

Prabhu was the most vocal advocate of Ramaswami and was instrumental in rallying Tamil Nadu MPs against the “North Indian conspiracy” during the impeachment procedures. M. Krishnaswamy, another Naidu MP, contested the validity of the impeachment motion on behalf of the Judge in the lengthy legal fights before the Supreme Court and the inquiry committee. His son, Sanjay Ramaswami, a Congress MLA who is also married to the sister of late movie actress Sridevi, strengthened the family’s ties to the Congress (I). The party tended to support him since non-Congress parties had attempted to impeach him in 1991.

Bogus claims of patriotism

The Supreme Court heared all appeals against the appointed sessions court’s judgments. Regardless, during Ramaswami’s two-year tenure in Chandigarh, no one was convicted and TADA (Terrorist and Disruptive Activities Prevention Act) accused were consistently released on bond. Lavish Independence Day celebration on the grounds of the High Court is the sole “patriotic” thing that Ramaswami is renowned for in Chandigarh. As they were all required to arrive in a procession wearing their gowns and escorted by carriers of silver maces, over half of the Judges chose not to attend the event.

His successor overturned several of his decisions, including the organisation of this function. Likewise, he hired roughly ten female translators after interviewing them in Shimla. The ‘IAS girls’ or ‘interviewed at Shimla’ girls were the nicknames given to this group. They were all fired shortly after the Judge was transferred. Ramaswami’s indifference made him unpopular among his Chandigarh peers. He never joined them for the usual lunch in the common room, which they didn’t appreciate. According to Supreme Court Justice Dharam Veer Sehgal, who left the bench in December 1988 owing to disagreements with Ramaswami, “He was intelligent but not Judge-like.”

He disbanded the division benches led by certain senior judges because of animosity towards them. Lawyers protested to him as the number of writ petitions pending admission increased due to fewer division benches. This paved the way for a remarkable situation that enabled Ramaswami to issue orders on dozens of petitions every day without even considering the cases. He would merely declare: “Numbers 1-4 admitted, number 5 dismissed, numbers 6-14 admitted and stay order granted” each morning as hundreds of attorneys poured into his courtroom.

A group of bureaucrats combed over the petitions and provided him with a summary, which he used to make his conclusions. Since most of the petitions were accepted, attorneys did not object to this extralegal process. “We used to call it the Ramaswami bumper draw,” Chandigarh advocate Anupam Gupta stated. All of this, however, backfired on Ramaswami, who was under fire even after being promoted to the Supreme Court in 1989 without the then-chief justice of India’s approval. Afterward, audit findings on his excesses in Chandigarh surfaced in April 1990.

There hadn’t been any relief for him since, and the scandal made sure he never served on any of the Constitution benches that handled important issues but he never repented for his actions.

DDA cancels proposed demolition of three temples in Delhi: All you need to know

OpIndia Staff
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DDA cancels proposed demolition of three temples in Delhi: All you need to know

On 20th March, the Delhi Development Authority (DDA) cancelled the proposed demolition of three temples near Sanjay Lake in Trilokpuri, which was scheduled for the same day. The decision was conveyed via an internal report by the Deputy Director of Horticulture (DDA). The notice cited strong public opposition and the intervention of Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MLA Ravi Negi as key factors behind the decision.

The demolition was originally proposed during the discussion of a Religious Committee meeting that was held on 25th October 2024, chaired by the Principal Secretary (Home), Delhi Secretariat. The committee had recommended removing “unauthorised” religious structures through the due process of law.

However, following the increasing public agitation and backlash, the demolition was halted with immediate effect. The notice further mentioned that any further action will only be taken after due consideration of relevant policies and guidelines, and under the approval of a competent authority.

The notice also cited a ruling of the Delhi High Court which referred to a Supreme Court direction stating that no religious structure, including those under question, can be demolished without prior approval from the Religious Committee headed by the Lieutenant Governor of Delhi.

Supreme Court refused to entertain plea against demolition, asked to approach HC

Earlier on the same day, the Supreme Court had refused to entertain a petition filed by Advocate Vishnu Shankar Jain against the demolition. Advocate Jain was representing temple committees from Mayur Vihar Phase 2 – namely, Purbi Delhi Kali Bari Samiti, Sri Amarnath Mandir Sanstha, and Sri Badri Nath Mandir.

The plea challenged the DDA demolition notice that was issued on 19th March, giving only a few hours to the committee members before razing the structures. Advocate Jain argued that the temples, over 35 years old, were not given a proper hearing and highlighted that the Kali Bari temple had even received DDA’s permission in the past to host public festivities. The Supreme Court, however, directed the petitioner to approach the Delhi High Court instead.

BJP MLA Negi also accused the DDA of arriving at the site without proper prior notice. He said, “At 3 AM, the police and DDA arrived for demolition, claiming no notice is required for green belt areas.” The demolition was eventually stopped following the intervention of Delhi CM Rekha Gupta.

Supreme Court Collegium recommends transfer of controversy-ridden Justice Varma to Allahabad HC, Bar Association raises objection

ANI
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Supreme Court Collegium recommends transfer of controversy-ridden Justice Varma to Allahabad HC, Bar Association raises objection

The Supreme Court Collegium on Monday recommended the transfer of Justice Yashwant Varma, Judge of the High Court of Delhi, back to his parent court, the Allahabad High Court.

The resolution of the Collegium stated, “In its meetings held on 20th and 24th March 2025, has recommended repatriation of Justice Yashwant Varma, Judge, High Court of Delhi, to the High Court of Judicature at Allahabad.”

The Allahabad High Court Bar Association had raised an objection over the Supreme Court Collegium’s decision to transfer Justice Varma to the Allahabad High Court.

Justice Varma has been in controversy since a stash of cash was allegedly recovered from his official residence here.

As per the media reports, a fire at the judge’s house had inadvertently led to the recovery of cash by the firefighter.

Media reports said the cash was found initially by fire tenders when a fire broke out in the judge’s residence on March 14. The judge was not present at his house.

The Chief Justice of India, Sanjiv Khanna, on Saturday constituted a three-member Committee consisting of High Court judges for conducting an inquiry into the allegations.

The committee consists of Justice Sheel Nagu, Chief Justice of the High Court of Punjab & Haryana, Justice GS Sandhawalia, Chief Justice of the High Court of Himachal Pradesh, and Anu Sivaraman, judge of the High Court of Karnataka.

The Chief Justice of the High Court of Delhi, Devendra Upadhyaya, for the time being has been asked not to assign any judicial work to Justice Varma.

The Supreme Court had also released the inquiry report of the High Court Chief Justice into the controversy relating to Justice Varma. In his report, the Delhi High Court Chief Justice said that he is of the prima facie opinion that the entire matter warrants a “deeper probe.”
It also released the response of Justice Varma, who has denied the allegations and said that it clearly appeared to be a “conspiracy to frame and malign” him.

Justice Varma had said that no cash was ever placed in that storeroom either by him or any of his family members and said he strongly denounce the suggestion that the alleged cash belonged to them.

Justice Verma had also stated that the room which caught fire and where cash was allegedly found was an outhouse and not the main building where the judge and family resides.

On Friday, the Supreme Court brushed aside any connection between the transfer of Justice Varma to his parent Allahabad High Court and the alleged recovery of a stash of cash from his official residence here.

(This news report is published from a syndicated feed. Except for the headline, the content has not been written or edited by OpIndia staff)

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