Pune Apr 27 PTI In the wake of a controversy over the use of loudspeakers at religious places authorities of five mosques in Pune and some other senior Muslim community members here have decided to shun DJ music during the upcoming Eid celebration and utilise funds collected for it to help the poor and needy people They also appealed to youth from the community not to play loud DJ music during the Eid al-Fitr celebration on May 2 Everyone knows the ill-effects of such loud DJ music which is not good for sick people and those with a weak heart said Maulana Mohsin Raza the imam of the Bhartiya Anjuman Qadariya Mosque in Lohiya Nagar area here in Maharashtra So we formed a core committee of five mosques in the area and convened a meeting of their imams and functionaries along with other senior members of the community and decided not to have DJ music during the Eid celebration he told PTI The funds usually collected to procure the DJ music system during the celebration will be used to provide aid to the needy and poor people in the area he said Asked about the row over use of loudspeakers atop the mosques he claimed all five mosques in the locality here follow the Supreme Courts guidelines on noise pollution and the volume during azaan is always kept low The locality has a mixed population and so far no one from the Hindu community has complained of any disturbance due to the playing of azaan In fact the communities here celebrate all the festivals in harmony Raza said Yunus Salim Shaikh a local Urdu teacher who is part of this core committee said the formation of such a panel is a good step towards dealing with social issues After the formation of the core committee a decision has been taken to ban DJ music during the Eid celebration During the namaz sessions in mosques we are informing people from the community about the decision and counselling them Fortunately we are getting a good response from everybody he said Local resident and former corporator Yusuf Shaikh said the decision not to play DJ music during the Eid celebration has invoked a good response and they hope the same will be emulated in other parts of the city PTI SPK GK GK

Chennai Apr 26 PTI The inquiry by a commission probing the circumstances surrounding late Tamil Nadu Chief Minister J Jayalalithaas death culminated on Tuesday nearly four and a half years after it was constituted by the state government The proceedings before the panel the inquiry have all been completed as per the terms of reference official sources said On Tuesday former AIADMK spokesperson V Pugazhenthi appeared before the panel and made his submissions and reportedly he had requested that former Chief Minister K Palaniswami should be inquired However commission sources did not confirm it Pugazhenthi was expelled from the AIADMK last year In total 159 witnesses have deposed before the commission which includes AIADMK top leader O Panneerselvam Jayalalithaas niece Deepa and nephew Deepak doctors top officials and AIADMKs C Vijayabaskar M Thambi Durai C Ponnaiyan and Manoj Pandian Deepa and Deepak had raised doubts over circumstances surrounding their aunts death V K Sasikala confidante of the late Chief Minister had filed an affidavit through her counsel in 2018 The Arumughaswamy Commission of Inquiry constituted by the previous AIADMK government commenced its hearing on November 22 2017 Justice Arumughaswamy is a retired judge of the Madras High Court Sasikalas affidavit was related to among other points the circumstances leading to Jayalalithaas hospitalisation admitted in Apollo Hospitals in 2016 During the recent proceedings doctors from the Apollo Hospitals briefed through video-conferencing a medical board of AIIMS-Delhi specialists on the treatment provided to JayalalithaaThe AIIMS panel took part in the proceedings virtually to help the Commission handle medical aspects as per the Supreme Courts direction According to sources the Commission is set to commence preparation of its report for submission to the state government as its tenure which was extended several times is set to end on June 24The government instituted the commission in September 2017 The terms of reference was to inquire into the circumstances and situation leading to the hospitalisation of the late Chief Minister on 22 September 2016 and subsequent treatment provided till her unfortunate demise on 5 December 2016 PTI VGN SS SS

Pune Apr 22 PTI With the state government making it mandatory for religious sites to seek permission for using loudspeakers members of some social organisations Muslim clerics and local corporators held a meeting here during which it was decided that help be provided to religious institutions including mosques in securing necessary permissions from authorities The meeting was held at the Azam Campus on Thursday The Maharashtra Director General of Police DGP recently instructed the police units in the state to strictly enforce the law and Supreme Courts guidelines on the use of loudspeakers in the wake of Maharashtra Navnirman Sena MNS chief Raj Thackerays demand that loudspeakers atop mosques be removed by May 3 The DGP has instructed the police to allow loudspeakers between 6 am and 10 pm with prior permission from the police and asked them to strictly abide by the apex courts guidelines on the use of loudspeakers as well as the noise pollution norms laid down by the Maharashtra Pollution Control Board MPCB During the meeting Dr P A Inamdar president of Maharashtra Cosmopolitan Education Society said that in the wake of the home ministrys announcement a meeting of members of social organisations local representatives corporators and clerics from mosques was convened We asked the attendees to check if mosques in their areas are following the norms related to noise level and help them secure necessary permissions from the authorities for loudspeakers If they have permission check if they need any renewal Inamdar said He also added that there are around 500 mosques in the city and majority of them have permission to use loudspeakers for azaan The representatives will not only help the mosques but if the members of other religions come and seek assistace in getting necessary permissions they will also be provided guidance he added Inamdar said the aim is to ensure peace and there is no conflict anywhere PTI SPK NP NP

New Delhi Apr 21 PTI Around 150 members from various students organisations staged a protest at Jamia Millia Islamia here on Thursday demanding compensation for those who were left homeless following the anti-encroachment drive conducted by North MCD in violence-hit Jahangirpuri a day beforeBulldozers had razed several concrete and temporary structures close to a mosque in Jahangirpuri as part of an anti-encroachment drive by the BJP-ruled North Delhi Municipal Corporation on Wednesday days after the northwest Delhi neighbourhood was rocked by communal violenceThe Supreme Court had to intervene twice to stop the drive after it took cognizance of a petition filed by Jamiat Ulama-i-Hind against the demolitionThe area had witnessed stone pelting firing and arson last Saturday with groups of two communities clashing during a Hanuman Jayanti procession The student groups said the protest march started from the universitys hygienic canteen to gate number eight against coercive demolition of Muslim properties and a mosque at Delhis Jahangirpuri They raised slogans demanding justice for the victims and also carried placards that read -- Stop Bulldozing Muslim Lives We are here for rights not riots Bulldozing is genocidal so are our silence among othersMusaddiq Mubeen president Students Islamic Organisation of India Jamia Millia Islamia said Various student organisations staged the protest to raise their concerns about the events that has shaped India in last few months especially the communal violence that broke out in Jahangirpuri and the anti-encroachment drive that was carried out without notice The student organisations demanded that compensation should be provided to the residents of Jahangirpuri who lost their homes during the driveThey also demanded that the civic body should be held responsible for carrying out the drive without giving prior noticesDespite the Supreme Courts order the civic body continued their demolition drive and only stopped when they received the notice What they did was illegal and we want the authorities to compensate for those who have come on the roads after their shops and homes were demolished Mubeen addedMembers of the SIO Fraternity Movement Students Federation of India SFI All India Students Association AISA All India Revolutionary Students Organization AIRSO Campus Front of India CFI and Muslim Students Federation MSF took part in the protestA day after the drive in Jahangirpuri the Delhi Police has beefed up security in the area and are also stopping the media from entering the residential area for reporting PTI AMP NIT TDS TDS

New Delhi Apr 21 PTI The North Delhi Municipal Corporation will follow the Supreme Courts order and not conduct the anti-encroachment drive in violence-hit Jahangirpuri the civic bodys mayor Raja Iqbal Singh said on Thursday but asserted that notices will be sent to encroachers in other areas under its jurisdictionThe mayors remarks came after the Supreme Court extended the status quo until further orders on the razing of buildings Jahangirpuri area on ThursdayBulldozers had razed several concrete and temporary structures close to a mosque in Jahangirpuri as part of an anti-encroachment drive by the BJP-ruled civic body on Wednesday days after the northwest Delhi neighbourhood was rocked by communal violenceThe Supreme Court had to intervene twice to stop the drive after it took cognizance of a petition filed by Jamiat Ulama-i-Hind against the demolitionWe will follow the Supreme Court order and there will be no further action in Jahangirpuri Singh told PTIHe however asserted that anti-encroachment drives will continue in other areas under its jurisdictionI also want to clarify that the civic body will keep taking action against encroachers We will identify illegal encroachments and send notices to them and take action Singh saidOn Thursday A bench of Justices L Nageswara Rao and B R Gavai issued notice to the Centre and others on the plea filed by the Jamiat Ulama-i-Hind that claimed that buildings of Muslim riots accused were razed Status quo to be maintained till further orderList after two weeks and pleadings to be completed till then the court saidThe apex court also said it would take a serious view of the demolition that was carried out even after its order was communicated to the NDMC mayorResponding to this the mayor said The drive was stopped as soon as we got the orders PTI AKM AKM TDS TDS

New Delhi Apr 20 PTI Bulldozers razed several structures in violence-hit Jahangirpuri on Wednesday during an anti-encroachment drive by the North Delhi Municipal Corporation but it was stopped following a Supreme Court orderThe anti-encroachment drive continued for one-and-a-half hours even after the Supreme Court directed authorities to stop itA civic official requesting anonymity said the drive continued because of the absence of a written order from the Supreme CourtIt was stopped as soon as the order was received the official addedThe Supreme Court directed the apex court Secretary-General to convey the earlier order to stop demolition in the riots-hit Jahangirpuri here to the NDMC Mayor and the Delhi Police Commissioner immediatelyA bench headed by Chief Justice N V Ramana in the forenoon ordered the stopping of the drive and also agreed to hear a petition challenging the action of the civic bodies allegedly aimed against the accused of the communal offencesDespite the apex courts directions bulldozers were seen razing structures near a mosque in Jahangirpuris C Block where a violence had erupted on April 16However North Delhi Municipal Corporation Mayor Raja Iqbal Singh said the drive has been stopped in the wake of Supreme Courts orderWe will follow the Supreme Court orders We have stopped the drive The civic machinery there is now only lifting the garbage and other items lying on the roads in the area Singh told PTIMeanwhile heavy police and paramilitary forces were deployed ahead of the driveOfficials said security forces were carrying out a flag march in the area and they took stock of the situation before the drive was launched A drone has also been deployed to monitor the situationAhead of the drive people in Jahangirpuri C Block voluntarily removed their belongings from roadsides they said The area witnessed violent clashes including stone pelting arson and firing between two communities during a Hanuman Jayanti procession on Saturday Eight police personnel and a local resident had sustained injuries PTI ABU AKM BUN TDS TDS TDS

Aurangabad Apr 19 PTI The Vanchit Bahujan Aghadi VBA on Tuesday presented a memorandum to the police stating that permission should not be given for Maharashtra Navnirman Sena MNS chief Raj Thackerays rally in Aurangabad district as it may pose a law and order situation A delegation led by VBA spokesperson Amit Bhuigal and city president Ahmed Jalis reached out to police commissioner Nikhil Gupta with the demand Raj Thackeray had earlier announced a rally in Aurangabad on May 1 which is observed as Maharashtra Day The holy month of Ramzan is being observed and a law and order situation may arise the VBA in the memorandum said urging the police not to give permission to the MNS rally The Maharashtra Director General of Police on Tuesday instructed all police units in the state to strictly enforce the law and Supreme Courts guidelines on the use of loudspeakers in the wake of MNS chief Raj Thackerays demand that loudspeakers on mosques be removed by May 3 PTI AW ARU ARU

Mumbai Apr 19 PTI Against the backdrop the MNS demand to remove loudspeakers from mosques Maharashtra Director General of Police on Tuesday instructed the officials to enforce the law and Supreme Courts guidelines on the issue strictlyDGP Rajnish Seth held a meeting through video conference in the morning with all district superintendents of police special inspector generals of various ranges and commissioners of major cities said an officialA senior official attended the meeting on behalf of the Mumbai police commissioner The DGP instructed unit commanders to allow loudspeakers between 6 am and 10 pm with prior permission from the police and asked them to strictly abide by the Supreme Courts guidelines on loudspeakers use as well as the noise pollution norms laid down by the Maharashtra Pollution Control Board MPCBThe use of loudspeakers in public places was an old issue and there are clear guidelines the DGP said while instructing all police units to take action in case there was any complaint of noise pollution the official said Maharashtra Navnirman Sena chief Raj Thackeray demanded earlier this month that loudspeakers at mosques relaying azaan prayers be removed by May 3 or else his party would play the Hanuman Chalisa at higher volumes to counter them Meanwhile state Home Minister Dilip Walse-Patil said police were keeping a close watch on the situation and fully prepared to take action against those trying to create communal disturbances over the loudspeaker issue Earlier on Monday Walse-Patil had said DGP Rajnish Seth and Mumbai police commissioner Sanjay Pandey would prepare comprehensive guidelines in a couple of days on the use of loudspeakers at the places of worship On Monday Nashik police commissioner Deepak Pandey had issued an order directing that no bhajan or religious songs be played on loudspeakers 15 minutes before or after azaan in a radius of 100 metres of any mosque PTI DC BNM KRK KRK

New Delhi Mar 31 PTI The Delhi High Court Thursday sought response of the CBI and the victim on a plea by expelled BJP MLA Kuldeep Singh Sengar seeking bail in a case in which he was sentenced to life term for raping a minor girl in UPs Unnao in 2017A bench of Justices Siddharth Mridul and Rajnish Bhatnagar issued notice to the CBI and the victim on the bail plea and listed the matter for further hearing on May 25The court also sought response of the CBI and the victim on another application by Sengar in which he sought production of additional evidence in support of his appeal challenging the trial courts verdict in the caseHis counsel contended that an affidavit filed by the victim would show that she was not a minor at the time of the offenceHe further sought bail in the case saying he has been incarcerated for last four yearsSengars appeal challenging the trial courts verdict is already pending in the high courtHe has sought quashing of the December 16 2019 judgement of the trial court which convicted him He has also sought setting aside of the December 20 2019 order sentencing him to imprisonment till remainder of his lifeThe trial court had convicted Sengar under various provisions including section 376 2 of IPC which deals with the offence of rape committed by a public servant who takes advantage of his official position and commits rape on a woman in his custody as such public servant or in the custody of a public servant subordinate to himIt had awarded him the maximum punishment of life term with a rider that the convict will remain in jail for remainder of his natural biological life and also imposed an exemplary fine of Rs 25 lakh on himThe woman was kidnapped and raped by Sengar in 2017 when she was a minorThe trial which started on August 5 2019 after it was transferred from Unnao to Delhi on the Supreme Courts directions was carried on a day-to-day basisThe apex court taking cognisance of the rape survivors letter written to the then Chief Justice of India Ranjan Gogoi had on August 1 2019 transferred all five cases registered in connection with the Unnao rape incident from a Lucknow court in Uttar Pradesh to the court in Delhi with directions to hold trial on a daily basis and completing it within 45 days PTI SKV SA

Ahmedabad Feb 23 PTI The Gujarat High Court has sought the director general of polices DGP response on the compliance of the Supreme Courts direction for police stations to keep a list of advocates to provide legal assistance to the victims of sexual assault In its order last week the division bench of Justices Sonia Gokani and Aniruddha Mayee observed that the Apex courts order regarding legal representation for complainants of sexual assault cases at the police station is often observed in breach As per the Supreme Courts order the victim should be provided with legal assistance at the police station where an advocate would explain to her the nature of the proceedings prepare her for the case and assist her at the police station and in court A list of advocates willing to act in these cases should be kept at police stations for victims who do not have a particular lawyer in mind or whose own lawyer is unavailable The advocate would also provide the victim with guidance on obtaining help about mind counselling or medical assistance etc the 1995 order of the Supreme Court stated The High Court said that while hearing the present case of the victim of sexual violence it found that even the investigating officer pleaded her ignorance about the said order of the Apex court There is no list of empanelled advocates noticed in the police stations the court observed in its order The bench directed the DGP to file an affidavit for the purpose of issuing necessary circular direction or notification for every police station of the state to maintain for effective implementation of the directions issued in 1995 without further loss of time it said The minor daughter of the petitioner had gone missing on June 10 2021 after which she approached Visnagar police station in the states Mehsana district with the request to lodge an FIR The victim was found to be have been kept in illegal custody and sexually abused and her medical report revealed that she was 10-weeks pregnant The victim and her parents then urged that the foetus be terminated which was allowed under the provisions of the Termination of Pregnancy Act The court allowed the corpus to join her parents as per her wishes and directed the authorities to provide her legal aid PTI KA ARU ARU