Saradha scam: Ex-Kolkata CP seeks extension of protection
New Delhi: Former Kolkata Police Commissioner Rajeev Kumar moved the Supreme Court on Monday seeking extension of the 7-day protection granted to him by it in connection with the Saradha chit fund scam case in view of lawyers’ strike in Kolkata. Kumar’s counsel mentioned the matter for urgent listing before a vacation bench comprising Justices Indira Banerjee and Sanjiv Khanna and said that since lawyers in Kolkata are on strike, the protection granted to the IPS officer should be extended. The counsel said due to the strike, Kumar was not able to move the competent court for seeking relief and hence, the protection granted to him be counted from the time the strike ends. Earlier, Kumar in an affidavit before the court had alleged that he was targeted by the CBI in the chit fund case due to “mala fide intent” and “conflict of interest” of Rao as his family members were under the scanner post-demonetisation. The Election Commission had last week ordered removal of Kumar, who was posted as Additional Director General, CID, in West Bengal for allegedly failing to control incidents of violence in the state and had asked him to report to the Union Home Ministry on Thursday. Kumar was removed along with West Bengal’s Principal Secretary (Home) Atri Bhattacharya after parts of Kolkata witnessed widespread violence during BJP president Amit Shah’s massive road show in the city. (PTI)
Plea on black money law today
New Delhi: The Supreme Court agreed on Monday to hear on Tuesday the Centre’s plea challenging the Delhi High Court order staying its notification to allow the 2016 black money law to operate with retrospective effect from July, 2015 to book and probe offenders. The Centre is also aggrieved by the interim order of the high court that restrained the Income Tax (I-T) department from taking any action against VVIP chopper scam accused Gautam Khaitan, against whom a black money case has been lodged. The high court, in its order, said the Black Money (Undisclosed Foreign Income and Assets) and Imposition of Tax Act, which was enacted in April 2016, could not be allowed to operate with retrospective effect from July, 2015. A vacation bench of justices Indira Banerjee and Sanjiv Khanna took note of the submissions of Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, appearing for the government, that the high court erred in staying the Centre’s notification to invoke the black money law with retrospective effect. “It will be listed tomorrow,” the bench said when Mehta said CBI inquires were launched on the basis of the law’s applicability. (PTI)
Indian charity sets new record
Dubai: A charity run by an Indian in the UAE has entered the Guinness Book of World Records for its hunger relief efforts during the holy month of Ramzan in Abu Dhabi. Joginder Singh Salaria, founder of PCT Humanity, said the efforts were in continuation to the vegetarian iftar held daily at the premises of his company Pehal International, Dubai Industrial Park. The charity set the new Guinness World Records for “Longest Line of Hunger Relief Package” in Abu Dhabi on Saturday, Gulf News reported. Adjudicated by Douglas Palau, the attempt saw iftar meals containing seven items spread in a line without keeping any gap between the packages for a kilometre, the report said. (PTI)
Pellet victims stage protest
Srinagar: A group of pellet victims, who were injured during law and order situations in the Kashmir Valley over the past few years on Monday held a protest demanding complete ban on the use of pellet guns by security forces. The protesters, under the banner of Pellet Victims Welfare Trust, held the protest at Press Enclave here against continuous use of pellet guns in the valley by police and paramilitary forces. The protesters demanded ban on pellet guns, saying their continued use could render more people blind. Pellet guns are often used for crowd control during stone pelting incidents in the valley. (PTI)