Latest news with #CalcuttaHighCourt
Time of India
8 hours ago
- Time of India
Beset with violence & politics, other campuses try to turn over a new leaf
Kolkata: Law colleges in the city have a history of campus violence and skirmishes. While some, including the college where the gang rape took place on Friday, continue to grapple with such issues, others have made efforts in recent years to improve their reputation by enforcing discipline, adhering to academic schedules, and strengthening safety and security measures. The college that came under the spotlight on Friday has witnessed vandalism and violence between rival students' groups. A few months ago, another south Kolkata-based institution, Jogesh Chandra Choudhury Law College, hit the headlines when students of the college had to organise the Saraswati Puja under police protection after Calcutta High Court intervened when students went to the court alleging intimidation by outsiders. During the 1980s and 1990s, violence frequently occurred on law campuses in the city, including incidents of bombs being lobbed during union elections. Several former students from this period said entry into law campuses was unhindered. Some indicated that a reference from a former prominent Congress leader sufficed to secure admission to a law college near Sealdah. "Some of our batchmates at that time got their college admission forms while sitting at the leader's house, and political affiliation was the only criterion to get admission where merit didn't play any role. " You Can Also Check: Kolkata AQI | Weather in Kolkata | Bank Holidays in Kolkata | Public Holidays in Kolkata Jatindra Kumar Das, head of the department of law and dean, faculty of law, Calcutta University, stated that systematic classes and exams motivated students to study regularly, while the institution took necessary actions to enhance campus safety and security. "We have tried to reduce political interference by involving students in academics and other activities. Previously, classes were not held regularly, and students engaged in politics, leading to brawls and fights. However, the situation has changed completely. We have restricted outsiders on campus, and students are encouraged to participate in academics and activities that aid their careers. These have helped us reform the college's image. Security was enhanced," he added. Surendranath Law College was notorious for campus violence in the past. But it has improved its image considerably in recent years by implementing measures to address untoward incidents, particularly gender-based violence. Shibasish Banerjee, visiting faculty and advocate at Calcutta HC, said: "We have a strong mechanism in place to prevent untoward incidents. The campus is almost entirely covered with CCTV cameras. Students must vacate the common room by 2 pm. If there is a programme and students need to stay until late evening, access is limited to areas covered by CCTV cameras. We try to prevent students from staying beyond 8 pm. There is a grievance cell, and two female teachers are assigned duties to check on female students for any issues in college."
Time of India
10 hours ago
- Time of India
Life sentence is rule, death exception, says Cal HC, spares convict the noose
Kolkata: Life sentence was the rule and death an exception, the Calcutta High Court observed on Thursday as it commuted the death sentence awarded to a 33-year-old man convicted of murdering a woman in a hotel room in Bakkhali in 2018 to life term. The division bench of Justice Debangsu Basak and Justice Md Shabbar Rashidi also said that the case did not fall in the 'rarest of rare' category and sentenced Samar Patra to life imprisonment saying even though his involvement in the murder had been established beyond doubt, he could still be reformed. Patra had been booked under section 302 IPC dealing with murder that attracts death sentence or life imprisonment along with a fine. A lower court had on March 22, 2023 convicted him of the murder and awarded a death sentence along with a fine of Rs 5,000. You Can Also Check: Kolkata AQI | Weather in Kolkata | Bank Holidays in Kolkata | Public Holidays in Kolkata "It has been laid down by the Hon'ble Supreme Court time and again that life imprisonment is a rule and death penalty is an exception in awarding sentences in cases where death and life imprisonment are the prescribed punishments," the HC held. The victim and Patra had checked into the hotel together on April 11, 2018. When they did not respond to repeated calls the next day, the hotel manager informed police and the woman was found dead on the bed. The ventilation window in the attached washroom was found broken and Patra was missing. An autopsy revealed the victim had died due to strangulation by ligature, which was ante mortem and homicidal in nature. After his arrest, Patra claimed he found the woman hanging from the ceiling fan when he woke up at night, brought down the body but fled as he was terrified. "As a man of ordinary prudence, it was expected that the appellant should have called upon officials of the hotel and reported the matter to police," the HC observed while upholding his conviction. "The appellant is aged about 33 years. Nothing of unfavourable behaviour has been reported against the appellant, which does not rule out the possibility of reform. The evidence on record does not suggest that the murder of the victim was pre-planned or committed with premeditation and extreme brutality. Rather, the evidence on record shows that the appellant and the victim had visited and stayed together in the hotel on previous occasions as well. Such circumstances belie the existence of any previous enmity between them," the bench held.
Time of India
a day ago
- General
- Time of India
HC gives ASI 6 weeks to submit report on Clive House restoration
1 2 Kolkata: The Calcutta High Court on Thursday directed the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI), Kolkata, to submit a report within six weeks on Clive House, the residence of the first British Governor of Bengal Presidency, Lord Clive. It is situated at Rashtraguru Avenue under South Dum Dum Municipality in North 24 Parganas. A division bench of justices Soumen Sen and Smita Das De passed the order acting on a public interest litigation (PIL) petition seeking the restoration of Clive House, now in its withered remains. The division bench directed ASI, Kolkata, to include in its report the status of the building and suggest ways for its renovation and restoration. The Clive House was shrouded in obscurity until 2000 when the ASI took its possession and declared it a protected monument under the Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Sites and Remains Act, 1958. You Can Also Check: Kolkata AQI | Weather in Kolkata | Bank Holidays in Kolkata | Public Holidays in Kolkata Counsels for the petitioners, SN Mookherjee and Bikram Banerjee, submitted to the court that 20-25 squatter families were residing on the premises, which had been witnessing unauthorised constructions. "The structure is fragile, vulnerable to collapse, and lacks regular maintenance," the counsels said. ASI counsel Ashoke Chakraborty endorsed the plea. Counsels pleaded with the court for its restoration in view of its historical significance and the archaeological importance of the area. Clive House came into prominence with the discovery of decorated early historical pottery from the archaeological mound upon which the structure stands. The ASI not only took possession of the house, it also undertook excavation work, revealing the earliest habitations in the history of Kolkata. The house has a reference in the written accounts of the British officers. Robert Orme was possibly the first to mention this house in 1798 in a publication named 'A History of Military Transactions of the British Nation in Indostan'. R C Sterndale in 1891 wrote about this building, calling it one of the oldest existing buildings in Bengal, though not in its present form.
News18
2 days ago
- News18
'Not Rarest Of Rare Case': Calcutta HC Commutes Convict's Death Sentence In Rape-Murder Of Minor
Last Updated: However, the court unequivocally upheld the conviction, noting that the evidence established his guilt beyond any reasonable doubt The Calcutta High Court has commuted the death sentence awarded to a man convicted for the rape and murder of a minor girl, citing his lack of criminal antecedents, stable social conduct, and advanced age of 58 years as mitigating factors. However, the court unequivocally upheld the conviction, noting that the evidence established his guilt beyond any reasonable doubt. The division bench of Justice Debangsu Basak and Justice Md Shabbar Rashidi delivered the judgment while deciding the convict's appeal against the trial court's verdict and a reference for confirmation of the death sentence. Background of the Case The case stems from a complaint lodged by the victim's uncle, who alleged that on August 8, 2016, he received a call stating that his niece, then working as domestic help at the convict's residence, was seriously ill. Upon arriving at the convict's house, the uncle and the victim's mother found her dead in a locked bathroom. The body was partially burnt. Suspecting foul play, the family accused the convict of raping and murdering the girl, and then attempting to destroy the evidence by setting her body on fire. The trial court convicted the accused under Sections 376(2)(i)(k) (rape), 302 (murder), and 201 (causing disappearance of evidence) of the Indian Penal Code, as well as Section 6 (aggravated penetrative sexual assault) of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act, and awarded him the death penalty. Senior advocate Kaushik Gupta, representing the convict, challenged the credibility of the circumstantial evidence, arguing that the prosecution had failed to prove the guilt of his client beyond a reasonable doubt. The senior counsel submitted that the bathroom was locked from the inside and broken open only upon the family's arrival, suggesting possible alternative scenarios. Gupta also argued that the lack of noise or disturbances heard by neighbouring masons raised questions about the prosecution's version. On the other hand, additional public prosecutor (APP) Debasish Roy maintained that the prosecution had presented a complete and coherent chain of evidence that clearly established the convict's guilt. The court found merit in the prosecution's case, noting that medical and circumstantial evidence 'safely established" that the victim was subjected to repeated sexual assault and subsequently murdered. 'The chain of circumstances is complete and neatly woven to exclude the intervention of anybody other than the appellant in the commission of the offence," the bench held. Court's Reasoning on Sentence While the High Court affirmed the conviction, it commuted the death sentence to life imprisonment, holding that the case did not fall under the 'rarest of rare" category warranting capital punishment. Referring to settled Supreme Court precedents, the HC noted that the death penalty must only be imposed when the possibility of the convict's reformation is ruled out. The convict, a 58-year-old former labourer, had no history of criminal behaviour or psychological instability. 'The convict is not reported with any criminal antecedent or unstable social behaviour in the past… there was no history of mental or psychological illness reported against him," the bench stated. Additionally, the court found no evidence suggesting prior enmity between the victim and the convict or between their families. It observed that the convict's wife, being a working woman, may have allowed the accused the opportunity to exploit the victim's vulnerability. In its judgment, the court said, 'In an anxiety to get off with the consequences [of the assault], the convict killed the victim and set the dead body on fire with a view to cause disappearance of evidence of crime." Yet, it concluded that these circumstances, although egregious, were not sufficient to deny the possibility of reformation. Upholding the conviction but modifying the sentence, the High Court ordered that the convict serve life imprisonment for the offences under IPC and POCSO, and accordingly disposed of the appeal and the death reference. Get breaking news, in-depth analysis, and expert perspectives on everything from politics to crime and society. Stay informed with the latest India news only on News18. Download the News18 App to stay updated! tags : Calcutta High Court death penalty minor murder pocso Rape Location : New Delhi, India, India First Published: June 26, 2025, 22:13 IST News india 'Not Rarest Of Rare Case': Calcutta HC Commutes Convict's Death Sentence In Rape-Murder Of Minor
Time of India
2 days ago
- Business
- Time of India
Tolly problem a civil dispute: State to HC
Kolkata: In an appeal in the Tollywood directors' issue, where fresh representations were directed to the secretary of the information and cultural affairs department by the single bench of the Calcutta High Court, the state moved a division bench, claiming it to be a "civil dispute among trade unions" with no state role in it. A group of Tollywood directors had filed multiple contempt cases, alleging despite the court's order on April 3, the Federation of Cine Technicians and Workers Eastern India (FCTWEI) continued to interfere. The senior standing counsel representing the state said the problem was between private entities and no grievance was against the state. So, it could not be dealt with under Article 226 of the Constitution, which gave power to high courts to issue writs for enforcing fundamental rights. You Can Also Check: Kolkata AQI | Weather in Kolkata | Bank Holidays in Kolkata | Public Holidays in Kolkata The division bench of Justice Tapabrata Chakraborty and Justice Reetobroto Kumar Mitra pointed out that in July 2024, "the state or at least the functionaries of the state already interfered", referring to the proposal of a review committee amid an impasse in Tollywood. The senior standing counsel contended that the committee was merely a proposal and was never formed on paper. The division bench did not pass any direction and will further hear the arguments of the counsels representing the director. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Trade Bitcoin & Ethereum – No Wallet Needed! IC Markets Start Now Undo The HC directed the department's secretary to ensure the "right to life and business, trade and profession" of the directors was not interfered with. In case of any interference or difficulty faced by directors, they have been asked to report to the secretary, who would take immediate remedial steps. Justice Amrita Sinha gave this order in response to the directors' contempt cases.
