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Mint
4 days ago
- Politics
- Mint
Devendra Fadnavis' open invite to Uddhav Thackeray? ‘Can think about scope of coming to…'
Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Wednesday took a swipe at Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Uddhav Thackeray and invited him to join the ruling side – Mahayuti alliance – in Vidhan Parishad, reported PTI. Speaking on the occasion of Uddhav Thackeray's farewell from the Maharashtra Vidhan Parishad, Fadnavis stated that his government doesn't have any 'scope' to come into Opposition until 2029. "At least till 2029, there is no scope for us to come there (Opposition). Uddhav Ji can think about the scope of coming to this side (ruling party) and that can be thought about in a different way, but there is absolutely no scope left for us to come there (Opposition)," PTI quoted CM Fadnavis as saying. Earlier on 11 July, after the assembly cleared the Maharashtra Special Public Security Bill, Uddhav Thackeray had taken a swipe at the ruling Mahayuti government, saying that the bill should be renamed as "BJP security bill". In his accusations, Thackeray said the ruling government is 'misusing majority' while alleging that the bill will allow the government to 'pick up' ordinary people and imprison them. "They can pick up anyone, including ordinary people, and imprison them. This bill is similar to previous acts like MESA and TADA. This bill should be called the 'BJP security bill' instead of the public security bill, as they believe speaking out against the BJP is tantamount to criticising the country. Currently, we don't support this bill," Thackeray had said. CM Fadnavis, while addressing the Question Hour session in the Maharashtra Legislative Council, informed that 41,193 missing children have been traced so far through 'Operation Muskaan'. He also added that 4,960 women and 1,364 children were traced under Operation Khoj in 2025 alone. CM Fadnavis said his government has established 'Missing Cell' in all police stations after taking such cases seriously. The cell's responsibility has been handed over to senior women officers, he added. The CM also clarified that data is being shared between the state and the Centre through the Missing Portal, with the record of every missing person uploaded and updated on time. When Leader of Opposition Ambadas Danve raised the point that only finding people is not enough but concrete policies should also be made on social aspects like child marriage and human trafficking, CM Fadnavis assured that the government will analyse these cases from a sociological perspective.
Time of India
4 days ago
- Politics
- Time of India
Creating fear to stop people helping law is a terror act: Supreme Court
Supreme Court NEW DELHI: Indicating that an offence cannot be said to be a terror act only if an accused is convicted under an anti-terror law, Supreme Court on Tuesday said creating an atmosphere of fear to prevent people from taking the side of law by killing an army informer is also a terrorist act despite anti-terror law not being invoked in the case. A bench comprising Justices Ahsanuddin Amanullah and S V N Bhatti did not agree that the killing of three civilians, including the army informer, in J&K with an AK-47 was not a terror act because the conviction was not secured under an anti-terror law, and expressed its reservation in entertaining a remission plea of a convict who has spent 27 years in jail in the case. Prisoner Ghulam Mohammad Bhat took the stand that he was not convicted under an anti-terror law, but only under the Indian Penal Code for murder, and therefore, his act cannot be termed a terrorist act. The J&K government told SC that a convict undergoing life imprisonment for a terror act was not entitled for remission under state policy. Senior advocate Colin Gonsalves, appearing for the prisoner, said Bhat was convicted only under IPC section 302 (murder) and the Arms Act, and not under the then anti-terror legislation TADA. "Nothing was proved in court to attract TADA provisions. The trial court or the HC never found it to be a terrorist act," he said. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Is it legal? How to get Internet without paying a subscription? Techno Mag Learn More Undo Additional solicitor general K M Natraj, appearing for the J&K government, submitted that explosive devices, including a weapon to launch grenades, were also reportedly recovered from the scene of incident and it was an act of terror, it was not a simple murder. Agreeing with Gonsalves, the bench said, "If you want to create fear among people to ensure that no one approaches authorities against the illegal act then it is a terror act and we cannot close our eyes. "This was done to create havoc to ensure that no one dares to side with the law, then it certainly carries the characteristics of a terrorist act and remission cannot be granted under the policy. You have to challenge the remission policy. " SC, however, allowed Gonsalves's plea to be allowed to challenge the J&K remission policy within the ongoing proceedings.
Time of India
5 days ago
- Politics
- Time of India
SC refuses premature release of terror convict, asks him to challenge remission policy
The Supreme Court on Monday declined to order the premature release of Ghulam Mohammad Bhat , a convict in a triple murder case allegedly linked to a terrorist act . A bench comprising Justices Ahsanuddin Amanullah and SVN Bhatti, however, allowed Bhat to challenge the remission policy of Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir by filing an application in another pending case. The bench heard Bhat's plea for early release on the ground that he had served 27 years in prison. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Remember Him? Sit Down Before You See What He Looks Like Now 33 Bridges Undo While senior advocate Colin Gonsalves appeared for Bhat, additional solicitor general K M Nataraj represented the union territory. Bhat allegedly entered the residence of an Army informer and opened fire with an AK-47 rifle, killing three persons. Live Events Explosive devices, including a Under Barrerl Grenade Launcher grenade, were also reportedly recovered from the scene, the prosecution alleged. Nataraj submitted killing civilians for allegedly providing information to the Army amounted to a terrorist act and therefore Bhat was disentitled from availing benefits of premature release. "The act was intended to create fear and deter cooperation with lawful authorities. This goes beyond a simple murder," he said. Agreeing with the contention, the bench said "If the act was committed to create fear, to ensure that no one dares to side with the law, then it certainly carries the characteristics of a terrorist act." The top court continued, "Even if TADA was not invoked during trial, that doesn't automatically disentitle the court from assessing the true nature of the offence for the purposes of remission." Gonsalves, however, argued Bhat was convicted only under Section 302 IPC (murder) and the Arms Act, and not under any anti-terror legislation TADA. "Nothing was proved in court to attract the provisions of TADA. The trial court or the high court never found it to be a terrorist act," he said, citing precedents of similarly-situated convicts who were granted premature release. The bench remained unconvinced and added, "We tentatively agree that the act appears aimed at sending a message that those who cooperate with authorities will face lethal consequences. We cannot turn a blind eye to such implications." When the counsel for Bhat referred to other premature release cases, the bench noted the absence of a comparable remission policy. "We don't have the remission policy before us. Without it, how can we draw analogies?" it asked. Gonsalves then sought liberty to challenge the J&K remission policy within the ongoing proceedings. The bench allowed him to file an interim plea in a pending matter challenging the same policy.
NDTV
5 days ago
- Politics
- NDTV
"Mumbai Blasts Could've Been Averted If...": Ujjwal Nikam On Sanjay Dutt
New Delhi: The government's key lawyer Ujjwal Nikam, who is now stepping into politics with a seat in Rajya Sabha after a recommendation from the President of India Droupadi Murmu, took a relook at his career in law today in an exclusive interview with NDTV. Going over the milestones, he revealed one "secret" that he said he had had never told the media - his whispered conversation with Sanjay Dutt when the actor was convicted under the Arms Act during the hearing of the 1993 bomb blasts case in Mumbai in which 257 people had died. Mr Dutt's conversation with the Public Prosecutor was noted and much commented on at the time. BUt it was not known what was said. Sanjay Dutt, Mr Nikam said today, had lost control once the sentence was announced. "I saw his body language change. I felt that he was in shock. He could not tolerate the verdict and he looked shaken," Mr Nikam told NDTV. "He was in the witness box and I was nearby and I spoke to him. You'd remember he became silent and then he left," he added. Asked what it was that he told the actor, Mr Nikam said he was revealing the "secret" for the first time. "I told Sanjay, 'Sanjay don't do this. The media is watching you. You are an actor. If you appear scared by the sentence, people would consider you guilty. You have a chance to appeal'. He said 'Yes sir, yes sir'. Sanjay Dutt, back then, was innocent and had kept the weapon because he was attracted to guns, Mr Nikam said. "Yes he did commit an offence in the eyes of the law. But he is straight forward guy. And I considered him innocent. I have only one thing to say. The blast took place on March 12, days before that a van came his (Sanjay Dutt's) house. It was full of weapons-- hand grenades, AK 47s. Abu Salem (henchman of gangster Dawood Ibrahim) had brought it. Sanjay picked some hand grenades and guns. Then he returned it all and kept just one AK 47. Had he informed the police at the time, the police would have investigated and the Mumbai lasts would never have happened," Mr Nikam said. He said he had told Mr Dutt's lawyer about this as well -- the AK 47 was never fired and its possession - that of banned weapon -- was "one thing". But his not informing the police was what had led to the blasts that had killed so many people. The court had acquitted Mr Dutt from the acuusation of being a terrorist under the TADA law but had convicted him under the Arms Act. Later, the Supreme Court reduced his six-year sentence to five years. Mr Dutt had completed this sentence in Pune's Yerwada jail. Mr Nikam was also the prosecutor for the 26/11 Mumbai attack for which Pakistani terrorist Ajmal Kasab was hanged. Asked about his statement that Ajmal Kasab was having biriyani in jail, he said the terrorist had indeed demanded biriyani. But that comment was taken up by political leaders and politicised.
India Gazette
11-07-2025
- Politics
- India Gazette
"BJP security bill": Uddhav Thackeray raises concerns over passage of Maharashtra Special Public Security Bill
Mumbai (Maharashtra) [India], July 11 (ANI): After the Maharashtra assembly cleared the Maharashtra Special Public Security Bill of 2024, Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray on Friday took a swipe against the ruling Mahayuti government, saying that the bill should be renamed as 'BJP security bill'. He further accused the ruling Mahayuti government of 'misusing majority' while alerting that the government could 'pick up' commoners and imprison them. 'They can pick up anyone, including ordinary people, and imprison them. This bill is similar to previous acts like MESA and TADA. This bill should be called the 'BJP security bill' instead of the public security bill, as they believe speaking out against the BJP is tantamount to criticising the country. Currently, we don't support this bill,' Thackeray, former Chief Minister of Maharashtra, told reporters here. He flagged the issue of missing words like 'Naxalism' and 'terrorism' in the bare act, against which the government is supposed to take action. 'They are misusing their majority rather than using it. It seems that the government says something and does something different. They say that the bill has been brought to end Naxalism and terrorism. However, the bill doesn't mention either Naxalism or terrorism. They have only mentioned 'left-wing extremist ideology' (or left-wing extremism),' Thackeray said. 'We need to differentiate between left-wing ideology and right-wing ideology. Generally, we all (Sena, BJP) lean towards the right-wing since we believe in religion. However, our constitution mentions ideals like equality, social justice, and personal liberty. Even Modi had said, 'sabka sath sabka vikas'. Is this leftist thinking or right-wing? I can't make out the difference,' he added. The Shiv Sena UBT chief stressed that the government includes specific words like 'Naxalism' and 'Terrorism' to make the bill clear. 'I stand with the government if it is about fighting those who remain a threat to the country. However, it seems like you are bringing this bill inspired by a political agenda since there's no mention of Naxalism,' Thackeray said. This comes after the Maharashtra Assembly passed the Special Public Security Bill on Thursday, aiming to counter radical left ideologies and organisations allegedly promoting unlawful activities across the state. Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis tabled the Bill in the Legislative Assembly. The bill, which was first introduced during the Winter Session in Nagpur in December 2024, returned to the House after a Joint Committee, led by BJP leader Chandrashekhar Bawankule, reviewed over 12,000 suggestions for amendments. The Chief Minister said the new bill was designed to fill the legislative gap left by the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA), which primarily deals with active terror activities but lacks scope in tackling ideological indoctrination and subversive movements. (ANI)
