&w=3840&q=100)
Delhi HC seeks NIA's reply on Engineer Rashid's plea in terror funding case
The Delhi High Court on Thursday sought the NIA's stand on a bail plea by Baramulla MP Engineer Rashid in a terror funding case.
A bench of Justices Subramonium Prasad and Harish Vaidyanathan Shankar issued notice on the parliamentarian's appeal against a trial court order which refused to grant him bail on March 21.
The bench also asked the National Investigation Agency (NIA) to respond to a separate plea by Rashid challenging the framing of charges in the case.
It clarified that the NIA's reply shall be filed only with respect to the question of a delay of around 1,100 days in mounting the challenge against the charges.
The court listed both cases for hearing on July 29.
Rashid has been lodged in Tihar jail since 2019 after he was arrested by the NIA under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act in the 2017 terror funding case.
Hashtags

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles


India Today
42 minutes ago
- India Today
10% Maratha reservation to continue this year, hearing on fresh pleas from July 18
The Maratha reservation issue will once again come under judicial scrutiny, with a newly constituted full bench of the Bombay High Court set to begin hearings on fresh pleas from July 18. However, the 10 per cent reservation in education and government jobs given to the Maratha community will continue this bench, comprising Justices Ravindra Ghuge, NJ Jamadar and Sandeep Marne, announced on Wednesday that they would devote half-days, full working days and even some Saturdays - ordinarily court holidays - to complete the hearing hearing pertains to challenges against the Maharashtra State Reservation for Socially and Educationally Backward Classes (SEBC) Act, 2024, which grants 10 per cent reservation in education and government jobs to the Maratha community. Under this order, any admission or job appointment made under the SEBC Act remains subject to final court directions. The matter was previously heard by a bench led by then-Chief Justice DK Upadhyaya. However, proceedings halted after his transfer to the Delhi High Court in January. Following this, some students approached the Supreme Court, citing harm to their admission prospects due to the ongoing legal uncertainty. The top court subsequently directed the Bombay High Court to constitute a new full bench, which has now taken Wednesday's hearing, senior advocate Pradeep Sancheti, representing the petitioners, urged the bench to expedite proceedings as the academic admission cycle was underway. He argued that, unlike job appointments, delayed admissions would be harder to rectify, even with the interim order in General Dr Birendra Saraf, appearing for the Maharashtra government, said the state needed more time to respond to the latest petition filed in court. He maintained that the interim order provided adequate safeguards and questioned the urgency shown by the petitioners. He also suggested that the petitioners withdraw the new plea if they were unwilling to allow time for the state to considering the submissions, the bench scheduled the hearing for five weeks SEBC Act, passed on February 20 last year by the Eknath Shinde-led Maharashtra government, followed recommendations by the Maharashtra State Backward Class Commission (MSBCC) led by retired Justice Sunil Shukre. The commission had concluded that "exceptional circumstances and extraordinary situations" warranted reservation for the Maratha community beyond the 50 per cent cap mandated by the Supreme legislation, which came just ahead of the Lok Sabha and assembly elections, sparked a series of public interest litigations and petitions challenging its constitutional validity. Simultaneously, numerous intervention applications have been filed by Maratha organisations defending the reservation and opposing the addition to the reservation issue, petitions have also been filed questioning the legality of Justice Shukre's appointment as chairperson of the Watch


Time of India
2 hours ago
- Time of India
Frail MPDA Goon Works On Body In Jail, Returns With Vengeance
Nagpur: Sunny Gaikwad, 23-year-old unobtrusive miscreant, defied his skinny and famished demeanour but with sharp criminal mind, was jailed under the stringent Maharashtra Prevention of Dangerous Activities (MPDA) Act two years ago. Nabbed by Nagpur police, the court had convicted him to undergo term at Nashik Central Jail. But things seemingly went haywire, and Gaikwad used the opportunity to focus on his body and gain strength. Back in Nagpur after his release a year ago took many, including the police, by surprise. Gaikwad was a different person altogether — not that he had reformed — but he returned with spitefulness with his chiseled bodybuilder's body, and his cold-viciousness only to go back to return where he had left his criminal past behind, albeit with more vengeance. With his new muscular avatar, he once again unleashed his reign of terror. Gaikwad returned augured a bigger threat to the police at Kaikade Nagar where he would brandish his muscular body and turn violent at the slightest provocation. He kept the cops on their toes with his criminal activities, which included assault, snatching cash at knifepoint, extorting traders, threatening those who crossed him, and other offences. Gaikwad would demand free goods from shopkeepers at knifepoint. Residents were left desperately seeking police intervention. He was slapped with MPDA once again and sent back to prison for the second time on Tuesday. He is currently lodged in Nagpur Central Jail. Gaikwad's physical transition happened gradually during his stint in Nashik Central Jail in 2023 where focused on diet and building muscles. "Gaikwad was uncontrollable. It seemed either he would murder someone or get murdered by rivals or even by the enraged public," senior inspector Mukund Kawade said. Gaikwad already had around 17 offences registered against him under various sections. "Earlier, though he had several offences, Gaikwad was meek before his first MPDA detention in 2023. Somehow, he built his body in prison and returned stronger and more desperate, posing a greater threat," said the senior PI. Kawade stated that a strategy was formulated under the supervision of Zonal DCP Rashmitha Rao to curb Gaikwad's activities. ACP Narendra Hiware assisted in the legal process. "We registered an offence of assault as soon as a complainant approached us. Gradually, we registered more cases, which unsettled his confidence. In the meantime, we prepared strong legal records and evidence to back yet another MPDA proposal," said Kawade. "Our proposal for a fresh MPDA action against him was finalized with the help of the modus operandi branch. CP Ravinder Singal approved the proposal, which paved the way for his swift arrest. He is currently lodged in Nagpur Central Jail but will be shifted to other prisons in the state," Kawade added.


Indian Express
3 hours ago
- Indian Express
Cabinet nod for Indian Railways' line doubling projects: Freight traffic set to receive additional boost of 49 million tonnes annually
The Union Cabinet on Wednesday approved two line doubling projects of the Indian Railways, namely, the 133-km Koderma-Barkakana Doubling and the 185-km Ballari-Chikjajur Doubling, which cover a total of seven districts in Jharkhand, Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh. The total estimated cost of the projects is Rs 6,405 crore. The Koderma-Barkakana line passes through a major coal producing area of Jharkhand. Along with this, it serves as the shortest rail link between Patna and Ranchi. The cost of doubling of the line is Rs 2,063 crore. According to the Ministry of Railways, line doubling will facilitate an additional cargo of 30.4 million tonnes (mt). It will connect four districts of Jharkhand, namely, Koderma, Chatra, Hazaribagh and Ramgarh. The project will be challenging from an engineering point of view since it will involve the construction of 17 major bridges, 180 minor bridges, 42 road over bridges (ROBs) and 13 road under bridges (RUBs). The project will provide connectivity to over 900 villages, the Indian Railways said. The second project Ballari-Chikjajur line crosses Ballari and Chitradurga districts of Karnataka and Anantapur district of Andhra Pradesh. The total cost of the project is Rs 3,342 crore. According to the Indian Railways, the doubling of the rail line will facilitate the movement of additional cargo of 18.9 mt. It will cater to transport of iron ore, coking coal, finished steel, fertilisers, foodgrains, and petroleum products, among other items. The 185-km project will involve the construction of 19 stations, 29 major bridges, 230 minor bridges, 21 ROBs and 85 RUBs. The line will connect over 400 villages on the stretch. These two projects together will increase the existing network of Indian Railways by about 318 km and additional freight traffic of 49 mt per annum. Dheeraj Mishra is a Principal correspondent with The Indian Express, Business Bureau. He covers India's two key ministries- Ministry of Railways and Ministry of Road Transport & Highways. He frequently uses the Right to Information (RTI) Act for his stories, which have resulted in many impactful reports. ... Read More