Parliamentary panel asks why no FIR lodged in recovery of unaccounted cash at Justice Varma's house
The MPs also demanded a code of conduct for judges, and justices in the higher judiciary should not take up government assignments till a period of five years post-retirement, they said.
New Delhi, Jun 24 (PTI) Several MPs at a Parliamentary panel meeting on Tuesday asked why no FIR has been lodged over the recovery of unaccounted cash from a high court judge's residence here and told the Department of Justice to prepare a detailed note on the matter, sources said.
Sources said the secretary in the Department of Justice, who made a presentation on 'Judicial processes and their reform' concerning issues of Code of Conduct for the judges of higher judiciary and taking up post-retirement assignments by judges', was asked to prepare a comprehensive report on the issues raised and told to present it at the next panel meeting.
They add that the members also sought a comprehensive bill addressing various issues and concerns on ethics and code of conduct of judges which were raised by them during the meeting.
The MPs sought to know why no action had been taken on the matter concerning the recovery of unaccounted cash from the residence of Justice Yashwant Varma and demanded a code of conduct should be in place.
Some MPs also asked why no motion to remove Justice Varma has been moved so far.
Sources said some demanded that justice should be equitable since a government employee may lose his/her job over a small corruption issue but no action has been initiated against a senior member of the judiciary even after the recovery of unaccounted cash.
MPs of several parties also demanded that the government should have brought a motion by now to remove the judge concerned, especially after a Supreme Court-appointed committee of judges found the recovery of cash to be true.
After the cash recovery, Justice Varma was repatriated to his parent court — the Allahabad High Court. He has denied the charges against him.
The MPs also deliberated upon post-retirement assignments of judges and said they should not get such appointments till a period of five years after their retirement.
Some MPs also said that former judges should not be appointed as MPs or to any other assignments by the President of India immediately post-retirement.
The committee of the Rajya Sabha is headed by BJP MP Brij Lal and has former Chief Justice of India Ranjan Gogoi, who is a nominated MP, former minister of state for law P P Chaudhary, TMC MPs Sukhendu Sekhar Ray and Kalyan Banerjee, Congress's Vivek Tankha, and DMK's P Wilson and A Raja as its key members.
Former CJI Ranjan Gogoi did not attend Tuesday's meeting. PTI SKC SKC NSD NSD
This report is auto-generated from PTI news service. ThePrint holds no responsibility for its content.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Hindustan Times
37 minutes ago
- Hindustan Times
‘Love is not penal': SC on minor couples in genuine romantic relationships
'Love is not penal, and it cannot become one,' the Supreme Court asserted on Tuesday, underlining that young couples, even those just short of attaining majority, must be 'left alone' if they have entered into genuine romantic relationships. The Supreme Court bench noted that there is a distinction between exploitative criminal conduct and 'romantic bonds' between teenagers. (HT Photo) A bench of justices BV Nagarathna and R Mahadevan made the remarks while hearing a batch of petitions that sought guidelines to prevent misuse of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act in cases where minors engage in consensual relationships. During the proceedings, the court also dismissed petitions by the National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR) and the National Commission for Women (NCW) challenging Punjab and Haryana high court orders that recognised the validity of marriages of Muslim girls after attaining puberty. The bench said the commissions had 'no locus standi' in such matters, remarking: 'It is strange that NCPCR, which is for protecting children, has challenged an order protecting two children…Leave these couples alone.' ALSO READ | Rape FIR under POCSO can't be quashed based on compromise or marriage: Punjab and Haryana HC Personal laws in Islam allow a Muslim girl to enter into a contract of marriage after attaining puberty whereas a set of common civil and criminal laws in India proscribes the marriage of girls under 18 and further makes sexual intercourse with minors a penal offence. With the dismissal, a January 2023 order of the top court that the high court ruling should not be treated as precedent also came to an end. During the Tuesday hearing, the bench noted that while POCSO remains a vital tool to protect children against sexual abuse, there is a distinction between exploitative criminal conduct and 'romantic bonds' between teenagers. 'Can you say it is criminal to love?' Justice Nagarathna asked, cautioning that prosecuting adolescents for consensual relationships inflicted lasting trauma. Appearing for petitioner NGO Bachpan Bachao Andolan (BBA), senior advocate HS Phoolka pressed for safeguards to ensure that leniency in such cases is not abused, suggesting for instance that the age gap between minors in relationships be capped at three years. Phoolka also assailed a 2022 circular by the Tamil Nadu director general of Police directing the police officials to not show haste in effecting an arrest of the accused in consensual relationships, saying such mandates were prone to be misused and minors getting trafficked. But the bench was emphatic that investigators can look into the facts of each case. 'It has to be examined on a case-by-case basis. Why do you want to prosecute everyone? Every case is different, and police have to investigate, apply their mind, and segregate genuine cases from those that should be prosecuted,' the court said. ALSO READ | Adolescence, consent & the grey zone for Pocso The bench highlighted the misuse of POCSO provisions by parents who file cases when daughters elope, often citing 'honour' as the pretext. 'Many such cases are filed by the girls' parents to so-called protect their honour. There will be honour killings if we start treating all such cases as crimes,' it warned. 'Look at the trauma when a boy has to be lodged in jail or face prosecution despite having a consensual relationship with a girl who is on the verge of attaining majority…We have to keep the realities of society in mind,' said the court. The bench also reflected on the social realities of adolescent life: 'Girls and boys study together, spend time together. They can develop feelings for each other and have romantic relationships. Where there are genuine romantic relationships; where they want to get married or want to be together…why should they be stopped?' The same bench also refused to entertain different petitions filed by NCPCR and the National Commission for Women (NCW), which had challenged separate high court orders on the issue. In one case, the bodies had assailed a Punjab and Haryana high court judgment, which held that Muslim girls are legally old enough to marry once they reach puberty at the age of 15; in another, the high court had handed custody of a minor girl to her adult husband following a habeas corpus plea. The bench said that NCPCR or NCW had no locus (legal standing) to interfere in these personal matters. 'NCPCR has no locus standi to challenge such orders,' the bench held. It further remarked: 'It is strange that the NCPCR, which is for protecting the children, has challenged an order protecting two children. How can we set aside protection orders of a high court? Leave these couples alone.' With the NCPCR's petitions getting disposed of on Tuesday, a January 2023 order by a previous bench of the Supreme Court that the Punjab and Haryana high court judgment shall not be treated as a legal precedent also ends. The court's observations come against the backdrop of multiple pending pleas, including those filed by BBA and NCPCR, that grapple with whether the statutory age of consent at 18 under POCSO should be revisited. Senior advocate Rajshekhar Rao assisted the court as amicus curiae. In separate proceedings, the Union government last month adduced its submissions in the top court, opposing any move to lower the age of consent under POCSO or introduce exceptions for adolescent relationships. As reported first by HT on July 24, the government told the court that such dilution, 'even in the name of reform or adolescent autonomy,' would dismantle the statutory shield meant to safeguard minors and risk opening the door to child abuse. It added that the current threshold of 18 years must remain 'strictly and uniformly enforced' to maintain the integrity of child protection laws and uphold the best interests of minors. ALSO READ | Mutual acts of love between minor couple not sexual assault under POCSO, says HC HT's analysis of government data, presented as part of its written submissions, revealed a stark disparity between the number of juveniles and young adults charged under rape and child sexual abuse laws and the relatively small proportion who are eventually convicted, throwing focus on the ongoing debate over the age of consent and its unintended consequences. Between 2018 and 2022, only 468 juveniles aged 16-18 were convicted under Section 376 (rape) of the Indian Penal Code, despite more than 4,900 being booked across the country in the same period , a conviction rate of just 9.55%. For charges under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act, just 855 convictions were recorded out of 6,892 cases during the same period , a rate of only 12.4%. The corresponding numbers for young adults aged 18-22 tell a similar story. While 52,471 were arrested under these stringent laws during this period, only 6,093 were convicted under POCSO, a conviction rate of just 11.61%. Of 24,306 arrested between 2018 and 2022 for rape, only 2,585 young adults were convicted under Section 376 of the Indian Penal Code, amounting to just 10.63%.
Hindustan Times
37 minutes ago
- Hindustan Times
Bill to ban online money gaming likely to be tabled in Parliament today
The Union government is expected to introduce new legislation that will completely prohibit online money gaming, in what will close a legal vacuum that created inconsistent regulation across states and left millions of users — especially children and young adults -- vulnerable to predatory platforms and financial exploitation The Promotion and Regulation of Online Gaming Bill, 2025 is likely to be introduced in the ongoing session of parliament, people aware of the matter said.(PTI) The Promotion and Regulation of Online Gaming Bill, 2025 is likely to be introduced in the ongoing session of parliament, people aware of the matter said. The legislation proposes a ban on platforms or games where users pay money or stakes with expectations of monetary returns, according to a draft seen by HT. The proposed law explicitly excludes e-Sports from this definition. ALSO READ | Online gaming rules are not enforceable govt tells court 'The immersive and addictive nature of online games, particularly with monetary incentives, has led to significant mental health issues among users — especially children, adolescents and young adults,' MeitY stated in the proposed law. 'Clinical evidence and field studies have shown a rise in anxiety, depression, sleep disorders, and behavioural problems linked to prolonged gaming.' Online gaming covers a broad spectrum, from casual mobile games and educational apps to money-based fantasy sports and poker platforms. Several states have targeted the latter category, citing their constitutional authority to regulate gambling and betting. ALSO READ | 50-year-old uncle held for murdering minor nephew over online gaming However, this piecemeal approach has created legal confusion over what constitutes games of skill versus chance. The regulatory gaps have allowed operators to relocate between states or move offshore. At present, India has no federal regulation on online gaming. But a patchwork of laws exists, with the states of Tamil Nadu, Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh banning online money gaming outright, while Sikkim and Nagaland require registration for operators, and others like Telangana restricting certain forms of online gambling The central bill also links online money gaming to wider risks including fraud, money laundering, tax evasion and, in extreme cases, terror financing. The bill seeks to draw a sharp line between e-Sports and social gaming on one hand, and gambling-style online money games on the other, according to the proposal formulated by the ministry of electronics and information technology (Meity), seen by HT. ALSO READ | Allahabad HC asks UP govt to form panel over online gaming, betting regulation Anyone found offering or facilitating online money games could face up to three years imprisonment or fines reaching ₹1 crore, or both. Repeat offenders face harsher mandatory punishments. Advertising such platforms has also been criminalised, with penalties extending to two years imprisonment and fines up to ₹50 lakh or both. 'The proposed framework has effectively erased the long-standing and judicially recognised distinction between games of skill and games of chance. Even though the IT Rules amendments in 2023 had moved away from this binary, it still had the provision for recognizing some online money games as 'permissible'. What we now see in the bill is a complete prohibition: the definition of online money games is so wide that it captures all forms of games involving money. In such a regime, it no longer matters whether a game is skill-based or chance-based. The distinction is irrelevant,' said Rahil Chatterjee, senior associate at Ikigai Law. Financial institutions have been barred from processing payments linked to money gaming, a move aimed at choking off both domestic and offshore operators that bypass state laws. If a company is found guilty of violating the law, not just the company but also the people in charge of running that part of the business will be held responsible and face punishment, the proposed law states. The legal greys have also involved money laundering concerns. The Enforcement Directorate investigation recently held a sweeping crackdown into celebrities promoting online gaming platforms that facilitate illegal betting. The agency has been questioning film stars, cricketers, influencers, and representatives of big tech companies as part of a broader crackdown on money laundering associated with betting apps. The ministry, in its note, added that a growing number of individuals have fallen victim to financial losses due to online money gaming, 'sometimes resulting in extreme outcomes such as suicide, as widely reported in national and regional media.' 'In many cases, players are lured into a cycle of gaming with little awareness of the risks or legal protections,' the ministry said. 'Such content not only undermines Indian cultural values but also creates long-term behavioural conditioning among impressionable users.' To enforce these provisions, the bill provides for creating a new authority on online gaming or designating an existing authority, which will categorise and register games, issue compliance directions, and respond to user complaints. It will also have power to recommend blocking illegal services under Section 69A of the Information Technology Act. ALSO READ | ₹18-crore 'online gaming' scam busted, 8 arrested in Kharar 'The authority to be set up under the bill has a very limited role. It can only determine whether a particular game qualifies as an online money game, but it has no power to permit or regulate such games once classified. And because all money games stand prohibited, the concept of a permissible real money game no longer exists. Importantly, the authority is designed merely to assist the central government, not to function as an independent regulator,' added Chatterjee. The law, once enacted, will extend across the country and apply even to services offered from outside India. Officials have been given wide powers to investigate, search, seize and block platforms in violation of the provisions. Popular fantasy sports platforms like Dream11, real-money rummy sites and cash-prize quiz apps could face prohibition under the legislation, while professional tournaments for games like BGMI and FIFA Mobile would be deemed legal. Officials at Meity did not respond to a request for comment.
Indian Express
37 minutes ago
- Indian Express
Be loyal to Constitution, not bosses: SC pulls up Bihar IPS officer for filing affidavit backing murder accused
The Supreme Court Tuesday told a Bihar IPS officer who had filed an affidavit effectively giving a 'clean chit' to an accused in a murder case, contradicting the stand of the prosecution, to be 'loyal to the Constitution and not to bosses'. The top court was hearing an appeal against a Patna High Court order suspending the sentence for convicts in the murder case. The court made the remark while accepting an unconditional apology by the officer, Ashok Mishra, in person. During the hearing in SC on May 19, the Bihar government had referred to the affidavit by Mishra, posted as Superintendent of Police (G), Special Branch (Police Headquarters, Bihar, Patna) in the case which was probed by the state police and the accused was convicted. Subsequently, on August 1, a bench of Justices Ahsanuddin Amanullah and SVN Bhatti said it 'was really concerned with the affidavit filed by the SP, in which he had basically given a clean chit to the accused though it was the same police who had conducted the investigation and filed a chargesheet'. The bench asked him to explain his action and sought his explanation. On Tuesday, the SP appeared before the court in person and tendered unconditional apology which the court accepted.
