Latest news with #GauriGodse
Hindustan Times
3 days ago
- Hindustan Times
HC temporarily restrains demolition 220 families' residences in Malegaon fort
MUMBAI: In a reprieve for 220 families residing in the Bhuikot Killa, the Malegaon fort, the Bombay high court on Friday restrained the revenue department from acting on demolition notices issued. The vacation bench of justice Gauri Godse and justice Somasekhar Sundaresan was hearing a petition filed by resident Mohammad Rajjab Khan, and other residents of the fort. According to the petition, the tourism and cultural affairs department of the state government issued a Government Resolution (GR) on January 20, instructing district collectors to remove all encroachments from the 47 forts protected by the Central Government and 62 forts protected by the archaeology department as per the Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Sites and Remains Rules, 1969. Following the GR, the Malegaon tehsildar issued eviction and demolition notices to the residents of the fort in March and April 2025, prompting them to approach the high court. Residents contended that they have been residing in the structures for 40 years and have necessary documents like electricity bills, house tax, water tax bills, ration cards etc. They added that an educational institute is running a school and a junior college at the fort's centre, and a separate girls' school is also located within the fort premises. These schools are using the open space in the fort as their playground. Demolition notices were issued to individual residents only, not these establishments, said the petitioners. Advocate Manisha Desai said a regular bench on May 8 granted protection to some residents after noting that schools and a gymkhana were functioning out of the fort area. The petitioner also claimed that the authorities turned a blind eye to several unauthorised structures within the fort and are selectively targeting the residents of the surrounding localities, falling outside the fort precinct. Desai also pointed out that the tehsildar passed fresh orders on May 26 for eviction and demolition of the residential structures. However, these were not served to the petitioners. Against this backdrop, the vacation bench restrained the revenue authorities from taking any coercive steps against the petitioners' structures. It also directed the additional government pleader Kavita N Solunke to take instruction as to whether the Tehsildar had passed any fresh orders for eviction and demolition and to file affidavits in reply to the petitions by June 10, when the petitions would come up for further hearing.
Hindustan Times
5 days ago
- Politics
- Hindustan Times
Pune student held for Operation Sindoor post and later granted bail appears for exam
A 19-year-old engineering student from the city, who was arrested earlier this month over a social media post about the government's 'Operation Sindoor', appeared for her semester exam on Thursday under security cover, her lawyer informed the Bombay High Court. Advocate Farhana Shah, representing the student, told a vacation bench of Justices Gauri Godse and Somasekhar Sundaresan that her client was released from Yerawada Central Jail on Tuesday night, in line with the court's directions. 'She received her admit card on Wednesday and was able to appear for the exam on Thursday,' Shah said. The court noted that no additional directions were needed and posted the matter before a regular bench on June 9. The High Court had earlier pulled up the Maharashtra government over the student's arrest, describing the police action as 'absolutely shocking' and an overreaction aimed at 'ruining her life.' The court also stayed the rustication order issued by Sinhgad Academy of Engineering, where she is a second-year student, allowing her to take her remaining exams. The student had already missed two written papers and two practicals while in custody. The bench noted that she can approach her college and Savitribai Phule Pune University to seek permission to reappear for those missed exam papers. On Thursday morning, she arrived at the exam centre with a family member. 'College authorities arranged a separate room for her, and she completed the exam by 12.30 pm,' her uncle said. Sinhgad Academy principal Kishor Patil confirmed that the student appeared for her paper in a different classroom. 'A dedicated supervisor has been appointed and two security guards—one male and one female—will remain with her on campus to ensure her safety,' he said. The student, originally from Jammu and Kashmir, had shared a post on May 7 from an Instagram account named 'Reformistan' that criticised the Union government's military action in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir. She took down the post shortly afterwards and issued an apology, but a complaint was still filed against her at Kondhwa police station on May 9. She was arrested and sent to judicial custody before moving to the Bombay High Court to challenge both her rustication and the FIR. (With agency inputs)
NDTV
5 days ago
- Politics
- NDTV
Pune Student, Arrested Over Op Sindoor Post, Appears For Exam After Bail
Mumbai: The Pune teen student, arrested for her social media post criticizing the Indian government over Operation Sindoor and later released on bail, has appeared for her semester examination under requisite security, her lawyer told the Bombay High Court on Thursday. The high court had on Tuesday slammed the Maharashtra government for its "absolutely shocking" and "radical" reaction to the engineering student's post and for arresting her. The court ordered immediate release of the 19-year-old, originally from Jammu and Kashmir, from Pune's Yerwada Central Jail, noting the police were "bent upon ruining her life" and turning her into a "hardcore criminal". The court had also suspended the rustication order issued by the student's college Sinhgad Academy of Engineering, and permitted her to appear for ongoing second year semester examinations. Her advocate Farhana Shah informed a vacation bench of Justices Gauri Godse and Somasekhar Sundaresan that pursuant to the court order, the student was released from jail on Tuesday night. "The college issued her the admit card on Wednesday and she has appeared for the exam scheduled on Thursday," Shah said. The student had missed two papers and as many practical exams while she was in custody, she said. The court said the teenager can make necessary application to the college and the Savitribai Phule Pune University, to which the academy is affiliated, seeking special permission to reappear for the missed exams. "No further directions are required now. The matter shall be placed before the regular bench on June 9," the bench said. The college said as per HC's directives, special arrangements have been made for the student to appear for exams. "The girl will be giving her exams in a separate classroom. A separate supervisor will be assigned for her exams and two security guards, one male and one female, will accompany her on the campus for her safety," the college's principal, Kishor Patil, said. The high court, while granting bail to the student on Tuesday, had asked the college management to make special arrangements for her keeping in mind security concerns. The controversy began on May 7 when the student, pursuing a Bachelor of Engineering (Information Technology) degree, shared a post on Instagram from an account named 'Reformistan' that criticised the Indian government amid Operation Sindoor which targeted terror sites in PoK and Pakistan. However, realising her mistake, she deleted the post and also apologised for reposting it. Despite the teenager deleting the post swiftly, the Kondhwa police in Pune registered an FIR on May 9 and arrested her. She was later sent to judicial custody and lodged at Yerwada prison. The college also rusticated her immediately. Challenging her rustication and seeking quashing of the FIR, the student approached the Bombay High Court.
Hindustan Times
6 days ago
- Politics
- Hindustan Times
Pune student held for Op Sindoor post, appears for exam under security, says HC
The Pune teen student, arrested for her social media post criticizing the Indian government over Operation Sindoor and later released on bail, has appeared for her semester examination under requisite security, her lawyer told the Bombay High Court on Thursday. The high court had on Tuesday slammed the Maharashtra government for its "absolutely shocking" and "radical" reaction to the engineering student's post and for arresting her. Also Read: Pro-Pak post: College makes special arrangements for student to appear for remaining papers after HC raps govt for arrest The court ordered immediate release of the 19-year-old, originally from Jammu and Kashmir, from Pune's Yerwada Central Jail, noting the police were "bent upon ruining her life" and turning her into a "hardcore criminal". The court had also suspended the rustication order issued by the student's college Sinhgad Academy of Engineering, and permitted her to appear for ongoing second year semester examinations. Also Read: Pune teen arrested for posting 'Pakistan Zindabad' on social media moves HC for bail Her advocate Farhana Shah informed a vacation bench of Justices Gauri Godse and Somasekhar Sundaresan that pursuant to the court order, the student was released from jail on Tuesday night. "The college issued her the admit card on Wednesday and she has appeared for the exam scheduled on Thursday," Shah said. The student had missed two papers and as many practical exams while she was in custody, she said. Also Read: HC raps college for rusticating student over post on 'Op Sindoor' The court said the teenager can make necessary application to the college and the Savitribai Phule Pune University, to which the academy is affiliated, seeking special permission to reappear for the missed exams. "No further directions are required now. The matter shall be placed before the regular bench on June 9," the bench said. The college said as per HC's directives, special arrangements have been made for the student to appear for exams. "The girl will be giving her exams in a separate classroom. A separate supervisor will be assigned for her exams and two security guards, one male and one female, will accompany her on the campus for her safety," the college's principal, Kishor Patil, said. The high court, while granting bail to the student on Tuesday, had asked the college management to make special arrangements for her keeping in mind security concerns. The controversy began on May 7 when the student, pursuing a Bachelor of Engineering (Information Technology) degree, shared a post on Instagram from an account named 'Reformistan' that criticised the Indian government amid Operation Sindoor which targeted terror sites in PoK and Pakistan. However, realising her mistake, she deleted the post and also apologised for reposting it. Despite the teenager deleting the post swiftly, the Kondhwa police in Pune registered an FIR on May 9 and arrested her. She was later sent to judicial custody and lodged at Yerwada prison. The college also rusticated her immediately. Challenging her rustication and seeking quashing of the FIR, the student approached the Bombay High Court.
Hindustan Times
6 days ago
- Politics
- Hindustan Times
Pro-Pak post: College makes special arrangements for student to appear for remaining papers after HC raps govt for arrest
City-based Sinhgad Academy of Engineering has made special arrangements for the second-year IT student to appear for her semester examination, following the Bombay High Court's strong observations against her arrest and rustication over a social media post on Indo-Pak hostilities. The HC, on Tuesday, granted bail to the 19-year-old student and ordered her immediate release while rebuking the Maharashtra government for its 'radical' reaction to her post. She was granted bail by a vacation bench of Justices Gauri Godse and Somasekhar Sundaresan, who called the Maharashtra government's action against her 'absolutely shocking' and said she had been treated like a hardened criminal. The college has now complied with the high court's order to allow the student to appear for her remaining exams on May 29, May 31 and June 3. KM Gaikwad, vice-principal, said, 'She will be given a separate seating area with a designated supervisor. One male and one female guard will be present for her safety on campus. However, her transit security from home to college is not our responsibility.' The student, who was arrested on May 9, had missed two papers scheduled for May 24 and 27. The college said it awaits instructions from Savitribai Phule Pune University (SPPU), to which it is affiliated, regarding whether she can reappear for the missed exam papers. The student was arrested by Kondhwa police under various sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) — including Sections 152, 196, 197, 352, 299, and 353 after a group of individuals affiliated with a Hindu right-wing group approached the police. The petitioner claimed she had reposted the social media post without ill intent and immediately apologised. On May 7, the girl reposted a post on Instagram from an account called 'Reformistan', which criticised the Indian government for provoking a war against Pakistan. Within two hours she deleted the post after receiving a barrage of threats. On May 9 the college issued a rustication letter against her. Gaikwad said after the incident, the college formed a disciplinary action committee and rusticated the student in consultation with the head office. 'I contacted her father, but she left, and her family didn't respond,' Gaikwad said. He clarified that the college did not file any police complaint. 'We are unaware who approached the police. Our action was limited to internal disciplinary measures,' he said. Her uncle said the family was relieved by the court's decision and that the student was focused on her exam preparation. 'Her father and I will accompany her to college and wait outside until the exam ends. Police have assured us of security arrangements,' he said.
