Latest news with #VivekAgarwal
Indian Express
5 days ago
- Politics
- Indian Express
Seized material reveals prima facie bid to ‘establish Mughal order': Madhya Pradesh HC refuses to intervene in denial of bail to lawyer
Refusing to intervene in a lower court's denial of bail to a lawyer booked under the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act, the Madhya Pradesh High Court has observed that material seized from him 'prima facie reveals that an attempt is being made' to disrupt communal harmony and establish a 'Mughal order as it existed' before British rule in India. The lawyer, who worked as a volunteer with a human rights organisation, was booked in 2023. A chargesheet was filed against him on March 19, 2023, and he was denied bail by a Special NIA judge in Bhopal on February 8, 2025. He was booked under several IPC sections, including those dealing with criminal conspiracy and promoting enmity between groups. He was also booked under UAPA sections that deal with running terror camps and terror recruiting, among others. A High Court division bench of Justice Vivek Agarwal and Justice Devnarayan Mishra, while refusing to intervene with the denial of bail to the lawyer, observed that material seized from the house/office of the appellant 'prima facie reveals that attempt is being made to cause disruption to the communal harmony amongst members of society to achieve the object of establishing a Mughal Order as it existed prior to the British taking over…' The counsel for the accused, Advocate Mohammad Tahir, told the court that his client was working as a volunteer with a human rights organisation and that he conducted legal awareness programmes. The lawyer contended that the appellant had not perpetrated anything that could fall within the definition of unlawful activities as defined under UAPA. However, the High Court said the case did not prima facie call for the court's intervention before the completion of the trial. 'When we examined the material, we are of the opinion that it is for the trial Court to decide it on the basis of the evidence as to what is the material available to prove or otherwise the charges which have been framed. But prima facie, when examined, then the act of the appellant cannot be said to be such that calls for this Court's intervention without completion of the trial,' the High Court observed.
Time of India
6 days ago
- Time of India
Form join team to trace Jhansi boy missing since Feb: HC to MP & UP cops
Bhopal: A division bench of the MP High Court has asked the DGPs of Madhya Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh to constitute a joint police team of the two states within a week to search for a minor boy who went missing from Mauranipur town in Jhansi district. Hearing a habeas corpus petition filed by the grandfather of the missing boy, the bench of Justice Vivek Agarwal and Justice Vivek Jain gave the direction, holding that coordinated efforts by the Madhya Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh police would be required to locate the 15-year-old missing boy. The petitioner, Mukesh Sripal, in his petition, said that he is an auto driver and lives in Mohania locality under Ranjhi police station at Jabalpur. The daughter of Shivkumar Gupta, his neighbour, is married in Mauranipur town in Jhansi district. After Diwali, Gupta asked him to send his grandson to Mauranipur to get acquainted with running a shop from his son-in-law. Until Feb, they were in touch with the boy over mobile, but his mobile went off on Feb 15, 2025. His family members went to Mauranipur to meet the child, and a missing person report was lodged with the police, but the police failed to trace him till now. Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Switch to UnionBank Rewards Card UnionBank Credit Card Apply Now Undo After the initial hearing, the division bench said that in view of the special circumstances of the case, the DGPs of the two states are advised to constitute a joint police team to locate the child. The joint police team should be constituted within seven days. Advocate Abhishek Rishi appeared in the case for the petitioner.
Time of India
22-05-2025
- Time of India
HC reduces sentence of rape convict
Bhopal: A division bench of the MP high court has reduced the sentence of a rape convict from 20 years of rigorous imprisonment to 5 years, holding that he sexually assaulted the minor girl but it was not rape. Hearing a criminal revision petition of a person from Annuppur, who was sentenced to 20 years of rigorous imprisonment by a sessions court, the bench of justices Vivek Agarwal and DN Mishra said the accused sexually assaulted the 9-year-old girl, but it was not "penetrative sex". Therefore, awarding him a maximum term under sections of the IPC, The SC and ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, and POCSO Act he was charged with was not appropriate. The appellant said he was being framed in a false case and lodged a complaint with the SHO of the police station before the incident, stating that he could be implicated under the SC and ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act. It was argued on behalf of the convict that the girl, in her deposition before the trial court, said he went to her house, had a chat with her grandmother, and then left. During cross-examination, in reply to a query, she said he put her on his lap and touched her private parts. 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 govt counsel, however, said the victim was nine years old and has been sexually assaulted, and there should be no kindness shown to the convict. The judges, in their order, said the girl told the trial court that the accused put her on his lap and touched her private parts. She did not contradict her statement since. The medical report says that there were no injury marks on the private parts of the girl. The act of the accused was not "penetrative sex", and therefore the charges against the accused are modified. In place of section 376 (a) (b) of the IPC, 3 (1) (w) (p) and 3 (2) (V) of the Prevention of Atrocities against SC/ST Act, and 5 (m)/6 of the POCSO Act, the convict is held guilty for the crime defined under section 7 of the POCSO Act, and sentenced to 5 years of RI besides a penalty of Rs 10,000.
Time of India
17-05-2025
- Health
- Time of India
Docs warn of rise in health risks in kids due to too much screen time
Lucknow: Doctors from King George's Medical University (KGMU) on Saturday warned that children spending long hours on phones, tablets and TVs are facing a rise in health problems ranging from obesity, myopia and sleep disturbances to depression, suicidal thoughts and aggressive behaviour. Addressing an awareness programme for over 100 teachers and counsellors, head of the psychiatry department, Prof Vivek Agarwal said that the developing brains of pre-schoolers are particularly vulnerable. Excessive screen exposure, he explained, can blunt attention span, delay language development, and weaken emotional control and social skills. Adding to the discussion, Prof Amit Arya from the same department highlighted that unregulated digital use is contributing to a rise in ADHD-like symptoms, autism-spectrum traits, substance abuse and growing cases of cyberbullying, internet addiction and gaming or gambling-related disorders. Offering practical solutions, Prof Pawan Kumar Gupta urged schools and parents to promote " digital hygiene " by implementing written screen-use agreements between students and guardians, setting fixed daily limits, creating device-free zones at home, encouraging outdoor play and introducing structured lessons on online safety and responsible digital citizenship. He also raised concerns about the growing misuse of sexually explicit emojis and coded messages among teenagers, stressing the need for stronger policy safeguards. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Giao dịch Bitcoin và Ethereum - Không cần ví! IC Markets BẮT ĐẦU NGAY Undo The experts referred to the Indian Academy of Paediatrics guidelines, which recommend zero screen time for children under two and a supervised one-hour limit for those aged 2-5. However, post-pandemic trends reveal that many children now spend more than four hours a day on screens, often unsupervised.
