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IndiGo Sues Mahindra Electric Over Use of ‘6e’ in New Car Name: Report

December 4, 2024, 1:57 pm

IndiGo has filed a lawsuit against Mahindra Electric Automobile Limited for using the term “6e” in the name of its new electric vehicle, the BE 6e, claiming that it infringes on the airline’s branding. According to a report by Bar and Bench, IndiGo argues that “6E” is not only the airline’s official callsign but also a vital part of its branding strategy, encompassing services like 6E Prime, 6E Flex, and various add-ons.

The airline’s range of offerings, such as 6E Prime (providing benefits like seat selection, priority check-in, and complimentary snacks) and 6E Flex (offering unlimited rescheduling and cancellation), is built around this brand identity. The “6E” term also applies to additional services, including customizable options like extra baggage, pre-booked meals, and lounge access.

IndiGo filed the copyright infringement suit on December 4, 2024, with the matter scheduled for a hearing on December 9. Justice Amit Bansal has recused himself from hearing the case.

Meanwhile, Mahindra has reached out to IndiGo and is attempting to resolve the issue through discussions, according to Senior Advocate Sandeep Sethi, representing IndiGo.

IndiGo registered the trademark “6E Link” in 2015 across various categories, including transport services, while Mahindra registered “BE 6e” in November 2024 for vehicle types. The BE 6e, a compact electric SUV, is expected to launch in February 2025, priced around ₹18.90 lakh (ex-showroom). It is set to compete with models like the Tata Curvv EV, MG ZS EV, and the upcoming Hyundai Creta EV.

Ukraine Holds On To Kursk Land, Waiting For Trump’s Presidency, Says Report

December 3, 2024, 6:24 pm

Nearly four months after Ukrainian forces launched a bold offensive into Russia’s Kursk region, soldiers stationed there are painting a grim picture of their reality. Messages sent via Telegram reveal a narrative of confusion, exhaustion, and fear as they contend with a battle they struggle to comprehend—and one they may be losing.

BBC reported that they have been in contact with several soldiers serving in Kursk, including one who has recently left the region. For safety reasons, the identities of the soldiers are being withheld.

The soldiers describe brutal weather conditions, a chronic lack of sleep due to Russia’s relentless bombardment—some involving massive 3,000kg glide bombs—and their retreat as Russian forces slowly reclaim territory.

Telegram messages accessed by BBC reveal a soldier, Pavlo (name changed), stating that the trend will continue, adding, “It’s only a matter of time.”

Pavlo describes intense fatigue, a lack of rotation, and the arrival of units mostly consisting of middle-aged men pulled from other fronts with little to no time to rest. While such conditions are common in war, they have led to increasing frustration.

Under relentless pressure from Russian forces and with winter setting in, optimism is scarce. The messages, according to BBC, are nearly uniformly bleak, suggesting that motivation is a significant issue.

Some soldiers are questioning whether the initial goal of the operation—to divert Russian forces from Ukraine’s eastern front—has been achieved. Their current orders, they say, are to hold onto this small section of Russian territory until the end of January, when a new US president takes office and may shift policies. “The main task facing us is to hold the maximum territory until Trump’s inauguration and the start of negotiations,” Pavlo said. “In order to exchange it for something later. No one knows what.”

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By the end of November, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy had also acknowledged that both sides were aware of the shift in US leadership. “I am sure that he [Vladimir Putin] wants to push us out by January 20,” he said. “It is very important for him to demonstrate that he controls the situation. But he does not control the situation.”

To support Ukraine’s efforts in Kursk, the US, UK, and France have allowed Kyiv to use long-range weapons to target Russian assets within Russian territory. However, these strikes seem distant to the soldiers on the front lines. “No one sits in a cold trench and prays for missiles,” Pavlo said. “We live and fight here and now. And missiles fly somewhere else.”

While long-range missiles like Atacms and Storm Shadow may have inflicted damage on Russian command posts and ammunition depots, such successes seem far removed from the soldiers’ reality.

For Ukraine, the slow advance of Russian forces in eastern Ukraine emphasizes the importance of holding ground in Kursk. In October alone, Russia occupied about 500 sq km of Ukrainian land—its largest territorial gain since the early days of the invasion in 2022. By contrast, Ukraine has already lost around 40 percent of the land it captured in Kursk in August. Some soldiers, however, feel they are in the wrong place. They believe the eastern front is more critical and question the purpose of occupying Russian territory.

In late November, reports suggested that as many as 10,000 North Korean troops had been deployed to join Russia’s counteroffensive in Kursk. However, the soldiers BBC spoke with have yet to encounter any of them.

The Ukrainian military has released recordings they claim are intercepts of North Korean radio communications. Soldiers have been instructed to capture at least one North Korean prisoner, preferably one with documents, and rewards—drones or extra leave—are being offered to those who succeed. Veterans of previous, failed operations see unsettling parallels to what is unfolding in Kursk. Between October 2023 and July 2024, Ukrainian forces attempted to hold a small bridgehead at Krynky, on the left bank of the Dnipro River, about 25 miles upstream from Kherson. The operation, initially seen as a potential springboard for further advances, was ultimately lost—and at great cost. As many as 1,000 Ukrainian soldiers are thought to have been killed or gone missing.

But soldiers worry that a similar fate may be unfolding in Kursk.

Military analysts, however, argue that the Kursk operation continues to serve an important role.

“It’s the only area where we maintain the initiative,” Serhiy Kuzan from the Ukrainian Security and Cooperation Centre said. He acknowledged the incredibly difficult conditions Ukrainian forces are facing in Kursk but pointed out that Russia has been forced to allocate substantial resources to pushing them out—resources that could otherwise be used elsewhere.

“The longer we can hold this Kursk front—with adequate equipment, artillery, Himars, and long-range weapons to strike their rear—the better,” Kuzan said.

In Kyiv, senior commanders continue to support the Kursk operation, insisting it still delivers military and political benefits.

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Cement Prices Hit 5-Year Low, No Substantial Price Hike Expected: Report

December 3, 2024, 3:24 pm

Cement prices have dropped to a five-year low due to heightened competition within the sector, as highlighted in a report by Yes Securities.

The report pointed out that despite attempts to increase prices in recent quarters, subdued demand forced these hikes to be rolled back, reflecting the weak market environment.

“The backdrop of intense competition has led to weak pricing, and cement prices have currently dropped to a five-year low….. In the near term, we don’t expect any significant price hike; we rather foresee stable pricing till the advent of normalization,” the report stated.

The intense competition among manufacturers has created pricing pressures, making it difficult for the industry to sustain price increases. This trend is likely to continue in the near term, with no significant price hikes anticipated until demand strengthens.

However, the report also shed light on several long-term trends expected to shape the sector in the coming years. Demand recovery is anticipated to begin around mid-FY26, driven by increased infrastructure development, a revival in rural and urban housing demand, and a surge in real estate activity. These factors are expected to gradually stabilize the demand-supply imbalance.

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The report predicts sluggish demand in FY25, with the industry potentially seeing flat or negative year-on-year volume growth. Despite this, capacity utilization is expected to improve gradually, narrowing the gap between demand and supply.

The sector is projected to add around 90 million tonnes of cement capacity organically between FY25 and FY30. Installed capacity is expected to reach 703 million tonnes by FY27 and 723 million tonnes by FY28.

“We can expect a demand revival from the mid of FY26E backed by factors like pick up in infrastructure projects, revival in rural & urban housing demand, and a real-estate project spree backed by a gradual normalization of the ‘Demand & Supply’ dynamic,” the report added.

Beyond this period, the pace of capacity expansion is likely to slow, helping the market avoid oversupply challenges.

The report also highlighted the role of cost deflation initiatives and industry consolidation in fostering better price discipline over time.

For now, the sector is expected to maintain stable pricing as it works towards normalizing demand-supply dynamics. While the current challenges persist, the long-term outlook is optimistic, with improvements in market conditions and pricing trends projected to begin from FY26.

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Google Instructed Staff To Delete Records For Years To Avoid Antitrust Scrutiny: Report

November 21, 2024, 12:07 am

Google has employed various strategies over the past 15 years to avoid legal scrutiny in anti-trust cases, according to a report by The New York Times. The tech giant, currently facing multiple anti-trust lawsuits in the United States, allegedly instructed employees to delete evidence from text messages, refrain from using specific language in internal communications that could be used against the company in court, and frequently involve lawyers to shield correspondence under attorney-client privilege. These practices reportedly date back to 2008, when Google was under investigation for an advertising deal with its then-competitor Yahoo.

An executive memo warned employees that regulators might exploit casually or carelessly written words, urging them to “think twice” before writing about “hot topics.” US regulations require companies under potential legal scrutiny to preserve relevant documents, but Google’s internal communication systems were reportedly configured to default to deletion, leaving employees to decide individually whether to retain their chat history in cases of legal relevance.

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A 2011 internal memo advised employees to avoid using “metaphors involving wars or sports, winning or losing,” and to steer clear of terms like “markets,” “market share,” or “dominance.” Instead of such language, phrases like “putting products in the hands of new customers” were flagged as potentially problematic, as regulators might interpret them as evidence of denying consumer choice, according to the report.

The NYT highlighted several anti-trust testimonies revealing Google’s efforts to suppress internal communications. Employees were reportedly encouraged to label documents as “attorney-client privileged” and include company lawyers in conversations, even when the topics did not involve legal matters.

In the Google vs. Epic Games case, a California district court judge criticized the company for an “ingrained systemic culture of suppression of relevant evidence,” describing it as “a frontal assault on the fair administration of justice.” Similarly, in a case concerning Google’s advertising technology, a Virginia district court judge stated that the company’s document retention policies meant that “an awful lot of evidence has likely been destroyed.”

In another lawsuit brought by the US Justice Department over Google’s search engine dominance, a district court in Columbia reviewed documents marked as privileged by Google and concluded that many did not merit such protection after all.

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Statement from Google

In response to the allegations, Google stated that it takes its obligations to preserve and produce relevant documents seriously. “We have for years responded to inquiries and litigation, and we educate our employees about legal privilege,” the company said.

Agnieszka McPeak, a law professor at Gonzaga University, told The New York Times that Google’s internal practices gave the appearance of dishonesty. “Google had a top-down corporate policy of ‘Don’t save anything that could possibly make us look bad.’ And that makes Google look bad. If they’ve got nothing to hide, people think, why are they acting like they do?” McPeak added.

During the Epic Games trial, a company lawyer testified that the average Google employee writes 13 times more emails than employees at other companies. Changes to the company’s policies were implemented, they argued, to prevent the situation from becoming “worse.”

In the same case, Google was accused of abusing attorney-client privilege to withhold documents from legal scrutiny. The company denied fostering a “culture of concealment,” asserting that its employees were “unsure” of the meaning of certain terms. Google maintained that it had done its best to provide the necessary documents to the government and argued that the Justice Department failed to prove the deleted conversations were crucial to its case. However, the department countered that it couldn’t prove it because the materials had been “deleted.”

Amid intensifying legal scrutiny, Google reportedly adjusted its practices again, this time opting to preserve everything, including chats. Employees under litigation are no longer allowed to turn off their chat history.

Ironically, in response to the company’s updated policies, Google employees reportedly formed a group on WhatsApp, Meta’s end-to-end encrypted messaging app, to discuss the developments.

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US Intelligence Leak Report Exposes Israel Air Force Plans To Attack Iran

October 20, 2024, 7:35 am

In a concerning development, two highly classified U.S. intelligence documents have surfaced online, allegedly revealing Israel’s military preparations for a potential strike on Iran. The documents, which originated from the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency (NGA), provide detailed insights into Israeli military exercises and strategic readiness, according to a report by The New York Times.

The documents, dated October 15 and 16, were reportedly shared on Telegram by accounts linked to pro-Iran sentiments. They offer analyses of satellite imagery showing Israel’s military activities, suggesting that these exercises are rehearsals for a retaliatory strike on Iran. This follows escalating tensions between the two nations, which intensified after an Iranian missile barrage on October 1—retaliation for an earlier Israeli attack.

Israeli Military Exercises and Strategic Movements

One of the leaked documents, titled “Israel: Air Force Continues Preparations for Strike on Iran,” highlights Israeli exercises that include air-to-air refueling, search-and-rescue operations, and the relocation of missile systems. The movements suggest that Israel is bracing for potential Iranian counterstrikes. Another document reveals Israeli efforts to move munitions and military assets to strategic locations. Though the documents do not provide direct satellite images, the intelligence gathered suggests that Israel is gearing up for a significant military operation.

US Government Response and Ongoing Investigation

The leak has caused significant concern within the U.S. government. While some officials have downplayed the impact, arguing that the documents do not expose any new American capabilities, others are alarmed by the exposure of Israel’s sensitive military strategies, especially amidst heightened tensions in the Middle East. President Joe Biden, when asked about his awareness of Israel’s planned strike, responded with a brief “Yes and yes” but did not offer further details.

A joint investigation by the Pentagon, U.S. intelligence agencies, and the FBI is underway to determine the source of the leak and assess the potential for further document exposures. Early indications suggest that the leak may have originated from a lower-level U.S. government employee.

Apple iPhone 16 to Debut on September 10: Report

August 26, 2024, 9:21 pm

Apple is set to unveil its much-anticipated iPhone 16 series on September 10, according to a recent report from GSM Arena. The release of the new devices is expected to follow just ten days later, on September 20, continuing Apple’s tradition of September iPhone launches.

The announcement event will reportedly take place at Apple Park in Cupertino, California, a location synonymous with the tech giant’s major product unveilings. Invitations for the event are expected to be sent out next week, heightening anticipation for the new iPhone lineup.

Production of the iPhone 16 series is said to be progressing smoothly, ensuring that all four models will be available simultaneously on the release date. This approach aligns with Apple’s usual strategy of launching multiple iPhone models at once, providing consumers with a comprehensive range of options.

As the launch date approaches, additional details about the iPhone 16 series have emerged, particularly regarding its camera specifications. The standard iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Plus models will reportedly retain the dual-camera setup seen in previous versions, but with a new vertical alignment on the rear panel. Both models will feature a 48 MP primary sensor, as found in the iPhone 15 series, with an upgraded ultrawide lens boasting a faster f/2.2 aperture, enhancing low-light performance and introducing macro photography capabilities for the first time in non-Pro versions.

The iPhone 16 Pro and Pro Max models are expected to include more significant changes, such as the addition of a 5x telephoto camera, a feature previously exclusive to the larger Pro Max model. The telephoto lens will feature a 12 MP sensor with an f/2.8 aperture. The ultrawide lens on these Pro models will receive a major upgrade, featuring a 48 MP sensor with improved pixel technology that supports 48 MP ProRaw photos and enhanced low-light performance.

In terms of video capabilities, the Pro models are expected to support 3K video recording at 120fps with Dolby Vision, further enhancing their appeal to content creators. Apple is also rumored to introduce a new photo format, JPEG-XL, with the iPhone 16 series.

A new feature across all four iPhone 16 models will be the addition of a capacitive Capture Button, inspired by Sony’s innovation. This button will offer a range of functionalities, including acting as a trackpad for zooming and other customizable actions through third-party apps.

As the official announcement draws nearer, these reports provide a comprehensive preview of the iPhone 16 series, highlighting significant advancements in camera technology, video capabilities, and user interface features.

10 Million Pakistanis Emigrate Over 17 Years, Report Reveals

August 25, 2024, 5:55 pm

According to a recent report by Pulse Consultant, approximately 10 million Pakistanis have left the country over the past 17 years in search of better opportunities abroad. The report, titled “An Overview of Pakistani Emigration Patterns,” highlights a significant migration trend, with the highest number of emigrants recorded during the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz’s (PML-N) government from 2013 to 2018.

The peak of this migration wave occurred in 2015, when over 900,000 individuals left Pakistan seeking employment. However, by 2018, the number of emigrants dropped dramatically by 60%, with only about 300,000 people moving abroad for work. The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic further influenced migration patterns. As pandemic restrictions eased in 2022, the number of emigrants surged to approximately 800,000 in both 2022 and 2023.

A notable shift in the profile of those emigrating has been observed. The proportion of highly skilled individuals leaving Pakistan has increased from 2% to 5% since 2022. Despite this, the majority of recent emigrants have been blue-collar workers, with 46% being unskilled laborers, up from 41% during the tenure of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) government.

Migration destinations have also shifted significantly. Traditionally, Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Oman, and Qatar were the leading destinations for Pakistani workers. However, post-COVID trends indicate a decline in Pakistani workers in the UAE and a notable increase in those moving to Saudi Arabia. Additionally, the UK, Iraq, and Romania have emerged as increasingly popular destinations for Pakistani emigrants in the post-pandemic era.

This mass exodus raises concerns about the brain drain and its potential impact on Pakistan’s economy and workforce. The report underscores the ongoing challenge for Pakistan in addressing the factors driving such high levels of emigration and the broader implications for the country’s development and labor market.

Kanchanjunga Express Mishap Was ‘Waiting To Happen’: Probe Report

July 16, 2024, 10:27 pm

New Delhi: The probe by the Commissioner of Railway Safety has stated that the Kanchanjunga Express accident involving a goods train was “waiting to happen” due to multiple lapses in managing train operations in automatic signal zones.

Furthermore, the CRS highlighted “inadequate counselling” provided to loco pilots and station masters as contributing factors to the accident.

In its investigation report on the June 17 accident in West Bengal’s Darjeeling district, which resulted in 10 fatalities, including the loco pilot of the goods train, the Commissioner of Railway Safety (CRS) also recommended prioritizing the implementation of the Automatic Train Protection system (KAVACH).

As per official sources, due to lightning, some circuits and fuses in the relay hut between Rangapani and Chatterhat were shorted, causing the signals to turn red.
Once this was discovered, the station staff, as per the rules, issued directions to the loco pilot and guards as is done in such cases.

As per protocol, if any such situation arises, loco pilots are expected to follow a set of protocols which requires them to Stop at red, wait 1 minute if it day time, wait 2 minutes if it is night and the proceed at a speed of 15 kmph

Sources said that this protocol is uniform across the country, and the same was followed in this case as well.

However, the loco pilot of the goods train did not correctly interpret the protocols, whereas the loco pilot of the Kanchanjunga train correctly interpreted it and stopped at the red signal.

Due to this the accident took place. Following this accident and subsequent probe, the railways have decided to bring suitable changes the authority form to prevent any possibility of misinterpretation, further strengthen the training of loco pilots and their assistants, standardize the authority forms of different zones so that loco pilots across the country see the same form and develop an action plan to increase the reliability of signalling equipment.

Sources said as a learning from this unfortunate accident, a lot of resources is now being put to strengthen the signalling system to ensure no such accidents take place again.

Pakistan reeling from its worst economic: Report

May 31, 2023, 6:53 pm

Pakistan is grappling with severe economic and political turmoil that has had a profound impact on the population, despite the persistent efforts of the coalition government to address the situation, as reported by the media.

According to the media report, the Ministry of Finance in Pakistan has cautioned about the challenges stemming from uncertain economic conditions, both domestically and externally. These challenges include elevated inflation rates and the need to repay external debts amidst reduced foreign exchange inflows.

In its monthly outlook bulletin, the ministry predicted that the inflation rate for May would range between 34-36 per cent. The media report quoted the ministry stating, “Pakistan’s economy registered a provisional GDP growth of 0.29 per cent in the fiscal year 2022-23, facing numerous hurdles due to the uncertain external and domestic economic environment.”

The ministry further acknowledged that despite monetary tightening efforts, the persistently high trajectory of the Consumer Price Index (CPI) inflation was primarily driven by rupee depreciation. Additionally, the country faced the burden of external payments due to reduced foreign exchange inflows.

The report anticipated that inflationary pressures observed in April would persist in May. The potential factors contributing to rising prices included flood damages, disruptions in supply chains, macroeconomic imbalances resulting in currency devaluation, and political uncertainties.

However, it was noted that improvements in the global supply chain would eventually alleviate domestic prices in the upcoming months. Global commodity prices witnessed a decline of 14 per cent in the first quarter of 2023, reaching roughly 30 percent below their peak in June 2022 by the end of March.

Budget session: Uttarakhand govt tables CAG report in state assembly

March 16, 2023, 3:19 pm

The Uttarakhand government presented the Comptroller and Auditor General’s report in the state assembly during the ongoing budget session on Wednesday.

The CAG report consists of 210 pages, in which it has mentioned the loss of crore of revenue.

In the CAG report, several loopholes have been prominently mentioned, such as forest fires, old age pensions, no recovery of revenue from helicopter companies, failure to pay TDS, non-imposition of fines in mining corporations, and many more.

The report further added that the District Mining Officers of Bageshwar and Chamoli were not able to impose fines on illegal mining stockpiles. The untidy work of the officials resulted in a revenue loss of Rs 1.24 crore.

The mining department suffered a huge loss of revenue of around 2.72 crore due to the non-imposition of penalties on the illegal storage of an abundance of minor minerals.

The CAG report unveiled the failure of the Uttarakhand Civil Aviation Development Authority to recover Rs 2.69 crore as operating charges from the helicopter companies.

The report further added that the cultural department failed to manage the financial system. The department made an unproductive expenditure of Rs 57.61 lakh and created liabilities of Rs 31.52 lakh.

The Finance Minister of Uttarakhand, Premchand Aggarwal, tabled the state budget on Wednesday, with a total income and expenditure of Rs 77,407 crores for the financial year 2023-24.

Mehul Choksi bribes officials in Antigua: Report

January 13, 2023, 12:59 pm

Mehul Choksi, one of India’s most wanted fugitives, has been buying protection in Antigua by bribing a number of officials, according to the investigations by Kenneth Rijock, a famous financial crimes investigator.

He said that Choksi has been scheming to illegally extend the court process in Antigua, by paying bribes to government officials, including senior Antigua police official, Adonis Henry.

According to numerous eyewitnesses, Choksi and Inspector Henry have apparently been meeting at least three times each day at Al Porto, a restaurant in Jolly Harbor that Choksi is said to own, said Rijock in his financial crime blog.

Along with getting in touch with Henry, Choksi reportedly tried to buy off Antigua magistrate Conliffe Clarke by making illicit contributions.

Rijock said that his sources confirmed that Clarke and Henry conspired together to interfere with Interpol’s efforts to detain him for extradition to face the music in India.

Choksi was supposed to be extradited to his home country of India, where he is accused of stealing the equivalent of millions of dollars, but unscrupulous government officials, judges, and law enforcement officers in Antigua were able to prolong the process, but only after receiving hefty bribes.

After obtaining a Citizenship by Investment (CIP/CBI) passport in Antigua, Choksi, a billionaire due to deceptive consumer business tactics and significant bank fraud, has evaded Indian law for several years despite an active Interpol Red Notice calling for his arrest.

The fugitive who participated in the Punjab National Bank Scam in India before escaping the country in 2018 has received a Red alert from Interpol.

PNB said that two of its employees had “fraudulently” issued LoUs and transmitted SWIFT instructions to the overseas branches of Indian Banks. This was done to raise the buyer’s credit for the firm of a diamond merchant without making entries in the bank system.

Pak journalist’s killing in Kenya a pre-meditated murder, says report

December 9, 2022, 2:31 pm

A committee assembled by the Pakistani government to look into the shooting of a prominent Pakistani journalist in Nairobi claims it uncovered various inconsistencies in the account provided by Kenyan officials and believes it to be a case of premeditated murder.

In October, a gunman shot and killed TV journalist Arshad Sharif in Nairobi after he had fled Pakistan due to threats to his life.

Kenyan officials said it was a case of mistaken identity and police hunting car thieves opened fire on his vehicle as it drove through a roadblock without stopping.

In a 600-page study, a two-person fact-finding team from Pakistan claimed that Sharif’s death was a pre-planned homicide after visiting Kenya, conducting several interviews, inspecting and reconstructing the crime scene, and looking through the deceased’s phones and computers.

“Both the members of the (fact-finding team) have a considered understanding that it is a case of planned targeted assassination with transnational characters rather than a case of mistaken identity,” said the report, copies of which were submitted to Pakistan’s Supreme Court.

“It is more probable that the firing was done, after taking proper aim, at a stationary vehicle,” it said.

Kenyan authorities declined comment on the specifics of the report.

“The investigation into the matter is still ongoing, so there is not much I can tell,” said Resila Onyango, spokesperson for the Kenya National Police Service.

He added that the inquiry is being carried out by a multi-agency team and that they will inform the authorities when they are finished.

Investigations are still ongoing, according to Anne Makori, the chairwoman of Kenya’s Independent Police Oversight Authority.

Prior to the publication of the report, Pakistan’s Interior Minister Rana Sanaullah claimed Sharif’s body had signs of torture, including bruises, and that this proved the death may have been premeditated.

The fact-finding team singled out one wound on Sharif’s back in particular, stating that it appeared to have been caused from a close distance.

The study stated that Sharif’s seat, where the shooting allegedly occurred, had no corresponding bullet penetration mark, describing this as a “ballistic impossibility.”

“The injury had to have been caused either before the journalist got into the vehicle, or the shot was fired from a relatively close range, possibly from inside the vehicle, and almost certainly not a moving vehicle,” the report said.

After the government filed many treason proceedings against him, Sharif left Pakistan citing threats to his life.

One of the treason charges arose from information Sharif provided that led to the charge that he had disseminated a call for military mutiny made by a member of the previous administration led by the former cricket star Imran Khan.

Former prime minister Khan said Sharif had been murdered for his journalistic work. He and his successor Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, not related to the journalist, had called for a judicial investigation.

The report of the fact-finding team also identified apparent disparities in the autopsy results from Kenya and Pakistan.

In Kenya, just two injuries related to gunshot wounds were found in the post-mortem report, compared to 12 injuries found on Sharif’s body in Pakistan.

The fact-finding team report said doctors believed the injures may be the result of torture or a struggle, but it could not be established until verified by the doctor who conducted the post mortem in Kenya.

Delhi court seeks report from DCP for wrong information by Station House Officer

December 3, 2022, 2:40 pm

A Delhi court recently took cognizance of the wrong information given and the alleged non-compliance of an order by the police.

The court has sought a report from the Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP) of Delhi over the wrong information given by the Station House Officer (SHO) to the court. The SHO was also directly asked to directly appear to explain the reason to for giving the wrong information. This matter pertains to alleged encroachment on government land and subsequent dispute over the same.

Additional Sessions Judge Atul Krishna Agrawal in his order dated November 29 said, “It appears that the wrong information was given by SHO IP Estate before learned Metropolitan Magistrate (MM) that SI Narender was no longer the IO of this case.”
The court then directed, “Let a report be called from DCP with respect to the compliance of orders of August 3, 4, and 6.

The court had noted that the perusal of the record further shows that the Learned Predecessor on August 3 had directed for deduction of Rs 5,000 from the salary of SHO PS IP Estate, however, no report has been received from DCP if the said order has complied. Further, it noted that Additional DCP-3 had submitted that he will inform the senior officers about the observations made by the Learned Predecessor in previous hearings and sought instructions for the transfer of investigation.

“Failure of the SHO to inform the concerned land-owning agencies about these illegal encroachments over the government land on Meer Dard Road and consecutive raising of illegal pucca constructions, particularly recent constructions which I am informed are still going on, with resultant criminal disputes including the registration of present FIR,” the court had observed.

Gujarat HC seeks report on bridges, their condition after Morbi bridge collapse

November 24, 2022, 2:40 pm

The Gujarat High Court on Thursday ordered the state administration to inspect every bridge to make sure it is in “good condition.”

The court ordered the state to submit a list of bridges along with a verified report on each one’s condition after taking suo motu notice of the bridge collapse in Morbi last month, which resulted in the deaths of 135 people.

The court also remarked on the issue of compensation, observing that the amount given is insufficient. The court said compensation offered to victims’ families should be ‘realistic’ and ‘appropriate’, according to a report published by news agency ANI.

The Gujarat High Court made these observations days after the Supreme Court instructed it to review the case “monthly” in order to make sure investigations uncover those responsible for criminal negligence and provide adequate compensation to the families.

The highest court also urged the high court to think about establishing regulatory frameworks to make sure that similar unfortunate occurrences don’t occur again.

The Morbi “hanging” suspension footbridge across the Machchu river collapsed on October 30 – two days after it was allegedly rebuilt.

Official reports said 135 people were killed but petitions filed before the Supreme Court have pegged the death toll at 141.

The occurrence was described as “a tremendous tragedy” by the Supreme Court.

The Morbi civic government was criticised by the High Court last week for its agreement with a private company to maintain the bridge and was questioned about whether the civic body had given the private company authorization to reopen the structure to the public.

The Ajanta clock-making company The Oreva Group was given the duty of doing the upkeep.

With an Assembly election scheduled for next month, the bridge collapse immediately turned into a significant political controversy. Asaduddin Owaisi, the leader of AIMIM and a member of parliament from Hyderabad, lambasted the BJP on Monday.

“If BJP takes credit for developing Gujarat, they should also tell us who’s responsible for making Morbi bridge where 140 people died due to collapse.”

The Congress and the Aam Aadmi Party have also challenged the BJP on the Morbi issue, despite the party’s hopes and widespread expectations of retaining power in prime minister Narendra Modi’s home state for an eighth consecutive term.

Overcrowding of prisoners in Tihar Jail, PIL moved to Delhi HC

November 8, 2022, 12:49 pm

A Public Interest Litigation has been moved in the Delhi High Court in relation to the overcrowding of prisoners in the Tihar Prison Complex, Delhi.

The complaint claimed that Tihar Jail had more detainees than it could actually house in each barrack and that there had been a significant increase in the number of inmates overall. An NGO named Nyaya Foundation filed the appeal, claiming that the needless overcrowding of such jails amounted to a rejection of the inmates’ fundamental rights, which are protected by Article 21 of the Indian Constitution and include the right to a peaceful and dignified lifestyle. The plea claimed that because of the prison complex’s extreme overcrowding, the detainees’ lives are severely impacted by the mental and physical abuse they endure.

According to the plea, people arrested in any case which is punishable lesser than 3 years and they have committed the offence for the first time, the probation report must be considered to release them on bail.

The plea also claimed that unneeded arrests cause the jail complex to become overcrowded. In these situations, when an innocent person is detained, he or she is forced to deal with the conditions within the jail and ends up doing crimes that they would not have otherwise committed.
The petition claims that notwithstanding the Top Court’s ruling on the statute, arbitrary arrests continue to occur. In clear contravention of the law, the accused are being taken into jail and imprisoned. The chaos that results from the same acts as a stimulant for the prisoners’ mental suffering, obliterating their existence and making a mockery of human rights laws.

To ease the burden of Tihar, jail complexes in Rohini and Mandoli were established in the year 2004 and 2016 respectively, but their condition is no different.

Tihar, one of the largest prison complexes in the world with nine central prisons, has the capacity to house 5,200 criminals, but 13,183 detainees are currently housed in its various central jails, according to the office of the Director General of Prisons in response to an RTI. Additionally packed are the prison complexes that were meant to lighten Tihar’s load. The six central jails in Mandoli have a total capacity of 1,050, but 2,037 inmates are now housed there. The capacity of Rohini’s single central jail is 3,776 inmates, but 4,355 detainees are currently being held there for a variety of reasons, according to the petition.

V. Satish Kumar takes over as Director (Marketing), IndianOil

October 29, 2021, 2:36 am

V Satish Kumar has taken charge as Director (Marketing), Indian Oil Corporation Limited, one of India’s largest commercial enterprises and one of the leading Indian companies in the Fortune Global 500 listings.

Prior to his ascent as Director (Marketing), Mr Kumar was the business head of Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh, overseeing retail & direct sales, LPG, lube sales, operations, project management, planning, HRD, and Information Technology. He has also been instrumental in implementing key business initiatives like Direct Benefit Transfer for LPG consumers (DBTL), Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana (PMUY), and shift to BS-VI fuel. He brings to the board his expertise of over three decades in the marketing of petroleum products across various geographies in the country.

Mr Satish Kumar is also currently on the Board of Beximco IOC Petroleum & Energy Ltd., a Joint Venture of IOC Middle East FZE (a wholly-owned subsidiary of IndianOil in Dubai) and Beximco, Bangladesh. Earlier, he also served as the Chief Executive Officer of IndianOil Petronas Pvt. Ltd. (IPPL), a Joint Venture of IndianOil and Petronas, Malaysia. During his tenure, IPPL handled record volumes of LPG Imports, thus enabling IndianOil to meet the surge in the LPG demand on account of Govt. of India’s ambitious Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana program.

Underlining the role of IndianOil in meeting the burgeoning energy appetite of the country, Mr Kumar remarked, “As per a report released by OPEC in September this year, diesel and gasoline will make up 58% of India’s oil demand in the next 25 years, from 51% presently. The report also estimates that India’s oil demand will double to 11 million barrels by 2045, due to the growing economy, rapid urbanisation, and upward ambitions of the people in the country. As the Energy of India, IndianOil is all geared up to fuel the aspirations of a rising superpower.”

An engineering graduate, Mr Kumar has a post-graduate degree in Management from the University of Ljubljana, Slovenia. With his in-depth knowledge of the Marketing Division and widespread exposure, Mr Kumar has represented the Corporation extensively at several international seminars and training programmes.