India News

Religious identity cannot be ground for assault, murder: Supreme Court

Published

9 years ago

February 15, 2018

It took the Supreme Court of India to lay down what should be a commonly known and established natural principle – that one cannot beat up or kill anyone simply because that person follows a different religion.

Striking down bail granted by the Bombay High Court to three men accused of murdering a Muslim youth, the Supreme Court has said that “the fact that the deceased belonged to a certain community cannot be a justification for any assault, much less a murder.”

The observation by a bench of Justices SA Bobde and L Nageswara Rao came in response to a Bombay High Court order which had stated that “the only fault of the deceased was that he belonged to another religion” but apparently justified the decision of granting bail to the accused by holding that “the fact that the deceased belonged to another religion is in favour of the accused.”

Taking exception to the Bombay High Court’s order, the Supreme Court bench of Justices Bobde and Rao said that the bail ruling can “on a fair reading, be understood or misunderstood almost as a mitigating circumstance or a kind of a justification for the murder and it is obvious that the fact that the deceased belonged to a certain community cannot be a justification for any assault much less a murder.”

The top court observed that every court has to be mindful of the pluralistic character of the Indian society.

“While it may be possible to understand a reference to the community of the parties involved in an assault, it is difficult to understand why it was said that ‘the fault of the deceased was only that he belonged to another religion’ and further ‘I (the Bombay High Court Judge who granted bail to the three accused) consider this factor in favour of the applicants/accused,” the bench said while quashing the bail order.

“We have no doubt that a Court fully conscious of the plural composition of the Country while called upon to deal with rights of various communities, cannot make such observations which may appear to be coloured with a bias for or against a community,” the bench added in its order passed on February 8.

The murder case dates back to June 2014 when a meeting of the right wing outfit Hindu Rashtra Sena (HRS) was conducted at Hadapsar in Maharashtra’s Pune district on account of the alleged defiling of a statue of Shivaji Maharaj. About 30 minutes after this meeting, Ranjeet Shankar Yadav, Ajay Dilip Lalge and Vijay Rajendran Gambhire — all members of the Hindu Rashtra Sena – saw Shaikh Mohsin proceeding for dinner with his friend Riyaz. Mohsin was reportedly wearing a pastel green colour shirt and sported a beard – apparent indications to Yadav, Lalge and Gambhire that Mohsin was a Muslim.

According to the prosecution, Yadav, Lalge and Gambhire approached Mohsin and began assaulting him with hockey sticks, bats and stones. Mohsin later succumbed to his injuries.

During trial in the murder case, the Sessions Court in Pune had rejected the bail applications moved by Yadav, Lalge and Gambhire and observed that 23 persons in all (including two juveniles in conflict with law) appeared to have assaulted Mohsin. “Mohsin was assaulted because he looked like a Muslim and that the deceased prima facie had no concern with disgracing (sic) Shivaji Maharaj,” the Sessions Court in Pune had said while concluding that Yadav, Lalge and Gambhire were present in the HRS meeting “in which a conspiracy to kill the members of a certain community was hatched.”

The three accused had then moved the Bombay High Court seeking bail. The Supreme Court said that the Bombay High Court’s single judge bench (of Justice Mridula Bhatkar) had “in a cryptic order directed the release of the accused mainly for the following reason: ‘The meeting was held half an (sic)prior to the incident of assault. The applicants/accused otherwise had no other motive such as any personal enmity against the innocent deceased Mohsin. The fault of the deceased was only that he belonged to another religion. I consider this factor in favour of the applicants/accused. Moreover, the applicants/accused do not have criminal record and it appears that in the name of the religion, they were provoked and have committed the murder.”

Quashing the Bombay High Court’s order, the apex court ruled that the accused – Lalge and Gambhire – “shall be taken into custody, if they do not surrender within a period of one week from today (February 8).” Yadav, the third accused, has already been taken into custody.

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IPS Officer Nupur Prasad gets Medal for Meritorious Service after Sushant Singh Rajput probe

IPS officer Nupur Prasad, who led the CBI investigation into Sushant Singh Rajput’s death, has been selected for the Medal for Meritorious Service this year.

Published

16 hours ago

August 15, 2026

APNLive Desk

IPS officer Nupur Prasad, who led the CBI investigation into actor Sushant Singh Rajput’s death, has been recognised with the Medal for Meritorious Service (MSM) this year.

A 2007-batch AGMUT cadre officer, Ms Prasad recently returned to the Delhi Police after completing her tenure with the CBI. She is currently serving as Joint Commissioner of Police in the Economic Offences Wing (EOW), where she oversees investigations involving financial and economic crimes.

The award is part of this year’s recognition for police personnel for distinguished and meritorious service. Such honours recognise contributions in areas including investigation, crime prevention, public service, law and order and administration.

Nupur Prasad’s role in Sushant Singh Rajput case

Ms Prasad came into national focus during the CBI investigation into the death of Sushant Singh Rajput, who was found dead at his Mumbai residence on June 14, 2020.

The case was transferred to the CBI in August 2020 following a complaint by the actor’s family and a legal dispute over jurisdiction.

During her tenure with the agency, Ms Prasad supervised key aspects of the investigation, including the examination of witness statements, forensic evidence and medical records.

In 2025, the CBI filed closure reports, saying its investigation found no evidence of foul play, abetment to suicide or criminal conspiracy in the actor’s death.

Career across Delhi Police, CBI

Ms Prasad has served in several positions during her career, including assignments in the Delhi Police, CBI, Arunachal Pradesh and West Bengal.

Before joining the CBI, she held senior positions in the Delhi Police and became the first Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP) of Shahdara. During her tenure, she worked on establishing the district’s policing framework following its creation.

She also led operations targeting drug networks and illegal gambling activities while focusing on crime-prevention measures.

Later, as DCP of North Delhi, she oversaw security arrangements for major events, including Independence Day celebrations at the Red Fort and Delhi University elections.

Community-focused policing initiatives

Beyond investigations, Ms Prasad has been associated with community-focused programmes involving women’s self-defence, youth development, cyber safety and drug de-addiction.

During her CBI tenure, she was also associated with several prominent investigations. Media reports have linked her to cases concerning businessman Vijay Mallya and the AgustaWestland helicopter deal.

Current role in Delhi Police

After completing her assignment with the CBI, Ms Prasad returned to the Delhi Police and took charge as Joint Commissioner of Police in the Economic Offences Wing.

The latest recognition adds to her career spanning investigations, policing and public service across several challenging assignments.

India News

Kharge, Rahul Gandhi skip Independence Day event for 2nd straight year

Congress chief Mallikarjun Kharge and Rahul Gandhi skipped the 80th Independence Day celebrations at the Red Fort for the second consecutive year.

Published

16 hours ago

August 15, 2026

APNLive Desk

Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge and Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi skipped the 80th Independence Day celebrations at Delhi’s Red Fort for the second consecutive year.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi led the Independence Day celebrations at the historic venue on Saturday.

The absence of the two senior Congress leaders comes amid strained relations between the ruling party and the Opposition, which further deteriorated during the Monsoon Session of Parliament that concluded on Thursday.

2024 seating controversy

Rahul Gandhi had attended the Independence Day celebrations in 2024 but his seating arrangement triggered a controversy. The Congress leader, who holds the status of a Cabinet minister as Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha, was seated in the second-last row during the ceremony at the Red Fort.

The Opposition had criticised the seating arrangement, calling it an insult to the people. The Defence Ministry, which organised the event, said the arrangement had been modified to accommodate Olympians at the venue.

According to protocol, the Leader of the Opposition is seated in the front row during ceremonial events.

Opposition-ruling party tensions

Relations between the government and the Opposition remained tense during the Monsoon Session, which ended on Thursday.

The session saw repeated clashes between the two sides, with both the Opposition and the ruling party blaming each other for the low productivity of Parliament.

The session began on July 20, with students marching towards Parliament on the first day. Twelve bills were passed during the session, while detailed discussion took place on only one legislation, concerning paper leaks.

The Congress, along with the Trinamool Congress and Samajwadi Party, also boycotted the customary tea party hosted by Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla after the House was adjourned sine die.

India News

PM Modi’s Saptadhara Vision: 7 streams driving India’s next growth phase

PM Modi outlined “Shakti Ki Saptadhara”, identifying seven streams including manufacturing, farming, technology, defence, green energy and soft power.

Published

16 hours ago

August 15, 2026

APNLive Desk

Prime Minister Narendra Modi, in his Independence Day address from the Red Fort on Saturday, outlined “Shakti Ki Saptadhara”, describing seven key streams that he said can drive India’s next phase of growth and strengthen its journey towards self-reliance and development.

The seven streams identified by the Prime Minister are manufacturing, farming, technology, Gatishakti, Raksha Shakti, green and blue economy, and soft power.

Calling on the country to focus on these areas, PM Modi said the seven streams represent India’s strength and can help the country become more self-reliant.

Manufacturing as the engine of growth

PM Modi called manufacturing the first stream of Saptadhara and stressed the need to significantly strengthen the sector.

He said India needs to produce both components and complete products and should emerge as a key destination in global supply chains.

The Prime Minister highlighted cost, quality and scale as important factors for Indian manufacturers to compete globally. He also stressed the importance of attractive packaging and precision in manufacturing.

Farming and food processing

Agriculture and food processing were identified as the second stream.

PM Modi said global markets are increasingly accessible to Indian farmers and called for greater efforts to take agricultural products from farms to international markets.

He highlighted traditional foods, millets, spices, fruits and vegetables, saying these products should be developed into global brands.

Technology and innovation

Technology and innovation form the third stream of Saptadhara, according to PM Modi.

He highlighted areas such as data centres, robotics and emerging technologies, saying India should aim to become a hub for these sectors.

Referring to the country’s experience with UPI and Digital Public Infrastructure, PM Modi said India has already demonstrated its technological capabilities and must now take the next leap in next-generation communication technology.

He also spoke about the goal of Made-in-India 6G reaching across the country.

Gatishakti and faster connectivity

The fourth stream is Gatishakti, with the Prime Minister stressing the importance of speed and connectivity for India’s growth.

PM Modi called for greater emphasis on roads and expressways to support businesses and said the country needs seamless, high-speed connectivity.

He also highlighted high-speed rail connectivity between cities and port-led development as areas requiring greater focus.

Raksha Shakti and self-reliant defence

Defence is the fifth stream of Saptadhara.

PM Modi called for greater self-reliance in defence manufacturing and highlighted the need to develop advanced technologies in the sector.

He particularly stressed the importance of drone and counter-drone technology, saying India needs to invest in these areas.

The Prime Minister also said India should move beyond being a market for defence equipment and work towards becoming a global supplier by developing next-generation defence technologies.

Green and blue economy

Green energy forms the sixth stream of Saptadhara.

PM Modi called for greater innovation in green energy and said India should aim for global leadership in green hydrogen, renewable energy and energy storage while continuing to contribute solutions to global challenges.

He also highlighted opportunities in the Blue Economy, particularly in fisheries, coastal tourism and ocean technology, saying these areas can create new pathways for India’s growth.

Soft power

Soft power is the seventh stream identified by PM Modi.

He cited Yoga, handicrafts, films, animation, gaming, digital content and the creative sector as examples of India’s soft power.

The Prime Minister also highlighted India’s potential to attract global tourists and called for greater focus on the country’s tourism opportunities, including its national parks and other attractions.

With “Shakti Ki Saptadhara”, PM Modi outlined a broad growth framework covering manufacturing and agriculture, emerging technology, connectivity, defence, sustainable energy, the blue economy and India’s cultural and creative influence.