Senior Advocate Pradeep Rai, who is contesting for the post of Supreme Court Bar Association (SCBA) President, has filed a police complaint against Kumud Lata AOR for circulating baseless and malicious information against him at Tilak Marg police station on Wednesday.

Kumud Lata AOR is said to have spread rumours around a case in which Pradeep Rai had tendered a public apology and the case was withdrawn. In their investigation, the police have asked Kumud Lata for her version/reply.  Earlier in the day, the Supreme Court refused to entertain Lata’s plea seeking cancellation of Rai’s nomination for the election to SCBA President. The elections for the SCBA office-bearers will be held on May 16, Thursday. The results will be out on May 18, Saturday.

Lata made her plea before the Bench of Justice Surya Kant and Justice KV Viswanathan. Senior Advocate Rai also appeared before the court.

Kumud Lata said Rai’s candidature should be cancelled due to a 2003 FIR against him and that Rai threatened her. Senior Advocate Pradeep Rai told the court, “There is no FIR at all. This lady called me three days back to withdraw in favour of Kapil Sibal. She mentions an FIR where the complainant has tendered a public apology and the case was withdrawn. I have already filed an FIR in Tilak Marg Police Station. IO is on the way. This has to be investigated.”

He further said, “The complainant has tendered unconditional apology in the newspaper. She is doing it at the behest of Sibal”.

During the hearing, Justice Kant said, “Please tell us, madam, what is the scope of our interference in the matter?” Lata replied, “His candidature ought to be cancelled because of his criminal antecedents. He impersonated…” Justice Viswanathan sternly asked you know the law? How is an FIR a criminal antecedent, please don’t bring all this here.

Justice Vishwanathan then asked Kumud Lata, who was making all sorts of wild allegations, if she has filed any suit and had she shown any valid grounds for disqualification.

When Lata said he cannot threaten me in court, Justice Kant said the court won’t anyone to do that. All members of the bar are respected by the court and we have been accommodating everyone

The elections for the SCBA took a divisive turn after Senior Advocate Kapil Sibal announced his candidature for the post of President in the upcoming elections with propaganda and misinformation reaching sky-high.

One such trick saw Senior Advocate Pradeep Rai even being disqualified as a voter in the elections due to a clerical error at the SCBA. The list was set right after Rai objected. And now this attempt by Kumud Lata AOR.

Six candidates are vying for the post of President of the Association: Senior Advocate Kapil Sibal, Senior Advocate Pradeep Rai, Senior Advocate Adish Chandra Aggarwala (incumbent president), Senior Advocate Priya Hingorani, Advocate Neeraj Srivastava and Advocate Tripurari Ray.

Amid the ongoing Lok Sabha elections in the country, Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Wednesday declared India’s sovereignty over Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK). He was addressing an election rally in West Bengal’s Serampore where he launched an attack on Opposition for the lacklustre law and order situation in Jammu and Kashmir in the past.

Shah pointed out the transformation that has taken place in Jammu and Kashmir under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. He noted the change in the Law and Order situation from strikes occurring within Kashmir valley during the I.N.D.I.A Bloc regime to now witnessing strikes in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK).

Shah compared the situation from earlier times when slogans of Azadi, stone pelting kind of things used to take place in the valley to the situation now when it all happens in PoK. The Union Home Minister said if Rahul Baba and Mamata didi are scared, let it be. He further added that PoK belongs to India and we will take it.

Shah also stressed on the disconcerting tactics employed by opposition leaders such as Mani Shankar Aiyar and Farooq Abdullah, who aim to instil fear in the country by highlighting Pakistan’s possession of nuclear weapons. He criticized them for neglecting discussions on Pakistan-PoK at the same time. He said as many as 2.11 crore tourists have visited Kashmir and created a new record and the price of flour in Pakistan Occupied Kashmir has created a record.

The Union Home Minister said Modi government has been distributing 5 kg of rice free of cost to every poor individual. But he criticized West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee for allegedly manipulating the distribution process. Shah claimed that while Modi government sends rice, Banerjee purportedly affixes her own photo on top of it, implying a politicization of central government initiatives.

 Shah also took a dig at Mamata’s slogan of Ma, Maati, Manush and said when then the Bengal chief minister came into power with the slogan of Ma, Maati, Manush but this slogan is lost now and Mulla, Maulavi, Madrasa has taken its place.

In an unfortunate incident, Chief Vigilance Officer Upendra Pandey died after a lift collapsed at the Kolihan mine in Rajasthan’s Jhunjhunu district. The vigilance officer from Hindustan Copper Limited along with 14 other individuals were trapped in the fatal crash.

Upendra Pandey along with the members of the Kolkata vigilance team were conducting an inspection when the lift malfunctioned, and collapsed at a depth of approximately 577 metres. The remaining 14 individuals were successfully rescued after a series of overnight operations carried out by the police and the State Disaster Response Force (SDRF).

An eight-member team comprising doctors and nurses was rushed into the mine through the exit gate to offer medical assistance to those who were trapped underground. Three officials, who were among the first to be rescued, were immediately transported to SMS Hospital in Jaipur due to fractures and other injuries, as reported by a doctor from the medical team.

Subsequently, five more individuals were rescued during the second round of the operations, followed by the successful retrieval of the remaining individuals.

Among those trapped in the aftermath of the lift accident were GD Gupta, the unit head of Khetri Copper Complex, and AK Sharma, the Deputy General Manager of Kolihan mine. Additionally, a journalist who had accompanied the vigilance team as a photographer was also found stuck along with them. Reportedly, three members are seriously injured, while the rest are declared safe.

VL Kantha Rao, secretary of the Ministry of Mines has responded to the tragedy by mentioning that an investigation will be conducted on the incident. Rajasthan Chief Minister Bhajan Lal Sharma has issued directives to expedite relief and rescue operations.

The Chief Minister on Wednesday morning affirmed that the concerned officials have been instructed to immediately reach the spot and speed up the relief and rescue operations and provide all possible help and health facilities to the affected people. He also prayed for the speedy recovery of all the citizens injured in the accident and the safe exit of those trapped in the mine.