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Supreme Court judge recuses, hearing of contempt plea against ex-Kolkata police chief put off

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[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]The Supreme Court today (Wednesday, Feb 20) put off proceedings in contempt plea against former Kolkata police commissioner Rajeev Kumar and two other Bengal officials after Supreme Court judge, Justice L Nageswara Rao, on Wednesday recused himself from the case.

Justice Rao said he had appeared for Bengal as a lawyer and therefore cannot hear the case. The Supreme Court has now posted the matter for hearing on February 26.

The contempt case was filed in the apex court by the premier investigation agency on February 4 in the aftermath of the huge controversy that had broken out a day earlier when a team of CBI sleuths had arrived unannounced in Kolkata, allegedly to arrest Kumar. The CBI accused the officers of obstructing its probe into the multi-crore Saradha and Rose Valley chit fund scams and alleged that electronic evidence was tampered with in the case.

The court had issued the contempt notices against West Bengal Chief secretary Malay Kumar De, DGP Virendera Kumar and then Kolkata Police Commissioner Rajeev Kumar on the CBI’s plea.

The three officers have refuted the CBI’s allegations in their affidavits. They tendered “unconditional apology” to the court but said that the Bengal government and the state police never denied cooperation to CBI or obstructed probe.

The Bengal police said that the CBI forcefully tried to enter the then Kolkata police commissioner Rajeev Kumar’s residence on February 3 without valid papers.

The CBI’s move was dubbed by West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee as ‘political intimidation and witch-hunt’ at the behest of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s government. Banerjee had sat on an impromptu dharna against the CBI’s action even as the Supreme Court had stayed the arrest or any coercive action by the agency against Kumar while directing the Kolkata top cop to present himself before the bureau for questioning.

Kumar had later appeared before a CBI team, in Shillong, for interrogation. Earlier this week, the West Bengal government had transferred Kumar, conferring on him the twin designations of Additional Director General (ADG) of Police and Inspector General (in-charge of the State’s Crime Investigation Department).

On February 5, the bench had issued notices to the Chief Secretary of West Bengal, the state’s and Kumar on the CBI’s contempt plea and asked the officers to submit their responses to the court by February 18. The bench had said that, following perusal of the responses submitted by the three senior officials, the court may require their personal appearance on February 20 when the contempt case comes up for further hearing.

On Wednesday, even as the Supreme Court deferred the hearing in the case till February 26, senior advocate Abhishek Manu Singhvi, appearing for Kumar, informed the bench headed by Chief Justice Gogoi that an additional affidavit had been filed by the CBI in the contempt proceedings. Singhvi opposed the fresh affidavit saying claiming that the agency filed it “without any orders of the court, in direct violation of the rules.”

Singhvi said that as per the “Rules to Regulate Proceedings for the Contempt of the Supreme Court”, fresh affidavits and documents cannot be filed in an ongoing matter once the person charged of the offence of contempt has filed his reply. The senior advocate said that the response of Kumar and the Bengal chief secretary and DGP had been filed with the top court before the agency submitted the additional affidavit on February 18.

Attorney General KK Venugopal, appearing for the Centre, however, told the bench that the agency must be given a chance to respond to the charge levelled by Singhvi as this was a “very serious matter”.

The court took Singhvi and Venugopal’s submissions on record and posted the matter for further hearing on next Tuesday when a new bench will be constituted by Chief Justice Ranjan Gogoi to hear the case.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]

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Mohanlal’s Stephen returns in fearsome form in L2: Empuraan Teaser

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Mohanlal as Stephen Nedumpally in the teaser of L2: Empuraan

The much-anticipated teaser for L2: Empuraan, the second chapter of the planned trilogy directed by Prithviraj Sukumaran, has been unveiled, offering a glimpse of a darker, more brutal narrative. Starring Malayalam cinema legend Mohanlal, the film continues the story of Stephen Nedumpally, also known as Khureshi Ab’raam, a character that mesmerized audiences in Lucifer.

The teaser debuted at a grand event attended by the film’s key players, including Mohanlal, Prithviraj, and Mammootty, who released the teaser in style. Clocking in at 143 seconds, the preview immediately sets a grim tone, beginning in Qaraqosh, a war-torn town in Iraq. The atmosphere is tense, underscored by the chilling phrase, “Death to the Evil.”

One of the standout moments in the teaser recalls PK Ramdas (Sachin Khedekar) advising Priyadarshini (Manju Warrier) in the first film: “If one day you feel everything is falling apart and I’m not around, the only person you can turn to is Stephen.” This sentiment reverberates through the teaser as it shifts to Stephen’s iconic black Ambassador car, now layered with dust—an ominous sign of his long absence.

The suspense builds as a voice declares, “He leads the most powerful mercenary group in Asia,” introducing audiences to Stephen’s transformation into a figure commanding immense influence and fear. The teaser’s climactic moments highlight Mohanlal’s commanding return as Khureshi Ab’raam, warning of the perils of dealing with the devil.

Star-Studded Cast and Stellar Crew

Joining Mohanlal in this cinematic spectacle are Manju Warrier, Indrajith Sukumaran, Tovino Thomas, and others reprising their roles from Lucifer. The film also features Saniya Iyappan, Saikumar, Baiju Santhosh, Fazil, and Sachin Khedekar in key roles.

The story, penned by Murali Gopy, is brought to life with the expertise of cinematographer Sujith Vaassudev, editor Akhilesh Mohan, and composer Deepak Dev, whose score amplifies the teaser’s intensity.

As the teaser hints at power struggles, deceit, and vengeance, L2: Empuraan sets the stage for an explosive continuation of this gripping saga, leaving fans eagerly awaiting its release.

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MSBTE Result 2025 declared: Maharashtra diploma winter exam results now available online

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MSBTE Result 2025 announcement for Winter Diploma exams

The Maharashtra State Board of Technical Education (MSBTE) has officially announced the results for the Winter 2024 diploma exams. Students who appeared for these exams, held in December 2024, can now access their results on MSBTE’s official website, msbte.org.in.

To check the MSBTE Winter Exam Result 2025, candidates must have their enrollment or seat numbers ready. The results are accessible via a direct link available on the website.

Steps to check MSBTE 2025 results:

  1. Visit the official MSBTE website: msbte.org.in.
  2. Navigate to the “Examination” section and click on “Winter 2024 Exam Result.”
  3. Enter your enrollment number or seat number in the required fields.
  4. Click on the “Show Result” button to view your marksheet.
  5. Download and save the PDF for future reference.

Details mentioned on the MSBTE Winter Diploma results:

The MSBTE Winter Diploma Marksheet 2025 includes the following information:

  • Student’s name
  • Register number
  • Course name
  • Marks obtained in each subject
  • Subject codes and names
  • Total marks
  • Maximum marks
  • Result status (Pass/Fail)

The announcement is crucial for diploma students across Maharashtra as it determines their academic progress and eligibility for future courses or career opportunities.

Students are advised to verify all details on their marksheets and contact the board in case of discrepancies. For further updates, visit the official MSBTE website.

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JPC clears Waqf Amendment Bill with 14 changes, Opposition cries foul

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The Waqf Amendment Bill is poised for a final vote on January 29 in the Joint Parliamentary Committee. The committee had been tasked with reviewing the bill by November 29, which was then extended to February 13, approved 14 changes to the draft. The 44 amendments proposed by the Opposition were rejected by its chairman BJP MP Jagadambika Pal.

The Opposition had accused the BJP of bias in several sittings of the committee leading to the suspension of several MPs, including Kalyan Banerjee of Trinamool Congress and Asaduddin Owaisi of the AIMIM, both vocal critics of the Bill.

The Opposition MPs had also written to Speaker Om Birla against Pal, saying he was rushing the Bill to gain political mileage ahead of the Delhi Assembly election due to be held on February 5.

Earlier, reports had said Banerjee had broken a glass during a verbal altercation while in deliberations with BJP MP and former Calcutta HC judge Abhijit Gangopadhyay.

The Bill aims to reform Waqf Board administration, mandating the inclusion of non-Muslim and women members. The Central Waqf Council’s composition would also change, incorporating a Union minister, MPs, ex-judges, and individuals of national repute, regardless of religious affiliation. Crucially, the Council’s land acquisition powers would be removed. A controversial clause restricts donations to Muslims practicing their faith for at least five years, prompting concerns about religious freedom.

While proponents claim the bill empowers Muslim women and children, critics, including the Congress and the DMK, allege it infringes upon Articles 15 and 30 of the Constitution, which guarantee freedom of religion and the right of minorities to administer educational institutions. The final report is expected by January 31.

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