Delhi BMW accident: Finance ministry official cremated; main accused tests negative for alcohol
New Delhi (PTI): Senior finance ministry official Navjot Singh, who was killed in a BMW crash near Dhaula Kuan here, was cremated on Tuesday in the presence of family members and relatives, even as police said the blood sample of the main accused, Gaganpreet, has tested negative for alcohol.
Singh's body was first taken to the Venkateshwar Hospital in Dwarka, where his wife is undergoing treatment for multiple injuries sustained in the accident. After the family members paid their respects at the hospital, the body was brought to his Hari Nagar residence and later, taken for the last rites.
Singh (52), a deputy secretary in the Department of Economic Affairs, was killed on Sunday afternoon when his motorcycle was hit by a BMW car while he was returning from the Bangla Sahib Gurdwara with his wife. While Singh died, his wife was seriously injured in the incident.
Police said Gaganpreet, who was driving the car, had her husband, two children and a maid as passengers at the time of the accident. The family from Gurugram is engaged in the manufacturing business. They too sustained injuries and were taken to a hospital after the crash.
According to police, Gaganpreet's blood test report has come out negative for alcohol consumption. She was arrested on Monday after being discharged from the hospital and was later remanded in judicial custody for two days by a city court.
A case has been registered under Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita sections 281 (rash driving), 125B (endangering life or personal safety of others), 105 (culpable homicide not amounting to murder) and 238 (causing disappearance of evidence).
The collision took place near the Delhi Cantonment metro station, an area that witnesses heavy vehicular movement. The impact left Singh fatally injured, while his wife was rushed to a hospital in a critical condition about 19 kilometres from the accidental site.
Police said further investigation is underway to ascertain the sequence of events leading to the accident, including whether reckless driving was involved. They are also examining the CCTV footage collected from the stretch of the road and eyewitness accounts.
Meanwhile, police sources said Gaganpreet's husband, Parikshit, has been referred to another hospital.
"He was referred to a specialised orthopaedic hospital due to a nasal-bone injury. We will also question Parikshit after he is discharged from the hospital," a source said.
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Ordinance issued to increase number of Supreme Court judges from 34 to 38
New Delhi (PTI): The government has promulgated an ordinance to increase the strength of the Supreme Court from the present 34 judges to 38, including the Chief Justice of India.
The law ministry notified the ordinance on Saturday, which amended the Supreme Court (Number of Judges) Act, 1956, to increase the sanctioned strength of the top court.
So far, the sanctioned strength of the top court was 34, including the Chief Justice of India (CJI). Now, the number of judges has been increased by four, taking the sanctioned strength to 38.
The top court will now have 37 judges, other than the CJI.
With the apex court having two vacancies at present, and the ordinance coming into force immediately, the Supreme Court Collegium will now have to recommend six names for appointment as judges in the top court.
A bill will be brought in the Monsoon Session of Parliament to convert the ordinance – an executive order – into a law passed by Parliament.
The Union Cabinet had cleared a draft bill on May 5 to increase the number of apex court judges.
The strength of the Supreme Court was last increased from 30 to 33 (excluding the CJI) in 2019.
The Supreme Court (Number of Judges) Act, as originally enacted in 1956, put the maximum number of judges (excluding the CJI) at 10.
This number was increased to 13 by the Supreme Court (Number of Judges), Amendment Act, 1960, and to 17 by another amendment to the law.
The Supreme Court (Number of Judges) Amendment Act, 1986, augmented the strength of judges from 17 to 25, excluding the CJI.
A fresh amendment in 2009 further increased the strength from 25 to 30.
Article 124(3) of the Constitution lists the qualifications required to become a Supreme Court judge.
An Indian citizen who has either served as a high court judge for at least five years, or as an advocate for 10 years, or is a distinguished jurist, can be appointed to the top court.
The strength of the Supreme Court is increased based on the recommendations of the CJI, who writes to the Union law minister. After consulting the finance ministry, the Department of Justice under the law ministry moves the Cabinet with a draft bill.
