Delhi HC seeks Tihar reply to Kejriwal's plea for additional meetings with lawyers
New Delhi (PTI): The Delhi High Court asked Tihar Jail authorities on Monday to respond to a plea of Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, arrested in Delhi excise scam cases, seeking additional virtual meetings with his lawyers.
Justice Neena Bansal Krishna granted the prison authorities five days to file a reply and listed the matter for argument on July 15.
Kejriwal has challenged a trial court's July 1 order rejecting his application for directions to the prison authorities to grant him two additional meetings in a week with his lawyers through video conference.
At present, the jailed Aam Aadmi Party national convener is allowed two meetings with his lawyers per week.
Kejriwal's lawyer contended that the AAP leader was facing around 35 litigations across the country and on grounds of the right to a fair trial, he required two additional meetings with his lawyers via video conference to discuss the cases.
The counsel for the Enforcement Directorate also said that he wanted to file a reply to the plea.
On being asked by the court what was the objection to the plea, the lawyer representing the jail authorities submitted that the rule is the same for all and a prisoner is entitled to two meetings with his or her advocate in a week.
He added all the 35 cases were not being heard simultaneously in a week and so, there was no need for additional meetings.
The trial court rejected the plea, saying the counsel for the applicant had failed to convince the court on how the applicant was entitled to two additional legal meetings through video conference on the same grounds which have been discussed and dealt with in an earlier order.
In separate petitions, Kejriwal has challenged his arrest in the corruption case registered by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) in connection with the alleged excise policy scam and also sought bail.
Both the petitions are pending before the high court.
The AAP leader was arrested by the CBI on June 26 from Tihar Jail, where he is still lodged in judicial custody in a connected money laundering case filed by the Enforcement Directorate (ED).
Kejriwal, who was arrested by the ED on March 21, was granted bail by the trial court in the money laundering case on June 20. However, the trial court's order was stayed by the high court.
The excise policy was scrapped in 2022 after the Delhi lieutenant governor ordered a CBI probe into alleged irregularities and corruption involving its formulation and execution.
According to the CBI and ED, irregularities were committed while modifying the excise policy and undue favours extended to licence holders.
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I&B ministry suspends choreographer Jani Master's National Award amid sexual assault allegations
New Delhi (PTI): The National Film Awards Cell of the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting has suspended the National Film Award to be presented to choreographer Jani Master citing allegations of sexual assault.
The authorities also withdrew the invitation to the choreographer to attend the 70th National Film Awards in New Delhi on Tuesday.
Jani Master, whose real name is Shaik Jani Basha, would have been felicitated at the ceremony for his work on the song "Megham Karukkatha" from 2022's Tamil movie "Thiruchitrambalam".
In the note, dated October 4 (Friday), the National Film Awards Cell said the letter to attend the National Film Awards was extended to the choreographer "before the allegations of crime under POCSO Act came to light".
"In view of the seriousness of the allegation and the matter being subjudice, the Competent Authority has decided to suspend the National Film Award of the Best Choreography for the Year 2022 to Shri Shaik Jani Basha for the film Thiruchitrambalam until further orders.
"Hence, the invitation extended to Shri Shaik Jani Basha for the 70th National Film Awards Function to be held at Vigyan Bhavan, New Delhi on 8.10.24 is hereby withdrawn," read the note, signed by deputy director Indrani Bose.
A city court on Thursday granted interim bail to Jani Master after he filed the bail application to attend the National Film Awards.
Last month, a woman, who worked as Jani Master's assistant, in a complaint with the police, alleged that the choreographer had sexually assaulted her in 2020 during a work trip to Mumbai and continued sexual harassment and also threatened her not to disclose it to anyone.
On September 15, the Narsingi Police registered a case against the choreographer under sections 376(2)(n), 506, 323 of IPC (related to rape, causing hurt, and other offenses).
On recording her statement, it was disclosed that she was a minor at the time of the alleged offence. Therefore, a relevant section of the POCSO Act, 2012 was added, police said.
Jani Master was apprehended in Goa by the Cyberabad police on September 19 and brought to Hyderabad and produced before a city court which had remanded him to 14-day judicial custody.
