Dissenting SC judgment vindicates our stand: Petitioners
New Delhi, Sep 28 : As the Supreme Court on Friday refused to interfere in the arrest of five rights activists, the five petitioners in the case said that their stand had been "vindicated" by the "dissenting verdict" delivered by Justice D.Y. Chandrachud.
The Supreme Court, by a 2:1 majority judgment, also rejected the plea for a SIT probe into the Bhima-Koregaon case.
The five rights activists, accused of having links with Maoists, were arrested on August 28 by Pune police in connection with a probe into the Bhima-Koregaon violence on January 1.
Addressing the media here, historian Romila Thapar -- who is one of the five petitioners who challenged the arrest of the five activists -- said that due to the top court's judgment the liberty and dignity of the human rights activists had not been "jeopardised" for the time being.
Supreme Court advocate Vrinda Grover, who represented the petitioners, said: "Justice Chandrachud has categorically held that liberty cannot be sacrificed at the altar of conjecture."
Citing Justice Chandrachud, Grover said: "The role of the court seeks particularly sensitive balance when the state seeks to curb the freedom to investigate perceived breaches involving offences against the state."
Economist Prabhat Patnaik said that under "draconian" laws in the country, the accused don't get bail and the trial drags on for years.
"Even if the activists are acquitted after many years, they actually undergo imprisonment," he added.
The five petitioners demanded a fair investigation in the case.
Apart from Romila Thapar, social activist Maja Daruwala, Satish Deshpande, Prabhat Patnaik and Devaki Jain were the five petitioners in the cas
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CM Siddaramaiah alleges ‘criminal conspiracy’ in Sringeri recount, vows legal action
Bengaluru (PTI): Alleging a “criminal conspiracy” by BJP candidate D N Jeevaraj in the Sringeri Assembly poll recounting, Karnataka CM Siddaramaiah on Tuesday said the outcome was manipulated after valid postal ballot votes in favour of Congress leader T D Raje Gowda were tampered with during the recounting process.
Following a Karnataka High Court order on an election petition filed by Jeevaraj, challenging Raje Gowda’s election, the reverification and recounting were conducted on Saturday.
After the reverification and recount of postal ballots for the Sringeri Assembly constituency, votes polled in favour of Raje Gowda were reduced by 255, the returning officer said.
A report on the matter has been submitted to the Election Commission of India for further action, the officer added.
Congress leader Raje Gowda had won the 2023 Assembly polls from Sringeri by 201 votes, defeating his nearest rival Jeevaraj.
Addressing a press conference in Bengaluru, Siddaramaiah said the High Court had directed the recounting of postal ballots and that irregularities were noticed during the exercise conducted on May 2.
“This is a clear case of criminal conspiracy,” Siddaramaiah said, alleging that valid votes cast in favour of Raje Gowda were altered after being accepted by counting agents of all parties, including Congress, BJP, and JD(S).
He claimed that during the recounting of postal ballots, 255 votes were initially accepted as valid by all agents but were later tampered with by subordinate officials.
“There is a second mark on the votes polled in favour of Raje Gowda. They had accepted these as valid votes. Subsequently, another mark was made by officials. This is a clear case of criminal conspiracy,” he said.
When asked who was behind the alleged conspiracy, the CM replied, “It was hatched by Jeevaraj and others. It is planned.”
Siddaramaiah further alleged that the returning officer acted improperly by declaring the result despite the presence of an Election Commission observer during the recounting.
“Immediately after the counting, the returning officer announced the result. He should not have done so; this is against the law,” he said.
He pointed out that Raje Gowda had originally won by 201 votes, but after the recounting, the BJP candidate was declared the winner by 52 votes.
“The BJP has committed a criminal act of conspiracy. This is not vote chori but vote dacoity,” he alleged.
The CM said a police complaint had already been filed by Raje Gowda’s election agent, Sudhir Kumar, and emphasised the need for electoral integrity.
“We want transparency and free and fair elections. That is what our Constitution mandates,” he added.
Stating that the government would pursue legal remedies, Siddaramaiah said, “We are preparing an appeal challenging the returning officer’s announcement in a court of law.”
Responding to a separate query on elections in other states, the CM said there appeared to be an anti-incumbency factor in West Bengal, while results in Tamil Nadu were “surprising,” adding that Vijay’s party was emerging as the largest there.
Following the victory of party candidates in Bagalkote and Davanagere South, Siddaramaiah expressed confidence about future electoral prospects in Karnataka.
“Even in 2028, we will win the Assembly elections. We will come back,” the CM said.
Siddaramaiah added that he would order a forensic examination into the alleged tampering of postal ballots.
