Kathua rape-murder: SC to hear witnesses' plea against police harassment
New Delhi, May 14: The Supreme Court on Monday agreed to hear a plea by three witnesses in the Kathua rape-murder case who accused state police of harassment.
A bench of Chief Justice Dipak Misra, Justice A.M. Khanwilkar and Justice D.Y. Chandrachud said the plea would be heard on Wednesday.
The plea filed by witness Sahil Sharma and two others, who are college friends of a juvenile accused in the case, said they had already got their statements recorded before police and a magisterial court.
They complained that police was now asking them to re-appear and re-record their statements and also exerting pressure on their families.
In their statement before a Magistrate, they had said that they gave their statements to police under coercion.
On May 7, the apex court had transferred to Pathankot the trial in the brutal rape and murder of an eight-year-old girl from a nomad family in Jammu and Kashmir's Kathua because "fear and fair trial can't exist together".
The court had also ordered in-camera and day-to-day trial to ensure that witnesses felt protected and the accused felt safe.
The decision to transfer the trial from Kathua came on a plea by the victim's father.
The girl went missing on January 10 when she was grazing horses close to her home in Rasana village near Kathua in Jammu region. Her body was found in the same area a week later.
The Crime Branch of Jammu and Kashmir Police, which investigated the case and has already filed a chargesheet, claimed that eight persons were involved in the crime, including two policemen, a juvenile, and a former Indian Revenue Service officer.
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Cyberabad police arrest 193 drunk drivers in ongoing crackdown
Hyderabad: As part of a continued crackdown on drunk driving, Cyberabad police arrested 193 individuals on Saturday, November 23. Authorities seized a total of 160 two-wheelers, 6 three-wheelers, and 27 four-wheelers during the operation. Among those detained, 19 had dangerously high blood alcohol levels, ranging from 200 mg/100 ml to 550 mg/100 ml.
All offenders will face the court for legal proceedings. Under Section 185 of the Motor Vehicles Act, drunk driving is a serious offense, with penalties including fines of up to Rs. 10,000 and/or imprisonment for up to six months. Repeat violations can lead to driving license suspensions for at least three months or, in severe cases, permanent revocation.
Between August 24 and November 21, Hyderabad police booked 13,933 individuals for drunk driving, leading to various consequences such as fines, imprisonment, and license suspensions. During this period, 824 offenders received jail sentences ranging from one to ten days.
Additionally, 227 drivers were required to complete two days of social service, and the Regional Transport Office (RTO) suspended 99 licenses for two to six months based on court directives. The courts also imposed a collective fine of Rs. 2.87 crore on violators.
