Kathua Rape: SC seeks J&K's response to plea against custodial torture of witness
New Delhi, Aug 8: The Supreme Court on Wednesday sought the Jammu and Kashmir government's response to a petition alleging "custodial torture" of Talib Hussain, who was part of an agitation that had erupted following the gang rape and murder of an eight year old girl in Kathua in January.
Police arrested Hussain in the wake of an FIR against him in the rape case.
The petitioner Mumtaz Ahmed Khan has alleged that Hussain was being framed for his role in the campaign to ensure justice for the child victim who was from a nomadic community.
Issuing notice to the state government, a bench of Chief Justice Dipak Misra, Justice A.M. Khanwilkar and Justice D.Y. Chandrachud also sought the assistance of the Advocate General of Jammu and Kashmir.
Appearing for the petitioner, senior counsel Indira Jaising told the court that she was only concerned about the custodial torture and not with any other issues.
Jaising cited several judgements of the top court and that of the US Federal Court contending that even in custody a person enjoys his constitutional rights.
As the court asked why habeas corpus petition has been filed when arrest of Talib Hussain is lawful, Jaising said that arrest may or may not be lawful but the custodial torture makes things unlawful and therefore the habeas corpus petition.
As Justice Khanwilkar said that the relief that petitioner was seeking could be given by the magistrate court, Jaising said that "I will seek my remedy when it comes to bail".
The court allowed the lawyer Chandan Sharma for the rape victim to make an application for impleadment as he told the bench that what it has been told was a distortion of facts.
The petitioner has contended that Talib Hussain -- an activist -- was being singled out as he had led the public campaign for justice for the Kathua victim.
The court posted the matter for further hearing on August 21.
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South zone finalists announced at WAVES VFX challenge in Bengaluru
Bengaluru: The South Zone round of the WAVES VFX Challenge took place today in Bengaluru, organized by the Association of Bangalore Animation Industry (ABAI).
The day-long competition brought together talented participants from across southern India, with the goal of selecting top finalists who will go on to represent the region at the national finals next month during the WAVES Summit in Mumbai.
Finalists were selected in three categories:
Student Category
Winner: Soumya Das
Runner-up: Gagan HP
Professional Category
Winner: Mohamad Javeed
Runner-up: S Sai Chandan
Enthusiasts Category
Winner: Gagan Ajai
Over 1,500 entries were received from students, working professionals, and VFX enthusiasts, all centered around the theme “Super Hero Power.” Out of these, 14 entries were shortlisted to compete in today’s final round. One winner and one runner-up from each category were chosen to represent the South Zone in Mumbai.
ABAI Secretary R.K. Chand appreciated the strong participation and encouraged industry professionals to attend the Mumbai summit, which will host well-known personalities from films, advertising, and creative sectors. He also mentioned that the WAVES Challenge was recently launched in Bengaluru by Sanjay Jaju, Secretary, Ministry of Information and Broadcasting.
The event was inaugurated by Dr. Sagar Gulati, Director of the School of Creative Design and Information Technology at Jain (Deemed-to-be University), the zonal partner for the competition.
The day also featured two special sessions led by industry experts. Vijay Selvam from the global VFX studio MPC held a masterclass titled “Concept Reality,” where he discussed lighting, animation, compositing, and photorealistic effects. Students got the chance to interact with him during a Q&A session.
Another session was conducted by Rakesh H, Lead Head at The Mill, who spoke about how visual effects are used in advertising. Nearly 100 students attended these sessions, gaining valuable industry insights and learning opportunities.
