Shift 3 Gauri Lankesh murder accused to Mumbai from Bengaluru: Bombay HC
Mumbai, Jan 14: The Bombay High Court Monday ordered that three accused in the Gauri Lankesh murder case be shifted from a Bengaluru jail to Mumbai's Arthur Road prison to enable them to file affidavits and defend a petition by the Maharashtra ATS seeking their custody in an arms haul case.
Justice Mridula Bhatkar gave the direction when hearing an application filed by the state Anti-Terrorism Squad seeking custody of the three accused Amol Kale, Amit Baddi and Ganesh Miskin.
The three are currently lodged at the central prison in Bengaluru after they were chargesheeted for their alleged role in the killing of writer-journalist Gauri Lankesh in 2017.
In October 2018, the ATS took custody of the three for their alleged involvement in a case pertaining to recovery of arms at Nalasopara on outskirts of Mumbai.
They were then produced before a Mumbai sessions court, which remanded them in ATS custody for six days.
The sessions court later refused to extend their police remand and sent them to judicial custody following which they were shifted to Bengaluru.
Special public prosecutor Raja Thakare Monday told the high court that the previous six-day police remand was not sufficient for the ATS in its investigation in the arms haul case and further custody of the trio was required.
Justice Bhatkar, after hearing brief arguments, issued notices to the three accused through the superintendent of the central prison in Bengaluru.
"It is directed that these respondents/accused are to be transferred from the central prison in Bangalore to Arthur Road jail in Mumbai to enable them to reply and defend this case," the court said in its order.
The judge directed the state government and additional director general of ATS to make necessary security arrangements for transferring the accused from Bengaluru to Mumbai.
The HC posted the petition for further hearing on January 28.
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4 held for sexually assaulting woman, girl on moving bus after social media alert in UP's Agra
Agra (UP) (PTI): Four people were arrested, after a prompt response by police following a social media alert, for allegedly sexually assaulting a woman and a girl inside a moving bus here, officials said on Tuesday.
According to an official police statement, at 12:27 am on April 27, information was received on the social media platform X about an incident of sexual assault on a bus travelling from Kanpur to Ahmedabad, which was approaching Namner crossing in Agra.
Acting under the direction of Police Commissioner Deepak Kumar, the Agra Police social media team immediately alerted the Rakabganj police station within minutes and coordinated with the victims to confirm the incident and obtain the exact location, it stated.
Police teams launched intensive checking at Namner crossing and intercepted the bus as it reached the spot. The four accused involved in the incident were apprehended on the spot, and legal action was initiated against them, the statement said.
The police said the swift response and coordination between the social media team and field units ensured timely action, bringing relief to the victims and other passengers, who expressed gratitude towards the police, it added.
