B'luru: Yoga guru Niranjana Murthy arrested for alleged rape of 8 female students, including minors
Bengaluru: Rajarajeshwari Nagar Police have booked yoga teacher Niranjana Murthy who is accused of raping at least eight women, young ladies and girls, under POCSO Act and arrested him.
The case was filed against the yoga guru based on a complaint filed by a 17-year-old youngster who used to visit the yoga centre run by him in Rajarajeshwari Nagar (RR Nagar). Murthy used to assure the women students that he would make them ‘world famous’ in performing yoga, which would help them get government employment too. Winning their trust, the teacher raped around eight women in his class, the complainant has said.
The yoga guru, on learning that a case had been filed against him, is said to have gone absconding. The police, however, succeeded in finding and arresting him, with the officers confirming the rape during interrogation.
The officers are said to have received information that Murthy had raped more girls and women and are, therefore, continuing the investigation of the case.
Rajarajeshwari Nagar Police have urged people with information related to the case, including rape and assault, to file complaints against the yoga guru, and have assured that the identity of the informants would not be divulged.
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Ordinance issued to increase number of Supreme Court judges from 34 to 38
New Delhi (PTI): The government has promulgated an ordinance to increase the strength of the Supreme Court from the present 34 judges to 38, including the Chief Justice of India.
The law ministry notified the ordinance on Saturday, which amended the Supreme Court (Number of Judges) Act, 1956, to increase the sanctioned strength of the top court.
So far, the sanctioned strength of the top court was 34, including the Chief Justice of India (CJI). Now, the number of judges has been increased by four, taking the sanctioned strength to 38.
The top court will now have 37 judges, other than the CJI.
With the apex court having two vacancies at present, and the ordinance coming into force immediately, the Supreme Court Collegium will now have to recommend six names for appointment as judges in the top court.
A bill will be brought in the Monsoon Session of Parliament to convert the ordinance – an executive order – into a law passed by Parliament.
The Union Cabinet had cleared a draft bill on May 5 to increase the number of apex court judges.
The strength of the Supreme Court was last increased from 30 to 33 (excluding the CJI) in 2019.
The Supreme Court (Number of Judges) Act, as originally enacted in 1956, put the maximum number of judges (excluding the CJI) at 10.
This number was increased to 13 by the Supreme Court (Number of Judges), Amendment Act, 1960, and to 17 by another amendment to the law.
The Supreme Court (Number of Judges) Amendment Act, 1986, augmented the strength of judges from 17 to 25, excluding the CJI.
A fresh amendment in 2009 further increased the strength from 25 to 30.
Article 124(3) of the Constitution lists the qualifications required to become a Supreme Court judge.
An Indian citizen who has either served as a high court judge for at least five years, or as an advocate for 10 years, or is a distinguished jurist, can be appointed to the top court.
The strength of the Supreme Court is increased based on the recommendations of the CJI, who writes to the Union law minister. After consulting the finance ministry, the Department of Justice under the law ministry moves the Cabinet with a draft bill.
