New Delhi (PTI):The Supreme Court on Friday rapped the CBI for making "scandalous allegations" against the courts in its plea seeking transfer of cases relating to the 2021 post-post violence cases outside West Bengal.

A bench of Justices Abhay S Oka and Pankaj Mithal said the agency cannot cast aspersions on the entire judiciary in West Bengal.

"Mr Raju what kind of grounds are taken in this? How can you cast aspersions on entire judiciary.You are showing as if there is a hostile environment in whole West Bengal.

"Your officers may not like the judicial officer or a particular state but don't say that the entire judiciary is not functioning. The judges the district judges and civil judges and sessions judges can't come here and defend themselves," the bench told Additional Solicitor General SV Raju, appearing for the CBI.

Defending the averments in the petition, the law officer told the apex court that there is no intention to cast aspersions and it is a case of loose drafting.

Raju withdrew the transfer petition after scathing observation from the apex court.

The top court recorded in its order, "Scandalous allegations have been made against all the courts in general in West Bengal. It has been repeatedly averred that there is a hostile environment prevailing in the courts. It is very unfortunate that the central agency has chosen to cast aspersions on courts in West Bengal".

"ASG states that there was no intention to cast aspersions. However the averment are to the contrary. He seeks permission to withdraw," the bench said.

The CBI had filed the petition in December 2023 seeking directions to transfer the cases outside of West Bengal due to alleged concerns of witness intimidation.

 

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New Delhi: The iPhone 16 series went on sale in India today, and hundreds of Apple enthusiasts waited in line outside the company's flagship stores in Delhi and Mumbai this morning to get their hands on one. At Apple's Glowtime event earlier this month, the Apple iPhone 16 series was introduced.

Large crowds flocked to the Apple stores this morning in Saket, Delhi, and BKC, Mumbai, demonstrating the continued frenzy that a new Apple iPhone can spark. In both places, lines of people were observed waiting to purchase the new iPhone model.

In a video released by the news agency ANI, shoppers at Select City Walk, Saket, the mall that is home to the Apple store, could be seen waiting in line the whole length of the mall. There was also a sizable gathering at the Apple store in BKC Mumbai.Prior to the iPhone 16 series going on sale on September 20, more than 37 million iPhone models were booked during the pre-sale.

For the first time, the company is offering the iPhone Pro series at a lower price than the previous version, primarily due to the import duty reduction in the recent budget.”The iPhone 16 Pro starts at ₹1,19,900, and the iPhone 16 Pro Max starts at ₹1,44,900," the company announced in a statement. In comparison, the iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro Max were launched at starting prices of ₹1,34,900 and ₹1,59,900 a year ago.

In nearly 60 countries today, including the US, China, Australia, and South Korea, Apple unveiled the iPhone 16 series. There are four models in the lineup: the entry-level iPhone 16 and 16 Plus, the flagship iPhone 16 Pro, and the high-end iPhone 16 Pro Max.

According to the source, the business intends to assemble the iPhone Pro Series in India for the first time, but the models will go on sale later.