RTI activist Amit Jethwa murder case: Gujarat HC suspends life sentence of ex-BJP MP's nephew
Ahmedabad, Feb 7: The Gujarat High Court has suspended the life sentence of Shiva Solanki, nephew of former BJP MP Dinu Solanki, in the 2010 murder of RTI activist Amit Jethwa, and granted him bail pending hearing on his appeal.
A division bench of Justices S H Vora and Mauna Bhatt on Monday also granted Shiva Solanki bail while terming his conviction as prima facies erroneous.
Shiva Solanki, one of the seven accused sentenced to life imprisonment by a special CBI court, has filed an appeal against the conviction before the high court. His uncle Dinu Solanki too has been convicted in the case and is out on bail.
Jethwa was shot dead outside the High Court premises here on July 20, 2010.
While ordering Shiva Solanki's release on bail, the HC barred him from leaving Gujarat and asked him to surrender his passport, mark presence at the concerned police station every month and attend the hearing of his appeal in the high court.
Prima facie (on the face of it) his conviction seemed to be "erroneous, because there is breach of all principles settled by the Hon'ble Apex Court with regard to the circumstantial evidence and requirement for conviction", the bench said.
"When circumstances against the applicant are taken cumulatively, we do not find any chain of evidence having been established leading to the conclusion that in all possibility, the crime was committed by the applicant," the HC added.
"False implication" of the applicant in the case cannot be ruled out, the court further said.
The High Court had in September 2021 suspended the sentence of main accused Dinu Solanki pending his appeal against conviction by the CBI court on June 7, 2019. The Supreme Court later upheld the HC order.
Prior to his murder, Jethwa had tried to expose illegal mining activities in which Dinu Solanki was allegedly involved by seeking information under the Right to Information (RTI) Act.
The state police's Criminal Investigation Department (CID) had earlier filed a charge sheet, but in September 2012 the High Court handed over the case to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI).
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India Post launches first ‘Gen Z’ post office in Bengaluru
Bengaluru: India Post has launched its first Gen Z Post Office in Bengaluru at the Acharya Institute of Technology, aiming to attract college students in an age dominated by emails, WhatsApp and social media.
According to a report published by The New Indian Express, Harsha MR, Assistant Superintendent, Bengaluru West Division Post Office, said the new post office, officially named Gen Z Post Office, Achit Nagar, Bengaluru (PIN 560107), will be inaugurated on Wednesday. It has been creatively designed and painted with graffiti by students of the institute to make it more appealing to young people.
He said “In the Gen Z post office, we have introduced two categories in one category, students can come and work with our staff and get good experience, know more about the schemes and services available under India Post”. “In another category, they can work with us part time and they will be provided with incentives but it is still in the pipeline and yet to be implemented.”
Harsha said the initiative is meant to bring postal services closer to students, researchers and the campus community. Similar Gen Z post offices are also planned at GITAM University and the National Law School of India University.
According to the report, they can also use the services to communicate with students across the campuses also. Unlike other post offices, it is a blend of physical and digital world giving students WIFI services, air-conditioned rooms and even coffee vending machines which Gen Z prefer to use.
Harsha said student representatives who will be in-charge of the campus work at post offices within the campus are yet to be decided.
“A roster will be prepared and different students will be given tasks to serve at various service counters. A senior post master will be in charge of Gen Z post offices and he will guide the students,” TNIE quoted Harsha as saying.
India Post officials allegedly said similar Gen Z post offices will soon be launched in Bengaluru North, South and East divisions as part of a broader effort to connect with younger generations.
