SC deprecates UP minister's 'Supreme Court is ours' remark
New Delhi, Sep 12: The Supreme Court on Thursday deprecated the remarks of an Uttar Pradesh minister that like the Ram Mandir and the disputed land in Ayodhya, the top court is also "ours".
A five-judge Constitution bench headed by Chief Justice Ranjan Gogoi took note of the statement of senior advocate Rajeev Dhavan, appearing for Muslim parties including Sunni Wakf Board in the Ram Janmbhoomi-Babri Masjid land dispute, that he has received a threat message on his Facebook wall and his clerk has also been abused and assaulted by some people as he had been appearing against Hindu bodies in the case.
"This should not be happening in the country. We deprecate such statements. Both sides are free to put their arguments before court without any fear," said the bench which also comprised justices S A Bobde, D Y Chandrachud, Ashok Bhushan and S A Nazeer.
As soon as the bench assembled to commence hearing on 22nd day in the politically sensitive case, Dhavan submitted that the atmosphere was not "conducive" and "right" for the hearing and referred to two recent incidents.
"Last week, I received a message on my Facebook wall. I received threats. Yesterday, my clerk was told that his boss was arguing against the Hindu deity," he said, adding there was an ugly spat including fisticuffs with his clerk.
Then he referred to the purported statement of Uttar Pradesh minister Mukut Bihari Verma made in 2018 and said, "He had said that 'jagah hamari hai. Mandir hamara hai aur Supreme Court bhi hamari hai (the place is ours, so are the temple and the Supreme Court)."
"I cannot go on filing contempt petitions," Dhavan said, adding that there was "camaraderie" in the court, but the situation outside was not conducive and "one word from My lords" would serve the purpose.
The bench then asked Dhavan whether he wanted security cover but the offer was declined by the senior lawyer.
Dhavan said he was "not arguing against the Hindu faith" and "people forgot that I had argued Kashi and Kamakhya cases in past".
Dhavan's clerk later told reporters that some unknown persons on Wednesday had stopped him and asked as to why his employer lawyer was fighting case against Hindus.
The clerk, however, said that he was not physically assaulted.
The top court then proceeded with the hearing in the case.
Earlier, the apex court had issued show cause notices to two persons, including an 88-year-old retired government servant N Shanmugam, on the contempt plea of Dhavan.
He had alleged that Shanmugam had hurled curses at him for taking up the case on behalf of Sunni Waqf Board and other Muslim parties.
Rajasthan resident Sanjay Kalal Bajrangi was the second person who had allegedly threatened Dhavan by sending a WhatsApp message.
Later, Dhavan had claimed that Iqbal Ansari, one of the litigants in the land dispute case, was attacked at his home in Ayodhya by two people including shooter Vartika Singh.
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Baramati plane crash: CID questions VSR Ventures owner
Pune (PTI): The Maharashtra Crime Investigation Department on Thursday questioned V K Singh, owner of VSR Ventures, which operated the aircraft involved in the Baramati crash that killed deputy chief minister Ajit Pawar, a CID officer said.
“The statement of V K Singh is being recorded,” said the CID officer, without disclosing more details about the questioning, which was still underway.
A Learjet 45 aircraft, operated by VSR Ventures, crashed near the Baramati air strip in Pune district on January 28, killing Pawar and four others.
After the plane crash, an accidental death report was registered at the Baramati Taluka police station, and the case was later transferred to the Pune CID. Earlier, the state agency had said that its focus was to ascertain if sabotage or criminal negligence led to the Baramati tragedy.
Days before V K Singh's questioning, the CID had sent a set of questions to VSR Ventures in connection with its investigation into the plane crash, according to a source.
NCP (SP) MLA Rohit Pawar had alleged on Wednesday that someone was trying to save VSR Ventures, and claimed that a preliminary probe by the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) vindicated the doubts earlier raised by him.
In its 22-page preliminary report on the air tragedy, the AAIB said the visibility at the time of the crash was below the required level. It also flagged fading marks on the runway and the presence of loose gravel on the runway surface.
A few days ago, Ajit Pawar’s son Jay Pawar had shared a purported video on social media alleging that V K Singh's son Rohit Singh was seen dozing off in the chief pilot’s seat during a flight, and demanded his immediate arrest.
He had also demanded that all aircraft of VSR Ventures be grounded till the inquiry into his father’s plane crash is completed.
