SC issues notice to Dasna Devi temple priest on contempt plea
New Delhi (PTI): The Supreme Court on Friday sought response of Ghaziabad's Dasna Devi temple priest Yati Narsinghanand in a contempt petition filed against him for alleged derogatory remarks made by him against the top court last year.
A bench of Justices AS Bopanna and MM Sundresh issued notice to the priest and asked him to file his reply on a plea filed by activist Shachi Nelli.
During the brief hearing, senior advocate Nitya Ramakrishnan informed the bench that they have received the consent of then attorney general KK Venugopal for the contempt petition against the alleged contemnor Narsinghnand.
The top court had on October 10 last year asked the petitioner to furnish transcription of contents of the video carrying the statements made by Narasinghnand.
On January 22, 2022, Venugopal had granted his consent to a request made by Nelli for initiation of contempt proceedings against the priest.
According to section 15 of the Contempt of Courts Act, consent of the Attorney General is required before the Supreme Court hears a criminal contempt petition filed by a private individual.
Nelli, in his plea, pointed out an alleged contemptuous statement made by Narasinghnand in an interview given to a Youtube channel which went viral on social media on January 14, 2022.
The statements were made in the interview conducted in context of the Haridwar hate speech case pending in the top court.
"The statement being so obviously contemptuous of this court, the petitioner, a social activist, wrote to the Attorney General for consent to initiate contempt against the alleged contemnor, who has granted the same", the plea of Nelli said.
It added, "The alleged contemnor has a huge reach and influence and his statement has been spread far and wide by his followers and sympathisers, leading to widespread disaffection for this court, thereby undermining its authority and bringing its majesty into disrepute".
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Accused gunman at correspondents' dinner was believed to be targeting top officials, Blanche says
Washington (AP): The accused gunman who tried to storm the ballroom at the White House Correspondents' Association dinner with guns and knives travelled across the country before the event and is believed to have been targeting members of the Trump administration, acting Attorney General Todd Blanche said Sunday.
Blanche also said officials believe the suspect traveled by train from California to Chicago and then on to Washington, where in recent days he checked in as a guest to the hotel where one of Washington's glitziest events was being held Saturday night.
Investigators have not publicly named the suspect, but two law enforcement officials familiar with the matter have identified him to The Associated Press as 31-year-old Cole Tomas Allen of Torrance, California.
Law enforcement officials who have examined the gunman's electronic devices and his writings preliminarily believe he intended to target administration members in attendance at the dinner. He attempted to charge into the cavernous ballroom at the Washington Hilton but was tackled to the ground in a chaotic scene that resulted in shots being fired, President Donald Trump being hurried off the stage and guests ducking for cover beneath their tables.
“It does appear that he did in fact set out to target folks who work in the administration, likely including the president,” Blanche told NBC's “Meet the Press.”
The suspect is believed to have purchased the firearms he carried within the last couple of years, Blanche said. He is not being cooperative and is expected to face multiple charges on Monday.
Video posted by Trump showed the suspect running past security barricades as Secret Service agents ran toward him. One officer was shot in a bullet-resistant vest but was recovering, officials said. The gunman was taken into custody and was not injured, but was being evaluated at a hospital, police said.
“He failed,” Blanche said on CBS's “Face the Nation.” “Law enforcement did their jobs.”
Social media posts that appear to match the suspect show he is a highly educated tutor and amateur video game developer.
A May 2025 profile photo of Allen appears to match the appearance of the man in a photo of the alleged attacker being taken into custody that was posted Saturday night by Trump. The photo, posted to the social networking site LinkedIn, shows him in a cap and gown after graduating with a master's degree in computer science from California State University, Dominguez Hills.
Allen earned a bachelor's degree in 2017 in mechanical engineering from the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena. He listed his involvement there in a Christian student fellowship and a campus group that battled with Nerf guns.
The shooting at the security barricades happened minutes after the event got underway.
The Secret Service and other authorities swarmed the room as guests ducked under tables by the hundreds. Gasps echoed through the ballroom as guests realized something was happening. Hundreds of journalists immediately got on phones to call in information.
“Out of the way, sir!” someone yelled. Others yelled to duck. From one corner, a “God Bless America” chant began as the president was escorted offstage. Outside the hotel, members of the National Guard and other authorities flooded the area as helicopters circled overhead.
After an initial attempt to resume the event, it was scrapped for the night and will be rescheduled.
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