SC reserves verdict on Sidhu's conviction in road rage case
New Delhi, April 18: The Supreme Court on Wednesday reserved its judgment on a plea filed by Punjab Tourism Minister Navjot Singh Sidhu against a three-year jail term awarded to him in a 30-year-old road rage case.
A bench of Justice J. Chelameswar and Justice Sanjay Kishan Kaul reserved the judgment after hearing arguments from counsels of the Punjab government and Sidhu and his cousin.
The incident dates to December 27, 1988, when Sidhu and his cousin had beaten up Gurnam Singh and two other in what was described as a road rage case. Singh later died.
On April 12, the state government supported the decision of the Punjab and Haryana High Court convicting the minister. It told the apex court that 65-year-old victim had died after a fist blow from the cricketer-turned-politician.
The state said there was no evidence at all to suggest that Singh died of a cardiac arrest and not a brain haemorrhage. In 1999, the trial court in Patiala had acquitted Sidhu and his cousin saying the medical report stated the death was due to a heart attack.
The High Court in December 2006 had overturned the lower court's decision.
It said Singh did not die of cardiac arrest but due to the injury on his temporal lobe. Sidhu was awarded three years in jail for culpable homicide not amounting to murder.
The apex court in 2007 had stayed the conviction after counsel appearing for Sidhu had contended that the findings of the High Court were based on opinion and not on medical evidence.
Sidhu's lawyer argued that there were deficiencies in the medical evidence and the prosecution witnesses had given different statements on oath before the trial court.
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Ravish Kumar completes 10 million subscribers on YouTube 18 months after launching channel
New Delhi: Renowned journalist and former NDTV Executive Editor Ravish Kumar achieved a milestone on Monday as his YouTube channel crossed 10 million subscribers.
This achievement comes approximately 18 months after Kumar officially launched his channel in October 2022. Following his departure from NDTV, which he announced via a video post on December 1, 2022, Kumar began sharing his insights and commentary on various issues through his YouTube platform.
Known for his insightful analysis and independent viewpoint, Kumar's YouTube channel has garnered widespread popularity, consistently attracting millions of views for his videos. Having spent 27 years at NDTV, where he served as Senior Executive Editor and hosted several flagship programs, Kumar's transition to digital media reflects the evolving landscape of journalism.
His decision to resign from NDTV and embrace digital media was influenced by challenges, including his mother's illness in Bihar, as well as the broader context of threats and pressures faced by journalists in India. Kumar had received death threats on his personal phone from supporters of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, amidst NDTV's encounter with a potential takeover by the Adani Group, known for its close ties with the government.
In his resignation address, delivered on his YouTube channel, Kumar expressed gratitude to his audience for their unwavering support over the years. He also voiced concerns about authoritarian forces dividing the nation and lamented the state of journalism in India, characterizing it as a "dark age of journalism."
Kumar's departure from mainstream media to pursue an independent digital presence mirrored a growing trend among Indian journalists. Many have opted to utilize platforms like YouTube and social media to navigate the challenges faced by traditional media organizations in the current political climate.
Through his YouTube channel, Ravish Kumar continues to engage with his audience, offering his perspective on pressing issues and contributing to the discourse on journalism in India.
