Supreme Court upholds bail for man accused of terror links
New Delhi: The Supreme Court recently upheld the bail granted to Asif Musthaheen, who was arrested on charges of ISIS links, support for Al-Qaeda ideology, and plotting to kill members of Hindu organizations. A bench comprising Justices Surya Kant and Ujjal Bhuyan ruled in favor of maintaining the bail, primarily due to Asif's prolonged incarceration since July 2022. However, the Court expunged certain remarks made by the Madras High Court regarding evidentiary matters and legal interpretations.
The Court clarified that observations about the evidentiary value of text messages and whether offenses under Section 38(2) of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) were made out should not be treated as precedents. "Such observations by the High Court while deciding a bail application are apparently out of context," the bench stated.
Asif's defense argued that his detention violated Article 21 of the Constitution due to procedural delays in the prosecution process. The defense also contended that no incriminating evidence beyond a mobile phone had been recovered and that the allegations, even if true, did not constitute terrorism under the UAPA.
In contrast, the prosecution emphasized the severity of the charges, noting Asif’s alleged ideological alignment with Al-Qaeda and proximity to an ISIS-linked co-accused. The High Court, however, found that there was no clear evidence tying Asif to an active terrorist conspiracy, distinguishing between personal associations and actual involvement in terrorist activities.
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Bihar: Over 150 children fall ill after consuming 'mid-day meal' in Saharsa
Saharsa (PTI): More than 150 children were taken ill after allegedly consuming food that was part of the mid-day meal in a school in Bihar’s Saharsa district, a senior official said on Thursday.
The incident occurred at a middle school in Baluaha village of the district.
The official said that 115 children were undergoing treatment at the Sadar Hospital, while around 50 students were admitted to Mahishi Public Health Centre.
“We received information that several children fell ill after consuming the mid-day meal in Baluaha. The children were initially treated at the primary health centre, but later, many were referred to the Sadar Hospital,” Saharsa District Magistrate Deepesh Kumar told reporters.
“According to doctors, the health condition of the children has improved, but they will be kept under observation for some time. There is no need to panic. Some kids are having mild fever. They are being treated accordingly,” Kumar said.
Meanwhile, family members of some children claimed that a snake was found in the container in which cooked pulses was stored at the school.
Of the 545 students present in the school, 200 had already eaten their meals by the time the snake was spotted, and later complained of stomach ache and vomiting, they said.
Regarding the claims, the DM said food samples have been collected from the school.
“We will be able to comment on this only after the results of the tested samples arrive,” he said.
