K’taka HC declines stay on menstrual leave order, says issue of public importance
Bengaluru: The State Government has strongly defended its decision to grant one day of paid menstrual leave every month to women employees, telling the Karnataka High Court that the notification was issued in the larger interest of women and is legally sound. The Court, treating the matter as one of significant public importance, refused to stay the implementation of the order and adjourned the hearing to January 20.
The Labour Department’s November 20, 2025 notification was challenged by the Bangalore Hotels Association, Avirat Defence System, Facile Aerospace Technologies Ltd and Samos Technologies Ltd. Justice Jyoti Mulimani heard the petitions on Wednesday.
At the start of the hearing, the bench asked whether the State had filed its objections. Advocate General K. Shashikiran Shetty informed the Court that objections had been submitted and that copies would be provided to the petitioners.
Defending the notification, the Advocate General said the government had introduced a progressive measure aimed at women’s welfare, one that no other state in India had implemented so far. He told the Court that 72 objections were received and considered before finalising the notification. He argued that the government was empowered to frame such policy under Article 42 of the Constitution and noted that the Supreme Court and the Law Commission had earlier made recommendations in this direction.
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When the Court asked whether the notification applied to all sectors, the Advocate General replied in the affirmative. The bench observed that the matter required detailed hearing because of its wider public impact and decided to take it up in January. The Court added that petitioners may file their responses to the State’s objections before the next hearing.
Petitioners’ counsel B.K. Prashanth requested that the State be restrained from enforcing the order until the case is decided. The Advocate General responded that the government had already begun implementing the notification across all sectors.
Justice Mulimani noted that nothing would change between now and the next hearing and emphasised that the Court would consider all arguments thoroughly before issuing any direction. The bench then adjourned the matter to January 20 and asked petitioners to file any additional applications with copies to the State’s counsel.
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Viral claim of Indian arrested for spying in Bahrain found to be false
New Delhi: A viral claim on social media alleging that an Indian national named Nitin Mohan was arrested in Bahrain for spying for Israel has been found to be false, with the image circulating online likely generated or altered using artificial intelligence.
The photo is being circulated widely on social media platforms, including a Pakistani X account currently withheld in India, shared an image purportedly showing, “Authorities in Bahrain have arrested an Indian national, Nitin Mohan, a telecommunications engineer, on allegations of espionage. According to reports, he was collecting sensitive geospatial data, photos, and videos of key locations and allegedly passing them to Israel’s intelligence agency.”
A fact-check by India Today revealed that the photo is likely AI-generated or AI-edited. We also did not find any report of the Bahrain government arresting an Indian national named Nitin Mohan.
However, a fact check found no credible evidence supporting the claim. Visual examination of the viral image showed several inconsistencies indicating that it was likely AI-generated or edited. The reflections in both eyes do not align. The fingers on one hand are blurred and appear to merge into the fist. The links between the handcuffs also look flimsy.
Further verification found no official reports of an Indian national named Nitin Mohan being arrested in Bahrain.
A press release issued on March 9 by Bahrain’s Police Media Centre stating that they had arrested six Asians for filming and sharing videos of Iranian aggression and glorifying hostile acts that could disturb security and public order.
According to the release, five of the arrested individuals were Pakistani nationals, Afzal Khan, Muhammad Muaz Akbar, Ahmad Mumtaz, Arsalan Sajid and Abdul Rahman Abdul Sattar, and one was a Bangladeshi national, Muhammad Israfil Mir. Their photographs also did not match the viral image circulating online.
Media reports from Gulf Daily News and Arab Times confirmed that Bahrain’s Interior Ministry arrested six individuals of Asian nationalities for recording and sharing videos glorifying Iranian aggression.
Additionally, India’s Ministry of External Affairs Fact Check wing stated on March 10 that the claim about an Indian national being arrested in Bahrain was “false and baseless.”
Authorities have cautioned that the viral image and accompanying claim are misleading, confirming that the claim is false and part of misinformation circulating online.
