Iran's Quds Force Commander seen alive after death rumors: Reports
Tehran: Iran’s top military commander, Brigadier General Esmail Qaani, appeared in public on Tuesday, putting to rest rumors that he had been killed in an Israeli airstrike. Qaani, who leads the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps' (IRGC) Quds Force, was seen attending a public event in Tehran celebrating what Iran called its victory over Israel, reports Turkish news agency Anadolu Ajansı.
Iran’s Tasnim News Agency shared a video showing Qaani among a cheering crowd. “Commander Qaani attends today’s gathering of the people of Tehran following Operation Divine Victory,” the agency posted on social media.
According to Anadolu Ajansı, Iran’s state-run Press TV also confirmed his presence, showing footage of the general being warmly welcomed by citizens.
Earlier this month, reports from The New York Times had claimed that Qaani might have been killed during Israeli airstrikes.
Since June 13, Israel has launched multiple airstrikes across Iran, targeting military and nuclear sites. Israel said it acted because Iran was close to making a nuclear weapon, an accusation Iran has strongly denied.
In response, Iran fired back with missile and drone attacks. The situation escalated when the United States also entered the conflict, bombing three nuclear sites in Iran on Sunday.
After nearly two weeks of intense air attacks between Iran and Israel, U.S. President Donald Trump announced a ceasefire late Tuesday night, bringing a temporary halt to the fighting.
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Need to be taught lesson: SC refuses to entertain bail plea of Mumbai BMW hit-and-run case accused
New Delhi (PTI): The Supreme Court has refused to entertain the bail plea of Mihir Shah, the son of a former Shiv Sena leader, in the 2024 Mumbai BMW hit-and-run case, saying "these boys need to be taught a lesson".
A bench of Justices Dipankar Datta and A G Masih took into account that the accused belonged to an affluent family and his father was associated with the Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde-led faction of the Shiv Sena.
"He parks his Mercedes in the shed, takes out his BMW and crashes it and goes absconding. Let him be inside for some time. These boys need to be taught a lesson," the bench observed on Friday while refusing to entertain the bail plea.
Senior advocate Rebecca John, appearing for Shah, said the high court allowed him to seek bail after the testimony of key witnesses was recorded in the case. However, sensing the mood of the court, she sought permission to withdraw the plea, which was allowed.
Shah (24) was arrested on July 9 last year, two days after he allegedly rammed his BMW car into a two-wheeler in Mumbai's Worli area, killing Kaveri Nakhwa (45) and leaving her husband, Pradeep Nakhwa, injured.
The accused allegedly sped off towards the Bandra-Worli Sea Link after the accident, even as the woman remained on the bonnet of the car and then got entangled in its wheels for a distance of more than 1.5 kilometres.
Shah's driver, Rajrishi Bidawat, who was also present in the car at the time of the accident, was arrested on the day of the alleged accident. Both are in judicial custody.
Shah has challenged the November 21 order of the Bombay High Court that denied him bail in the case after noting that he was heavily inebriated and failed to stop the car even after hitting a scooter and dragging the victim under his vehicle.
The high court had said in the order that the conduct of the accused at the time of the alleged offence and afterwards does not inspire confidence in the court to grant him bail. It had said that Shah had accidentally crashed into the scooter but sped away at high speed, dragging the victim underneath the car.
His further actions indicate a clear intent to escape the consequences and evade arrest, the high court had noted, adding that his exchanging seats with his driver, calling his father and leaving the scene of offence indicate the predilection to tamper with evidence and/or intimidate witnesses.
