Retired judge slams Centre, moves SC for Justice KM Joseph's elevation

A retired district Judge from Solapur, Maharashtra, G D Inamdar has filed a PIL in the Supreme Court seeking Uttarakhand Chief Justice K M Joseph's immediate elevation to the apex court.

The PIL filed by the retired district judge has also sought a direction to the Centre to issue warrants of appointment for Justice Joseph with consequential seniority.

He approached the Supreme Court seeking urgent action on the quashing of the "illegal and unconstitutional" move of the Central government by segregating Justice Joseph's name whose name for elevation had been recommended by the apex court collegium.

"The petitioner is aggrieved by the shocking manner in which the Central Government has unilaterally and capriciously segregated and rejected the name of Hon'ble Justice K M Joseph - recommended by the Collegium for appointment as a Judge of this Hon'ble Court, while at the same time accepting the recommendation for elevation of Ms Indu Malhotra, Senior Advocate, as a Judge of this Hon'ble Court," the petition said.

China blacklists 9.59 mn loan defaulters, freezes deposits worth $27.7 bn

Chinese courts have blacklisted over 9.59 million people for defaulting on loans and frozen $27.7 billion deposits owned by them by the end of 2017, China's Supreme People's Court (SPC) said on Saturday.
The defaulters have been restrained from purchasing more than 9.36 million plane tickets and 3.67 million high-speed train tickets by the end of 2017, the SPC said.

The SPC has cooperated with airlines and railway companies to bar those who default from purchasing tickets, based on ID card information and their passports.
Moreover, the SPC has also worked with banks to reject loan and credit card applications from people who have defaulted, state-run Xinhua news agency reported.

Courts nationwide had frozen deposits totalling more than 180 billion yuan ($27.7 billion) owned by defaulters, the SPC said.
People on the blacklist are also restricted from serving as corporate representatives or executives.

Ousted Pak PM Nawaz Sharif appears before anti-graft court to face trial

Pakistan's ousted Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif on Wednesday appeared before an anti-graft court to face trial in corruption cases against him in the Panama Papers scandal that forced him to resign.

Sharif, 67, reached the court along with his daughter Maryam.

The former premier, who had left for Saudi Arabia on December 30 amid reports of a "deal" between the embattled Sharif family, returned to the country yesterday.

Three corruption cases were registered against him on September 8 following the Supreme Court verdict of July 28 that also disqualified Sharif as the prime minister and ordered National Accountability Bureau (NAB) for institution of cases.

The NAB produced two witnesses on the court today who recorded their statements and defence layer also cross-examined them.

The three cases pertain to the Al-Azizia Steel Mills, several companies including Flagship Investment Ltd, and London's Avenfield properties.

Sharif and some of his family members are facing charges relating to their overseas properties.

Last hearing of the case was held on December 19.

So far 10 witnesses have recorded their statement on behalf of the prosecution. This was the 11th time that Sharif has attended the hearing.

The political future of Sharif, who leads the country's most powerful political family and the ruling PML-N party, has been hanging in balance since then. If convicted, Sharif can be jailed.

Sharifs family alleges that the cases are politically motivated.
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After ICJ defeat, Britain replaces UN Ambassador Matthew Rycroft

Britain today appointed Karen Pierce as its new Ambassador to the UN, replacing incumbent Matthew Rycroft under whom it suffered a humiliating defeat at the hands of India in the recent election to the International Court of Justice.

Pierce is the first woman appointed to this role, and is uniquely suited for the position having previously served as Deputy Permanent Representative to the UN in New York, and more recently as the Permanent Representative to the UN in Geneva, the UK Mission to the UN said in a statement.

Britain's Permanent Mission to the United Nations did not give any reason for appointing Pierce as new ambassador to the world body, which comes days after it failed to get its judge Christopher Greenwood elected to the International Court of Justice (ICJ) after India's Judge Dalveer Bhandari consistently received nearly two-third of the votes in the UN General Assembly.

Bhandari was on Tuesday re-elected to the ICJ as the UN General Assembly overwhelmingly threw its weight behind him, forcing Britain to withdraw its candidate from the hard- fought race to the world court.

This is for the first time in 70 years that Britain would have no judge in the 15-member panel of the ICJ.
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Law, not faith, runs country: Oppn on Mohan Bhagwat's 'Ram Mandir' remarks

The opposition parties criticised Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) chief Mohan Bhagwat statement over his remarks on Ram Temple, saying that the chief is not above the Supreme Court and that the country is run by the Constitution and not faith.

"Mr Bhagwat is not above the Supreme Court and the country is run by the constitution and not by faith," Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) leader Nawab Malik told ANI.

Criticising the RSS chief and BJP Malik said, Prime Minister Narendra Modi is losing his grip in the country, while the BJP is losing the faith of the public.

"BJP Is losing public faith and that is why the Ram Mandir issue has been raised by BJP and Sangh parivar," he added.

He further stated that the matter is before the Supreme Court and the verdict of the highest court should be binding on everybody.

Echoing the same thoughts, Congress leader Virendra Kumar Madan said that the web of lies created by the BJP and RSS has been broken.

"The people of Uttar Pradesh and the whole nation have understood their false promises. Both RSS and BJP think that their land is slipping from their hands and hence are giving such controversial statements," he added.
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INX media case: Karti is not a 'fugitive of justice', lawyer Sibal tells SC

In a hearing of the INX media case on Tuesday, Karti Chidambaram's lawyer Kapil Sibal told the Supreme Court that the former is not a "fugitive of justice".

The case against Karti, which pertains to allege that he illegally took service charges for getting the FIPB clearance to INX Media for receiving funds from abroad worth Rs 305 crore in 2007 when his father P. Chidambaram was the finance minister in Congress-led United Progressive Alliance's rule, was heard by a three-judge bench headed by Chief Justice Dipak Misra.
Arguing in the court against the lookout notice used by Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), which prevents Karti from travelling outside India, Sibal told that though Karti went abroad but he came back to India again.

Sibal told the court that the Centre had pressurised the foreign bank to close Karti's account in United Kingdom, so he had to take money out of it during his last visit to the country.

The senior lawyer further argued that there is just an FIR against karti in the INX media case and nothing has been proved against him yet.

Denying Central Bureau of Investigation's (CBI) allegation of multiple foreign bank accounts, Karti earlier told the Supreme Court that he had only one account in the United Kingdom's Metro Bank and one property in that country.
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Foreigners scramble out of Iraqi Kurdistan ahead of retaliatory flight ban

Foreigners scrambled to leave Iraqi Kurdistan on Friday hours before the start of a flight ban imposed by Baghdad in retaliation for an independence referendum that has sent regional tensions soaring.

Iraq's central government has ordered a halt to all international flights to and from the autonomous region from 6:00 pm (local time) on Friday after Iraqi Kurds overwhelmingly voted for independence.

Washington has said it would be willing to facilitate talks between the Iraqi Kurdish authorities and Baghdad to calm escalating tensions over the 92-percent "yes" vote, as a top Shiite cleric called for solving the crisis in an Iraqi court.

Neighbouring Turkey and Iran also strongly opposed the vote, fearing it would inflame the separatist aspirations of their own sizable Kurdish population.

Ankara has threatened a series of measures including blocking crucial oil exports from the region via Turkey.

The Kurds have condemned the flight suspension as "collective punishment".

Today, Iraqi Kurdistan's transport ministry sent a letter to Baghdad asking to "open negotiations" on flights but was still awaiting a reply, a ministry spokesman said.
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SIT begins probe into Gauri murder, family against giving political colour

Investigators from the IG-headed SIT on Thursday pored over the CCTV footage of the scene of murder of activist-journalist Gauri Lankesh for clues in the hunt for the killers even as her family spoke against giving "political colour" to the incident.

The brother and sister of 55-year-old Gauri, who was gunned down at her home on Bengaluru on Tuesday night, also appeared divided on the probe with the former saying he would approach the CBI or a court if they don't get justice from investigations by the SIT.

As outrage across the country over the murder grew, Union minister Ramdas Athawale demanded that the killers be immediately arrested and hanged. He also said there was no need for levelling political allegations over the incident.

The Karnataka government on its part said it was hopeful of nabbing the assailants "as soon as possible."

Protest rallies and candlelight vigils were also held for the second day today in several cities. "We need a CBI probe into the murder," said a student protester in Kolkata.
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'It's outrageous, it's not right': 15 states, DC sue Trump admin over DACA

Fifteen states and the District of Columbia sued the US government to block President Donald Trump's plan to end protection against deportation for young immigrants who New York's attorney general labeled the "best of America."

The lawsuit filed in federal court in Brooklyn yesterday asked a judge to strike down as unconstitutional the president's action involving the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program, or DACA.

It called the move "a culmination of President Trump's oft-stated commitments ... To punish and disparage people with Mexican roots."

Also Read:  Trump ends DACA: All you need to know about it and how Indians are impacted

The attorneys general who brought the lawsuit all Democrats represent states where the population of DACA participants known as "dreamers" ranges from hundreds to tens of thousands. They were brought to the US illegally as children or came with families who overstayed visas.

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HC halts 2nd Vodafone arbitration in Rs 11,000-cr tax demand against India

The Delhi High Court on Tuesday restrained Vodafone Group's arbitration proceeding against India, under a treaty with the United Kingdom, in connection with a Rs 11,000 crore tax demand raised against the company in relation to its $11 billion deal acquiring stake of Hutchinson Telecom.

Justice Manmohan restrained Vodafone or its subsidiaries from going ahead with arbitration under the India-UK Bilateral Investment Protection Agreement (BIPA) as the telecom major had initiated similar proceedings on the same issue under the the India-Netherlands BIPA.

"This court is of the prima facie view that in the present case, there is duplication of the parties and the issues. In fact, the reliefs sought by the defendants under the India-UK BIPA and by the Vodafone International Holdings BV (VIHBV), the subsidiary of defendants (Vodafone group), under the India-Netherlands BIPA are virtually identical.

"This court is further of the prima facie view that there is a risk of parallel proceedings and inconsistent decisions by two separate arbitral tribunals in the present case. In the prima facie opinion of this Court, it would be inequitable, unfair and unjust to permit the defendants to prosecute the foreign arbitration," the court said in an interim order.

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Mauritian investor offers Rs 10,700-cr fund for Sahara's Aamby Valley

A Mauritius-based investor, Royale Partners Investment Fund, on Friday said it has offered to invest $1.67 billion (over Rs 10,700 crore) in embattled Sahara group's Aamby Valley project.

The investment offer, proposed as a debt arrangement, comes at a time when the Supreme Court has ordered auction of the Aamby Valley resort town between Mumbai and Pune in Maharashtra. Sahara group pegs the market valuation of this project at over Rs 1 lakh crore.

Royale Partners Investment Fund Limited, registered in Mauritius as a global business company, is owned by Dubai- headquartered RPMG Investment which is into investment management, private equity, asset management and proprietary trading.

Replying to emailed queries about its proposed deal with Sahara group, RPMG Investment told PTI, "As deposed by Sahara before the Supreme Court of India, Royale Partners Investment Fund Ltd and its Limited Partners have agreed to invest USD 1.67 billion in the Aamby Valley Project.
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Thai man handed 20 years over 'anti-monarchy' podcasts

A Thai man was sentenced to 20 years in prison on Wednesday for uploading audio clips that insulted royal family members, his lawyer said, the latest harsh verdict under a defamation law that shields the monarchy from scrutiny.

Tara, whose last name was withheld to protect his relatives, was convicted on six counts of lese majeste, according to his lawyer Yaowalak Anuphan and iLaw, a group that tracks royal defamation cases.

He was detained in January 2015 for posting audio clips produced by 'DJ Banpodj', an underground podcast host known for fiery criticism of the powerful monarchy.

Later that year police claimed to arrest the DJ and nearly a dozen others allegedly linked to the 'Banpodj Network'.

"Tara would take the links and upload the clips to his own website," said Yingcheep Atchanont from iLaw, adding that most of the content concerned the late king and queen.

A Bangkok military court official confirmed the sentencing.
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Nawaz Sharif appears before panel probing Panama money laundering case

Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif on Thursday appeared before a Supreme Court-appointed team probing the Panamagate graft case, becoming Pakistan's first sitting premier to depose before such a panel.

"The day that creates history and sets a much required and welcome precedent for others to emulate," Sharif's daughter Maryam Nawaz tweeted along with pictures of the PML-N leader and his top aides just before leaving for the Judicial Academy - the JIT's temporary secretariat - amid tight security.

The Joint Investigation Team (JIT) chief Wajid Zia had summoned the prime minister to appear before the six-member probe team on June 15 with all documents relevant to the case.

The summons was issued to Sharif after he returned last Saturday from Kazakhstan where he had attended the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Summit.

In its judgement of April 20 in the Panama Papers case, the Supreme Court had constituted a JIT and empowered it to summon the prime minister, his sons and any other person necessary, to investigate allegations of money-laundering, through which the four apartments in London's posh Park Lane area were purchased.

Sharif has denied any wrongdoing.

The Joint Investigation Team had questioned Sharif's sons -- Hussain and Hasan -- last month over the family's alleged improper business dealings.

His eldest son Hussain was questioned five times while Hasan, the younger son, was summoned twice.

The court last year took up the case and issued a split decision over allegations of money laundering when Sharif was prime minister in 1990s.
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Pak govt acting like 'Sicilian Mafia', says SC judge

Pakistan government on Thursday earned the ire of a Supreme Court judge who likened it to 'Sicilian Mafia' after a lawmaker of the ruling PML-N made "threatening remarks" against judges and the investigators probing graft allegations against Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif.

Senator Nehal Hashmi in a speech threatened those creating trouble for the family of Sharif who is facing a high-level probe for alleged syphoning off money to buy properties in London.

"Listen! You ask the son of Nawaz Sharif to submit his account detail. Who are you to ask him his account details? We are the workers of Nawaz Sharif. We will make an example of those who hold us accountable," Hashmi told an audience this week in the short video clip.

It has been interpreted as direct threat to judges and a team of investigators probing Sharif and his sons.

The court yesterday took suo moto notice of the threat and today held its hearing.

The three-member panel headed by Justice Ejaz Afzal Khan expressed strong displeasure at the "threatening remarks" used by the lawmaker and directed him submit a written response by June 5.

Justice Azmat Saeed Sheikh, a member of the bench, said the incumbent government was acting like "the Sicilian Mafia, which would threaten judges".

The court also observed that a systematic campaign was being run by the government against judges of the apex court and the Joint Investigation Team (JIT).

It also appointed Attorney General Ashtar Ausaf Ali as prosecutor and directed him to collect material related to the case.

The court rejected a plea by Ali seeking a ban on talk shows about Panama case and JIT probing Sharif's family.

PML-N has distanced itself from Hashmi's remarks and issued him a show cause notice for the outburst.

He has also resigned from Senate after facing criticism.
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