‘Land of the Free’ or ‘Land of Fear’?: U.S. turns campus crackdown into deportation machine

The Supreme Court Tuesday dismissed a plea by former IPS officer Sanjiv Bhatt, undergoing life imprisonment in connection with a 1990 custodial death case, for bail and the suspension of his sentence. While denying him the relief, a bench of Justices Vikram Nath and Sandeep Mehta also directed that the hearing of his appeal be expedited.

“We are not inclined to enlarge the appellant Sanjiv Kumar Bhatt on bail. However, we make it clear that the observations made herein above are restricted to the prayer for bail only and will have no bearing on the appeals of the appellant and the co-accused. The prayers sought by the appellant, Sanjiv Kumar Bhatt, for the grant of bail are dismissed. Hearing of the appeal is directed to be expedited,” Justice Mehta said while reading out the order.

The case dates back to 1990 when Bhatt was posted as the additional superintendent of police in Gujarat’s Jamnagar. He had detained around 133 people under the stringent Terrorist and Disruptive Activities (Prevention) (TADA) Act during a communal riot in Jamjodhpur town.

On November 18, 1990, one of those detained, Prabhudas Vaishnani, died in a hospital after he was released, allegedly due to torture while he was in custody. A complaint of custodial death was registered against seven policemen, including Bhatt, by Amrutlal Vaishnani, the brother of the deceased, following which the investigation was transferred to the state Criminal Investigation Department (CID) branch in Gandhinagar.

In 1995, the CID investigating officer requested sanction from the government to prosecute Bhatt as is required for the prosecution of a government officer when on duty. However, the government did not grant the sanction. After that, CID filed a summary report, which is a closure report, in the court. However, the court rejected this report in December 1995 and instead took cognisance of offences alleged against Bhatt and six others.

An A-summary report was filed in this case in 1995 after the Gujarat Government refused to grant sanction for prosecuting Bhatt. However, after Bhatt’s deposition in relation to the 2002 communal riots before the Nanavati and the Mehta commissions between May and July 2011, the state government withdrew protection granted to him, and the Jamnagar court began framing charges soon after.

A Jamnagar sessions court sentenced Bhatt to life imprisonment in June 2019. This was subsequently upheld by a Division Bench of the Gujarat High Court.

Belagavi: Colonel Sofia Qureshi who along with Wing Commander Vyomika Singh presented the details of ‘Operation Sindoor’ is being hailed as the daughter-in-law of Karnataka’s Belagavi.

Qureshi's husband Colonel Tajuddin Bagewadi is from Konnur town in Gokak taluk. He has been serving as a colonel in the Indian Army. They were married in 2015.

Qureshi is a native of Baroda in Gujarat, being married to Tajuddin has made her the daughter-in-law of Belagavi.

During a media meet at New Delhi on Wednesday, Qureshi had shared the details of the success of Operation Sindoor which was conducted in retaliation to the terror attack at Pahalgam in Kashmir.

Qureshi has also served in the UN peacekeeping force at Kangola. She has received great appreciation from General Officer Commanding for her work along the borders of Punjab and during the floods in North-East.

Presently Sofia has been posted at Jammu while her husband Colonel Tajuddin Bagewadi at Jhanshi.

Appealing to the world's major powers for "no more war", Pope Leo on Sunday welcomed the ceasefire between India and Pakistan and hoped negotiations can lead to lasting peace, reported Reuters. Pope Leo prayed god will give world 'miracle of peace'. 

Pope Leo XIV, born Robert Francis Prevost, reportedly also called for peace in Ukraine, ceasefire and release of hostages in Gaza in his first Sunday noon appeal since his election as pontiff.

The new pope was elected on May 8, succeeding Pope Francis who died on April 21. 

“Never again war!” Pope Leo said from the loggia of St. Peter’s Basilica.

After over three days of intense exchange of fire, India and Pakistan on Saturday reached an ‘understanding’ to immediately stop all firing and military action on land, air and sea. The ceasefire, which was first announced by US President Donald Trump on Saturday, was violated by Pakistan hours later with drones being intercepted over parts of Jammu, Srinagar, Punjab and Rajasthan.

The military confrontation erupted after Islamabad launched drones and missiles towards the Indian territory, responding to the Operation Sindoor military strikes carried out by New Delhi on nine terror infrastructures in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir on May 7.

Operation Sindoor was launched in retaliation to the April 22 terror attack in Jammu and Kashmir's Pahalgam in which terrorists found to have links with Pakistan killed 26 civilians.

‘Third world war in pieces’

The 69-year-old Chicago-born missionary is the 267th pope and also the first American to hold the religious leadership title. 

Marking the 80th anniversary of the end of World War II, Leo echoed Pope Francis's words, condemning the many conflicts plaguing the world today as a “third world war in pieces.”

Pope Leo also noted that this Sunday was Mother's Day in many countries, extending warm wishes to all mothers — “including those in heaven.”

The atmosphere turned jubilant as the crowd, joined by marching bands visiting for the special Jubilee weekend, broke into cheers and music while the bells of St. Peter's Basilica rang out.