Delhi violence: Ishrat Jahan alleges in court beating, harassment by jail inmates

Agencies
December 22, 2020

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New Delhi, Dec 22: Former Congress Councillor Ishrat Jahan, arrested under the stringent Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act in a north-east Delhi riots case, alleged before a court on Tuesday that she was beaten badly by inmates at Mandoli jail and was continuously facing harassment in prison.

Additional Sessions Judge Amitabh Rawat directed the jail authorities to take immediate steps to ensure Jahan's security and ensure that she was not harassed further for bringing her complaints before the court.

The court sought a detailed report from the prison authorities on Wednesday on the steps that have been taken to address the issue and to also state if shifting to her to another jail was required.

When the judge asked the Assistant Superintendent of Mandoli jail whether such an incident has occurred, she confirmed it and said necessary steps have been taken.

To this the judge told the jail official, She (Jahan) seems to be in a state of utter fear. Please talk to her immediately and understand the situation. File a detailed report about the steps taken to allay her apprehension and her fear.

"Take all the necessary steps. Take immediate steps. I don't want to hear that the accused was further harassed by her inmates or anybody else because she complained. I do not want to hear that the present accused is harmed in any way.

It also directed the prison authorities to produce her before the court on Wednesday through video conferencing.

While making the submissions directly to the court, Jahan said it was the second incident within one month and was under immense stress due to the continuous harassment, physically and verbally.

This is the second incident in a month. In the morning today at 6:30 Am, they (inmates) beat me badly and abused me verbally. One of the inmates even slit her hand so that I am punished on a false complaint. Fortunately, the jail officials did not listen to them. I have given a written complaint also. They keep calling me a terrorist. They also demanded money from me in the canteen, Jahan alleged.

She further alleged that she has been facing harassment in jail for the past four months and had requested to be shifted to Tihar prison but it was refused due to the current COVID-19 pandemic.

Advocate Pradeep Teotia, appearing for Jahan, further alleged that previously also she was beaten up by her inmates, following which one of the inmates was shifted to another jail.

One of the inmates beat her up badly previously. A complaint was filed before the Deputy Superintendent and that inmate was shifted to another jail. There are two ladies in her prison cell who beat her up today. While she was offering her morning prayers, they objected to it and started abusing her and beating her, Teotia alleged.

Advocate Misbah Bin Tariq, who was also present at the hearing, requested the court to take immediate action and view her situation with urgency as Jahan was a member of the advocates' Bar.

Jahan further said she was suffering from some medical condition for which she has not been taken to a hospital nor any tests conducted.

Advocate Rizwan, appearing for co-accused and suspended AAP Councillor Tahir Hussain, claimed that most of the accused in the north-east Delhi riots cases were facing discrimination in prison, either by the inmates or jail authorities.

He further alleged that the accused have been declared as terrorists before conclusion of the trial.

Almost all the accused are facing discrimination in jail. They have been declared as terrorists before conclusion of the trial. Jail authorities behave adversely with them. Proper monitoring by the court is important in the cases, specially the conspiracy case in which the accused have been booked under the UAP Act, he said.

To this, the Judge said, An accused is an accused, not a convict.

Another accused in the case, Jamia Millia Islamia student Asif Iqbal Tanha, claimed that his family members have been trying to meet him through video conferencing but their requests have not been approved.

Tanha also alleged that he has been repeatedly called terrorists in prison.

Tanha's counsel, advocate Sowjhanya Shankaran, said previously when several of the accused had said they have been given basic things in prison, the court had sought a report from the jail authorities but the report has not come yet.

The judge had on November 3 said he would go and inspect the situation physically if things did not improve. But since all the grievances were taken care of by the jail authorities, the judge did not go for a physical inspection.

Co-accused Umar Khalid told the court that even after a month, a soft copy of the charge sheet had not been supplied to him.

The judge asked his counsel to move an application before the Tihar prison authorities, where Khalid is lodged, to allow access to the soft copy.

The court has put up the matter for further hearing on January 5.

Communal violence had broken out in northeast Delhi on February 24 after clashes between Citizenship (Amendment) Act supporters and its protesters spiralled out of control leaving at least 53 people dead and around 200 injured.

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News Network
April 1,2025

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As the new financial year begins, several significant financial and tax-related changes take effect from April 1, 2025. Many of these updates were announced by Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman in the Union Budget 2025 and have now been officially approved as part of the Finance Bill 2025.

Some of the key changes include income tax exemption on annual earnings up to Rs 12 lakh, deactivation of UPI for long-unused mobile numbers, and suspension of dividend payouts for individuals who haven’t linked their PAN with Aadhaar. Below is a comprehensive look at all the important updates.

1. Income Tax Exemption & New Tax Slabs
Under the revamped tax regime:
✅ Individuals earning up to Rs 12 lakh per year will be completely exempt from income tax.
✅ For salaried employees, a standard deduction of Rs 75,000 raises the effective tax-free limit to Rs 12.75 lakh.
✅ To claim a rebate of up to Rs 60,000, taxpayers must file their returns on time.
✅ The new tax structure applies to income earned between April 1, 2025 – March 31, 2026, and will be reflected in ITR filings for FY 2025-26 (AY 2026-27).

2. Major Changes in TDS & TCS Rules
To provide tax relief and streamline transactions, several TDS (Tax Deducted at Source) and TCS (Tax Collected at Source) amendments have been introduced:
🔹 TDS on bank interest for senior citizens has doubled from Rs 50,000 to Rs 1 lakh.
🔹 TDS on dividend income has increased to Rs 10,000.
🔹 TCS on overseas remittances under the Liberalised Remittance Scheme (LRS) has been raised from Rs 7 lakh to Rs 10 lakh.

3. UPI Deactivation for Inactive Mobile Numbers
The National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI) will start unlinking UPI IDs associated with inactive mobile numbers. If your number has been inactive for a long period:
🔸 Your bank may remove it from their records.
🔸 You could face disruptions in Google Pay, PhonePe, or any UPI-based transactions.
🔸 This change enhances security by preventing unauthorized access to old UPI-linked accounts.

4. New GST Rules
Several Goods and Services Tax (GST) updates take effect:
🔹 Multi-factor authentication (MFA) is now mandatory for logging into the GST portal, improving online security.
🔹 E-way bills can only be generated for documents issued within the last 180 days, ensuring better compliance.
🔹 Hotel room tariffs above Rs 7,500 per day are now classified as "Specified Premises," attracting an 18% GST on restaurant services.

5. Toll Tax Hike Across National Highways
From April 1, 2025, toll charges across various highways will increase:
🚗 Delhi-Meerut Expressway, NH-9: Toll for cars will rise by Rs 5 to Rs 170.
🚛 Trucks and buses will now pay Rs 580 on major highways.
🚗 Delhi-Jaipur Highway: The Kherki Daula toll plaza will maintain current rates for cars, but the monthly pass for larger vehicles will rise by Rs 20 to Rs 950.

6. End of Equalisation Levy on Digital Transactions
The Finance Act 2025 removes the Equalisation Levy, which previously imposed a 2% tax on e-commerce and 6% on online advertisements. This change aims to:
✅ Reduce tax burden on digital service providers.
✅ Attract foreign investments in India’s digital economy.

7. Positive Pay System for Cheque Payments
To prevent bank fraud, the Positive Pay System requires account holders to:
✅ Electronically submit cheque details for payments above Rs 50,000.
✅ Ensure the details match before the cheque is processed.

8. KYC Mandatory for Mutual Fund & Demat Accounts
🔹 KYC (Know Your Customer) verification is now compulsory for mutual fund and demat accounts.
🔹 Nominee details will also undergo re-verification to enhance security.

9. Major Credit Card Perk Reductions
Credit card users will see major perk reductions, particularly with SBI, IDFC First, and Axis Bank:
❌ SBI Cards will remove complimentary insurance coverage for accidents (Rs 50 lakh for air, Rs 10 lakh for rail).
❌ Reward points on SBI Cards will be slashed from 15% to just 5%.
❌ IDFC First Club Vistara cardholders will lose milestone benefits and Club Vistara Silver membership perks.
❌ Axis Bank is discontinuing Maharaja Club tier memberships and premium vouchers.

10. Minimum Balance Rules for Bank Accounts
📌 Major banks like SBI, PNB, and Canara Bank have updated their minimum balance requirements based on account location:
🏙 Urban branches will require higher minimum balances.
🏡 Rural and semi-urban accounts may have lower minimum balance thresholds.
🚨 Failing to maintain the required balance will result in penalty charges, varying by bank.

11. Unified Pension Scheme (UPS) for Government Employees
The Unified Pension Scheme (UPS), introduced in August 2024, takes effect:
✅ Central government employees under NPS can opt for UPS.
✅ Those with at least 25 years of service will receive 50% of their average basic salary as a monthly pension.

Final Thoughts

These changes, introduced as part of the Union Budget 2025, mark a significant shift in India's tax, banking, and digital transaction landscape. With higher tax exemptions, updated TDS & TCS rules, stricter banking security, and GST amendments, the new financial year aims to simplify compliance while improving financial security and economic efficiency.

Stay informed and ensure all necessary updates to your financial accounts to avoid disruptions.

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