Tag: Bombay HC

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At last, State to reward police who investigated 26/11 attacks

Five years after the 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks, State Government clears proposal to reward investigating police team for their efforts.
by the Editors | editor@themetrognome.in

It’s almost like a belated Christmas spirit has taken over the highest offices in Mantralaya. While the Government made the news yesterday for awarding Rs 1 crore each to three women kabaddi players who clinched the World Cup for the country last year, the State has also passed a Government Resolution (GR) to reward a contingent of 46 police officers, mid-level officials and constables, who investigated the horrific 26/11 terror attacks in Mumbai.

In a GR issued on March 25, 2013 by the Home Department, it is learnt that the Government is setting aside Rs 6,58,000 to be awarded in lieu of cash rewards to 43 of the 46 police personnel investigating the 26/11 attacks. Three officers – Rakesh Maria, Deven Bharati and Ashok Durafe – are to received commendatory letters, the GR said.

It may be remembered that after the terror attacks on November 26, 2008, in which timely and courageous police action helped nab a terrorist alive – probably a first in a terror operation of this kind anywhere in the world – and helped conclusively prove Pakistan’s hand in the strikes, a police crack team got to work to investigate the case. Headed by Joint Commissioner of Police (Crime) Rakesh Maria, and supported by Additional CP (Crime) Deven Bharati and ACP Ashok Durafe, the team probed the attacks and prepared a mammoth 11, 750-page chargesheet in three months after the attacks. Thereafter, a 1,500-page supplementary chargesheet was filed.

A few months after the attacks, the State Government had announced that it was mulling a cash prize for the police personnel investigating the case. However, the final amount and how much each of the 43 officials will receive, has been decided only now.

Of the awardees, the highest cash prize goes to Ramesh Mahale, the chief investigating officer who was in the Crime Branch (and who has resigned from his post a few months ago) – he gets Rs 1,00,000. Five others get Rs 25,000 each, while constables get Rs 5,000 to Rs 7,000.

About the case:

– The reward comes in recognition of successful investigation into the attacks, and the capture of a live terrorist, Ajmal Amir Kasab.

– The attacks took place over a period of 62 hours, and resulted in the death of 170 people.

– The trial in the case started on May 8, 2009. The State examined 649 witnesses during the trial.

– Kasab was held guilty on 31 counts, and awarded the death penalty on five counts.

– Kasab filed an appeal against the lower court’s verdict in the Bombay HC, which upheld his death sentence on February 21, 2011.

– Kasab was hanged to death at Pune’s Yerawada Jail on November 21, 2012.

 (Picture courtesy outlook.com)

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Places

Heritage walks to start at Bombay High Court

You can soon take a walking tour of the HC on weekends. However, visitors must maintain discipline inside the premises.
by The Editors | editor@themetrognome.in

Have you ever wondered what the Bombay High court (HC) looks like on the inside? It sure is an imposing and photograph-worthy structure, but what is it like to be inside the building that delivers judgments and is the ultimate symbol for law in the city?

You’ll soon have a chance to find out.

After the Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus (CST), it is the turn of the Bombay HC to be opened to the general public for general viewing via a heritage walk. After efforts on the part of the Maharashtra Tourism Development Corporation (MTDC), the Bombay HC will be open to heritage walks on weekends, barring working Saturdays for the court.

Says Dr Jagdish Patil, Managing Director, MTDC, “It is our great privilege to have the opportunity of organising the heritage walk at the High Court. The beautiful building premises are indeed a rare sight for visitors and not many get the opportunity to visit it. The HC is a monument of great significance, history and heritage. We are thankful to the Honourable Chief Justice Mohit Shah for granting us permission to arrange heritage walks at the High Court.”

Entry to the building is otherwise restricted, understandably, but it will soon be thrown open for viewing on the weekends. The guidelines for the walking tours, as well as ticket pricing and group timings, are still being worked out. “The walk will be faciliated by the ToGA (Tour Guides Association) on days when the HC is not working,” Dr Patil says. The walk is to be conducted in the presence of police personnel and the Court Keeper between 8 am to 10.30 am on Saturdays and Sundays every month.

“However, the visitors will have to be disciplined and adhere by the High Court’s guidelines,” Dr Patil says. “They will have to move around in small batches (15 to 20 members at a time). Photography of the interiors of the court rooms or High Court building will be prohibited, and visitors will have to be cautious about not disturbing anybody in the court rooms and other departments of the HC,” Dr Patil says.

(Picture courtesy wikipedia.org)

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Nikam will get Rs 25,000 per result-oriented hearing in Jundal case

Prosecutor Ujjwal Nikam will also get other expenses, such as Rs 5,000 hotel stay and Rs 7,000 hourly consultation fees.

In recent times, Ujjwal Nikam has become the go-to man in high-profile legal cases. And why not, the man’s successfully argued for the State of Maharashtra v/s captured 26/11 terrorist Ajmal Kasab, who was given the death sentence by the Bombay High Court (and which was later upheld by the Supreme Court), apart from officiating as prosecutor in the 1993 Mumbai bomb blasts, the Pramod Mahajan murder trial and the Gulshan Kumar murder.

In a GR (Government Resolution) dated January 24, 2013, the Home Department of the State Government of Maharashtra said that while the State had appointed Nikam as the Special Public Prosecutor in the case against Indian Mujahideen’s Abu Jundal, it was also sanctioning official fees for Nikam to fight the case in court. Jundal is accused of being the Hindi tutor and handler of 10 Pakistani terrorists who carried out the 26/11 attacks in Mumbai – Ajmal Kasab was one of them.

In the GR, the Home Department has sanctioned result-oriented hearing fees will be Rs 25,000 (per hearing). Additionally, Nikam will also get Rs 7,000 per hour as consultation fees (discussion of the case and exchange of opinion) and Rs 5,000 per day as hotel and lodging expenses.

In 2011, the Home Department had sanctioned Rs 50,000 as result-oriented fees for Nikam, when the latter was appointed by the Government to fight for Kasab’s execution in the SC. At the time, his per hour consultation fees were Rs 10,000.

The GR further mentions that Nikam is not to be paid any fees on the days that no result-oriented hearing takes place in court.

Nikam’s most high-profile cases:

The 26/11 trial

Pramod Mahajan murder trial

Nadeem extradition case, London

Gateway of India blasts, 2003

Mumbai serial bomb blasts, 1994

Kherlanji Massacre, 2006

Marine Drive police chowky rape case, 2005

(Picture courtesy ibnlive.com)

 

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Big story

Bombay HC will have a General Manager

State okays creating 45 court manager posts for the HC and district courts, GM’s monthly salary will be Rs 76,600.
by The Editors | editor@themetrognome.in

The Bombay High Court (HC) is about to get a general manager soon.

As per a recommendation by the 13th Finance Commission, 45 new posts for court managers for courts in Maharashtra were to be created; these managers would look after daily administrative tasks to take some of the load off judges. These court manager posts would comprise the posts of General Managers, Senior Court Managers and Court Managers.

As per a notification issued by the Bombay HC in the last week of October 2012, four General Managers were likely to be posted at Bombay HC, and its benches in Nagpur and Aurangabad, while Senior Court Managers are likely to be posted in district courts at the divisional headquarters at Nagpur, Amravati, Aurangabad, Nashik, Thane and Pune. Court Managers are likely to be posted in district courts at any of the district headquarters in the State.

Yesterday, the State Cabinet approved the creation of these new posts, which will cost the exchequer Rs 3,07,00,000; this sum will be granted by the Centre. The court managers will look into such work as sanctioning leaves and maintaining leave and attendance records, among other things.

What’s the pay like?

The GM’s job will fetch a monthly salary of Rs 76,600, and the candidate must hold an MBA or advanced degree in general management, with a personal work experience of eight or more years in a government organisation. Similarly, the educational qualifications for the other two categories remain the same as the GM’s, but Senior Court managers will earn Rs 66,400 per month, while Court Managers will earn Rs 52,900 per month.

To be appointed, candidates will have to sit for written exams and appear for a viva voce. The application fees for general candidates is Rs 1,000 and for reserved category candidates is Rs 500.

(Picture courtesy www.charlesayoub.com)

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