A Bareilly court sentenced a truck driver to life imprisonment for intentionally killing a police constable on duty in 2018. The driver, found to be inebriated at the time, had a previous grudge against police officers. The judge highlighted issues with road policing and recommended stricter regulations on hiring less-skilled drivers.
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The Supreme Court collegium held its first-ever offsite meeting in Visakhapatnam with HC judge candidates from Andhra Pradesh and Telangana, assessing their personality and suitability directly. This move marks a shift from solely relying on biodata and intelligence reports, enhancing the judge selection process and potentially setting a new precedent.
The Supreme Court criticized staying orders by High Courts that discharge accused persons in criminal cases, stressing it should only occur in exceptional cases where the discharge order appears perverse. Staying such orders, the SC emphasized, affects the liberty granted to the discharged accused.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced the commissioning of two warships, INS Surat and INS Nilgiri, along with the submarine INS Vaghsheer, on January 15. This move aims to enhance India’s naval capabilities and self-reliance in defense. The vessels, featuring advanced technology, are set to strengthen India's strategic presence in the Indian Ocean Region.
The Supreme Court upheld Life Insurance Corporation’s denial of a claim for hospitalisation under the 'Jeevan Arogya' scheme due to non-disclosure of alcohol consumption by the policyholder. The court justified the decision based on the suppression of material facts and the exclusion clause regarding the use or misuse of alcohol.
The National Board for Wildlife (NBWL) has approved 11 defence ministry proposals for strategic infrastructure in protected Ladakh areas near the LAC with China. This includes building telecommunication networks, ammunition storage, and waste processing facilities within the Changthang and Karakorum Nubra Shyok Wildlife Sanctuaries, home to rare species. Conditions are set to minimize habitat impact.
The United States' ATA report identifies China and India as key suppliers of precursor chemicals for illicit fentanyl. China remains the primary source, with India following. Diplomatic tensions rise as the U.S. imposes tariffs on Chinese imports, citing Beijing's failure to regulate shipments contributing to the fentanyl crisis.
A Rajya Sabha MP urges the health minister to enable local production of Risdiplam, a vital drug for spinal muscular atrophy, to reduce costs. Current patents prevent affordable production. Encouraging local manufacturing could make the drug accessible at significantly reduced prices, benefiting thousands of patients in India.
A businessman from Vadodara, Jani Jaikumar, was detained by police for taking photographs inside Ayodhya's Ram temple complex using a specs camera, where photography is banned for security reasons. The man is currently being interrogated, and a special security force jawan who apprehended him will be rewarded.
Home Minister Amit Shah criticized Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge for questioning the importance of the Maha Kumbh holy dip. Shah accused Congress leadership of consistently disrespecting Sanatan Dharma and suggested that Kharge's remarks were a diversion from the party's poor track record in uplifting the needy.
ISRO has made significant progress in developing a semi-cryogenic engine, successfully conducting a hot test of the Engine Power Head Test Article. This engine, set to power the LVM-3 launch vehicle, uses non-toxic propellants and is expected to boost payload capacity. The breakthrough follows the establishment of a dedicated testing facility, with further tests planned to optimize performance.