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Showing posts with the label Aarey Forest

Mumbai Hostage Tragedy: The Rohit Arya Case and the Legal Questions It Raises

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The recent hostage crisis in Mumbai’s Powai area involving Rohit Arya , a 50-year-old project director, has reignited debates surrounding mental distress, administrative accountability, and the limits of police force under Indian law . While the tragedy ended with the safe rescue of 17 children and Arya’s subsequent death in police firing , several legal and ethical questions emerge regarding state responsibility, unpaid contractual dues, and the use of lethal force in hostage situations . The Incident: From Protest to Tragedy According to reports, Rohit Arya had previously worked as the Project Director for Project Let’s Change – PLC Swachhata Monitor , an initiative under the Majhi Shala, Sundar Shala campaign of the Maharashtra government’s primary education department . Arya allegedly held grievances over unpaid dues worth ₹2 crore , claiming that his project work had been completed but never compensated. During negotiations, Arya released a video statement , asserting: ...

Centre Tells Supreme Court It Cannot Probe Graft Allegations Against Arunachal CM Pema Khandu

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Background of the Case The Union government has informed the Supreme Court of India that it cannot investigate corruption and nepotism allegations against Arunachal Pradesh Chief Minister Pema Khandu , as the matter pertains to state jurisdiction. The Centre clarified that issues concerning the Code of Conduct for Ministers and public procurement rules fall within the state government’s domain , not the Centre’s. The statement came in response to a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) filed by two non-profit organisations — Save Mon Region Foundation and Voluntary Arunachal Sena — seeking a probe into alleged irregularities in the award of public contracts to firms linked to Khandu’s family members. The Petition and Allegations The petitioners accused Chief Minister Pema Khandu , his father’s second wife Rinchin Drema , and his nephew Tsering Tashi of benefitting from public contracts awarded by the Arunachal government. They alleged that such actions violated: The Code of ...

Supreme Court Slams Maharashtra Over Poor Compensatory Afforestation in Aarey Forest

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1. Background of the Case The Supreme Court of India, led by Chief Justice Bhushan R. Gavai, has severely criticised the Maharashtra Government for its poor record in carrying out compensatory afforestation in the Aarey region. The issue came up during the hearing of an application filed by the Mumbai Metro Rail Corporation Limited (MMRCL) seeking permission to cut trees for the Goregaon–Mulund Link Road (GMLR) project, a tunnel connecting Filmcity in Goregaon with Khindipada in Mulund. An inspection report presented by Anitta Patil , Director of Sanjay Gandhi National Park (SGNP) , revealed that out of 20,460 saplings planted as compensatory afforestation, only 50% survived . Most surviving trees were poorly maintained, with stunted growth, low height, and little ecological recovery due to lack of maintenance, poor soil conditions, water scarcity, and grazing . 2. Supreme Court’s Observations The bench comprising CJI Bhushan R. Gavai and Justice K. Vinod Chandran expres...