A Delhi court on Saturday directed the police to submit a status report on a complaint seeking registration of an FIR against Chief Minister Rekha Gupta over her alleged remarks likening Delhi government officials to “Hanuman”.

Additional Chief Judicial Magistrate Ashwani Panwar of the Rouse Avenue Courts directed the Station House Officer of Kashmere Gate police station to file the report by October 15, the next date of hearing.

The case stems from a complaint filed by Ram Niwas Sharma, who alleged that Ms. Gupta, on September 23, 2025, compared Delhi government officials to Hanuman and said they remembered their authority only when faced with a situation akin to having their “tails set on fire”.

According to the complaint, Ms. Gupta also linked the reference to Hanuman to the programme being held at the doorstep of “Marghat Wale Baba”, a Hanuman temple in the Yamuna Bazar area near Nigambodh Ghat, named after its location near a cremation ground.

The remarks were allegedly made during the launch of a Delhi Transport Corporation interstate bus service connecting Delhi with Baraut in Uttar Pradesh.

The court noted the complainant’s allegation that “during the public address, while purportedly threatening and admonishing government officials for not working systematically, the proposed accused [Ms. Gupta] made the following statement (or words to the same effect): ‘These Hanumans remember their temporary powers only when their tail catches fire; before that, they forget it.’”

Mr. Sharma said in his plea that the remarks had hurt his religious sentiments and sought directions for registration of an FIR and further action. 

The Delhi High Court on Monday declined to interfere with the Delhi government’s proposal to have the Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) audit power distribution companies BSES Rajdhani Power Ltd. and BSES Yamuna Power Ltd.

A vacation Bench led by Justice Tejas Karia dismissed petitions filed by the discoms, holding that their challenge was premature.

Welcoming the order, Power Minister Ashish Sood said the judgment had “completely unmasked the failure” of the previous Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government. He accused AAP of colluding with the discoms to evade financial scrutiny and overburden consumers, prompting a sharp rebuttal from the Opposition party.

‘Definite collusion’

“Our government has always maintained that there was collusion between the electricity companies and the Aam Aadmi Party. In 2015, citing a particular judgment, it was claimed that a CAG audit of the discoms was not permissible. Arvind Kejriwal [AAP chief and former Delhi Chief Minister] and his government did nothing thereafter,” said the Minister.

Mr. Sood added that the discoms’ opposition to the audit reinforced his government’s allegations.

“The electricity companies, Arvind Kejriwal and the AAP government were in cahoots. They deliberately avoided an audit while burdening Delhi residents in the name of regulatory assets,” he alleged.

‘Allegations baseless’

In response, Leader of the Opposition in Delhi Atishi accused the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government of failing to ensure uninterrupted power supply, alleging that outages have become frequent and electricity tariffs have risen under its watch.

She said instead of addressing these issues, the BJP has been busy levelling baseless allegations. “Our government ordered an audit of the discoms on the pension surcharge issue in October 2024. It asked the Delhi Electricity Regulatory Commission to conduct a special audit through CAG-approved auditors to ensure transparency and protect the interests of more than 20,000 Delhi Vidyut Board pensioners. If there was a nexus between AAP and the discoms, why would our government order an audit of those very companies?” she said.

(With inputs from PTI) 

More than three months after Akash Delison, 26, died following alleged custodial torture by the police, his family on Monday (June 15, 2026) refused to receive his body from the mortuary of the Government Rajaji Hospital in Madurai, despite a 5 p.m. deadline set by the Madurai Bench of the Madras High Court.

Earlier in the day, Justice L. Victoria Gowri directed A. Rajeshkannan, the father of the deceased who belonged to the Scheduled Caste, to receive the body by 5 p.m., adding that otherwise, the State would be directed to take steps to dispose of it. The judge posted the matter for compliance to June 16.

Delison, who was allegedly tortured in custody at Manamadurai in Sivaganga district, died while undergoing treatment at the Government Rajaji Hospital in Madurai on March 8. His family refused to accept his body, demanding the arrest of all the policemen involved in the incident.

Recently, the court disposed of Mr. Rajeshkannan’s petition for a direction to the government to register a criminal case for the murder, arising out of the alleged custodial torture, under the provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, along with the relevant provisions of the Scheduled Castes and the Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act.

The court directed the CB-CID to expeditiously conclude the investigation and file the final report before the jurisdictional court. It also appreciated Manamadurai Judicial Magistrate M. Afzal Fathima, whose remand proceedings ensured the preservation of a crucial contemporaneous account that now forms part of the investigative record.

The remand report revealed that, instead of mechanically authorising judicial custody, the Judicial Magistrate visited the Government Sivaganga Medical College and Hospital, identified Delison, an accused in an assault case, through the duty doctor, interacted with him, noticed the injury to his right leg, elicited from him the circumstances that led to the injury, and recorded the allegations made by him about custodial torture and ill-treatment, the court said.

The Judicial Magistrate also recorded Delison’s explanation for the scratches found on his body, and noted the complaint of torture made against police personnel, the court said.

Delison and his acquaintance Guna were picked up in an assault case on March 5. While the police said Delison suffered a leg fracture while trying to escape, his family said he was subjected to custodial torture. He was taken to the Government Hospital at Manamadurai, the Government Sivaganga Medical College and Hospital, and the Government Rajaji Hospital.

Tamil Nadu Chief Minister C. Joseph Vijay on Tuesday (June 9, 2026) warned that those who harassed women and threatened their safety, believing that they could escape punishment, would not be spared. The police would take strict action against them, he said.

He was launching the ‘Singappen Special Force’ in the Tamil Nadu Police at the Rajarathinam Stadium at Egmore in Chennai.

The Chief Minister said the root cause of threats to women’s safety was the spread of narcotics and substance abuse, and it must be stamped out.

“The success of a government should not be measured by infrastructure and economic growth alone; it should be measured by dignity and respect with which women and children live,” he said.

The launch of the special force, which Mr. Vijay said was close to his heart, gave him immense happiness. “We [the TVK] had promised to ensure the safety of our grandmothers, mothers, sisters, daughters, and girl children. That promise was not merely for the election. It came emotionally and truthfully from the heart. That is why we implemented this initiative within a short period since coming to power,” Mr. Vijay said.

“While this initiative gives satisfaction, hearing news about crimes against women disturbs me. It is difficult to control those emotions because such atrocities happen to people who belong to our own families,” he said.

The Chief Minister attributed crimes against women and children to the spread of narcotic substances. “This problem did not emerge suddenly in May 2026. It has existed for many years. It has spread because it was ignored for long,” he said, adding that the spread of narcotics, crimes against women, and law and order were interlinked. He added that the safety of women and children was not merely a law and order issue. “It is connected to social discipline, and within social discipline lies individual discipline. If individuals behave responsibly and with self-control, society will change. Women must have dignity and no fear at educational institutions and workplaces, during travel, and in their daily lives,” Mr. Vijay said.

While taking strict action against those involved in crimes against women and children, police officers should ensure that innocent people were not punished, he said. “Only those who commit crimes should receive severe punishment through court. Only then will fear come among those who even think of committing such offences,” he said.

The State government had allocated ₹354 crore for this initiative in the first phase. In the second phase, 2,500 posts would be created in the force, and it would be given vehicles with modern facilities, drones for patrolling, and technological equipment. The force would play an important role in preventing crimes against women and children. Since the force would engage in fieldwork, the all-women police stations would be able to focus more on investigations and ensuring punishment for offenders, Mr. Vijay said.

One of the three orders issued by Mr. Vijay after assuming office on May 10 was the creation of the Singappen Special Force. A Government Order was issued the same day to create a separate force, headed by a police officer of the rank of Inspector-General of Police. Later, the government appointed Inspector-General of Police K. Bhavaneeswari to head the force.

The Chief Minister inspected the parade, headed by parade commander Shahnaz Iliyas, and the guard of honour. He unveiled the monogram of the Singappen Special Force and drove a vehicle dedicated to the force. Ministers, Chief Secretary M. Saikumar, Additional Chief Secretary, Home, Prohibition and Excise, K. Manivasan, Director-General of Police Mahesh Kumar Aggarwal, and senior police officers took part in the event. 

The police Drums Bagpiper band played two songs — ‘Singappenney’ from the movie Bigil and ‘Aalaporan Thamizhan’ from the movie Mersal in which Mr. Vijay played the lead role.

The Delhi High Court on Monday expressed concern over the Centre’s move to take over properties in Lutyens’ Delhi, including the Delhi Gymkhana Club, the Indian Polo Club and the Delhi Race Club, observing that the shrinking green spaces in the national capital could worsen the city’s environmental challenges.

Hearing a petition filed by the Indian Polo Association against a May 20 eviction notice directing it to vacate the multi-acre Jaipur Polo Ground in the Race Course area, Justice Neena Bansal Krishna questioned the rationale behind the proposed takeover and its impact on the city’s remaining open spaces.

“Delhi will suffocate. Whatever little breather we have in the NDMC (New Delhi Municipal Council) area that is going to go. We will all suffocate and die,” Justice Krishna orally said.

The court asked what the Centre is planning to do with the heritage structures located within the Gymkhana and Polo Club premises. It also asked whether the land would be used for high-rise construction. “…We have only highrises all over. Every colony has been demolished. If this is how you want Delhi to live, then God help us,” the court said.

The Centre defended the move, submitting that the land was required for public and defence purposes. It argued that there was limited space available in central Delhi and key government functions needed to be carried out from the area.

Plea filed

The petitioner’s counsel informed the court that the Indian Polo Association had already challenged the eviction notice before a court at Patiala House under the Public Premises (Eviction of Unauthorised Occupants) Act. However, the trial court had issued notice in the matter without deciding its application seeking interim protection against eviction. Disposing of the writ petition, the High Court directed the Patiala House court to consider and decide the plea for a stay on the eviction notice on June 10.

(with inputs from PTI)

A Mangaluru court has imposed fine of ₹6,000 on chairman of Expert Group of Institutions, Narendra Nayak, on finding him guilty of violating the COVID-19 lockdown order in 2021 and allowing parents of students of the PU College to assemble in front of the gate of Expert PU College in Valachil.

The 3rd Judicial Magistrate First Class, Mangaluru, E.S. Suresh, asked Narendra Nayak to pay fine of ₹5,000 for the offence under Section 5 (3A) of Karnataka Epidemic Diseases Act 2020. If he fails to pay the fine, he has to undergo simple imprisonment for seven days. The Magistrate also asked Mr. Nayak to pay fine of ₹1,000 for the offence under Section 269 of Indian Penal Code. If he fails to pay the fine, he shall undergo simple imprisonment of two days, the Magistrate stated in his judgement dated May 22.

As per the chargesheet, on April 27, 2021, parents of the students in the hostel of Expert PU College’s Valachil campus assembled in front the gate when COVID-19 lockdown was in force. Mr. Nayak was accused of not sending the children with their parents, who had come from far away places, and allowing parents to assemble in front of the college. The Dakshina Kannada Deputy Commissioner, in his order dated April 26,2021, had placed restriction on operation of schools, colleges and coaching institutes and had asked institutions to run classes online.

In the 67-page order, the Magistrate observed that the witnesses have supported the case of the prosecution. Photos and videos related to the incident have also been produced. The prosecution has succeeded in proving the charges against Mr. Nayak, the Magistrate stated.

The Supreme Court on Monday sought a report from the Karnataka government on a plea by Kannada actor Darshan Thoogudeepa, in custody in the 2024 Renukaswamy murder case, alleging denial of basic amenities available to undertrial prisoners. 

A Bench of Justices J.B. Pardiwala and R. Mahadevan directed the State to submit its report within a week. “We would also like to know from the State whether the basic amenities which the undertrial prisoner is entitled to are being provided to the petitioner or not. Registry shall ensure that appropriate reports are received within one week,” the Bench said.