APPSC Main Exam case: Incriminating documents seized during ED searches

Chennai, Aug 21 (IANS) The Madras High Court has refused to interfere in disciplinary proceedings initiated by the Indian Institute of Technology–Madras (IIT-M) against one of its professors, who was found guilty of sexually harassing a woman student by the institute’s Complaints Committee Against Sexual Harassment (CCASH).

The professor had moved the court challenging the inquiry report and a subsequent show-cause notice issued by the Director of the institute.

Dismissing the writ petition, a bench of Justice N. Anand Venkatesh observed that the report of the CCASH was only a fact-finding document and could not, by itself, be a ground to approach the court.

The judge also declined to quash the show-cause notice issued by IIT-M Director V. Kamakoti in May 2025, seeking an explanation from the professor on why a penalty should not be imposed.

Though the judge agreed with the contention of the professor’s counsel that the wording of the notice appeared to suggest that the Director had already accepted the inquiry report, he clarified that no final decision had been taken.

“The report has been served on the petitioner, and he has been given an opportunity to respond. The notice is intended not just to impose a penalty, but also to allow the petitioner to question the findings and present his defence,” Justice Venkatesh said.

Rejecting the argument that the professor was denied a chance to cross-examine 17 witnesses, the court noted that procedures followed in regular departmental inquiries could not be applied to cases of sexual harassment.

“When girl students are required to depose against a professor, they may not be able to express themselves freely in his presence. Such inquiries cannot be conducted like routine disciplinary proceedings,” the judge said.

The Registrar of IIT-M submitted that the CCASH had been duly constituted under the Sexual Harassment of Women at Workplace (Prevention, Prohibition and Redressal) Act, 2013 and that the professor had been summoned twice to appear before the committee. The court directed IIT-M to provide the professor with copies of the victim’s statement and those of other witnesses within two weeks. He was given four weeks to submit his explanation.

Justice Venkatesh said the Director must consider his defence, provide a hearing, and arrive at a decision strictly in accordance with the law.

–IANS

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New Delhi, Jan 14 (IANS) The Delhi High Court on Tuesday granted custody parole to 2020 riots accused Tahir Hussain to enable him to file nomination papers for the upcoming Assembly polls.

Asaduddin Owaisi-led All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) has fielded Hussain as a candidate from the Mustafabad constituency for the coming elections.

As per the order of the Delhi HC, Hussain, while out on custody parole, will not have any access to the phone or the internet, will not interact with any person except the officials concerned in the nomination process, and will not address the media.

Further, family members of Hussain may remain present, but they would not be permitted to click photographs of the filing of the nomination, or to post the same on social media, the court order said.

Turning down Hussain’s plea for interim bail, a bench of Justice Neena Bansal Krishna ruled: “Merely because the Applicant/Petitioner had earlier been a Municipal Councilor, cannot be a peculiar circumstance entitling him to grant of Interim Bail.”

“Considering the antecedents, nature of allegations and having regard to the totality of circumstances, he (Hussain) is granted Custody Parole for subscribing the oath and to complete the formalities in respect of filing his Nomination Papers,” it said.

Earlier in the day, the Justice Krishna-led Bench reserved its decision after hearing the arguments raised by senior advocate Rebecca John, representing the former Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) councillor, and Additional Solicitor General Chetan Sharma, who appeared on Delhi Police’s behalf.

Opposing Hussain’s interim bail plea, ASG Sharma said that the AIMIM candidate, facing “gruesome allegations”, may file his nomination papers from Tihar jail or under custody parole.

Sharma added that there is no fundamental right to contest elections and if released on interim bail, Hussain may influence witnesses.

“We are conceding that custody parole be granted to facilitate him to file nominations. Like others he can also contest,” he said, referring to the former councillor’s involvement in several criminal cases, including under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) and the UAPA (Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act).

On the other hand, senior advocate John pleaded that Tahir Hussain be released on interim bail, from January 16 to February 9, for filing nomination and for the election campaign. John repeatedly laid emphasis that Hussain be temporarily released for campaigning.

A day before, Hussain’s counsel argued that the former AAP councillor should be released on interim bail since he needed to file nomination papers physically and give a true account of his assets.

The counsel cited the interim bail granted to J&K leader Engineer Rashid, accused in a terror funding case being probed by the National Investigation Agency (NIA), for election-related purposes.

On December 24, the Delhi HC issued a notice to the city police on a plea filed by Hussain seeking bail in connection with Intelligence Bureau officer Ankit Sharma’s murder case in the 2020 riots.

“Issue notice. [S]tatus report/reply be filed before the next date of hearing with an advance copy to learned counsel for the petitioner. [L]ist before the concerned Roster Bench on 14.01.2025,” it had ordered.

Meanwhile, the Delhi BJP has criticised AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi for fielding Hussain as a candidate. It accused the AIMIM of acting as the AAP’s “B-team” and warned of serious consequences if any attempt was made to incite communal unrest in the national capital.

Speaking to IANS, BJP State Vice President Kapil Mishra accused Owaisi and other “secular parties” of provoking Hindus in Delhi by fielding Hussain. “This is a clear attempt to disrupt the peace in Delhi. Last time, Shaheen Bagh protests were staged before the elections. If riots are incited in the name of Tahir Hussain this time, there will be consequences,” he said.

Responding to the allegations, AIMIM’s national spokesperson Waris Pathan said: “Those making baseless allegations should introspect. People living in glass houses should not throw stones at others. Didn’t the BJP give a ticket to Pragya Singh Thakur, who is an accused in the Malegaon blast case?”

Pathan asserted that the AIMIM candidates, Tahir Hussain and Shafaur Rahman, are innocent. “They are undertrial prisoners. What will critics say when they are acquitted?” he asked.

–IANS

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Hyderabad, Oct 30 (IANS) Cybercriminals cheated a 78-year-old pensioner of Rs 51 lakh in the digital arrest fraud. The victim, a retired Central government employee and resident of Srinagar colony in Hyderabad, received a call from a fraudster posing as ACP of Mumbai Crime Branch, threatening that his mobile phone SIM was used in bomb blasts and kidnap cases.

The fraudster also told the victim that others have taken SIM cards in his name. He even showed notices from the CBI and accused him of money laundering.

The victim was kept under digital arrest by the offender, who made a video call. The fraudster did not allow him to make call to anyone and took all his bank account details.

The accused asked the senior citizen to transfer 95 per cent of the money from his account to save himself from the case and assured him that after investigation the money would be returned.

Out of fear of being implicated in the case, the victim transferred Rs.51 lakh. He later realised that he was cheated and approached Cybercrime police.

Police registered a case and took up investigation.

This is the second such case to come to light in the city this week. Earlier, a 73-year-old woman was cheated of Rs 1.43 crore.

The fraudsters, who impersonated as police officers, threatened that her Aadhaar card was found with a criminal involved in child trafficking and murder cases, and that she would be arrested.

On October 22, the victims received a call from an unknown caller, introducing himself as Akash Choudhary, an officer from Gandhi Nagar police station in Bengaluru. He told her that a criminal involved in the trafficking and murder of 187 children carried her Aadhaar card and that an FIR had been registered against her.

The impersonator even showed an arrest warrant and a CBI account freezer order. Out of fear of being apprehended, she transferred the money to the fraudster.

Early this week, Hyderabad Police Commissioner V. C. Sajjanar said that cybercriminals created fake WhatsApp accounts using his photograph as the display picture and sending messages to people to extract money by exploiting his identity. He urged citizens not to respond to such messages and to block and report the numbers immediately.

–IANS

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