There is great confusion over DDA Tree Felling case being withdrawn from Justice Abhay Oka’s Bench. Let me break it down.

1. The issue of ridge- both forest ridge and morphological ridge in Delhi has always been a part of MC Mehta case (since 1985). This was before Oka J. 2. There is also the TN Godavarman case which is about larger forests etc. before Justice BR Gavai’s bench.

3. On 6 Dec 2023 the CEC filed Report no.36 of 2023 in MC Mehta case recommending that approval be granted to DDA for construction of approach roads to CAPFIMS in the Satbari area.

#StoryAlert 🚨

Although Chief Justice of India D Y Chandrachud promised 14 opposition parties of safeguarding them against misuse of CBI and ED in April 2023, he has failed to list 3 "crucial cases" in the past 20 months of his 24-month tenure. A 🧵.

article-14.com/post/despite-w… At the Oxford Union Society lecture on 4 June 2024, Chief Justice Chandrachud talked about how courts “step in” when “the State may be unwilling to balance [individual] rights against weighty purposes.”

Yet, three crucial cases pertaining the draconian PMLA linger before him.

#StoryAlert 🚨

The 3 new criminal laws have been criticised for their potential to violate human rights. HM Amit Shah had claimed "extensive consultation" done but attempts to know details of inputs given failed at Supreme Court, HCs, Home Min.

A 🧵.
article-14.com/post/-extensiv… The new laws will be effective from 1st of July. They increase police powers by increasing time period for police custody, leading to fears of custodial torture, introduce special offences like terrorism without any safeguards, and bring back sedition. Amit Shah in his speech...

#Important: I have found 2 instances of alleged irregularities in allocation of government bungalows to certain Rajya Sabha MPs.

While opposition leaders like Rahul Gandhi, Mahua Moitra, Raghav Chadha were evicted or attempted to be evicted from their allocated bungalows…

1/9 …in Delhi with great haste, when it comes to leaders from friendly/alliance parties to the BJP, the government’s own norms & rules have been violated with impunity.

To understand the irregularity, we have to understand how allocation is done.

#StoryAlert 🚨

A group that has documented over 3,000 news stories and 1,600 videos of minority persecution and hate speech by right-wing Hindu groups, @HindutvaWatchIn, has become inaccessible in India, on d orders of the central government. A 🧵

Link- article-14.com/post/takedown-…
On 16 Jan- X complied with the IT Ministry's directive to block access to @HindutvaWatchIn's account in India. The reasons are unknown, its founder @raqib_naik told me.

On 19 Jan- IT Min issued a notice to Raqib stating that they may block the website too. Days later, they did.

As the year draws to a close, I find myself reflecting on the journey that the past 12 months have been—a chapter filled with growth and the joy of sharing my passion with all of you. I am profoundly grateful for the overwhelming support and encouragement. A 🧵. In Jan, I published an expose that revealed past hate speeches delivered by a soon-to-be High Court judge, Victoria Gowri. The article was very well received & led to a 2-day drama that included an urgent hearing at the Supreme Court. For @Article14live.

article-14.com/post/-problem-…

#StoryAlert 🚨

Our analysis of 8 politically sensitive cases before benches either consisting of Justice Bela Madhurya Trivedi or presided over by her reveals violations of the 2017 Supreme Court convention and Rules. A 🧵 

Link- article-14.com/post/contrary-…
The 2017 Handbook of the Supreme Court says cases should be retained before the senior judge before whom the case was first listed or listed before a judge hearing a similar case.

Despite this, 8 politically sensitive cases were shifted before Justice Bela Trivedi, in violation.

Anatomy Of The Obfuscation

Recently at Harvard Law School, Chief Justice of India D Y Chandrachud was asked a pointed question about his collegium's inaction in the Victoria Gowri case.

His answer is self-contradictory and obscure. Here's why.
My article exposed instances of Gowri, now a judge at the Madras High Court, making anti-minority speeches as a BJP leader.
When my article was published, on 30 January 2023, it created an uproar.
On 2 February, senior lawyers from the Madras HC wrote to the collegium...

#StoryAlert 🚨

Today is the 18th anniversary of India's hallmark Right to Information law. Here is my Op-Ed for @DeccanHerald on the state of the Central Information Commission. A thread.

Transparency Law | CIC’s evolution from defender to bystander
deccanherald.com/opinion/transp… In recent years, the CIC’s commitment to fostering a culture of free flow of information has waned. It has, at times, acted as a hindrance rather than a facilitator of information dissemination, even when they were essential for public interest.

Lalit Modi is back in the news. I dug into his case to check if the Indian government has actually tried getting him back to India. Remember he is a wanted fugitive.

Here's what I found: a department directly under d Prime Minister has stalled a CBI probe against him. A 🧵

1/15 Lalit Modi, the founder and ex-chairman of the highly lucrative Indian Premier League (IPL), is wanted by Indian law enforcement agencies in cases of financial irregularities and tax evasion dating back to 2010. The BCCI had alleged that Modi, acting as the Chairman of IPL...

#StoryAlert 🚨

On Apr 18, union govt's lawyer Tushar Mehta stood before the Supreme Court bench hearing the #SameSexMarriage case and requested it to refrain from hearing the case. "Leave it to parliament," he said.

But why? A thread.🧵
article-14.com/post/marriage-… Centre says-
1. Court cannot create or recognize marriage by judicial interpretation.
2. 'Urban-Elitist' concept.
3. Majority of other countries have recognised same-sex marriage via legislation.
4. Debate in society, nation must. Only parliament can decide.

#StoryAlert 🚨

On April 15, former Indian parliamentarian and gangster Atiq Ahmed was shot dead by three assailants – a brazen attack caught on live television. But his killing is alleged to be a "political murder".

My report for @AJEnglish. A thread 🧵
aljazeera.com/news/2023/4/25… Atiq and his brother Ashraf were being escorted by the police in the northern city of Prayagraj in Uttar Pradesh state for a “routine medical checkup” late that night when a group of journalists stopped them. The 3 suspected attackers, posing as journalists, fired multiple shots.

Acting Chief Justice of Madras High Court T. Raja was recommended for transfer way back in Nov, 2022. Govt ignored.

On 19 Apr, collegium again reiterated its recomm.

Not sure how much I can say, but his transfer was necessitated as serious allegations...
livelaw.in/high-court/raj… ... were coming from multiple ends. Keeping this in mind, the collegium sought to transfer him to Rajasthan.

Transfers are ordered "for better administration of justice". But the govt did not accept. Why?

Also, Raja, as acting CJ of Madras HC rushed the swearing-in ceremony..

The Supreme Court judgement today by Justice MR Shah-led bench strengthens the draconian UAPA Act, strengthens the State’s arm, and dilutes the public’s defence against this law.

A State can now allege (not prove) you are a member of a banned organisation and you can be… twitter.com/i/web/status/1… The High Courts had held that mere association with a banned organisation is not enough and that there should be something over and above to attract UAPA provisions.

The Supreme Court has removed this crucial check. The State is now free to allege and incarcerate.

The sky was magical today, a treat to the eye! Some skyscapes I clicked. None are edited 🧵

#StoryAlert 🚨

Why the Supreme Court's decision to probe Adani-Hindenburg matter and constitute an 'expert committee' is good news for the Modi govt.

My report on 6 previous Supreme Court-appointed committees. The result speaks for itself.

A thread.🧵

article-14.com/post/why-supre… Chief Justice Chandrachud's bench constituted an 'expert committee' for “the assessment of the extant regulatory framework (for the securities market) and for making recommendations to strengthen it”.

But what has been the fate of such SC-appt committees in the past? 2/

Fadnavis's favourite top cop Rashmi Shukla is appointed DG of SSB.

She was the Commissioner of Pune Police during the Bhima Koregaon violence in 2018.

Pune Police's direct role in the illegal spying of several human rights activists was documented by me and @WIRED.

1/5 WIRED had reported that email accounts of Rona Wilson, Varavara Rao, & Hany Babu had been compromised in 2018 & 2019, and had a recovery email & phone no. This recovery email had the name of a Pune Police official (working under Shukla at that time).

2/5

scroll.in/latest/1026337…

The Supreme Court’s order in the Adani-Hindenburg matter is a breather, a relief for the Modi government.

8 reasons why. 1. It will make sure opposition/Congress can no longer use the issue as a political weapon in the court of public opinion. Thereby, bringing “finality” to the issue.

This is in keeping with a long trend of Supreme Court orders that disallowed opposition politicians…

#ImpStory🚨

After recently revealing a case of bench hunting in an ED case pending against Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Jagan Mohan Reddy, another attempt at bench hunting & manipulation in a politically sensitive case is coming to light.

1/ This matter relates to Tamil Nadu DMK government’s current Minister of Electricity- V Senthil Balaji, who is facing a Prevention of Money Laundering Case filed by ED.

2/

#ImpStory 🚨

A case of 'Bench Hunting' coming from the Supreme Court of India. A politically sensitive matter was removed from a particular judge and suddenly listed before another judge, whose law clerk has links to the politician in question.

1/ Bharathi Cement Corporation Private Ltd — in which Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy’s family holds 49% stake, and his wife, Y S Bharathi Reddy, is a Director — is facing an Enforcement Directorate case since 2016.

2/

#StoryAlert 🚨

Meet Victoria Gowri, an advocate who was recommended to be a Judge at d Madras HC by the SC collegium led by CJI Chandrachud.

I found evidence of her bias & extreme views against India's #Muslims & #Christians

A thread on her utterances🧵
article-14.com/post/-problem-… Gowri's first known association with BJP started in 2010, as Kerala Mahila Morcha state in-charge. When Modi's govt came to power in 2014, she was appt a senior central govt counsel at Madras HC in 2015.

In 2017, a cabinet committee headed by Modi also appointed her as... 2/