Calcutta High Court Grants Bail to Law Student Amid Controversy
High Court Decision on Law Student's Arrest
We’re establishing a new studio to deliver bold ground reports, insightful interviews, impactful podcasts, explainers, and more.
The Calcutta High Court has granted interim bail to a law student arrested by Kolkata Police in Gurugram on May 30 for allegedly making derogatory remarks about Prophet Muhammad on social media. Sharmishta Panoli, a 22-year-old attending a university in Pune, reportedly posted comments on Instagram that were deemed offensive to religious sentiments. She later deleted the post and apologized on X.
Her legal counsel argued that the case infringed upon her fundamental rights and that the complaint did not indicate a cognizable offense. The lawyer emphasized, “Blasphemy is not recognized in our legal system.”
The bench concluded that further custodial interrogation was unnecessary and allowed Panoli's release.
Karnataka High Court Addresses Bengaluru Stampede
The Karnataka High Court has issued a notice to the state government regarding the stampede that occurred outside Bengaluru’s Chinnaswamy Stadium on Wednesday. The tragic event resulted in the deaths of eleven individuals and injuries to 33 others as fans gathered to celebrate the Royal Challengers Bengaluru's IPL victory.
The court took suo motu cognizance of the situation and requested a detailed status report from the state.
Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar stated that the state would assume responsibility for the incident, while Home Minister G Parameshwara claimed that the government merely facilitated the event organized by the cricket team and the Karnataka State Cricket Association.
The Board of Control for Cricket in India distanced itself from the incident, asserting that its responsibilities concluded with the tournament's end.
The cricket franchise announced a financial aid of Rs 10 lakh for the families of the deceased.
Indian-Origin Man Sentenced for Hate Crimes in the US
A court in the United States has sentenced an individual of Indian descent to 26 months in prison for making violent threats against employees of a Sikh non-profit organization.
In September 2022, Bhushan Athale left seven threatening voicemails directed at a Sikh rights organization, expressing intentions to harm and kill its staff. He followed up with two additional hate-filled messages in March 2023.
Athale was charged with a federal hate crime in June and pleaded guilty to the charges in January.
Trump's Travel Ban Update
President Donald Trump has imposed a travel ban on citizens from 12 countries, citing national security concerns. Citizens from seven additional countries will also face restrictions starting June 9.
The banned countries include Afghanistan, Myanmar, Chad, the Republic of Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Haiti, Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, and Yemen. Increased restrictions will apply to travelers from Burundi, Cuba, Laos, Sierra Leone, Togo, Turkmenistan, and Venezuela.
The list will be revised based on evolving situations and new national security threats, according to Washington.
Trump stated that the list was created following an analysis by the homeland security department, which considered factors such as the presence of terrorists, cooperation on visa security, and the ability to verify travelers' identities.
In 2017, Trump had enacted a similar order, often referred to as a “Muslim ban,” which was rescinded by the Biden administration in 2021.
Controversy Over Language Removal in Lakshadweep Schools
The Lakshadweep administration's decision to eliminate Arabic and Mahal languages from the school curriculum has been labeled “deeply disturbing” by Kerala Education Minister V Sivankutty. Mahal, a variant of Dhivehi, is influenced by Malayalam and is spoken in the Maldives.
On May 14, Lakshadweep's education department mandated the removal of these languages in accordance with the 2023 National Curriculum Framework, which outlines teaching practices and syllabi.
Schools in Minicoy, the southernmost island of Lakshadweep, will now offer Malayalam and English as primary languages, with Hindi replacing Mahal and Arabic as the third language, as per the directive.