Important matters heard by Supreme Court on April 5

Important matters heard by the Supreme Court on Friday, April 5: * In a relief to academic-activist Shoma Kanti Sen, arrested in June 2018 in connection with the Elgar Parishad-Maoist links case, the SC granted her bail while taking cognisance of the ''composite effect'' of the delay in framing charges coupled with her prolonged detention.

* In a breather to about 17 lakh madarsa students, the SC stayed an order of the Allahabad High Court that scrapped the Uttar Pradesh Board of Madarsa Education Act, 2004 calling it ''unconstitutional'' and violative of the principle of secularism.

* SC asked the Delhi government's Principal Secretary (Finance) to release funds to the Delhi Jal Board (DJB) and made the utility, responsible for supplying potable water to the national capital, a party to a plea filed by the ruling AAP dispensation alleging non-release of money.

* SC dismissed a plea seeking a direction to the Centre to bring the mortal remains of an India-born Pakistani Sufi saint, who died in Bangladesh in 2022, for re-burial in Prayagraj to honour his wish.

* SC said it may quash a money laundering case against former IAS officer Anil Tuteja and his son Yash in the alleged Rs 2,000 crore liquor scam in Chhattisgarh, saying there were no proceeds of crime.

* SC said it will hear on April 8 the plea of Tamil Nadu Rural Development Minister I Periyasamy challenging the Madras High Court order for his trial in a corruption case.

* Anil Masih, the returning officer for the Chandigarh mayoral election whose result was overturned by the SC in February, tendered an unconditional apology to the apex court for his conduct.

* SC refused to entertain a plea seeking implementation of the 2012 recommendations of the Election Commission regarding the cooling-off period to prevent public servants from contesting polls immediately after retirement or resignation.

* SC allowed a petition of the Centre and transferred to itself pleas, challenging the imposition of 28 per cent Goods and Services Tax on e-gaming firms, from nine high courts for an authoritative pronouncement.

* SC sought a response from the Uttar Pradesh government on a plea by MLA Abbas Ansari, who is lodged in jail, seeking permission to attend fatiha or special prayers on April 10 following the death of his father Mukhtar Ansari.

*The Supreme Court on Friday granted bail to a person who along with Rajendra Bihari Lal, vice chancellor of Uttar Pradesh's Sam Higginbottom University of Agriculture, Technology and Sciences (SHUATS), was facing probe in a criminal case pertaining to alleged illegal religious conversions.

*Terming ''teaching'' of the witnesses in a criminal case inside a police station as ''shocking'', the Supreme Court on Friday directed the Tamil Nadu Director General of Police to conduct an enquiry and initiate action against the erring officials.

(This story has not been edited by Devdiscourse staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)