New Delhi, July 11 (IANS) A Delhi High Court judge on Thursday recused himself from hearing NIA’s plea seeking the death penalty for Yasin Malik, the chief of banned Jammu and Kashmir Liberation Front (JKLF), who is undergoing a life sentence in a terror funding case.

After Justice Amit Sharma withdrew himself from hearing the case, the bench presided over by Justice Prathiba M. Singh directed the matter to be listed before a different combination on August 9 after obtaining approval from the Acting Chief Justice.

In an earlier order, the Delhi High Court had directed the Jail Superintendent of Tihar Jail to produce Malik from jail through video conferencing (VC) on the next date of hearing.

In May 2022, Malik — who pleaded guilty — was sentenced to life imprisonment by a special NIA court in a terror funding case and was convicted of offences under various sections of IPC.

NIA has appealed the trial court order and has sought the death penalty for Malik. The anti-terror probe agency told the high court during the hearing that the accused was responsible for the Kashmiri Pandits’ exodus from the Valley. Solicitor General (SG) Tushar Mehta had said that Malik avoided the death penalty by pleading guilty “very tactfully”.

“A wider issue troubling us is that any terrorist may come, commit terror activities and the court may say because he has pleaded guilty, we are giving a life sentence. Everyone would come here and avoid trial by pleading guilty because they would know if they enter the trial, hanging is the only result,” he had argued.

In another incident, in July last year, the Supreme Court was stunned to see Malik before it as he appeared for an appeal filed by the CBI against a special Jammu court order calling for his physical appearance for trial in kidnapping and murder cases against him. Later, four prison officers were suspended in the security lapse case.

–IANS

pds/dpb

Mumbai, July 11 (IANS) The Maharashtra Prisons and Correctional Services Bill, 2024 to regulate prisons, correctional services and prisoners was tabled by the Shinde government on Thursday in the Assembly.

The Bill was tabled by state Minister Uday Samant and aims to holistically address all relevant issues relating to prison administration as the pre-Independence era archaic laws need to be repealed and replaced by a consolidated, progressive and robust law in tune with contemporary modern-day needs and correctional ideology.

The Bill has proposed categories of prisons such as special prisons, open prisons for women, temporary prisons, open colonies and Boratkar institutions. Open prisons and colonies will assist prisoners in their rehabilitation and reintegration into society after release. There is a provision for the constitution of the Prison and Correctional Services Force, the establishment of a welfare fund for all officers and staff of the prison and prisoners.

It proposes prison segregation of various categories of prisoners and for their special needs such as women, transgender, undertrials, convicted, high-risk prisoners, habitual offenders, recidivist prisoners, young offenders and civil prisoners.

In the wake of the death of an inmate in the prison, it will be mandatory for the medical officer to record all relevant details and particulars of the case and the officer in charge shall immediately inform about the dearth to the concerned Deputy Inspector General and the Director General. They shall inform the National Human Rights Commission and other authorities.

The prison staff or officer, designated by the Superintendent shall examine everything carried in or out of the prison and may stop and search or cause to be searched any person, suspected of bringing any prohibited articles or taking away any property belonging to the prison. If any of such article or property is found, the prison staff or officer shall give immediate intimation to the officer in charge of the prison.

The Director General, the Special Inspector General or the Deputy Inspector General may take disciplinary action against any officer or staff of prison for misconduct.

The Bill has proposed power of arrest without warrant in the case of assaults and damage to the property and any attempts to commit a cognizable office which involves or which is likely to involve imminent danger to the life of any person engaged in carrying on any work related to prisoners of officers and staff of prison or any other person or prison property.

The Director General shall ensure that all prisons are inspected by an officer of appropriate rank at periodic intervals. The government shall constitute a welfare fund for the welfare of all officers and staff and correctional services.

In a serious bid to avoid an unholy nexus between the prison staff and inmates, the Bill has proposed that the officers and staff and their relatives shall not have any business dealings with prisoners and interest in prison contracts directly or indirectly. They shall not accept any gift from a prisoner or prisoners’ relatives or friends or a person having any dealings with the prisons.

Similarly, it will be mandatory for the prisoners to strictly follow rules about discipline. In the case of a breach, the officer in charge will have powers to impose punishments for committing prison offences, including unauthorised use or possession of wireless communication devices, mobile phones, electronic devices, tress-passing or attempting to trespass, loitering in and around the prison premises where the entry is prohibited, unauthorised communication with any person outside prison, smuggling or attempt to smuggle of any prohibited article, participation or organisation of anti-social activities like gambling and betting and sexual harassment or sodomy.

According to the Bill, separate enclosures or wards for women and transgender prisoners both trans men and trans women may be provided and they shall be provided access to healthcare and correctional programmes.

Further, the Bill has proposed aftercare rehabilitation services to all needy prisoners released from prison with a view to ensuring their rehabilitation and reintegration into society.

(Sanjay Jog can be contacted at sanjay.j@ians.in)

–IANS

sj/dpb

Mumbai, July 11 (IANS) The state government on Thursday tabled the Maharashtra Special Public Security Bill, 2024 in the Assembly to check ‘urban Naxalism.’

Tabled in the run up to the Assembly election, the Bill proposes more effective prevention of certain unlawful activities of individuals and organisations and banned 48 frontal organisations.

The Bill is crafted on the lines of the Public Security Act passed by Chhattisgarh, Telangana, Andhra Pradesh and Odisha for effective unlawful activities of Naxal frontal organisations or similar bodies.

The Bill was tabled by state minister Uday Samant.

The government has said the legislation was necessary to control the unlawful activities of frontal organisations by effective legal means as the existing laws are ineffective and inadequate to tackle the Naxalism menace.

“The seized literature of Naxals shows safe houses and urban dens of the Maoist network in cities of Maharashtra.

“The activities of Naxal organisations or similar organisations through their united front are creating unrest among the common people to propagate their ideology of armed rebellion against the constitutional mandate and disrupting public order in the state,” reads the Bill.

According to the Bill, unlawful activity means any action which constitutes a danger or menace to public order, peace and tranquility or interferes or tends to interfere with maintenance of public order or interferes or tends to interfere with administration of law or its established institutions and personnel.

“Further, unlawful organisation means any organisation which indulges in or in pursuance of its objects abets or assists or gives aid or encourages directly or indirectly through any medium, devices or otherwise, any unlawful activity.

“If a member of an unlawful organisation takes part in meetings or activities of any such organisation or contributes or receives or solicits any contribution, shall be punished with imprisonment for a term which may extend to three years and shall also be liable to fine up to Rs 3 lakh.

“Those who manage or assist in the management of an unlawful organisation or promote or assist in promoting a meeting of any such organisation or any member who indulges in any unlawful activity shall be punished with imprisonment for a term which may extend to three years and liable to fine up to Rs 3 lakh,” it adds.

It further states that those who commit or abet or attempt to commit or plan to commit any unlawful activity of such unlawful organisation shall be punished with imprisonment for a term which may extend to seven years and also be liable to fine up to Rs 5 lakh.

“If the organisation has been declared an unlawful organisation by the government and later confirmed by the Advisory Board, the District Magistrate (DM) or the Commissioner of Police (CP) may notify and take possession of places used for the purpose of unlawful activities and evict any person found in this connection.

“The DM or CP while taking possession of notified places shall also take possession of movable property including money, securities or other assets.

“Further, the government will have powers to forfeit funds of an unlawful organisation if it is found in the enquiry that money, securities or other assets are being used or intended to be used for the purpose of an unlawful organization,” it states.

The government will have powers whereby the officer selected may enter upon any premises of the person to whom the order is directed, examine the books of moneys, securities or other assets which are being used or are intended to be used for unlawful organisation.

“A copy of an order may be served as per the provisions of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, 2023.

“All offences under the legislation shall be cognisable and non-bailable and they shall be investigated by the police officer not below the rank of a Sub Inspector.

“The Advisory Board comprises three persons who are or have been or qualified to be appointed as Judge of the High Court.

“The government shall appoint the members and designate one of them as the Chairperson.

The Advisory Board shall have the same powers as vested in a civil court under the Code of Civil Procedure, 1908 for summoning and enforcing the attendance of any witness and examine him on oath, the discovery and production of any document or other material object producible as evidence, the reception of evidence on affidavits, the requisitioning of any public record from any court or office and the issuing of any commission for the examination of witness,” it added.

Meanwhile, former Chief Minister Prithviraj Chavan took serious objection against the motion to table and pass the Maharashtra Special Public Security Bill, 2024 on Thursday.

”The Bill has not been circulated in advance so the members should be given a day to read and discuss its provisions,” he said.

He appealed to Speaker Rahul Narwekar not to take up both the Bill and its passage as mentioned in the day’s agenda.

(Sanjay Jog can be contacted at sanjay.j@ians.in)

sj/rad

New Delhi, July 11 (IANS) The Centre’s Department of Fisheries is organising the Fisheries Summer Meet 2024 at Madurai in Tamil Nadu on July 12 which will bring together fish farmers, researchers, industry experts, entrepreneurs and policymakers to share experiences, and explore prospects for the sustainable development of fisheries, according to an official statement issued on Thursday.

Fisheries Summer Meet 2024 will also highlight the achievements of various schemes with a special focus on Pradhan Mantri Matsya Sampada Yojana. All States and UTs will share their progress, challenges, opportunities and chalk out the future course of action.

The key highlights will be a fisheries exhibition, State / UT wise discussions by Ministers, virtual inauguration of Fisheries’ Projects and interaction with fishermen/fisherwomen, distribution of KCC to beneficiaries and PMMSY achievement award letters to beneficiaries, felicitation of Open Network for Digital Commerce (ONDC) and on boarded Fish Farmer Producer Organization (FFPOs).

Fisheries and aquaculture is a promising sector that provides livelihood and employment opportunities to about 3 crore fishers and fish farmers at the primary level and many more along the fisheries’ value chain. India is also the 2nd largest fish producing country with around 8% share in global fish production. Globally, India also stands 2nd in aquaculture production, is one of the top shrimp producing and exporting nations and 3rd largest capture fisheries producer.

“Recognising the immense potential of the fisheries and aquaculture sector and for focused and holistic development, Central government approved the highest-ever investments in fisheries and aquaculture sector,” the official statement said.

The total investment of Rs 38,572 crore investment in the fisheries sector includes financial assistance for impactful projects and initiatives through Government of India schemes. These include Blue Revolution Scheme (Rs 5,000 crore), Fisheries and Aquaculture Infrastructure Development Fund (FIDF, Rs 7,522 crore), Pradhan Mantri Matsya Sampada Yojana (PMMSY, Rs 20,050 crore) and a sub-scheme under PMMSY – Pradhan Mantri Matsya Samridhi Sah Yojana (PM-MKSSY, Rs 6000 crore) approved in February 2024.

–IANS

sps/svn

Aizawl, July 11 (IANS) Pig farmers and rearers in Mizoram have suffered colossal losses of over Rs 20 crore due to the outbreak of African Swine Fever (ASF) since February causing the deaths of over 5,430 pigs and culling of over 10,300 pigs, officials said on Thursday.

Officials in the Animal Husbandry and Veterinary (AHV) Department said that as the ASF outbreak continues unabated on average over 100 pigs die every day while over 200 pigs are being culled every day in different districts due to the infectious disease.

The officials said that pigs in over 160 villages in six districts – Aizawl, Champhai, Lunglei, Saitual, Khawzawl and Serchhip – have been infected by the ASF outbreak so far after the disease was first reported on February 9.

The ASF first reported bordering Mizoram in 2021, when according to the AHV officials, 33,420 pigs and piglets died due to the contagious disease while 12,800 pigs and piglets died in 2022 and 1,040 in 2023.

The first case of ASF in Mizoram was reported in mid-March, 2021, from Lungsen village in Lunglei district along the Bangladesh border and since then, the disease has resurfaced every year.

Following the outbreak of ASF, the AHV department has declared various villages and localities in the six districts as infected areas under the Prevention and Control of Infectious and Contagious Disease in Animals Act, 2009, officials said.

With the fast spreading of the infection, the department has barred the supply of pigs, piglets and pork from the infected areas.

The state government also banned the import of pigs and piglets from neighbouring states and countries where often ASF infestations are being reported, AHV department officials said, adding that the outbreak of ASF mostly occurs when the climate begins to warm up and pre-monsoon rain commences in the state.

The government has so far provided compensation to several hundred families for the loss of pigs due to the disease.

According to experts, the outbreak of ASF may have been caused by pigs or pork brought from neighbouring Myanmar, Bangladesh, and the adjoining states of the northeast.

Mizoram shares a 510-km-long unfenced border with Myanmar and 318 km with Bangladesh.

Pork is one of the most common and popular meats consumed by both the tribals and non-tribals in the northeastern region.

With heavy demand for pork in the region, its annual business is worth around Rs 8,000-10,000 crore in the northeast region, with Assam being the largest supplier.

–IANS

sc/dan