There have been few developments nationally in the last few days, which I thought of sharing on this blog.
1 Latest on P Chidambaram Case- As you are all aware that Chidambaram has been lodged in Tihar jail, Delhi for 15 days as per the trial court verdict of 5th Sept 2019. He and his lawyer friends from Congress tried their level best to get some relief from Supreme Court (SC), in which they failed. P Chidambaram had moved 2 applications before Delhi High Court (HC), one for seeking regular bail and another for seeking setting aside order of 5th Sept passed by trial court, that sent him to 14 days’ judicial custody.
Senior Congress leader P Chidambaram, who is in Tihar jail in connection with INX Media case had asked for the home cooked food in jail. Replying on his request the court said he will be served as “same food as every one”.
“Same food is available for everyone,” said Justice Kait today after Chidambaram’s counsel Kapil Sibal requested the court that home cooked food be allowed to his client in jail.
Responding to the court’s remark, Mr Sibal said, “My Lords, he is 74 years old.”
Solicitor General Tushar Mehta then responded, “Even INLD leader Om Prakash Chautala is old and is a political prisoner. As a state, we can’t distinguish between class of prisoners.”
These arguments took place while the HC was hearing the regular bail application filed by Chidambaram in CBI case pertaining to INX media.
During the course of hearing, P Chidambaram’s counsel Kapil Sibal argued that the offences against his client have only seven years of imprisonment.
He further argued that the charges of section 420 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) can’t even be made out as he has no role.
Opposing the claims, Solicitor General Tushar Mehta said, “We are at the pre charge sheet stage. Petitioner was arrested on August 21, the offences were committed in 2007 and he was involved in corrupt practices.”
Enquiring about the delay, the court asked, “he was sent to judicial custody on September 5 then why didn’t you approach then?”
On this Kapil Sibal replied that there were holidays in between. But Justice Kait said you can approach the Supreme Court, the same day, then why you can not approach HC. Sibal had no answer for that.
After hearing the arguments, the court after issuing notice to CBI seeking its response on the plea, posted the matter for hearing on September 23.
Chidambaram’s counsel also withdrew their application challenging the order of judicial remand passed by the trial court.
On Wednesday, Chidambaram had alleged that the INX Media case is “political vendetta” and the investigation agency is “acting at the behest of the Centre”.
“It is the petitioner’s case that the instant criminal proceeding is a mala fide and is borne out of political vendetta and the investigation agency is acting at the behest of the Centre which wants to malign his reputation. Chidambaram had said in his applications filed before the Delhi High Court.
In my opinion, Mr Sibal’s view of 7 years imprisonment is a small punishment, and he feels his client needs sympathetic treatment from one and all, and as if he is deciding authority about framing the charges, and under which section. Why Congress leader was always harping on political vendetta, if Chidambaram is so innocent the way he claims, then let the law takes its own course and decide, who is Kapil Sibal to pronounce him innocent.
2 Do you remember Bollywood actress Zaira Wasim, who acted in Dangal and Secret Superstar and won many awards including national award for her performances in these movies. Last year she also accused a co passenger in the Vistara Airlines about misbehaving with her during flight from Delhi to Mumbai, and filed for sexual harassment, although she was about 17 years then and travelling with her mother, she kept quiet during the flight and after landing started talking about this incident. Afterwards she received threat from Kashmiri ultras and Islamic fundamentalists, that she should stop acting in the movies as it is un Islamic. She then made an announcement that of her own will she is quitting the acting career.
Few days back I heard about a movie called ‘The Sky is Pink’ and when I went through the star cast of that movie it said ‘starring Priyanka Chopra, Farhan Akhtar and Zaira Wasim. The film has been recently shot and is releasing commercially on 11th Oct 2019 in India. Was it not Zaira Wasim’s duty to inform her fans publically that she is coming back to movies with The Sky is Pink, which is a movie directed by Shonali Bose and co produced by Siddharth Roy Kapoor, Ronnie Screwvala and Priyanka Chopra under the banner of RSVP Pictures, Roy Kapoor Films and Purple Pebble Pictures.
These Bollywood star/actors have habit of taking everyone for granted and back tracking from their statements.
Waiting for your views/feed backs/comments on this blog.
Anil Malik
Mumbai, India
12th Sept 2019.
R. N. Mungale.
1.. Chidambaram is guilty or not will be decided by the courts.
2. Zaira should have announced that she is back.