In the past week the media has been reporting that the SIT has filed a closure report that gives a “clean chit” to Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi on the grounds that there is no prosecutable evidence against him. However, Tehelka has now scooped amicus curiae Raju Ramachandran’s explosive confidential report that had told the Supreme Court that Modi should be chargesheeted and prosecuted for serious criminal offences like promoting religious...

-IANS At least 24 people died in Odisha after consuming spurious liquor laced with medicines, authorities said. The victims from Cuttack and Khordha districts fell ill Tuesday after taking the drink that officials said contained drugs used to treat cough and cold and to dress wounds. District Collector S.N. Girish told IANS that among the dead was Baidhar Bhoi, the brew seller. He was the first to die -- Tuesday morning.   Other deaths took...

-The Times of India The Gujarat high court will not direct the Nanavati-Mehta commission to summon chief minister Narendra Modi and question him about the 2002 Gujarat riots. Civil rights organization Jan Sangharsh Manch (JSM) had filed an application demanding that Modi be called by the commission for cross-examination.  A bench of Justices Akil Kureshi and Sonia Gokani rejected the application and upheld the November 2009 order by a single judge. The...

The government’s recent actions in notifying the Intermediary Guidelines for the internet with minimal public debate have resulted in the creation of a legal system that raises as many problems as it solves. The regulations as presently notified are arguably unconstitutional, arbitrary and vague and could pose a serious problem to the business of various intermediaries in the country (not to mention hampering internet penetration in the country) and also...

Concerned over the spate of crimes allegedly for the sake of "honour", a government panel wants a comprehensive standalone law to punish those who kill or harass young couple from exercising their right to choose their partners.  The recommendation for a comprehensive legislation to stop honour killings stems from the recognition of the absence of specific provisions in the Indian Penal Code, which deal with acts of harassment in the name...