Top news of the day: Over 300 applicants become Indian citizens under CAA; Supreme Court finds NewsClick founder Prabir Purkayastha’s arrest invalid, and more

Over 300 applicants become Indian citizens under CAA, Supreme Court declares Prabir Purkayastha’s arrest invalid, and more in The Hindu’s top news of May 15, 2024.

The Union government on May 15 granted citizenship certificates to more than 300 people who applied under the Citizenship (Amendment) Act (CAA), 2019, the Union Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) said. At least 14 people were handed over the certificates by Union Home Secretary Ajay Kumar Bhalla in Delhi. The country of origin of the applicants was not immediately known but a government source said that most applicants were Pakistani Hindus.

The Supreme Court on May 15 said it felt “no hesitation” whatsoever to conclude that the arrest and remand of 74-year-old journalist and online portal NewsClick founder Prabir Purkayasth under the draconian Unlawful Activities Prevention Act by the Delhi Police are “invalid in the eyes of law”, requiring his release from custody. A Bench of Justices B.R. Gavai and Sandeep Mehta said neither Mr. Purkayastha nor his designated counsel were provided the grounds of his arrest in writing.

The Enforcement Directorate on May 15 arrested Congress leader and Jharkhand Rural Development Minister Alamgir Alam in a money laundering case, official sources said. The 70-year-old was taken into custody at the agency’s zonal office here under the provisions of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act after about six hours of interrogation on the second day of questioning, the sources said.

Coming down hard on the Uttarakhand government, the Supreme Court said on May 15 it was at pains to say that the State’s approach in controlling forest fires was “lackadaisical”. A Bench headed by Justice B.R. Gavai directed the Chief Secretary of Uttarakhand to be present personally before it on May 17. The Bench, also comprising Justices S.V.N. Bhatti and Sandeep Mehta, observed that though multiple action plans are prepared, no steps are taken for their implementation.

Two police personnel had a narrow escape on May 15 when Naxalites detonated an improvised explosive device in Chhattisgarh’s Bijapur district, an official said. The incident took place near Somanpalli village on Kutru-Farsegarh road when Farsegarh police station’s SHO Akash Masih and constable Sanjay were heading in a car to Bijapur town for a government work, he said.

All 15 Hindustan Copper Limited officials who had been trapped in a mine in Neem ka Thana district since last night were taken out Wednesday, with one of them is feared dead, an official said. Neem ka Thana Collector Sharad Mehra said 14 rescued were sent to SMS hospital in Jaipur for treatment and one was taken to a company hospital for examination as he is feared dead.

A Delhi court on May 15 extended the judicial custody of AAP leader and former Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia till May 30 in a corruption case related to an alleged excise scam. Special judge for CBI and ED Kaveri Baweja also fixed May 30 for further arguments on framing of charges in the case.