New Delhi, Jan 20: The Supreme Court has made it clear that an accused whose sentence has been suspended and who has been released on bail cannot be forced to remain personally present before an appellate or revisional court on every date of hearing.

A Bench comprising Justice Aravind Kumar and Justice Prasanna B. Varale delivered the ruling while hearing a matter arising from a cheque dishonour case under Section 138 of the Negotiable Instruments Act. The petitioner had been convicted by the trial court, but her sentence was suspended during the pendency of the appeal and she was granted bail.

However, the appellate court later cancelled her bail and issued a non-bailable warrant for her absence on certain dates, a move that was challenged before the apex court.

Strongly disapproving the approach of the appellate court, the Supreme Court held that once bail is granted after suspension of sentence, insisting on the accused’s physical presence at every hearing is unnecessary, oppressive and devoid of legal justification, particularly when appeals often remain pending for extended periods.

Describing the cancellation of bail and issuance of non-bailable warrants as “appalling and shocking”, the Bench observed that the appellate court should have explored reasonable alternatives such as appointing an amicus curia or permitting other lawful arrangements instead of resorting to coercive measures.

The apex court restored the petitioner’s bail and directed that it shall continue until the final disposal of the criminal appeal. It further ordered that a copy of the judgment be placed before the Chief Justice of the Punjab and Haryana High Court for circulation among the district judiciary through an appropriate circular.

The Supreme Court also directed the appellate court to decide the pending appeal expeditiously, preferably within a period of three months. (KNC)

New Delhi, Jan 20: Two flights to and from Srinagar airport were cancelled on Tuesday following the issuance of a Notice to Airmen (NOTAM) at Delhi airport in connection with Republic Day preparations, officials said.

The affected flights were cancelled by the respective airlines owing to airspace and operational restrictions imposed at Delhi airport.

Airport authorities said these curbs are part of heightened security and logistical arrangements being put in place ahead of the January 26 celebrations.

In view of the disruption, airport authorities issued a passenger advisory urging travellers to check the latest status of their flights with the concerned airlines before arriving at the airport.

Passengers were also advised to remain in contact with airlines regarding rescheduling options or refund procedures.

“Due to a NOTAM in force at Delhi Airport in view of Republic Day arrangements, two flights to/from Srinagar Airport have been cancelled by the respective airlines today. Passengers are requested to check the latest flight status with their airline before proceeding to the airport. We regret the inconvenience caused,” the advisory said.

Officials indicated that flight operations are expected to return to normal once the Republic Day-related restrictions are lifted and airspace operations resume fully.

Meanwhile, ahead of the Republic Day celebrations, security agencies, along with the Delhi Police, have significantly intensified security measures, placing the national capital under a high-security alert to prevent any potential threat.

As part of the enhanced security arrangements, posters of most-wanted terrorists have been displayed at railway stations, bus terminals and crowded marketplaces across Delhi.

The Delhi Police Special Cell has released a list of fugitives linked to various militant organisations, including Khalistan-linked groups, Al-Qaeda in the Indian Subcontinent and ISIS.

Prominently featured on these posters is Arshdeep Singh, alias Arsh Dala, the Canada-based chief of the Khalistan Tiger Force, who intelligence agencies have identified as a key conspirator behind recent targeted killings.

Other names displayed include Ranjeet Singh Neeta of the Khalistan Zindabad Force and Mohammed Abu Sufyan, associated with Al-Qaeda.

Given the heavy daily footfall, security has been stepped up at all major railway stations, including New Delhi, Nizamuddin and Anand Vihar.

Major bus terminals such as ISBT Kashmiri Gate and the Anand Vihar bus stand have also been placed under tight security cover.

Authorities said regular announcements are being made through public address systems at these locations to encourage public vigilance.

To further sensitise citizens, continuous safety messages are being broadcast, while ‘wanted’ posters have been put up in busy marketplaces such as Sarojini Nagar, Karol Bagh, Lajpat Nagar, Sadar Bazaar and Paharganj, urging people to report any suspicious activity or security breach.

In addition, over 5,800 extra personnel from the Central Armed Police Forces, including the BSF, CRPF and CISF, have been deployed across the capital to strengthen security.

The Kartavya Path area, the main venue for Republic Day celebrations, is under round-the-clock surveillance through an extensive CCTV network integrated with Facial Recognition System technology.

Specialised anti-drone units and sniper teams have also been positioned on high-rise buildings to counter any possible aerial threats, officials said.

New Delhi, Jan 20: Delhi continued to grapple with its air pollution crisis on Tuesday morning with the overall Air Quality Index (AQI) recorded at 397 at 7 am, placing the national capital’s air in the ‘very poor’ category.

According to data released by the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB), while there was a marginal improvement compared to Monday morning, when the AQI was in the ‘severe’ category at 418.

Several areas in Delhi reported alarmingly high AQI levels. Anand Vihar and Ashok Vihar both recorded AQI readings of 444, while Wazirpur registered 446. Other pollution hotspots included Punjabi Bagh (437), RK Puram (421), Bawana (418), ITO (414), Chandni Chowk (412) and Dwarka Sector 8 (412). All these locations fell in the ‘severe’ category, indicating extremely poor air quality and heightened health risks.

As per AQI classification, a reading between 0 and 50 is ‘good’, 51 to 100 ‘satisfactory’, 101 to 200 ‘moderate’, 201 to 300 ‘poor’, 301 to 400 ‘very poor’ and 401 to 500 ‘severe’.

Adding to the deteriorating conditions, visibility across the city remained poor due to ongoing cold wave conditions. The India Meteorological Department (IMD) reported dense fog in the morning hours, with moderate fog at several locations and dense fog at isolated spots. The temperature around 7 am was recorded at approximately 8.2 degrees Celsius.

With severe pollution, cold wave and dense fog persisting, authorities have urged citizens to limit outdoor activities, follow health advisories, and take precautions against the hazardous air quality.
Meanwhile, rehearsals for the 77th Republic Day parade are currently underway at Kartavya Path.
Furthermore, in response to the deteriorating air quality, the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) on Saturday reinvoked Stage-IV measures under the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP) across Delhi and the National Capital Region (NCR).

Meanwhile, the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) in the National Capital Region and adjoining areas has recorded “serious deficiencies” in the implementation of measures prescribed under Stage-III and Stage-IV of the Graded Response Action Plan, following a detailed review of performance reports submitted by the Delhi Pollution Control Committee (DPCC) and State Pollution Control Boards (SPCBs) in the NCR.

According to the Commission, the GRAP Monitoring Control Room, set up to oversee daily compliance, has been continuously tracking actions taken by concerned agencies to curb air pollution. The review of implementation during the two most stringent stages of GRAP revealed wide gaps and persistent non-compliance across multiple parameters, with shortfalls ranging from 7 per cent to as high as 99.6 per cent in several mandated actions.