The Chief Judicial Magistrate (CJM) in J&K’s Sopore town on Tuesday sentenced a notorious paedophile to 14 years of rigorous imprisonment and a fine of Rs one lakh.

Mir Wajahat, CJM Sopore passed a conviction order on self-styled spiritual healer, Aijaz Sheikh on Tuesday sentencing him to 14 years of rigorous imprisonment and a fine of Rs 1 Lakh for repeatedly sexually abusing two victims over a decade.

Advocate Ayshia Zahgeer for the victims told reporters that the accused had been convicted yesterday.

The matter was reserved for arguments today on the quantum of the sentence.

The CJM Sopore sentenced the accused to seven years of rigorous imprisonment each for two victims in this case. The sentences will run consecutively, he will be in rigorous imprisonment for 14 years and a fine of Rs 50,000 for each of the victims. Rs 45,000 has been directed to be deposited as compensation and the CJM has also said that the victims are at liberty to approach appropriate forums for their compensation in their capacities.

Aijaz Ahmad Sheikh had been impersonating as a faith healer and victimised minor girls by exploiting the credulous parents. There was widespread joy and firecrack celebration in Mundji village of Sopore sub-division when the conviction of the paedophile was announced yesterday.

Telangana’s Anti-Corruption Bureau has caught three policemen and two forest officers red-handed while taking bribes in two separate incidents in the state on Tuesday.

A Circle Inspector of Police and two police constables were caught while accepting the bribe in the Narayanpet district.

According to the Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB), Gundemoni Chandra Shekar, Circle Inspector of Police, Makthal Police Station and police constables Singasani Shiva and Kurva Narsimhulu of the same police station were caught while taking a bribe to do an official favour.

The police officials had demanded Rs 40,000 for reducing the gravity of the crime while filing a charge sheet in a case registered against the complainant at the Makthal Police Station. They were caught while accepting Rs 20,000 from the complainant to do an official favour.

In a significant operation on Tuesday, the Patna police arrested four individuals involved in a land dispute that escalated into violence in the Kankarbagh area.

The incident of an encounter occurred on Ram Lakhan Path, where the suspects opened fire outside a residence over a property disagreement.

Upon arrival, law enforcement officers found that the assailants had taken refuge inside a house owned by Upendra Singh.

The police promptly cordoned off the area and called in the Special Task Force (STF) to assist in apprehending the suspects

The Kerala High Court on Tuesday expressed its deep concern about the huge increase in drugs-related cases in the state.

A bench of Justice V.G. Arun said that this issue was even discussed in the state Assembly recently.

"We have reached a stage where the state Assembly had to suspend its regular business to consider this social menace. I read in the newspaper that on February 8th, the session was suspended to consider this issue because it has now reached the schools. This is the reality we have to deal with. We have been pushing it off saying that in Kerala it is not happening," the judge said in an oral observation.

The court made this observation while hearing a bail application filed by a person arrested for offences punishable under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act, 1985.

An eight-member team of the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) reportedly from Delhi on Tuesday launched a raid at the residence of senior IAS officer Bishnupada Sethi here in connection with a high-profile bribery case involving officials of Bridge and Roof Co. (India) Limited, a Central government PSU under the Ministry of Heavy Industries.

Speaking to media persons, the bureaucrat claimed innocence in the case and also alleged that CBI officers were harassing him and his family members.

“I want to clarify that a few work orders have been given to Bridge and Roof Co. (India) Limited following the approval of the state government. The file related to the project remained with me for a few hours only after it came to my notice,” said Sethi.

Thousands of farmers in Jharkhand are in deep crisis after the price of tomatoes plummeted to as low as Rs 2 - Rs 3 per kg. They have now abandoned their tomato crops, leaving them to rot in the fields.

In some areas, wholesale buyers are unwilling to pay even Re 1 per kilogram, making it impossible for farmers to recover their investment.

Faced with mounting losses, several farmers have resorted to destroying their ripe crops with tractors.

Two properties worth crores of rupees belonging to a Ranger in Forest Department, Khandwa, Madhya Pradesh, were confiscated by the Enforcement Directorate (ED), Bhopal in a money laundering case, an official said on Friday.

The confiscated properties of Harishankar Gurjar are in the form of two independent houses situated at Minal Residency, Bhopal.

The ED initiated a money laundering investigation based on an FIR registered by the Lokayukta Police, Bhopal under the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988 and IPC, 1860 against Harishankar and his wife Seema on the grounds that they have amassed assets disproportionate to their known sources of income, said a statement.

In a special operation, police have destroyed opium cultivation worth approximately Rs 125 crore in four districts of Jharkhand -- Ranchi, Khunti, Saraikela-Kharsawan and Chaibasa.

The operation, which began on February 5, has led to the arrest of 86 people involved in the illegal business. According to official police data, opium cultivation across a total area of 9,871 acres in these districts has been identified and eradicated using tractors and grass cutter machines.

It is estimated that three to four kilograms of opium is produced per acre of poppy cultivation, with one kilogram valued between Rs four to five lakh in the market. This action has effectively prevented opium worth around Rs 125 crore from reaching the market.

The Director General of Police has ordered a special drive against opium cultivation under the 'Zero Tolerance Policy'.

Ahead of the local body elections, the police on Friday seized a vehicle carrying Rs 1.38 crore in cash and 108 kilograms of silver in Gujarat's Dahod, said officials here.

Gujarat is set to conduct its local body elections on February 16, encompassing various municipal corporations, municipalities, and panchayats.

In view of the elections, the vigil has been enhanced. The Dahod police intercepted the courier vehicle transporting cash and silver.

The Child Welfare Committee (CWC) of Delhi's South District on Thursday ordered an interim order in the favour of students whose admit cards were withheld by a school in the national capital over fee payment dispute.

After the CWC received a complaint from the parents of six children studying in class 10th at Saket's Apeejay School, it directed the Principal to issue “admit cards to all the six students with immediate effect”, opining that the fee issue may be settled afterward.

It ordered the authorities in the Directorate of Education (DOE) to look into the matter and facilitate parents and children.

In its order, the CWC noted that the matter is also sub-judiced before the Delhi High Court but issued “immediate action-intervention to protect and save student's whole academic year” and to safeguard them from a traumatic mental situation.