SC refuses to entertain plea by PMC account holders for lifting restrictions on cash withdrawals

Agencies
October 18, 2019

Pune, Oct 18: The Supreme Court on Friday refused to entertain a plea filed on behalf of scam-hit PMC Bank account holders seeking lifting of restrictions imposed by the Reserve Bank of India on cash withdrawals.

A bench headed by Chief Justice of India Ranjan Gogoi said, "We are not inclined to entertain this petition under article 32 (writ jurisdiction). Petitioner can approach the high court concerned for appropriate relief".

The Punjab & Maharashtra Co-operative Bank has been put under restrictions by the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) following the discovery of a Rs 4,355-crore scam.

Deposit withdrawals have been capped at Rs 40,000 over a six-month period, causing panic and distress among depositors.

During the hearing on Friday, Solicitor General Tushar Mehta said the government is aware of the seriousness of the situation and the Enforcement Directorate is taking appropriate action against the culprit.

Advocate Shashank Sudhi, appearing for petitioner Bejon Kumar Mishra, said he has filed the petition on behalf of 500 PMC Bank account holders seeking lifting of restrictions imposed by the RBI on cash withdrawals.

On Wednesday, around 50 depositories of the PMC Bank staged a protest outside the RBI demanding revoking restrictions on cash withdrawal, currently capped at Rs 40,000 over a six-month period.

A depositor of PMC Bank allegedly committed suicide in Mumbai on Tuesday while another died of a heart attack a few hours after taking part in a protest by bank customers seeking their money back.

The petition filed before the court sought a direction for issuance of "exhaustive and comprehensive guideline" to safeguard the banking and cooperative deposits in the eventuality of emergency financial crisis where citizens are financially stranded by acts of a few "unscrupulous persons".

The plea said the Centre and the RBI should be directed to ensure complete insulation and insurance of the hard-earned deposited money of people in various cooperative banks, including nationalised banks, by enacting an appropriate measure of 100 per cent insurance coverage towards the deposited amount.

It said that a high-powered committee should be constituted to look into complete affairs of working and their operation in all cooperative banks in order to have a robust and transparent mechanism which can inspire confidence of common public in cooperative banks.

Real estate firm HDIL allegedly accounted for 70 per cent of the bank's Rs 9,000 crore advances. According to the Mumbai Police's Economic Offences Wing, HDIL's loans turned non-performing assets, but the bank management hid this from the RBI's scrutiny.

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News Network
April 19,2020

Shimla, Apr 19: A man, who had recovered from the novel coronavirus, was again found suffering from the infection in Himachal Pradesh, officials said.

The man, a Tablighi Jamaat member, tested positive for the infection on Saturday within a week of his two reports coming out negative, they said.

Residents of different places in Mandi district, the man along with two other Jamaatis had been staying in a mosque of Nakroh village in Una'a Amb tehsil and all tested positive on April 2.

They were admitted to Tanda's Dr. Rajendra Prasad Government Medical College (RPGMC) in Kangra district on April 3.

As per the available information, they had tested negative for the first time on April 10 and they were declared as cured as per protocol after they tested negative for the second time on April 12.

Subsequently they had been discharged from the RPGMC and were kept in institutional quarantine.

However, with the man again testing positive, the total number of active cases in the hill state has increased to 23 out of the total 40 positive cases.

Four persons have been shifted to a private hospital outside the state. Eleven have recovered while two others have died.

A total of 16 confirmed cases were found in Una and health department statistics now shows 14 active cases and two cured.

Officials said 11 patients — three each from Chamba, Kangra, and Solan districts and two from Una district — have recovered.

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News Network
May 23,2020

New Delhi, May 23: On the occasion of Jumat-ul-Vida, the last Friday of the ongoing holy month of Ramzan, a select group of people offered namaz at Delhi's Jama Masjid ahead of Eid-ul-Fitr, while adhering to social distancing following relaxations in the fourth phase of the COVID-19 lockdown.

"A large number of people wanted to offer prayers today but we told them they should do so from their homes. Only the staff of the mosque and a few members of the family offered prayers here," Shahi Imam of Jama Masjid said.

The coronavirus pandemic has also marred the excitement of Eid for the vegetable and fruit vendors in neighbouring Daryaganj.

The fourth phase of nation-wide lockdown extended till May 31, began from Monday in which markets and shops were allowed to open. However, due to persisting fear of COVID-19, the sale of products is yet to pick pace.

Unlike each year, the market lacks the sheen this Eid with no bustle and people cautious about venturing out.

Salim, who has been selling cheese and curd in the market for the last 35 years, told ANI, "I have never seen such an Eid. There is an atmosphere of fear in the minds of people."

Another fruit seller Haseen Malik said that "During the month of Ramadan, most people relish fruits such as musk melon, sweet lemon and watermelon so there is some demand for it. But there is no excitement for Eid this year. The sale has been at an all-time low because of the lockdown."

In the wake of the festival and to ensure social distancing, Delhi Police has made elaborate security arrangements. 

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Agencies
February 26,2020

Kochi, Feb 26: Kerala High Court on Wednesday imposed a ban on strikes in schools and colleges that impact the functioning of the campuses.

''The functioning of campuses should not be hampered by the strikes. The colleges are for study, not for strikes. There should not be any march or gherao on campuses. Do not incite anyone for a strike," a bench of Justice PB Suresh Kumar said in its order.

"The order applies to schools and colleges. Do not harm the rights of others. The college can be a venue for peaceful discussions or thoughts. If actions are contrary to the orders of the court, the authorities can take action. They can call the police and restore peace," the order reads.

The Kerala High Court issued the order while hearing a petition filed by 20 educational institutions against campus politics.

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