President Murmu emphasized ensuring human rights for everyone, highlighting India’s shift from entitlement to empowerment and charity to rights over the past decade. She noted government efforts to provide essential services like clean water, electricity, and healthcare, securing dignity for all households.
NEW DELHI: Emphasising that human rights must be ensured for all, including the “person in the last mile”, President Droupadi Murmu highlighted that over the last decade India has moved ahead with a different approach – “from entitlement to empowerment & from charity to rights”.Murmu spoke of the work being done by govt to ensure that every-day essential services like clean water, electricity, cooking gas, healthcare, banking services, education, and improved sanitation become available to all. “This uplifts every household and secures dignity,” she said.The President described the notification of the four Labour Codes related to wages, industrial relations, social security and occupational safety, health and working conditions as a “transformative change” that lays foundation for a future-ready workforce & more resilient industries.Murmu was speaking at the National Human Rights Commission-hosted event in the capital. She said Human Rights Day is also an “occasion to remind us that the universal human rights are inalienable and they form the bedrock of a just, equitable, and compassionate society”.The President called upon every citizen to recognise that human rights are not sole responsibility of govts or NHRC, but that protecting rights of fellow citizens is a shared duty.
TheIndian Premier League (IPL) remains the pinnacle of T20 franchise cricket, an annual carnival that captivates millions and serves as a massive financial and professional stepping stone for players across the globe. As the anticipation builds for the IPL 2026 mini-auction, the focus is sharply turning toward the reservoir of untapped and promising talent emerging from India’s domestic circuits.
The road to IPL 2026: Domestic stars in SMAT 2025 eyeing the mini-auction spotlight
This auction, set to be a strategic battleground for all ten franchises, will not only see established international stars go under the hammer but will also provide a life-changing opportunity for many uncapped domestic cricketers. The Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy (SMAT), India’s premier inter-state T20 tournament, has once again been a crucial proving ground.
The ongoing SMAT 2025 season has been a showcase of exceptional performances, with several players delivering career-defining spells and explosive innings that have undoubtedly caught the keen eye of IPL scouts and team think tanks. For franchises looking to plug specific gaps, bolster their Indian core, or simply invest in the future, the high-octane T20 performances in the SMAT are the ultimate litmus test. The following five domestic players, based on their stellar run in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy 2025 and overall domestic pedigree, are poised to attract significant bids, transforming them from domestic heroes into potential IPL millionaires.
5 Syed Mushtaq Ali trophy players who can bag major deals in the IPL 2026 mini-auction
1. Auqib Nabi Dar: The express pacer from Jammu & Kashmir
Auqib Nabi Dar is an aggressive, genuine fast bowler from Jammu & Kashmir known for his consistent wicket-taking ability and raw pace, which is a rare and highly sought-after commodity in the IPL. His excellent run in the SMAT 2025, coupled with an impressive red-ball record, has positioned him as one of the top Indian fast-bowling prospects on the auction list.
SMAT 2025 Performance: Dar has been a standout performer, taking 15 wickets in five matches with an impressive average of 13.26 and an economy rate of 7.41. His best figure was 4/16 against Bihar.
Best Domestic Performance: Beyond SMAT, he finished as the second leading wicket-taker in the Ranji Trophy 2024-25 with 29 wickets, showcasing his endurance and class across formats.
IPL History: He is an uncapped player and has never played in an IPL match. Crucially, he was a net bowler for Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) and has recently attended trials with Mumbai Indians (MI) and Delhi Capitals (DC) ahead of the auction, indicating strong franchise interest.
Base Price: His base price is officially listed at ₹30 Lakh.
Auqib Nabi, who’s rumoured to be on MI’s radar after being spotted in MI trials, might also attract interest from 3 Time Champions KKR, since he used to be KKR’s net bowler in the past. pic.twitter.com/oj49AJWdDI
2. Kartik Sharma: The hard-hitting wicketkeeper-batter
Kartik Sharma (Image Source: X)
Kartik Sharma is a young, explosive wicketkeeper-batter from Rajasthan, highly rated for his high-impact, big-hitting ability in the middle order. His aggressive intent and phenomenal strike rate, particularly against pace, make him the kind of dynamic Indian finisher every IPL team seeks.
SMAT 2025 Performance: His performances in the current domestic season are highly consistent. In his short T20 career, he has amassed 334 runs in 12 T20s at an exceptional strike rate of 164.58, establishing his reputation as a power hitter.
Best Domestic Performance: He has made headlines in the Ranji Trophy 2025-26, scoring two centuries, including a stunning knock against Mumbai, which proves his batting temperament across formats.
IPL History: He is an uncapped player. He was part of Chennai Super Kings (CSK) camp during IPL 2025 and recently spotted in Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) camps ahead of 2026 mini-auction and has attended closed-door IPL trials with several franchises, signaling that teams like CSK and KKR view him as a potential future core player.
Base Price: His base price is officially listed at ₹30 Lakh.
Manisankar Murasingh is a veteran all-rounder for Tripura who finally burst into the national spotlight with an outstanding SMAT 2025 campaign. He is a genuine dual-threat, capable of scoring quick runs in the middle/lower order and delivering crucial overs with his medium-fast bowling. He won the prestigious Lala Amarnath Award by BCCI in 2024.
SMAT 2025 Performance: He finished the group stage with a spectacular all-round display: 277 runs (10th best in the group stage) at an average of 46.16 and a fiery strike rate of 172.04. With the ball, he took 5 wickets at an excellent economy of 7.6.
Best Domestic Performance: His defining moment was the all-round show against domestic giants Karnataka, where he first delivered impressive bowling figures of 2/30 and then smashed a match-tying 69 off 35 balls to force a Super Over win.
IPL History: He is an uncapped player and has never played for an IPL team, despite consistent domestic performances, leading to calls for his inclusion in the league. However he was one off the bowler for Rajasthan Royals during IPL 2024.
Base Price: His base price is likely to be ₹30 Lakh (Expected for a proven domestic all-rounder).
Ashok Sharma is a right-arm medium-fast bowler from Rajasthan who has been arguably the most effective pacer in the SMAT 2025 tournament. Known for his ability to generate bounce and take wickets with the new ball and in the middle overs, he is a ready-made option for any franchise seeking Indian pace depth.
SMAT 2025 Performance: Sharma was one of the top wicket-takers in the tournament, bagging 19 wickets in seven matches for Rajasthan, which included two 4-wicket hauls and two 3-wicket hauls.
Best Domestic Performance: His sensational run in the SMAT 2025, where he played a key role in Rajasthan’s strong group stage showing, is his best T20 performance to date, confirming his transition from a promising talent to a match-winner.
IPL History: He is currently listed as an uncapped player in the same category as the others. He was bought by Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) in 2022 for ₹55 Lakh and was bought by Rajasthan Royals (RR) in 2025 for ₹30 Lakh. He was recently released by Rajasthan Royals ahead of the 2026 auction.
Base Price: His base price is officially listed at ₹30 Lakh.
Ashok Sharma, with 19 wickets in just 7 SMAT matches this season, attended the RCB trials. pic.twitter.com/EXWfzD6rWp
Raj Limbani is a promising young right-arm medium pacer from Baroda, best known for his solid performance in the U-19 World Cup. He is an investment in the future, offering good control, the ability to swing the ball, and consistency that belies his age.
SMAT 2025 Performance: He has been a consistent wicket-taker for Baroda. His recent bowling figures include 3/5 against Gujarat and 3/36 against Punjab and 3/39 vs Services, demonstrating his ability to be destructive in short bursts. He also contributed a quickfire 7(2) with the bat vs Puducherry.
Best Domestic Performance: His standout display for Baroda in SMAT 2025, including a match-winning spell against Puducherry, on the back of his controlled bowling at the U-19 World Cup 2024, makes him a hot prospect.
IPL History: He is an uncapped player and has never played for an IPL team. He is among the young players with international exposure (U-19) often targeted by franchises for long-term development. He was the net bowler for Gujarat Titans (GT) during IPL 2024.
Base Price: His base price is officially listed at ₹30 Lakh.
NEW DELHI: Newly elected KSCA president Venkatesh Prasad began work on Wednesday by visiting the Stadium in Belagavi and holding meetings with Karnataka chief minister Siddaramaiah and deputy chief minister DK Shivakumar to discuss steps to resume top-level cricket at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium.Prasad, along with KSCA vice-president Sujith Somasundar and secretary Santosh Menon, inspected the Belagavi stadium. Veteran administrator Vinay Mruthyanjaya was also part of the visit. KSCA Dharwad division convener Avinash Potdar joined the group as they discussed ways to improve cricket infrastructure across the state.After the inspection, Prasad said development work would extend beyond Bengaluru. “Belagavi, Shimoga, Tumakuru, Hubballi and all other centres will see development in the coming days, as our focus is to rebuild cricket and bring back the better days for state cricket,” he said, as quoted by news agency PTI.Prasad confirmed that the new KSCA management has already held discussions with the chief minister, deputy chief minister and BCCI officials on restarting major cricket at the Chinnaswamy Stadium.“During the meeting, the newly elected KSCA Managing Committee, led by Mr. Venkatesh Prasad, conveyed its commitment to extending full cooperation to the State Government. Mr Venkatesh Prasad also requested the Hon’ble CM and DCM to grant the necessary permissions to resume hosting cricket matches with spectators at the iconic M Chinnaswamy Stadium, thereby restoring top-level cricketing action to Bengaluru,” a KSCA release stated.The stadium has not hosted major matches after Women’s ODI World Cup games were moved out of Bengaluru due to the venue failing to receive required clearances.No marquee fixtures have been held at the Chinnaswamy Stadium since 11 people died in a stampede near the venue during Royal Challengers Bengaluru’s IPL title celebrations on June 4.The BCCI later staged the season-opening Duleep Trophy and India A’s two four-day matches against South Africa A at its Centre of Excellence grounds instead of the city stadium.
US President Donald Trump on Wednesday unveiled what he called the “Trump Gold Card,” announcing that people will be able to apply for Gold Card citizenship starting Wednesday afternoon.
In a post on Truth Social, Trump promoted the new immigration pathway, saying, “THE UNITED STATES GOVERNMENT’S TRUMP GOLD CARD IS HERE TODAY! A direct path to Citizenship for all qualified and vetted people. SO EXCITING! Our Great American Companies can finally keep their invaluable Talent. Live Site opens in 30 minutes!”Speaking further about the initiative, Trump said, “Very excitingly for me and for the country, we’ve just launched the Trump Gold Card. The site goes up in about 30 minutes, and all funds go to the United States government… It’s somewhat like a green card, but with big advantages over a green card. Companies will be able to go to any school, buy a card, and keep that person in the United States… It’s a gift to get somebody great coming into our country, because we think there will be some tremendous people who otherwise wouldn’t have been allowed to stay. They graduate from college, they have to go back to India or China or France… The companies will be very happy. I know Apple is going to be happy. Nobody talked to me more about it than Tim Cook. He said it’s a real problem. And it’s not going to be a problem anymore… The other thing is it’ll take in, we think, probably billions of dollars that will go to the Treasury of the United States… Many billions of dollars, even.”Trump has previously spoken about a Gold Card–style visa program designed to attract wealthy or highly skilled foreign nationals. The broader objective has been to bring top talent and significant foreign investment into the United States by offering a faster pathway to residency.While full details of the newly announced Gold Card are still unclear, earlier proposals included substantial financial thresholds: individual applicants were expected to donate $1 million to the US Treasury, and corporate-sponsored applicants needed to contribute $2 million, in addition to a non-refundable $15,000 processing fee.A third tier, the Platinum Card, had also been proposed, allowing an individual to spend up to 270 days a year in the US without becoming subject to US tax on foreign income, in exchange for $5 million. It remains unclear whether this tier is part of the current rollout.
NEW DELHI: In a boost to Indo-US space cooperation, Isro will launch its heaviest American commercial communication low-earth orbit satellite, the 6.5-tonne BlueBird-6, from the Sriharikota spaceport on Dec 15. Isro’s ‘Bahubali’ rocket LVM3 will put the US satellite into orbit.AST SpaceMobile, a Texas-based company that has built the space-based cellular broadband network, said, “BlueBird-6, a US licensed satellite, is scheduled to launch on Dec 15. It is the first of AST SpaceMobile’s next-generation satellites. When launched, it will feature the largest commercial phased array in low earth orbit at nearly 2,400 sqft. This represents 3.5 times increase in size over BlueBirds 1-5 and supports ten times the data capacity.”BlueBird-6 is a “Block-2” satellite and part of a larger plan by AST SpaceMobile to deploy a series of satellites to achieve non-continuous service, with further launches scheduled through 2026. Its aim is to bridge the “digital divide” by offering fast, unhindered direct-to-device mobile broadband service in areas with poor or non-existent terrestrial network coverage.The BlueBird satellites are designed to deliver a high amount of bandwidth, with each unit capable of up to 10,000 MHz. They operate by partnering with existing mobile network carriers to enhance their networks using licensed spectrum.The BlueBird-6 satellite arrived in India from the US on Oct 19. It was later transported by road to Sriharikota for integration with launcher LVM3, fuelling and final checks ahead of its launch.The liftoff is being handled by New Space India Limited (NSIL), Isro’s commercial wing. LVM-3 had recently put India’s heaviest CMS-3 satellite, weighing 4.4 tonnes, into its orbit on Nov 2. A three-stage launch vehicle, LVM3 rocket can carry payloads weighing up to 8,000 kg to low-Earth orbit (LEO) and 4,000 kg to geosynchronous transfer orbit (GTO). The human-rated version of this vehicle will fly three Indian astronauts to space, as part of the Gaganyaan mission, which is planned for 2027.
Mumbai: The Bombay High Court on Wednesday quashed summons issued in March 2019, by a designated MPID Act judge in Mumbai against Amit Anand Rathi and Anand Rathi Commodities in the 2013 National Spot Exchange Ltd (NSEL) case lodged by depositors.Justice R N Laddha held that the trial court order lacked reasons and the mandatory application of mind and thus stood “vitiated”. The court remitted the case for a fresh hearing and decision on merits and strictly in accordance with law. The court said that it was “equally imperative to recognise that any lapse on the part of the subordinate court judge in discharging his judicial duty should not prejudice the state and police, and they ought not to suffer adverse consequences for no fault of their own.” The court held that the trial court judge’s order was cryptic, devoid of reasoning, and fails to disclose the foundational basis or issuing the summons.The EOW special investigation team (SIT) for the NSEL case alleged that numerous investors traded through brokers on the NSEL platform, where their funds were lent to designated borrowers who were required to maintain commodity stocks as collateral but allegedly failed to do so, and later defaulted, causing heavy investor losses. Represented by senior counsel Amit Desai and advocate Sajal Yadav, they argued that the Rathis were added as accused only in the fourth chargesheet in 2018 “mechanically” without any role. He argued, “There is no reference to any meeting of minds, any interaction, any role, or any foundational element that could constitute collusion,” and the EOW also took “mutually contradictory positions within the same investigation” that render the allegations baseless.For the state, special public prosecutor Avinash Avhad argued for the petition’s dismissal on the grounds that Rathi had an efficacious legal alternative in filing an appeal under the MPID Act and couldn’t approach the High Court directly. Avhad also argued the existence of a “nexus with NSEL officials and other co-accused in furtherance of a criminal conspiracy.”Justice Laddha noted the HC’s wide and inherent power (of quashing) to secure the ends of justice but acknowledged it be invoked “sparingly and with circumspection”. The HC said in Rathi’s case the trial court Judge “ought to have examined whether the petitioners derived any benefit beyond brokerage, whether their role exceeded that of a broker, and the nature and scope of representations made, including whether such representations constituted inducement from inception, which is essential to attract the offence of cheating.”
Farah Khan, known for directing blockbusters like ‘Main Hoon Na’ and ‘Om Shanti Om’ has also been winning hearts ever since she started her own Youtube channel and cooking show with her cook Dilip. The film-maker is always known for her honesty, candidness and she displayed that yet again her anniversary post. Farah Khan tied the knot with Shirish Kunder, who has been an editor on her films and then turned to direction with movies like ‘Jaan-E-Mann’ and ‘Joker’. In her post, Farah gave a befitting reply to a nasty comment which someone passed when she had gotten married. Farah shared some photos, the montage opens with an old picture of Farah and Shirish in what looks like a children’s room, standing beside a crib. More photos follow, including a moment from their wedding ceremony where the couple is seen taking pheras while Shah Rukh Khan and Himani Shivpuri stand nearby. It is known that Shah Rukh performed the ‘kanyadaan’ during her wedding. The montage also includes warm family memories featuring Farah, Shirish and their triplets.
Along with the video, Farah posted a candid caption which read, “21yrs ago sm1 ( who had not bn invited to our wedding) passed a bitchy comment that ‘ i ll attend her next one’..sorry pal this one s going ok till now. Happy anniversary @shirishkunder .. we may not hold hands in public ( for that ul have to come out with me😜) but its u who holds our family together .. n i❤️u.. have i embarrassed you enough??”Soon after, wishes poured in from friends and colleagues. Anil Kapoor commented, “Happy anniversary Farah and Shirish ❤️❤️❤️👏👏.” Zoya Akhtar, Diana Penty and Soha Ali Khan also sent their love.Though Shirish’s movies as a director didn’t succeed commercially, Farah has always stood by him. In an earlier interview from 2016, she acknowledged that she earns more than her husband, yet it has never affected their relationship. Kunder has also always chosen to be away from the limelight and is hardly seen. “We’ve survived 12 years of extreme failures and extreme successes. So, I give him a lot of credit because he has to bear the brunt of being married to me,” she said, adding that the “Abhimaan” element never entered their marriage—referring to Hrishikesh Mukherjee’s 1973 classic Abhimaan.She had further stated, “These feminists talk a lot. But we truly are equals. I never feel, ‘Oh, I’m earning more, but my husband is not.’ No! Why? We’re equal partners.”
Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella announced a significant $17.5 billion investment in India over four years, focusing on AI and cloud. He acknowledged India’s need for sovereign control and local resilience in technology deployment. Nadella lauded India’s unique “virtuous cycle” of policies, digital infrastructure, and market, highlighting the launch of Sovereign Public Cloud for enhanced governance and control.
NEW DELHI; As Microsoft invests $17.5 billion in India over the next four years into AI and cloud, the tech giant’s CEO Satya Nadella Wednesday said it was a “legitimate concern” of countries like India to talk about sovereign control and local resilience.Asked whether AI and tech prowess were increasingly being used as diplomacy tools and nations needed to build resilience and sovereign stack, Nadella said, “… it’s absolutely a very legitimate question and concern… and I would say a requirement. Which is for a country like India to say that ultimately things that are being deployed here, used here, at scale are effectively resilient and sovereign. In other words, you want to control your own destiny.“Reaffirming the tech giant’s commitment to India’s AI ambitions, the India-born CEO – delivering his keynote at the Microsoft Leadership Connection event – praised what he called a “virtuous cycle” created by the country’s tech policies, digital public infrastructure, and vast domestic market. “One thing India has done very uniquely is bring together a virtuous cycle from the policies, the programmes, the technology stack, and the market,” he said. “It’s tremendous to see the private sector fully participate, whether in payments, healthcare, or insurance. It’s not about any one thing. That entire stack is magic.”He added that with the Sovereign Public Cloud now available in India, organisations could tap into a prescriptive architecture for deploying workloads on Azure, supported by built-in compliance guardrails through Sovereign Landing Zones. This, he said, enabled policy enforcement and provided stronger governance controls.On the company’s India investment strategy, he said he was excited about the data centre capacity it was setting up, adding he had discussed the plans with PM Narendra Modi on Tuesday. “We’re thrilled about all the data ce-ntre capacity that is coming live. We already have stuff in Pune, Chennai and Mumbai. We are very excited about our India South Central cloud region, based in Hyderabad, that’s going to come up next year,” Nadella said.
Following a dominant victory in the series opener, India will look to press their advantage and take a commanding 2-0 lead when they face South Africa in the second T20 International. The action moves to the Maharaja Yadavindra Singh International Cricket Stadium, Mullanpur (New Chandigarh), which will be hosting its first-ever Men’s International T20 match.
India delivered a clinical performance in the first T20I, winning by a massive 101 runs. Hardik Pandya‘s spectacular return from injury (59* off 28 and crucial wickets) was the highlight and instantly addressed the team’s balance. The Indian bowling unit was exceptional, bundling out the Proteas for their lowest-ever T20I score. Jasprit Bumrah and Arshdeep Singh provided early breakthroughs, while the spinners Axar Pateland Varun Chakaravarthy were highly effective.
The Proteas had a disastrous start to the series, struggling with both the bat and the ball. They will be desperate for a strong comeback to level the series. The batting lineup collapsed spectacularly. Key players like Quinton de Kock,Aiden Markram, and David Miller will need to shoulder the responsibility and provide stability against a quality Indian attack. Dewald Brevis, who showed some promise with a brief cameo, will be central to lifting the middle order on a supposedly truer surface. Their pace attack, featuring Anrich Nortje and Lungi Ngidi, will be crucial in exploiting the early movement the Mullanpur pitch offers. They will need a more disciplined collective effort.
IND vs SA, 2nd T20I: Match Details
Detail
Information
Date and Time
December 11; 7:00 pm IST / 1:30 pm GMT
Venue
Maharaja Yadavindra Singh International Cricket Stadium, Mullanpur
Head-to-Head Record (T20Is)
India holds a strong advantage, winning 19 of the 31 matches played, with South Africa securing 12 victories (NR: 1)
Maharaja Yadavindra Singh International Cricket Stadium Pitch Report
The surface is expected to provide even bounce with some early assistance for seamers. Once the ball softens, batters often enjoy the pace on offer, thanks to a quick outfield that rewards free stroke play. Spinners are likely to come into effect as the match progresses, especially in the second half. A score around the 170+ mark is often considered competitive here based on the handful of matches played (including IPL fixtures).
The Supreme Court has overturned a Bombay High Court order sentencing a woman to jail for contempt. Justices Vikram Nath and Sandeep Mehta emphasized that mercy and forgiveness are crucial judicial principles. They stated that sincere remorse and an apology, even if qualified, should be accepted, particularly when a contemnor acknowledges their mistake and seeks atonement.
NEW DELHI: Holding that mercy must remain an integral part of judicial conscience and courts should take a liberal approach when a contemnor accepts a mistake and apologises, Supreme Court on Wednesday quashed a Bombay HC order sentencing a woman to one week’s imprisonment for a contemptuous statement on the judiciary pertaining to stray dogs.Quashing the jail term awarded to a former director of a residential complex in Navi Mumbai Seawoods Estates Ltd, a bench of Justices Vikram Nath and Sandeep Mehta said the HC should have accepted her apology. It said the statutory scheme recognises that once a contemnor expresses sincere remorse, even if the apology is not unqualified in form, the court is competent to accept it and, where necessary, discharge the contemnor or remit the sentence imposed.“The power to punish necessarily carries within it the concomitant power to forgive, where the individual before the court demonstrates genuine remorse and repentance for the act that has brought him to this position. Therefore, in exercise of contempt jurisdiction, courts must remain conscious that this power is not a personal armour for judges, nor a sword to silence criticism. After all, it requires fortitude to acknowledge contrition for one’s lapse, and an even greater virtue to extend forgiveness to the erring. Mercy, therefore, must remain an integral part of the judicial conscience, to be extended where the contemnor sincerely acknowledges his lapse and seeks to atone for it,” SC said.Though the apex court ca-me to the conclusion that the circular issued by her was contemptuous, it let her off after noting that she promptly filed her reply in HC in which she explained the circumstances, expressed unconditional remorse for her conduct and tendered an unqualified apology at the earliest opportunity. “The Explanation to Section 12 (of Contempt Act) further provides that an apology shall not be rejected merely because it is qualified or conditional, if offered bona fide. The scheme of Section 12(1) thus reflects a balance, ie while the majesty of law must be preserved against attempts to malign the institution and those discharging judicial functions, the provision also recognises human fallibility. It is for this reason that the proviso empowers the court, upon being satisfied of genuine remorse, to accept the apology and discharge the contemnor or remit the punishment awarded,” the bench said.The HC had taken suo motu cognizance after the circular was brought to its notice and proceedings were initiated after the residential society told the court it was not responsible for it. The woman had told HC that she had made a grave error in issuing the circular, which was done upon mental pressure exerted by residents. She further stated that she had also resigned from the board of directors of Seawoods.“Therefore, in our considered view, HC failed to exercise its contempt jurisdiction with due circumspection. Once the contemnor had, from the very first day of her appearance in the suo motu proceedings, expressed remorse and tendered an unconditional apology, HC was required to examine whether such apology satisfied the statutory parameters under Section 12 of the Contempt Act. Thus, in our opinion, in the absence of any material suggesting that the apology was lacking in bona fides, HC ought to have considered remitting the sentence in accordance with law,” it said.
