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.

Philip Rivers’ status for week 15 (Image via: Getty Images)

The Indianapolis Colts have shocked the NFL by pulling 44-year-old Philip Rivers out of retirement after Daniel Jones went down with a season-ending Achilles injury. With the playoff race tightening and stability at quarterback slipping away, the Colts turned to a trusted veteran who already proved he can win in Indianapolis. Suddenly, Rivers is back in the building and potentially days away from returning to action.The biggest question heading into Week 15 is whether the former Pro Bowler will suit up against the Seattle Seahawks. Making a comeback at this stage of the season is rare, but the Colts’ situation might demand it. With a playoff berth still within reach, Indianapolis is evaluating just how quickly Rivers can get up to game speed.

Philip Rivers’ week 15 status: Will the Colts start the 44-year-old QB in Seattle?

Rivers completed a private workout shortly after the Colts’ Week 14 loss to the Jacksonville Jaguars, and the front office liked what they saw. Impressed by his conditioning and familiarity with the system, the team signed him to the practice squad on Tuesday. Now, all attention turns toward how ready he is to take the field and whether he could start as soon as Sunday.As the team ramps up preparations for the Seahawks, the Colts continue to monitor everything from Rivers’ timing to his ability to re-adjust to NFL tempo. While nothing has been finalized, Indianapolis has made it clear they won’t hesitate to activate him if he proves capable of running the offense.Adding to the nostalgia of his return, Rivers will also reclaim his old jersey number. With Daniel Jones on injured reserve, the veteran quarterback will once again wear No. 17, the number he’s proudly represented throughout his entire career.Rivers’ history with Indianapolis gives him a strong head start. During his 2020 season with the Colts, he delivered steady and efficient play, completing 68% of his passes for 4,169 yards, 24 touchdowns, and 11 interceptions. That performance propelled the team to an 11-5 finish and a playoff berth, ending in a narrow Wild Card loss to the Buffalo Bills before Rivers announced his retirement.Now, nearly five years later, Indianapolis is hoping his leadership and precision can once again bring stability at the most crucial point of the season. Whether he starts in Week 15 or soon after, Rivers’ comeback adds a dramatic twist to the Colts’ playoff push, and all eyes will be on Seattle to see if the veteran’s return becomes reality this Sunday.Also Read: Philip Rivers returns to NFL at 44 to join Indianapolis Colts amid quarterback shortage, reveals NFL insider

NEW DLEHI: Home minister Amit Shah’s remarks during the Lok Sabha debate on election reforms sparked strong protests from Congress MPs on Wednesday, after he listed three instances across different eras in which he alleged the party engaged in “vote chori”, naming former prime ministers Jawaharlal Nehru and Indira Gandhi, and referring to a case involving Sonia Gandhi over voter registration.Shah countered the Opposition’s accusation of “vote theft” by citing what he described as “three phases” of electoral malpractice linked to the Congress, including a pending case in a Delhi court that, according to him, disputes whether Sonia Gandhi was registered as a voter before acquiring Indian citizenship.“ … when you’re not eligible, still you become a voter. A while back, a case was brought up in a Delhi court where the dispute is that Sonia Gandhi became a voter even before she became a citizen of the country,” the home minister said. “There are three instances of vote-chori, first when Jawaharlal Nehru became PM even after losing the vote to Sardar Patel to choose the country’s first PM … second when Indira Gandhi’s election from Rebareli was set aside in 1975 by Allahabad HC and to cover it up she brought in bill in Parliament to provide immunity to PM’s – that no case can be brought against the PMs … third, when you’re not eligible still you become a voter. A while back, a case was brought up in a Delhi court where the dispute is that Sonia Gandhi became a voter even before she became a citizen of the country,” he said.The opposition benches erupted, prompting Shah to respond, “I have just said what is a fact that there’s a case in court, Sonia ji needs to respond in court why they’re replying here?”Congress MP KC Venugopal raised a point of order, insisting the allegation was baseless. “The case from the 80s that was filed against Ms Sonia Gandhi, the Rouse Avenue court dismissed that case; there is no substance in that case. Ms Gandhi didn’t even vote in that election and I’m challenging HM, Ms Sonia Gandhi didn’t even vote in that election. Can you prove it otherwise? HM is making misleading statements,” he said.Shah clarified that he had drawn no conclusions and merely spoke a fact. “I haven’t said anything like that, I haven’t made any conclusion. The conclusion would come out once she responds to the court order, and then I’ll discuss it again. I only said, a case has been registered in which a notice has been issued to Ms Gandhi. What is there to be so angry about?”The heated exchange marked yet another flashpoint in the ongoing debate on electoral reforms in Parliament.

NEW DELHI: Directorate General of Civil Aviation has summoned IndiGo’s chief executive for an emergency meeting in Delhi on Wednesday afternoon, as the government intensifies its response to the airline’s sprawling operational breakdown that has disrupted travel nationwide. The DGCA has ordered Pieter Elbers to appear at 3pm, along with senior officials across departments, to present “comprehensive data and updates” on the ongoing crisis. It follows days of mass cancellations, soaring complaints from passengers and multiple rounds of government intervention.

The directive was issued alongside a formal inspection order, dated 10 December, instructing DGCA officers to carry out immediate on-site assessments at 11 airports. The regulator said the checks must be completed within two to three days, with reports submitted to its headquarters within 24 hours. Officers have been told to examine safety and operational readiness, congestion inside terminals, queue management, staffing adequacy, manning of 24×7 help desks, communication of delays and cancellations, and even basic amenities such as drinking water. Additional checks include assistance for elderly and vulnerable passengers, seating capacity in holding areas, airline management presence, hygiene standards, housekeeping deployment and baggage-handling backlogs. “Interaction with passengers to obtain direct feedback” has also been mandated.IndiGo’s leadership has been asked to account for its handling of the disruption across six major areas: flight restoration, pilot and crew recruitment, cancellation refunds, baggage return, passenger communication and rerouting policies, as per the order.The summons follows another day of heavy cancellations. On Wednesday alone, the carrier scrapped 61 flights from Bengaluru, according to PTI, despite Elbers saying earlier this week that operations were “back on the feet” and “stable”. On Tuesday, more than 460 flights were cancelled across six metros after the government slashed IndiGo’s winter schedule by 10 per cent—around 220 daily flights—following a previous 5 per cent cut ordered by the DGCA.Elbers has said “lakhs of customers” have received full refunds but offered no figures and declined to address compensation for last-minute cancellations or severe delays. Under the passenger charter, airlines are required to compensate travellers automatically in certain situations.Since December 2, IndiGo has cancelled thousands of flights nationwide after failing to adjust operations to tighter safety regulations. The fallout has caused major bottlenecks at airports, sent airfares soaring on other carriers and triggered widespread complaints over poor communication, long queues and baggage chaos. The DGCA has already issued show-cause notices to Elbers and Chief Operating Officer Isidro Proqueras, who is also the airline’s Accountable Manager, while the Civil Aviation Ministry has capped fares and ordered flight curtailment to “stabilise the airline’s operations”.

NEW DELHI: Multiple schools in Delhi received bomb threat emails on Wednesday, prompting police to launch an investigation.The schools issued notices to parents requesting them to collect their children in a phased manner to prevent panic, while authorities launched investigations into the threats, according to news agency ANI.The Indian School sent a detailed notice to parents outlining specific pickup times for different grade levels. The schedule arranged collection times starting from 9.30am for nursery to Class 2, followed by other grades at 15-minute intervals, with Class 9 and above scheduled for 10.15am.“Dear Parents, the school has received a bomb threat via email. As a precautionary measure, the school is dispersing the children. You are requested to kindly come and collect your child as per the schedule below: Nursery to Class 2: 9.30am, Class 3 to 5: 9.45am, Class 6 to 8: 9.55am, Class 9 and above: 10.15am,” stated the notice from The Indian School.Ahlcon International School also received a similar threat and arranged for early dispersal at 11.30am.“Dear Parent, kindly note that due to an email threat received this morning, we are arranging an early dispersal for all students (on footers/bus users/van users) at 11.30am, keeping the safety of our students as our utmost priority. Parents are requested to kindly coordinate with the van drivers for timely pickup. Your patience and cooperation in this regard are highly appreciated. The competent authorities are being contacted for further instructions and clearance. From Ahlcon International school.”Schools in Laxmi Nagar and Sadiq Nagar also reported receiving bomb threats. The fire department received information in the morning, and police confirmed multiple schools were affected.This incident follows similar bomb threats received by two Delhi University colleges – Deshbandhu College and Ramjas College – the previous Wednesday. Police teams, bomb disposal squads, and sniffer dogs were deployed at both campuses.No suspicious objects were found during the searches at any of the locations. Security forces remain on high alert following a recent blast near the Red Fort that resulted in 15 casualties.

Fundamentals are turning in favour of India. Higher growth and corporate earnings are achievable in the quarters ahead, says Dr. VK Vijayakumar, Chief Investment Strategist, Geojit Investments Limited. (AI image)

Stock market today: Nifty50 and BSE Sensex, the Indian equity benchmark indices, opened in green on Wednesday. While Nifty50 was above 25,850, BSE Sensex was up over 100 points. At 9:17 AM, Nifty50 was trading at 25,865.25, up 26 points or 0.099%. BSE Sensex was at 84,804.28, up 138 points.Dr. VK Vijayakumar, Chief Investment Strategist, Geojit Investments Limited says, “As the year slowly draws to a close the market structure is becoming challenging. Heavy selling in the broader market is justified since valuations have been elevated and kept high only on the strength of liquidity. This is unsustainable. But the weakness in the overall market and sustained selling by FIIs are a bit disappointing. A major concern is the excessive delay in the finalisation of the US-India trade deal. A remark by President Trump yesterday that action should be taken on India for dumping rice in the US hurt sentiments further.”“Fundamentals are turning in favour of India. Higher growth and corporate earnings are achievable in the quarters ahead. The fiscal and monetary stimulus provided this year have started producing results. The excessively low inflation rate, which impacted nominal GDP growth, also will start rising in the coming quarters. This is significant since corporate earnings growth will be influenced more by nominal GDP growth rather than by real GDP growth. The fact that valuations in the large cap segment have become fair is another positive. These positive factors will start weighing on the market soon. Investors have to keep faith and wait patiently for the fundamentals to play out.”The S&P 500 declined on Tuesday as investors anticipated hawkish Federal Reserve messaging despite potential rate cuts. JPMorgan contributed significantly to the benchmark index’s decline following the bank’s announcement of substantial 2026 expenses.Asian markets showed modest gains following Wall Street’s subdued session, with investors awaiting the Federal Reserve’s final interest rate decision of the year.Foreign portfolio investors recorded net sales of Rs 3,760 crore on Tuesday, whilst domestic institutional investors showed net purchases of Rs 6,225 crore.(Disclaimer: Recommendations and views on the stock market, other asset classes or personal finance management tips given by experts are their own. These opinions do not represent the views of The Times of India)

Goa authorities allegedly ignored a report detailing “gross violations” at a property where a fatal nightclub fire occurred, dropping proceedings against the owner. Meanwhile, in Delhi, agencies are passing the buck over a vanished wetland, with the Municipal Corporation of Delhi and Central Pollution Control Board blaming each other for its disappearance under landfill waste.

PANAJI: Less than two months ago, the Goa Coastal Zone Management Authority, chaired by IAS officer Arun Kumar Mishra, brushed aside a report by its three-member committee on “gross violations” against the owner of the property on which the nightclub Birch by Romeo Lane stood, a British citizen named Surinder Kumar Khosla, and dropped proceedings against him. Khosla had leased the land to Birch by Romeo Lane.The committee, which included an expert and two members of the coastal authority, said there were “alleged gross illegal constructions resulting in violations of CRZ notification 2011” and recommended that it should be deliberated by the Goa Coastal Zone Management Authority (GCZMA) at its meeting and taken up for “further discussion”.But without discussing or deliberating, coastal authority turned a blind eye to “gross violations” report and dropped proceedings on Oct 9 “There is no violation of CRZ notification in as much as the structures in question fall beyond CRZ area of the creek/ river,” the coastal authority said, adding it does not have jurisdiction in areas not declared or notified as CRZ (Coastal Regulatory Zone).After the inspection, the committee had reported that the “RCC permanent structure is constructed fully into the water body” and there were neither permissions nor NOCs from authorities concerned for the construction of a concrete structure.The committee found a RCC ground-plus-one structure “in roughly hexagon shape”, which “is erected in water body… ground floor is used as kitchen and storeroom area”, and the first floor, with coconut leaf roofing, is used as a restaurant.It was on the first floor that a fire broke out Saturday, killing 25 people, after electric firecrackers hit the ceiling as a belly dancer and her troupe performed.But the coastal authority, chaired by Mishra who is now posted in Delhi, dismissed the report and accepted the argument that “there is no environmental cause”.The Arpora-Nagoa panchayat had on Oct 31, 1996 issued an NOC to construct a restaurant, staff quarters, compound wall, and later another NOC on Aug 12, 2004 to renovate the restaurant.Despite the committee attaching a Google image and the coastal zone management plan (CZMP) extract, which showed the alleged violations, the coastal authority noted “that the CZMP for Goa had already been notified. The CZM indicates that the subject matter ground-plus-one RCC structure is outside the CRZ area”.The coastal authority report was the consequence of a complaint by Pradeep Ghadi Amonkar and Sunil Divkar Shetye on Dec 21, 2023, regarding illegal construction of Birch by Romeo Lane.

Agencies pass the buck after wetland vanishes

New Delhi: Who is responsible for a wetland near Wazirabad disappearing? The National Green Tribunal is no closer to finding an answer despite the the Municipal Corporation of Delhi and the Central Pollution Control Board submitting their replies.On July 16, 2025, The Times of India had reported that the wetland had been filled up using inert waste from the Bhalswa landfill. The report highlighted that the Jharoda pond, which supported rich plant and bird life until 2023, had been buried under inert waste allegedly brought from the Bhalswa landfill..Taking suo motu cognizance of the report titled ‘Find it if you can. Wetland near Wazirabad vanished under inert waste’, the tribunal had issued notice to the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD), Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB), Delhi Development Authority (DDA), the North district magistrate, and the Delhi Pollution Control Committee (DPCC) seeking an explanation on the matter. Only MCD and CPCB have responded so far, with both shifting blame to other agencies.In its submissions MCD said it was the responsibility of the private concessionaire appointed to flatten the Bhalswa landfill to ensure the inert material was disposed of correctly. It also said that the site belongs to DDA.In its reply, MCD said it was not “dumping any form of waste at any wetland in the Wazirabad and Timarpur areas”. “The said site, where it has been alleged that waste is being dumped, is owned by Delhi Development Authority,” it said.The civic body further stated that it was merely following a 2019 order by the tribunal to dispose of 30 lakh MT of legacy waste from the Bhalswa landfill site, while adding that it received a request from DDA to facilitate the supply of bioremediated inert material on May 24, 2023. It added that the agency was neither involved in the process of identification of the site nor in the decision-making process.The DDA order shared by MCD said, “this office permits to supply inert and C&D material at DDA vacant low-lying area at both sides of the Marginal Bandh at Jharoda Majra, Burari.”CPCB, meanwhile, said it had issued directions in 2021 under Section 5 of the Environment (Protection) Act, 1986, to all the State Pollution Control Boards and the Pollution Control Committees for the enforcement of provisions of Solid Waste Management Rules, 2016.“DPCC shall monitor and ensure compliance with the directions issued… DPCC shall also ensure enforcement of provisions of the SWM Rules 2016 by the concerned local authorities in Delhi,” stated CPCB in a submission dated October 27, made available on Dec 9.

US President Trump’s threat of new rice tariffs is unlikely to significantly impact India, as exports to the US are a small fraction of global sales and already face high duties. Experts suggest this is a negotiation tactic amid ongoing trade deal talks, with India aiming to lift existing US tariffs.

NEW DELHI: US President Donald Trump’s latest threat to impose fresh tariffs on rice is unlikely to have a severe impact on Indian exports.“India exported $392 million worth of rice to the US in FY2025, just 3% of its global rice exports, and already faces tariffs of about 53% in the US market; 86% of these shipments are premium basmati. New duties would scarcely dent Indian exporters, who have strong markets elsewhere, but would make rice costlier for American households,” said trade research body GTRI.A bulk of the 6 million tonne exported to the US may be headed to kitchens of Indian-origin Americans or those on visas. The only substitute for basmati rice can be from Pakistan but the quantities are much lower. Overall, a bulk of India’s rice exports consists of non-basmati rice.Trump’s latest threat comes amid a team from the US visiting India with talks on the much-delayed trade deal scheduled for Wednesday and Thursday. While the agenda for the latest discussions were not immediately known, the visit was a surprise as govt officials had earlier said most issues had been sorted out and last-mile talks were expected. News about the US delegation’s trip came ahead of Russian President Vladimir Putin’s visit to India.While Trump has taken unilateral measures on trade since returning to office, India’s rice exports are not seen as “dumping” as claimed by the US president, who is not seen as someone who always sticks to facts. Given volumes, neither are rice exports causing harm to domestic market, nor are they subsidised. As a result, it is seen as a pressure tactic amid talks for a bilateral deal.India and the US had launched negotiations for a trade deal in Feb and hoped to close talks by Sept-Oct. But with govt refusing to agree to Trump’s demand for reducing levies on food and GM crops, the US hit back with 25% reciprocal tariffs and another 25% secondary tariffs, citing India’s purchase of Russian oil and defence equipment. In the first phase, which govt is hoping can be clinched by the month-end, India expects the secondary tariffs to be lifted while also seeking concessions on reciprocal tariffs.Trump, in the same event, also threatened high tariff on agriculture imports from Canada and other countries.