Habeas Corpus Case
The Supreme Court would start hearing arguments on a series of petitions on the scope and content of the citizen’s right to move high courts for writs of habeas corpus. The petitions filed on behalf of several persons held under detention in Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh in the wake of the Emergency, would be heard by a Constitution bench presided over Chief Justice A.N. Ray. The judges constituting the bench were Justice H.R. Khanna, Justice M.H. Beg, Justice Y.V. Chandrachud and Justice P.N. Bhagwati. The right to move a high court for a writ of habeas corpus is enshrined in the Constitution and it seeks to protect the citizen from arbitrary arrest and detention. In the case of petitions before the Supreme Court, the persons had been held in detention under the Maintenance of Internal Security Act.
COFEPOSA Amended
President Fakhruddin Ali Ahmed signed an ordinance further amending the Conservation of Foreign Exchange and Prevention of Smuggling Activities Act (COFEPOSA) by which the period of detention of an offender under the Act was linked with the Emergency. According to the ordinance, the detention period would be one or two years or as long as the Emergency lasts.
Amsterdam Siege
Six south Moluccan terrorists surrendered in Amsterdam after holding a hijacked train in northern Netherlands since December 2. A spokesman said all 28 hostages aboard the train had left the train. Dutch marines boarded the train and removed the explosives. The train hijackers had been demanding Dutch backing for a UN initiative on their case for independence from Indonesia of the South Moluccan island group.
Mecca Tragedy
In a fire which swept through a tent city in Mina, near Mecca, for three hours, 138 pilgrims were killed and 151 persons injured.
Source: New feed
