Retiring Top Court Judge To Return To Work 2 Days After Mother's Death

"I could not give time to my mother for many years, now after retirement, I will stay with her for some time," Supreme Court judge Justice Abhay S Oka was telling some lawyers shortly before his farewell ceremony started on Wednesday. What he did not know was, at the time, his mother Vasanti Oka, admitted in a hospital in Mumbai, was breathing her last.

By evening, Justice Oka got the news. He informed Chief Justice of India BR Gavai and fellow judges and left for Mumbai. This afternoon, he performed the last rites of his mother in Thane.

In case of death in the immediate family, the rituals go on for days. But Justice Oka had another big responsibility -- to deliver the verdicts on the cases which he has heard and kept reserved. These were due on Thursday.

Top sources said Justice Oka had decided to come to court on Friday to deliver verdicts and hear cases. Friday, May 24, is his last working day.

According to a Supreme Court Judge, Justice Oka has a strong commitment towards the institution.  

Last Sunday, he went to attend a function organised in honor of Justice Gavai in Mumbai. That was when he had last met his mother.

Vipin Nair, president of Supreme Court Advocates on Record Association, which conducted the farewell ceremony of Justice Oka, said: " Judges like Justice Oka come once in a generation. Like his first name "Abhay" he is the embodiment of fearlessness, courage, impeccable character and unimpeachable integrity. His judgments reflect these qualities".

"Despite suffering a great personal loss yesterday, Justice Oka will be back in Supreme Court later tonight and adorn the bench for the last time. We are fortunate to have shared time with one of the greatest judges this nation has ever produced," he added.

Justice Oka had started his practice in his father's chambers at the Thane District Court. He was promoted as the Additional Judge of Bombay High Court in August 2003 and was made a permanent judge in November 2005.

In May 2019, he took oath as the Chief Justice of Karnataka High Court and was appointed as a judge of the Supreme Court in August 2021.

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'Near-Death Experience': Trinamool MPs' Team On IndiGo Plane Caught In Storm

TMC leader Sagarika Ghose, who was on the turbulence-hit Indigo flight bound for Srinagar Wednesday, termed it a "near-death experience." 

A five-member delegation of Trinamool Congress comprising Derek O'Brien, Nadimul Haque, Sagarika Ghose, Manas Bhunia, and Mamata Thakur, was on the Srinagar-bound flight that experienced turbulence due to inclement weather.

The jolts prompted the pilot to report an "emergency" to air traffic control at Srinagar.

"It was a near-death experience. I thought my life was over. People were screaming, praying and panicking," Ms Ghose said.

"Hats off to the pilot who brought us through that. When we landed we saw the nose of the plane had blown up," she said, adding, the delegation thanked the pilot after the landing.

The aircraft with 200 people onboard landed safely in Srinagar.

I had a narrow escape while flying from Delhi to Srinagar. Flight number #6E2142. Hats off to the captain for the safe landing.@IndiGo6E pic.twitter.com/tNEKwGOT4q

— Sheikh Samiullah (@_iamsamiullah) May 21, 2025

Videos of the moments of turbulence emerged on social media showing panicked passengers praying for their lives as the plane swayed.

The TMC delegation will be in Jammu and Kashmir till May 23 and visit Poonch and Rajouri, besides Srinagar.

The party has said the delegation is there to express solidarity with the people affected by cross-border attacks, and share the grief of the families who have lost their loved ones. 

IndiGo's Statement

In a statement, the airline said: "IndiGo flight 6E 2142 operating from Delhi to Srinagar encountered sudden hailstorm en route. The flight and cabin crew followed established protocol and the aircraft landed safely in Srinagar." 

It added: "The airport team attended to the customers after arrival of aircraft prioritizing their wellbeing and comfort. The aircraft will be released post necessary inspection and maintenance." 

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

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Iran's Khamenei Fed Up With Trump's "Nonsense" Demands, Defers Future Talks

Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has let his displeasure about Donald Trump and the US administration's demands in the crucial nuclear talks be known publicly, calling them nonsensical and utterly outrageous.

Khamenei, who is increasingly doubtful that a new nuclear deal with the US will see the light of day, has called the US' demands of Tehran ending all uranium enrichment as "excessive and outrageous".

Asked about the progress being made by Tehran and Washington in drafting a new nuclear deal, a visibly annoyed Mr Khamenei said, "I don't think nuclear talks with the US will bring any result. I don't know what will happen."

'NOT NEGOTIABLE'

Four rounds of talks in, Mr Khamenei, frustrated with Washington's insistence over 'no enrichment', said the US should avoid such "nonsense" demands, which Iran has made clear, is "non-negotiable".

Giving a cold shoulder to Washington over its request to hold the next (fifth) round of talks, Iran's foreign minister Abbas Araqchi said, "A date has been suggested but we have not yet accepted it." However, there has been some talk in both capitals about the possible venue being Rome.

'DEFIES LOGIC'

Iran's foreign minister went on to say that the demands being made by the US side during negotiations "defy logic". Such an approach "creates problems" and might derail talks, he hinted. He said Iran is waiting for logic to prevail in Washington before Tehran even considers the next round of talks.

"We are witnessing positions on the US side that do not go along with any logic and are creating problems for the negotiations. That's why we have not determined the next round of talks. We are reviewing the matter and hope logic will ultimately prevail," he said.

Both sides have been combative regarding talks on uranium enrichment, and neither is looking to budge on its stance, leading to, what now seems like, a stalemate. Preempting this, Donald Trump has issued an open-ended threat to Iran - "move quickly or something bad is going to happen".

TRUMP'S WARNING TO IRAN

In recent times - when Iran was reluctant to even come to the negotiating table - Donald Trump had threatened Tehran on multiple occasions, saying Iran would be bombed and shall also face very harsh sanctions if it did not compromise on its nuclear programme. President Trump has already moved in two US aircraft carrier fleet - USS Carl Vinson and USS Harry S Truman - in the Arabian Sea while also ordering the largest-ever deployment of B-2 bombers in the Indian Ocean - at its military base in Diego Garcia.

Satellite images have shown at least six B-2 stealth bombers parked along the military base runway in Diego Garcia - a joint Indian Ocean military base of the US and Britain. That's roughly 30 per cent of its B2 Bomber fleet.

NUKE AMBITION

Steve Witkoff, United States Special Envoy to the Middle East has said that for civilian purposes, 3.67 per cent uranium enrichment is enough. Tehran has already gone far beyond that. Enrichment levels of uranium in Iran are already up to 60 per cent - a short, technical step away from reaching weapons-grade levels of 90 per cent.

"This cannot be allowed," Mr Witkoff has said, while Donald Trump backed him, saying, "Iran has to get rid of the concept of a nuclear weapon. These are radicalised people, and they cannot have a nuclear weapon."
 

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In YouTuber Jyoti Malhotra's Diary, Takeaways From Her 10 Days In Pakistan

YouTuber Jyoti Malhotra, who has several videos on her social media handles detailing her trips to Pakistan, has been hitting headlines for all the wrong reasons. The 33-year-old has been arrested on charges of spying for Pakistan and is being investigated by the National Investigation Agency and the Intelligence Bureau. Now, two pages of her diary have emerged, which give a glimpse of her 10 days in Pakistan. The diary was recovered by the Haryana Police.

"Today, I have returned to my country, India, after a 10-day trip from Pakistan. During this time, I received a lot of love from the people of Pakistan. Our subscribers and friends also came to meet us. The two days we got to visit Lahore were not enough," read the undated entry.

Using adjectives "crazy and colourful" for Pakistan, she said her experience there can't be described in words.

One of her entries had a request to the Pakistani authorities, "Protect the temples there and let Indians meet their families from whom they were separated in 1947".

The content creator from Haryana, who ran the YouTube channel 'Travel with Jo', was arrested on May 16 and charged under the relevant sections of the Official Secrets Act and the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita.

Jyoti Malhotra was among 12 people who were arrested from Punjab, Haryana and Uttar Pradesh over the past two weeks on charges of espionage, with investigators pointing at an alleged Pakistan-linked spy network operating in northern India.

The YouTuber's financial transactions and travel details are also under the probe agency scanner. Earlier, police said her known sources of income did not justify her foreign travels.

A forensic analysis of Jyoti's laptop is underway, the police said, adding that they would also question those who were in touch with the YouTuber.

During the investigation, her link to a Pakistani official posted in the Pakistan High Commission in Delhi surfaced. She was allegedly in touch with Ehsan-ur-Rahum alias Danish whom she first met in 2023 during her visit to the Pakistan High Commission, where she went for a visa to visit the neighbouring country. Ehsan-ur-Rahum was expelled on May 13 for "engaging in activities incompatible with his privileged status".

Earlier, Hisar SP Shashank Kumar Sawan said that the YouTuber was being developed as an "asset" by Pakistani intelligence operatives.

"This is modern warfare that is not just fought on the borders. We came across a new modus operandi wherein PIOs were trying to recruit some social media influencers," he said.

The officer also said Jyoti went to Kashmir before the Pahalgam attack and visited Pakistan before that, and police are trying to establish the "links" between these visits.

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IPL 2025 Playoffs Scenarios Explained: How MI, DC Can Book Top 4 Berth

As the IPL 2025 league stage nears its conclusion, the competition for the final playoff berth has intensified. With Gujarat Titans (GT), Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB), and Punjab Kings (PBKS) securing their spots in the playoffs. With Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) bowing out after losing to Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH), the focus shifts to Mumbai Indians (MI) and Delhi Capitals (DC). Both teams face a unique set of challenges and scenarios to clinch the coveted fourth position. The upcoming matches will be crucial in determining which team advances to the knockout stages.

Mumbai Indians (MI): In Control but Must Stay Vigilant

Currently positioned fourth with 14 points from 12 matches and a robust Net Run Rate (NRR) of +1.156, MI holds a favorable position. Their remaining fixtures are against the Punjab Kings and the Delhi Capitals. Winning both matches would elevate them to 18 points, ensuring a playoff berth and potentially a top-two finish. However, a single loss could complicate their path, especially if it comes against DC, who are direct competitors for the playoff spot. In such a scenario, MI would need to rely on their superior NRR and favorable outcomes in other matches to secure qualification.

Delhi Capitals (DC): Aiming for Consistency

DC stands fifth with 13 points from 12 matches and an NRR of +0.260. Their upcoming games against PBKS and MI are crucial. Securing victories in both would take them to 17 points, solidifying their playoff position. However, a loss in either match would leave their fate dependent on other results and NRR comparisons. The match against MI is particularly significant, as a win would not only boost DC's points but also hinder MI's progress.

Upcoming Fixtures

• May 21: DC vs PBKS
• May 22: MI vs DC

These matches are set to be decisive in shaping the final playoff lineup. Teams will need to not only focus on winning but also on improving their NRR to enhance their qualification prospects. As the league stage concludes, fans can expect thrilling encounters and high-stakes cricket.

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Man Sends Rs 50 Lakh Notice To Bengaluru Civic Body Over "Poor" Roads

A 43-year-old man in Bengaluru has served a legal notice, seeking a compensation of Rs 50 Lakh from the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) for the "physical agony and emotional trauma" caused by alleged broken and non-motorable roads in the city.

In his notice, Dhivya Kiran, a resident of Richmond Town, said that despite being a tax-paying citizen, he has continuously faced physical hardships and mental agony due to the alleged failure of the civic body to maintain basic infrastructure. 

He claimed to have made five visits to orthopedics and four emergency visits to hospitals, due to severe neck and back pains. These, he added, were "medically linked to the jerks and trauma caused while commuting on these treacherous roads". 

There was no immediate response from the BBMP on the notice.

Broken and waterlogged roads during times of rain in various parts of the city are often a nightmare for most people in the city. Unusually heavy overnight rains on Sunday brought the IT capital to its knees on Monday as people were spotted wading through water and evacuating their houses with the help of inflatable boats. 

"My client states that he was forced to visit 5 orthopedic specialists due to the intensifying pain. He made 4 emergency visits to St. Philomena's Hospital, undergoing injections and procedures to relieve acute agony. Further, have been on multiple medications and painkillers to manage the condition," Advocate K V Laveen, who served the notice on behalf of Mr Kiran on May 14, said.

"He has also experienced episodes of crying out in pain, loss of sleep, anxiety, and mental distress, all of which have deeply affected his well-being and daily functioning,"  he added.  

Mr Kiran also said he is unable to travel by auto or on two-wheelers, as the uneven and damaged roads have severely worsened his spinal and neck condition. "Even cab rides are difficult, though marginally more tolerable than autos or bikes. This severely limits his mobility and independence, affecting both his personal and professional commitments," his lawyer said. 

It is due to BBMP's "gross negligence and failure in discharging its public duty" that the man is facing "physical agony, emotional trauma, and financial burden", the notice said.

It added that Mr Kiran has demanded a compensation of Rs 50 lakh for the emotional and physical distress, and the costs of travel for medical consultations, within 15 days. Failure to do so will attract legal action, it said.

Mr Kiran also sought Rs 10,000 as charges for the legal notice issued to BBMP.

Speaking to NDTV, Mr Kiran said: "Bengaluru roads are a mess. Even the smallest pothole can cause so much distress." 

He said that he had flagged the issues to authorities in the past but in vain. "It is very sad that the city does not care for good infrastructure. That is why I have sent a notice to the authorities. If need be, I will file a PIL (Public Interest Litigation). Why should I suffer? The least the state can do is provide us with good roads," he said.
 

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LSG Star, Who Was Fined By BCCI, In Heated Spat With Abhishek. Reason Is...

Lucknow Super Giants spinner Digvesh Rathi, who was fined by BCCI over his controversial celebration, got into a heated spat with Sunrisers Hyderabad batter Abhishek Sharma during their IPL 2025 match on Monday. The incident took place on the 8th over of the SRH innings after Abhishek was caught in the deep for 59. The youngster looked in sublime form as he slammed 59 off 20 deliveries but he ended up gifting an easy catch to Shardul Thakur. Following the dismissal, Digvesh did his customary book-signature celebration but Abhishek was not happy as the duo got into a war of words. Replays showed that Digvesh gestured towards Abhishek after the dismissal and that could have flared tempers.

Abhishek Sharma is abusing digvesh Rathi pic.twitter.com/XqgWJuwX8O

— Rishabh pant FÇ (@rishabpantclub) May 19, 2025

Earlier, openers Mitchell Marsh (65) and Aiden Markram (61) hit fifties as Lucknow Super Giants set a 206-run target against Sunrisers Hyderabad in their IPL clash on Monday.

Marsh and Markram were in top form to put on 115 runs inside the first half but LSG lost their momentum in the second during which Eshan Malinga bowled an impressive spell of 4-0-28-0.

While LSG skipper Rishabh Pant (7) endured yet another poor outing, Nicholas Pooran (45) did well to help his side post 205/7.

Markram, Marsh and Pooran have also scored more than 400 runs in IPL 2025, making LSG the first team to have three overseas batters crossing the mark in the same season.

Marsh is the 10th-highest run-getter this season, with 443 runs in 11 innings at an average of 40.27 and a strike rate of above 157. He has five fifties, with the best score of 81.

Markram is the 12th highest run-getter this season, with 409 runs in 12 innings at an average of 34.08, with a strike rate of 148.72. He has scored five fifties, with the best score of 66.

Pooran, who played a fine hand of 45 in 26 balls, with six fours and a six at a strike rate of 173.08, is the team's top run-getter. He is the ninth-highest run-getter with 455 runs in 12 innings at an average of 41.36, with four fifties in the tournament and the best score of 87*. His runs have come at a strike rate of 197.82. 

(With ANI Inputs)

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