The Bombay High Court has dismissed two lower court judges accused of corruption for misconduct and behaviour unbecoming of officials of the judiciary.

The decision to dismiss additional sessions judge Dhananjay Nikam and civil judge Irfan Shaikh was taken following an inquiry by a disciplinary committee.

While Nikam has been accused of bribery, Shaikh, who presided over cases under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act, allegedly indulged in corruption and misappropriated narcotic substances seized during investigations.

A petition filed in the high court against Shaikh is still pending.

The high court ordered their dismissal on Friday.

The Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) had registered a case against Nikam, Satara district and sessions judge, for allegedly demanding a bribe of Rs 5 lakh to grant bail in a cheating case.

In January, he approached the high court seeking anticipatory bail, claiming that he was innocent and had been implicated in the case.

The high court denied him pre-arrest bail in March.

As per the complaint lodged by a woman, her father, a civilian defence employee, is in judicial custody for allegedly cheating someone under the pretext of offering a government job.

After a lower court denied his bail, the woman filed a fresh bail application in the Satara sessions court, and Nikam heard the plea.

The ACB has alleged that one Kishor Sambhaji Kharat from Mumbai and Anand Mohan Kharat from Satara demanded Rs 5 lakh from the woman at Nikam’s behest for a favourable order.

The probe agency claimed that the bribe demand was verified during their investigation between December 3 and 9, 2024, confirming that Nikam, in collusion with the Kharats, sought the bribe.

The ACB has booked Nikam, the Kharats, and an unidentified individual under the Prevention of Corruption Act. (Agencies)

Army Chief General Upendra Dwivedi on Friday issued a stern warning to Pakistan, saying the neighbour must stop sponsoring terrorism on its soil if it wishes to retain its standing on the global stage. Speaking to troops at Anupgarh in Rajasthan’s Sri Ganganagar district, he added that the restraint shown by India during Operation Sindoor would not necessarily be repeated in any future conflict.

“India, as a country, is fully prepared this time. And this time, it will not show the restraint that it showed during Operation Sindoor 1.0. This time we will take a step forward and act in a manner that will make Pakistan think whether it wants to remain on the world map or not,” Gen. Dwivedi said.

He urged soldiers to stay ready: “Keep yourselves fully prepared now, if God wills, the opportunity will come soon.” The Army chief also said India had exposed evidence of terrorist hideouts in Pakistan during Operation Sindoor — evidence that, he said, might otherwise have been concealed.

Gen. Dwivedi said the international community stood with India after the April 22 Pahalgam attack and described strikes carried out under Operation Sindoor: nine targets inside Pakistan were hit — seven by the Army and two by the Air Force — aimed at terrorist bases, not ordinary citizens. He reiterated that as long as Pakistan sponsors terrorists, such targets will be struck.

Addressing civilians near the international border, the Army chief called them partners in the nation’s defence, saying border populations stand “shoulder to shoulder” with soldiers and urging their continued support in any future struggle.

Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) president Mehbooba Mufti on Thursday criticized the Jammu and Kashmir Police’s decision to attach the Hyderpora residence of the late separatist leader Syed Ali Shah Geelani. This house, also the headquarters of his outfit Tehreek-e-Hurriyat, is located in central Kashmir’s Budgam district.

Mufti labeled the action as “unfortunate and inhuman” during a press conference in Anantnag. She pointed out that Geelani’s 80-year-old widow continues to reside there. “Today is Gandhi Ji’s day,” she remarked, adding that, “He once saw a ray of light in Kashmir when all of Asia was burning. Now, this same Kashmir is perceived as criminal, with its people being branded as criminals, and their homes and businesses treated as such.”

The PDP president accused the government of criminalizing normal Kashmiris. “Geelani Sahib has left this world, but his widow still lives there. You might disagree with him, as we do with RSS ideology, but attaching his home is inhuman. The BJP protests across Bihar over an insult to ‘mother,’ yet here, even an 80-year-old widow faces such treatment,” she stated.

Mufti warned that the police’s actions would further alienate the people of Kashmir. “By attaching Geelani’s house, you aren’t narrowing distances but rather widening them. You’ve banned JEI schools, targeted madrasas, and now you attach homes. What have you made of Kashmir?” she questioned, highlighting the continuing tensions in the region.

She drew comparisons with other global conflicts, suggesting that even groups like Israel and Hamas engage in dialogue, while in Kashmir, the situation worsens. “In Kashmir—where people stood with you in 1947—you are criminalizing them. This is very bad,” she lamented.

On Wednesday, the Jammu and Kashmir Police announced that the Tehreek-e-Hurriyat headquarters had been attached under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA). Officials noted that the three-story building, built on one kanal and one marla of land, served as Geelani’s base for running his organization. The Union Home Ministry had banned Tehreek-e-Hurriyat in 2023, stating it was involved in “fomenting terrorism and spreading anti-India propaganda.” Geelani passed away in September 2022 and was buried near the same residence.

In her remarks, Mufti further criticized the ruling BJP, arguing that the party incites communal hatred to divert attention from its governance failures. “They have no jobs, no hospitals, no roads. So they divide Hindus and Muslims to seek votes. What should I say about Yogi Ji, Bulldozer Baba? May God grant them wisdom,” she said, reflecting on the state of affairs in Jammu and Kashmir.

The population of rare snow leopards in Himachal Pradesh’s high-altitude tribal regions has grown by an impressive 62 per cent over the past four years, according to a newly released wildlife survey. The count, which stood at 51 in 2021, has now increased to 83, officials from the state Forest Department’s Wildlife Wing announced on Friday.

The survey, conducted over the previous year, marks a significant milestone in the successful implementation of long-term conservation strategies that actively involve local communities. Released on the first day of Wildlife Week (October 2–8), the report revealed that this count excluded cubs and exceeded the upper confidence estimate of 73 from the 2021 survey. This suggests a possible expansion of habitats for these elusive creatures.

The winter survey utilized a thorough camera-trapping exercise across six sites, encompassing nearly 26,000 sq km. These stunning landscapes included regions of Lahaul-Spiti, Kinnaur, and Pangi Valley, with notable sightings reported both within and beyond protected areas like Kibber Wildlife Sanctuary, Great Himalayan National Park, Sechu Tuan Nallah Wildlife Sanctuary, and Asrang Wildlife Sanctuary.

In addition to snow leopards, officials mapped populations of crucial prey species such as blue sheep, Himalayan ibex, and musk deer. Other mammals including Himalayan wolves, brown bears, leopards, red foxes, and martens also featured prominently in the survey results.

Noteworthy discoveries included the first official sighting of Pallas’s cat in Kinnaur and the rediscovery of the woolly flying squirrel in Lahaul, underscoring the biodiversity richness within the state.

Officials emphasized that the success of this survey significantly stemmed from active community involvement. Local youth and women from Kibber village participated in camera trap deployments and data analysis, while forest officers collaborated with villagers to support field operations. In contrast to the earlier survey which took three years for completion, this assessment was concluded in just one year.

Based on its cost-effective methodologies, the survey has managed to create a scalable framework for long-term snow leopard monitoring in India. With its comprehensive approach, Himachal Pradesh has positioned itself as the first state in the country to carry out a second statewide snow leopard assessment, reinforcing its commitment to wildlife conservation.