National

Kerala High Court Lawyers to Boycott Justice A. Badharudeen’s Court Over Insult Directed at Deceased Lawyer’s Wife

Published

11 months ago

March 8, 2025

On Friday, lawyers from the Kerala High Court, supported by the Kerala High Court Advocates Association (KHCAA), staged a boycott of Justice A. Badharudeen’s court. They demanded an apology for what they termed an affront to Saritha Thomas, the widow of the late lawyer Alex Scaria, during a court session the previous day. The lawyers have committed to continuing this boycott until Justice Badharudeen publicly apologizes for his disrespectful remarks towards Advocate Saritha Thomas.

A substantial number of lawyers gathered in Justice Badharudeen’s courtroom on Friday morning, pressing for an open court apology for the disrespect shown to Advocate Thomas. However, Justice Badharudeen did not appear that day. A notice later indicated that he would not preside over the morning court session, and that urgent matters assigned to him would be handled by Justice Johnson John.

The lawyers accused Justice Badharudeen of insulting Saritha Thomas during the incident, allegedly questioning, “Who is Alex Scaria?” as she requested additional time to submit a vakalatnama in her name after her husband’s passing on January 7, 2025. The altercation happened on March 6 when Advocate Thomas sought the court’s consideration to change the vakalatnama in light of her husband’s recent death.

Previously, Advocate Alex Scaria had committed to filing a vakalatnama but passed away before he could fulfill that promise. Following the judge’s interaction with Advocate Thomas, Senior Advocate George Poonthottam and several other lawyers practicing at the court called for an urgent general body meeting of the KHCAA.

The resolution from this meeting criticized Justice Badharudeen for his uncharitable and rude response to Advocate Thomas’s request, reiterating his question of “Who is Alex Scaria?” The lawyers asserted that such behavior was not only unbecoming of a judicial figure but also disrespected the memory of the deceased, necessitating a public apology from the judge.

During discussions with the KHCAA, Justice Badharudeen refused to offer an apology in open court, instead suggesting he would do so privately in his chambers. Nevertheless, the Advocates’ Association insisted on a public apology. In response to this situation, the members of the Kerala High Court Advocates Association resolved to boycott Justice Badharudeen until a public apology is made for his treatment of the late Advocate Scaria’s widow.

As tensions escalated, the Chief Justice intervened to address the situation and requested time to review it further. He has called for discussions with the KHCAA leadership.

This incident is not the first protest against Justice Badharudeen’s behavior. In February of the previous year, the KHCAA sent a letter to the Chief Justice, highlighting complaints regarding the judge’s alleged misconduct and called for video recordings of court proceedings. The association’s letter in February 2024 noted that numerous advocates reported humiliation and insensitivity while engaging in Justice Badharudeen’s courtroom.

National

Three Burned Alive as Car Falls from Bridge in Gujarat’s Rajkot

Published

1 week ago

January 31, 2026

Namma Kudla

Gujarat: A tragic accident claimed the lives of three people in Gujarat’s Rajkot district on Monday.A car fell from a bridge and caught fire, killing all occupants on the spot.

The incident occurred on the Gondal–Atkot highway.The car was travelling from Chhota Udepur towards Gondal.

According to reports, the vehicle hit the bridge’s safety barrier.After the collision, the car fell nearly eight feet into a small stream below the bridge.

Soon after the fall, the car caught fire.The occupants were trapped inside the vehicle and were unable to escape.All three were burned alive and died at the scene.

Police and fire personnel rushed to the spot after receiving information.The fire was later brought under control.The bodies were recovered and sent for post-mortem examination.

The exact cause of the accident is under investigation. Further details are awaited.

National

Girl Records Reels Inside Jail, Video Sparks Debate

Published

1 week ago

January 30, 2026

Namma Kudla

Bhopal: A young woman has come under public attention after recording reels inside a jail while meeting her boyfriend.

The incident happened at Raipur Central Jail in Chhattisgarh, which is known for high security. Mobile phones are strictly not allowed inside the jail. Despite this rule, the woman carried her phone into the visitor room.

She recorded videos while talking to her boyfriend during the meeting. In the video, she speaks emotionally about visiting him on his birthday. She says she feels sad because she cannot stay with him on his special day.

After the meeting, she uploaded the video on her social media account. The video quickly went viral on different platforms. The inmate seen in the video is identified as Tarakeshwar.

He is currently lodged in Raipur Central Jail. He is an accused in a case under the NDPS Act. The incident has raised serious questions about jail security.

People on social media are criticising jail staff and officials. Many users are asking how a mobile phone was allowed inside the jail.

They are also questioning the checking process at the jail entrance. So far, jail authorities have not given any official reaction.

National

MBBS Student Alleges She Was Drugged, Raped by Friend in Delhi Hotel

Published

4 months ago

October 6, 2025

Namma Kudla

New Delhi: An 18-year-old MBBS student has accused a 20-year-old male friend of drugging and sexually assaulting her at a hotel in Delhi’s Adarsh Nagar area. The alleged incident took place on September 9, police officials said.

According to the complaint, the accused, who is also a medical student, invited the woman to “Hotel Apple” on the pretext of spending time together. Once there, he allegedly gave her a drink laced with drugs and then raped her.

The survivor told police that the accused recorded obscene videos and took pictures during the assault. He later threatened to make the content viral if she reported the incident.

The woman, a native of Jind in Haryana, is currently staying at the hostel of Baba Saheb Ambedkar Medical College in Rohini, Delhi.

Based on her complaint, police have registered a case under relevant sections of the Indian Penal Code. A search is underway to locate and arrest the accused, officials added.

In a separate case earlier this month, a school manager in Uttar Pradesh was arrested for allegedly raping a Class 8 student. In February, a tuition teacher in Delhi’s CR Park area was accused of repeatedly raping a 15-year-old student over three years and threatening her with blackmail.