Daily News Capsules
1. SC denies Umar, Sharjeel bail in ’20 Delhi riots case
The Supreme Court on Monday refused to grant bail to former Jawaharlal Nehru University student Umar Khalid and activist Sharjeel Imam in the alleged larger conspiracy case linked to the 2020 Delhi riots, citing the gravity and statutory nature of their alleged offences and their “central and formative roles” in the conspiracy. At the same time, the court granted bail, with stringent conditions, to five co-accused, Gulfisha Fatima, Meeran Haider, Shifa-ur-Rehman, Mohd Saleem Khan, and Shadab Ahmed, taking into consideration the subsidiary nature of the allegations against them. A bench of justices Aravind Kumar and NV Anjaria held that Khalid and Imam stood “qualitatively on a different footing” from the remaining accused, underlining that criminal law does not mandate identical outcomes merely because allegations arise from a common transaction. Authoring the verdict for the bench, Justice Kumar rejected the argument that prolonged incarceration alone could justify bail in cases governed by the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA), likely setting a precedent for bail hearings under the law. “In prosecutions alleging offences that implicate the sovereignty, integrity or security of the State, delay cannot operate as a trump card that automatically displaces statutory restraint,” said the bench, stressing that courts must first assess the gravity of the offence, the statutory framework, the role attributed to each accused and the prima facie evidentiary value of the prosecution’s case. Khalid has been in custody since September 13, 2020, while Imam has been incarcerated since January 28, 2020. All accused in the case are facing prosecution for allegedly being part of a coordinated conspiracy that culminated in communal violence in northeast Delhi in February 2020, leaving 53 people dead and hundreds injured. The bail pleas arose from a September 2 order of the Delhi high court refusing bail to nine accused and describing Khalid and Imam as the “intellectual architects” of the violence. Khalid was not physically present in Delhi during the riots and Imam was already in custody when violence broke out. The accused argued in the top court that they were exercising their constitutional right to protest and had no role in fomenting violence. They further contended that their prolonged incarceration amounts to punishment without trial, with multiple supplementary charge sheets filed and dozens of witnesses still to be examined.
Possible Question
The Supreme Court has clarified that bail decisions under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) must be based on the gravity of the offence and the accused’s role, not merely the duration of incarceration. Examine how this judgment reshapes the legal threshold for bail under special security legislations.
2. Trump widens threats after Venezuela action
US President Donald Trump issued a series of warnings to governments across Latin America and beyond less than 48 hours after American forces captured Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro, signalling a more confrontational posture from Washington. On Sunday, the Republican leader threatened military action against Colombia, renewed calls for an American takeover of Greenland, predicted the fall of Cuba’s communist government, cautioned Iran against using force on protesters, and warned Mexico over drug trafficking, according to AP, Bloomberg, and Reuters. Launching an attack on Colombian President Gustavo Petro while speaking to reporters on Air Force One, Trump said: “Colombia is very sick, too, run by a sick man, who likes making cocaine and selling it to the United States, and he’s not going to be doing it very long.” Asked directly whether the US would pursue a military operation against the country, Trump said: “Sounds good to me.” Colombia rejected Trump’s comments as an unacceptable threat against an elected leader. “It represents undue interference in the internal affairs of the country, against the norms of international law,” the foreign ministry said in a statement. Reviving his long-standing demand, Trump again threatened to take control of Greenland, the semi-autonomous Danish territory, stating it was vital for US national security. “It’s so strategic right now. Greenland is covered with Russian and Chinese ships all over the place,” Trump told reporters as he flew back to Washington from his home in Florida. “We need Greenland from the standpoint of national security, and Denmark is not going to be able to do it.” Greenland and Denmark rejected his statements, saying that no third party can decide on their future. Trump also predicted the collapse of Cuba’s communist government, saying that its economy, battered by years of a US embargo, is in tatters and will slide further now with the ouster of Maduro, who provided the Caribbean island with subsidised oil. “Cuba is ready to fall,” Trump said. “Cuba now has no income. They got all of their income from Venezuela, from the Venezuelan oil. They’re not getting any of it. Cuba literally is ready to fall.” Trump also warned Iran that it would get “hit very hard” by the United States if more protesters die during demonstrations that have entered a second week. “We’re watching it very closely. If they start killing people like they have in the past, I think they’re going to get hit very hard by the United States,” Trump told reporters aboard Air Force One. Trump took a slightly more conciliatory tone over Mexico. He has maintained a cordial relationship with its leader, Claudia Sheinbaum. “Mexico has to get their act together, because drugs are pouring through Mexico. And we’re going to have to do something,” Trump said, adding that he has repeatedly offered to send US troops to Mexico to help combat powerful drug cartels.
Possible Question
Recent US actions and threats suggest a foreign policy posture that is overtly coercive, unilateral, and dismissive of established diplomatic norms. Examine how such a foreign policy approach challenges the post-1945 international order, and assess its implications for global stability and middle powers like India.
3. UK starts ban on junk food ads on television, online
New regulations come into force Monday in Britain banning daytime TV and online adverts for so-called junk foods, in what the government calls a “world-leading action” to tackle childhood obesity. The ban, targeting ads for products high in fat, salt or sugar, is expected to remove up to 7.2 billion calories from children’s diets each year, according to the health ministry. Impacting ads airing before the 9pm watershed and anytime online, it will reduce the number of children living with obesity by 20,000 and deliver around £2 billion ($2.7 billion) in health benefits, the ministry added. The implementation of the measure, first announced in December 2024, follows other recent steps, including an extended sugar tax on pre-packaged items like milkshakes, ready-to-go coffees and sweetened yoghurt drinks. Local authorities have also been given the power to stop fast food shops setting up outside schools. The government argues evidence shows advertising influences what and when children eat, shaping preferences from a young age and increasing the risk of obesity and related illnesses. It notes 22 percent of children starting primary schooling in England, typically aged around five, are overweight or obese, rising to more than a third by the time they progress to secondary schools aged 11. Tooth decay is the leading cause of UK hospital admissions for young children, typically aged five to nine, according to officials. “By restricting adverts for junk food before 9pm and banning paid adverts online, we can remove excessive exposure to unhealthy foods,” health minister Ashley Dalton said in a statement.
Possible Question
Advertising regulation is increasingly being used as a public health tool. Examine the role of the State in regulating commercial speech to protect public health, with reference to constitutional freedoms and proportionality.
4. New drug regime to track bulk products in offing
Facing mounting scrutiny over drug safety lapses, India is working to overhaul its pharmaceutical licensing framework by introducing a separate wholesale licensing regime for bulk drugs, active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs) and key starting materials (KSMs), according to three government officials and documents reviewed by Mint. A draft notification is in the works for a new licensing regime, the people cited above said on the condition of anonymity. This will dismantle the current common licensing system for raw materials and finished medicines, give the Drugs Controller General of India (DCGI) a long-missing registry of nearly 1.2 million bulk drug traders, and significantly strengthen traceability and accountability in the country’s pharmaceutical market. “The lack of transparency in the raw material supply chain was highlighted by recent reports of cough syrups contaminated with diethylene glycol, raising serious safety concerns. It is the need of the hour to monitor the supply chain and the quality of high-risk solvents, including propylene glycol used in formulations,” said one of the three officials said on the condition of anonymity. The proposed change aims to build a comprehensive database of bulk drug traders, improve traceability of imported raw materials, over 70% of which come from China, and allow regulators to quickly identify and hold accountable specific dealers involved in the supply of substandard inputs in India’s $50-billion pharmaceutical market. The market for APIs, bulk drugs and advanced intermediates, was valued at approximately $3.5 billion in FY25. The government move comes in the backdrop of India’s reputation as the ‘Pharmacy of the World’ taking a hit due to deaths of children in Uzbekistan, Gambia, Cameroon and India linked to cough syrups manufactured by Indian firms.
Possible Question
Recent drug safety lapses have exposed regulatory gaps in India’s pharmaceutical supply chain. Examine the need for stronger traceability and regulatory oversight in the bulk drugs and API sector, and assess its implications for public health and industrial policy.
5. India bonds slump as record state borrowing spurs selloff
Indian government bonds slumped on Monday after a record state borrowing calendar prompted a selloff, widening the gulf between supply and demand. The benchmark 10- year yield settled at 6.6331% on Monday. It had ended at 6.6062% on Friday. Bond yields rise when prices fall. States are set to raise ₹5 lakh crore ($55.40 billion) through bond sales between January and March, their biggest quarterly borrowing on record, and will auction ₹30,100 crore worth of bonds on Tuesday. Traders said the supply surge has hit a market in which investors are reluctant to build positions as expectations for further rate cuts have faded and liquidity remains tight, even after record central bank bond purchases. Foreign banks turned net sellers last week, offloading 110 billion rupees of bonds, their biggest weekly sale in nearly seven months, CCIL data showed. However, mutual funds still saw value and lapped up debt worth ₹9,300 crore in the first two sessions of January. Meanwhile, the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) continued its open market purchases as banking system liquidity stayed constrained, with average daily surplus sliding to ₹61,440 crore as of January 2 from ₹72,600 crore in December and ₹1.78 lakh crore in November. The RBI bought bonds worth ₹50,000 crore earlier in the day, at higher-than-expected cut-off yields, traders said, pumping cash into the system. “The 6.70% level on the 10-year yield should see some resistance as RBI continues its open market purchases to ensure that short dollar positions do not evaporate liquidity,” Anil Kumar Bhansali, head of treasury at Finrex Treasury Advisors, said. India’s overnight index swap rates rose on Monday, as rising supply pressure weighed on bonds.
Possible Question
Rising state borrowings have implications for bond yields, fiscal discipline, and monetary transmission. Examine the challenges posed by large sub-national borrowing to macroeconomic stability in India.
Editorial Snapshots
A. When process is punishment
The Supreme Court’s decision to grant bail to five people accused in the 2020 Delhi riots case but refuse relief to student activists Umar Khalid and Sharjeel Imam creates a new touchstone to evaluate bail applications under the stringent Unlawful Activities Prevention Act (UAPA), but may have further narrowed the window for liberty in what is already a draconian law. One, by drawing a distinction between the seven people seeking bail in the same case, the court avoided a collective approach. Instead, it found that Khalid and Imam were “qualitatively on a different footing” by observing that the material placed on record prima facie indicated their “central and formative roles” in the planning and strategic direction of the alleged offence. Two, the court said that section 43D(5) of UAPA — which restricts bail — does not exclude judicial scrutiny or mandate denial of bail in default. Again, the court has laid down guidelines for a structured inquiry on whether bail can be granted, including deciding on whether enquiry discloses prima facie offences or if the role of the accused has a reasonable nexus to the offence. And three, the court rejected the argument that prolonged incarceration can justify bail under UAPA, holding that the gravity of the offence, the statutory framework, the role of each accused and the prima facie evidentiary value of the prosecution’s case must be assessed. The court has offered the duo a glimmer of hope by saying that they can apply for bail again after a year or after protected witnesses — who are yet to testify five-and-a-half-years later — are examined. It also found that “continued detention has not crossed constitutional impermissibility to override the statutory embargo”. Is there a limit to this impermissibility? Can serious charges alone be used as a lever to ensure prolonged incarceration No republic can let terror or its sponsors go unpunished. But the Delhi riots case is part of a larger recent pattern where grave charges are levelled against activists, only for the trial to hang fire, creating the perception that a politicised process is using stringent provisions to keep people jailed. In case after case, lower courts have found the prosecution wanting and shorn of evidentiary value. Against this backdrop, the prolonged pre-trial detention in high-profile cases is both jarring and violative of the top court’s own championing of personal liberty. The court may have attempted to strike a balance in what is no doubt a sensitive case, but unfortunately, the process has already become the punishment.
Possible Question
Stringent anti-terror laws are often defended as necessary for national security, yet their prolonged use without timely trials raises constitutional concerns. Examine whether existing safeguards under the UAPA adequately prevent the criminal process from itself becoming punitive.
B. Potable water needs to be viewed as a right
Complaints of contaminated drinking water are common. But when Indore, a stellar performer on the national cleanliness index, reported at least 10 deaths from toxic water, there was disbelief. Given the city’s reputation for strong municipal administration, one expected it to have a robust water supply infrastructure and prompt addressing of water-related complaints. But a city’s superior standing doesn’t guarantee much. A Delhi Jal Board report suggests that nearly 18% of the Capital’s water supply network is more than 30 years old and must be replaced. In fact, this may be the case with most of urban India. Whether limited or extensive, the subterranean piped network is rarely serviced. The absence of a 24×7 pressurised water supply may also be contaminating drinking water, as prolonged vacuum in leaky pipes allows inflow from sewer lines. While it is essential to provide safe drinking water from treatment plants, plugging leaks in distribution lines is necessary to ensure it doesn’t become toxic by the time it reaches homes. Fixing leaks in the sewer network is non-negotiable, too. Plugging leaks in distribution lines can increase water availability, ensure equitable distribution, and help realise the goal of 24×7 supply. Water utilities must also conduct continuous quality audits and take prompt action to prevent public health risks. Institutionalising these checks, launching a nationwide assessment similar to the Swachh Survekshan and making the findings public could accelerate the effort. The Centre’s flagship, Atal Mission for Rejuvenation and Urban Transformation (AMRUT) 2.0, promotion of 24×7 water supply and “drink from tap” initiatives, also need to go beyond the present pilots in select municipal wards. However, citywide projects will require sufficient funding. Access to clean drinking water for all through a 24×7 supply is not merely a convenience; it’s directly linked to the right to public health and, therefore, the right to life.
Possible Question
Access to safe drinking water is increasingly recognised as intrinsic to the right to life. Examine the constitutional, institutional, and governance challenges in ensuring safe urban water supply in India.
Fact of the day
New bureaucrats heading districts to get training on land acquisition: All newly appointed district-heading bureaucrats will have to undergo training on land acquisition, according to a new plan being drawn up by a committee of secretaries, a move aimed at minimising hurdles in the execution of large infrastructure projects. Delays in acquiring land, especially for highways, and numerous state-specific land laws underline the complexity of executing large projects, which tend to spark conflicts with poor farmers and indigenous people in the country. Infrastructure remains a priority area for the Narendra Modi-led government, whose ambition is to make India a developed nation by 2047. Improving infrastructure will be key to achieving that goal. The Union government has focused squarely on building roads, highways, bridges and airports, committing to a capital expenditure of ₹11.2 lakh crore for the financial year 2025-26. “District magistrates and collectors are on the forefront of the process of land acquisition and they must be familiar with legal processes involved in acquiring land, especially resettlement and rehabilitation of project-affected communities. Administrative failure to comply with the rule of law often complicates matters,” a senior bureaucrat aware of the matter said, requesting anonymity. A revamped course module is being prepared by the Lal Bahadur Shastri National Academy of Administration, an elite institution that trains Indian Administrative Service (IAS) officers, to “equip young officers with the necessary skills, knowledge and training to manage the processes involved in land acquisition”, the official said. Currently, the Centre sponsors a fixed number of bureaucrats to get trained in land acquisition in the Hyderabad-based Administrative Staff College of India, said Manoj Govil, secretary (coordination) in the Cabinet secretariat.
