Justice Financial News

Charles Wharton, accused of killing an 8-year-old boy in New Zealand's Hamilton with a hammer, grievously injuring his father ands one more person, took the legal route to ensure that he was not revealed by the media during the reporting about the case. But now he has given up and has been officially named as the person charged with the murder. The 37-year-old was charged in 2024 for the brutal murder of 8-year-old Zahquiel Taipeti while he was sleeping. He then attacked Zahquiel's father Mitikiro Woods, and another man in the Anthony Cres, Hamilton house. Woods and the other man were seriously injured in the attack but survived. According to the local residents and police, Wharton had on September 1, 2025, been trespassing on the properties in the area. His suspicious activities led to the residents calling in the police who took him to Anthony Cres in Hamilton's Bader in the evening. Zahquiel Taipeti resided ion the same area along with his family and Wharton is accused of killing Zahquiel and injuring Woods in their sleep. The father-son duo was sleeping in the same room when attacked. The other person who was attacked was living in a nearby room. The victims had come back from a tangi (traditional funeral rite practised by New Zealand's Māori population) in Manawatū.

Subscribe to enjoy similar stories. Three judges from three different high courts will investigate the case of a pile of half-burnt currency notes found at the residence of Delhi high court judge Justice Yashwant Verma. Meanwhile, Verma has been relieved of his duties.

Jessica Aber, the former U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, on Sunday found dead at her home in Virginia. She was 43-year-old, as per a report. The cause of death, which will be declared by Virginia medical examiner, is yet to be ascertained, Independent reported. Aber was nominated to the Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia by former President Joe Biden during his tenure, according to the Independent report. Aber resigned a day before President Donald Trump was sworn in for the second time in January. “I’ve had the privilege of spending my career as a prosecutor in the Eastern District of Virginia working alongside talented, hard-working public servants who manage matters affecting citizens here and across the world,” said Aber in the January statement of her resignation. Aber’s time in office was not without its challenges. The Eastern District of Virginia, often referred to as the «Rocket Docket» due to its efficient handling of cases, was tasked with an increasing number of complex and high-stakes cases.

fact-finding inquiry" into the allegations against Delhi High Court judge Yashwant Varma. It will conduct a «deeper probe» into the alleged discovery of sizeable cash at the judge's residence. As per the laid down procedure, the Supreme Court in its leading judgement in 2015 said the «inquiry shall be in the nature of a fact-finding inquiry, wherein the judge concerned would be entitled to appear and have his say». 'Not formal judicial inquiry' The judgement, authored by a bench headed by former CJI JS Khehar, made it clear that «it would not be a formal judicial inquiry involving the examination and cross-examination of witnesses and representation by lawyers». The verdict said «the committee shall devise its own procedure consistent with the principles of natural justice». (a), (b), © of judgement The judgement said «after such inquiry, the committee may conclude and report to the CJI that (a) there is no substance in the allegations contained in the complaint, or (b) there is sufficient substance in the allegations...and the misconduct disclosed is so serious that it calls for initiation of proceedings for removal of the judge, or © there is substance in the allegations contained in the complaint but the misconduct disclosed is not of such a serious nature as to call for initiation of proceedings for removal of the judge».

Chief Justice of India Sanjiv Khanna's decision to put crucial documents relating to a controversy surrounding alleged discovery of cash from Delhi High Court judge Yashwant Varma's residence in the public domain and constituting an in-house committee to further inquire into the matter. While senior advocate Sanjay Hegde said the CJI must be commended for enforcing openness and putting things out in the public domain, senior lawyer Indira Jaising expressed satisfaction over the setting up of the in-house inquiry panel and said people should wait for its outcome. Saluting the wisdom of the CJI and other members of the Supreme Court collegium for releasing the inquiry report of Delhi High Court Chief Justice D K Upadhyaya, senior advocate Adish C Aggarwala said, «Let the in-house committee make an independent inquiry and submit the report to the chief justice of India for taking appropriate decisions.» Hegde, who described a video of the purported currency-discovery incident as «deeply distressing», said irrespective of the question of innocence or guilt of the judge concerned, the very fact that so much money is ostensibly being seen burnt in proximity to his house raises many questions. «It also tends to lower the image of the judiciary. Irrespective of the question of guilt or innocence, I think a full inquiry and corrective action is required. The chief justice of India must be commended for enforcing openness and putting things out in the public domain.

Chief Justice of India Sanjiv Khanna constituting a three-member panel to probe the discovery of «four to five semi-burnt sacks» of Indian currency notes after a fire incident at the residence of Delhi High Court judge Yashwant Varma, the in-house procedure has entered the crucial second-stage whose findings will decide the fate of the judge. The fire incident at the storeroom of the official residence of Justice Varma on March 14 in posh Lutyens' Delhi locality purportedly led to the discovery of the cash by firefighters and police personnel. The CJI constituted the three-member panel after the Delhi High Court Chief Justice Devendra Kumar Upadhyaya in his report dated March 21 and made public on Saturday evening called for a «deeper probe» into the allegations. The three-member inquiry committee formed by the CJI consists of Justices Sheel Nagu (Chief Justice of the Punjab and Haryana High Court), G S Sandhawalia (Chief Justice of the Himachal Pradesh High Court) and Karnataka High Court judge Anu Sivaraman. However, no timeline has been fixed for the inquiry committee to conclude the probe.

Yashwant Varma's residence and preliminary findings of the Delhi High Court chief justice calling for a «deeper probe» have prompted Chief Justice of India Sanjiv Khanna to constitute a committee to conduct an in-house inquiry into the allegations against the judge. In an unprecedented move, the top court, late on Saturday evening, uploaded on its website the inquiry report of Delhi High Court Chief Justice Devendra Kumar Upadhyaya — complete with photos and videos — regarding the alleged discovery of a substantial amount of cash from the residence of Justice Varma, a judge in the high court. Justice Upadhyaya's report to the CJI contains material with regard to official communication that says four to five semi-burnt sacks of Indian currency notes were found from the judge's Lutyens' Delhi residence. «On examining the incident reported, the material available and the response of Justice Yashwant Varma, what I find is that the Commissioner of Police in his report dated March 16, 2025 has reported that as per the guard posted at the residence of Justice Yashwant Varma, the debris and other partially-burnt articles were removed from the room where the fire had broken out in the morning of March 15, 2025… »Accordingly, I am of the prima facie opinion that the entire matter warrants a deeper probe," Justice Upadhyaya has said said in his report dated March 21 and made public on Saturday evening.

Arjun Ram Meghwal on Sunday said that progress has been made in the process of restoring peace in Manipur and there was a need to move further ahead. He was speaking to reporters on the sidelines of a function here to mark the 12th anniversary of the establishment of the Manipur High Court. «We have progressed in the process of restoring peace and will need to move further ahead. After President's rule was imposed in Manipur, the matter was discussed in both Houses of Parliament and the need to restore peace was stressed. The Union government is committed to bringing back peace in the state very soon,» he said. Addressing the function, the Union minister said, «I pray for rapidness in the ongoing peace process in Manipur so that the state can progress and contribute to Viksit Bharat.» Governor Ajay Kumar Bhalla and Supreme Court judges were also present at the event. Responding to journalists' query on the Justice Varma cash recovery row, the Union law minister said, «The Supreme Court is probing the matter… let the report of the committee come… we will talk after that.»

Sirajuddin Haqqani, who acknowledged planning a January 2008 attack on the Serena Hotel in Kabul, which killed six people, including US citizen Thor David Hesla, no longer appears on the State Department's Rewards for Justice website. The FBI website on Sunday still featured a wanted poster for him. Interior Ministry spokesman Abdul Mateen Qani said the U.S. government had revoked the bounties placed on Haqqani, Abdul Aziz Haqqani, and Yahya Haqqani. «These three individuals are two brothers and one paternal cousin,» Qani told the Associated Press. The Haqqani network grew into one of the deadliest arms of the Taliban after the U.S.-led 2001 invasion of Afghanistan.

Shaheed Diwas, observed annually on March 23, is a solemn occasion to pay tribute to the martyrs who made the ultimate sacrifice for India’s freedom. This day is particularly significant for remembering the courage and sacrifice of Bhagat Singh, Rajguru, and Sukhdev, who were hanged by the British colonial rulers on this day in 1931. Their sacrifice, which was a turning point in India’s struggle for independence, continues to inspire generations of Indians to uphold the values of nationalism and patriotism.

freedom fighters Bhagat Singh, Rajguru, and Sukhdev on Sunday, remembering their supreme sacrifice for India's freedom. PM Modi took to social media platform X and said their «fearless pursuit of freedom and justice» continues to inspire everyone. «Today, our nation remembers the supreme sacrifice of Bhagat Singh, Rajguru, and Sukhdev. Their fearless pursuit of freedom and justice continues to inspire us all,» the Prime Minister wrote, reflecting on their significant contributions to India's independence movement. Congress leader and Lok Sabha Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi also paid tributes to the three martyrs on, remembering their contributions to India's fight for freedom. «On the martyrdom day of Shaheed-e-Azam Sardar Bhagat Singh, Sukhdev, and Rajguru, I pay my humble tribute to them,» he posted on X.

Rajput's mother also demanded that they want to see their granddaughter and raise her, fearing for the child's safety. «I want justice, I want to give the death penalty to the culprits. I would like to appeal to PM Modi and CM Yogi (Adityanath) that a thorough investigation should be held in the case and justice should prevail. Whether the investigation happens through crime branch or CBI. I want to know each and everything, the reason behind the murder. What they talked about, why the fight happened, I want the solution to everything,» Rajput's mother told on Saturday. Saurabh Rajput was working in the merchant navy and was allegedly murdered by his wife and her partner Sahil on March 4. His body had been cut up and hidden in a drum, covering it with cement. Reportedly, Muskan's father, Pramod, played a crucial role in cracking the case. While taking Muskan to the police station, Pramod stopped the scooter and urged her to tell the truth. Muskan then confessed to the crime, revealing that she and her friend had killed Saurabh Rajput together.

In a memorandum to U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi late on Friday, Trump said lawyers were helping to fuel «rampant fraud and meritless claims» in the immigration system, and directed the Justice Department to seek sanctions against attorneys for professional misconduct. The order also took aim at law firms that sue the administration in what Trump, a Republican, called «baseless partisan» lawsuits. He asked Bondi to refer such firms to the White House to be stripped of security clearances, and for federal contracts they worked on to be terminated. Ben Wizner, a senior lawyer at the American Civil Liberties Union, said the new directive sought to «chill and intimidate» lawyers who challenge the president's agenda. Trump has separately mounted attacks on law firms over their internal diversity policies and their ties to his political adversaries. «Courts have been the only institution so far that have stood up to Trump's onslaught,» Wizner said. «Courts can't play that role without lawyers bringing cases in front of them.» The ACLU is involved in litigation against the administration over immigrant deportations, including the expulsion of alleged Venezuelan gang members.

Justice Yashwant Varma's residence. Delhi High Court judge Justice Yashwant Varma was on Friday at the centre of a huge row over reports of alleged cash discovery from his official home after a fire incident following which its chief justice initiated an in-house inquiry against him and the Supreme Court clarified the move to transfer him was not linked to the probe. After reports emerged that Justice Varma, 56, was being repatriated to Allahabad High Court in the wake of the alleged cash discovery, the Supreme Court came out with a clarification that the proposal to transfer him was «independent and separate from the in-house enquiry procedure». Justice Varma, who is the second senior-most judge in the Delhi High Court, was appointed to the court on October 11, 2021. The purported discovery of the huge stash of cash happened following a fire at Varma's Lutyens Delhi residence at around 11.35 pm on March 14, prompting the Delhi fire department personnel to rush to the spot and douse it. The quantum of the alleged discovered amount was also not known. The incident created ripples in the legal circuit, with many voices calling for the judge's resignation. Some also criticised the move only to transfer him.

A bench of Justices Abhay S Oka and Ujjal Bhuyan refused relief to the woman, who is an assistant professor, stating that there was no ground for interference under Article 136 of the Constitution. «Both the first petitioner and respondent (husband and wife) are holding the same post of an Assistant Professor. No case for interference is made out in exercise of our jurisdiction under Article 136 of the Constitution of India. The special leave petition is accordingly dismissed,» the court said.

Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin, while leading the Joint Action Committee meeting, called on all the opposition parties to be united in the protest against the delimitation exercise, which he claimed will weaken the political might of the southern states. During the first meeting called in Chennai on Saturday, Stalin also proposed to form a legal expert committee on the delimitation issue, while stressing the need for a «fair delimitation». The meeting was attended by various political leaders, including Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar, Telangana Chief Minister K. Chandrashekar Rao, Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann, Odisha Congress President Bhakta Charan Das, and Biju Janata Dal leader Sanjay Kumar Das Burma, among others Urging leaders to take the issue of delimitation to a legal platform, Stalin said, «I appeal to you all to give inputs to take this political thing in a legal way. I propose to form a legal expert committee on this constituency delimitation issue. If we all unitedly protest, only can get us victory.» He added, «Let's unitedly protest and make sure our representation should not get decreased in any situation. Let us all be united and protest till we get fair delimitation.»

Trump administration and federal judges over immigration policies, funding disputes, and enforcement of court orders are pushing the U.S. toward a constitutional crisis. Recent defiance of judicial rulings—such as proceeding with deportations despite a judge’s intervention—has intensified fears about the erosion of checks and balances. Legal scholars emphasize that ignoring court mandates undermines the judiciary’s role, creating a volatile standoff between the executive branch and the rule of law.

Recep Tayyip Erdogan said Friday the Turkish authorities would not be cowed by «street terror» after days of unrest over the arrest of Istanbul's powerful opposition mayor, Ekrem Imamoglu. "Turkey will not surrender to street terror," Erdogan said as the leader of the main opposition CHP called for nationwide protests later on Friday over a move it has denounced as a «coup». «Let me say it loud and clear: the street protests that the CHP leader has called for are a dead end,» Erdogan warned. The 53-year-old mayor-Erdogan's main political rival-was arrested Wednesday, days before he was to be named the CHP's candidate for the 2028 presidential race. The move sparked two days of protests that began in Istanbul and quickly spread to at least 32 of Turkey's 81 provinces, as per an AFP count. CHP leader Ozgur Ozel has called a third nightly protest outside Istanbul City Hall, urging demonstrators to hit the streets across Turkey at the same time, despite the justice minister warning that such calls were «unlawful and unacceptable».

Allahabad High Court Bar Association has fiercely opposed the repatriation of Justice Yashwant Varma following the discovery of Rs 15 crore in unaccounted cash at his official residence. In a strongly worded letter to the Chief Justice and Judges of the Allahabad High Court, the association stated, «We aren’t a trash bin,» expressing shock at the Supreme Court Collegium’s decision. «The decision of the Collegium raises a serious question — is the Allahabad High Court a trash bin? This matter becomes important when we examine the current situation… wherein the Allahabad High Court is short of judges… new judges have not been appointed for many years,» the statement read. Senior advocate and association president Anil Tiwari signed the resolution, reiterating that while the High Court faces ongoing issues, it cannot be treated as a dumping ground for controversial appointments. «Presently, we are facing so many problems, particularly shortage of judges resulting in fresh cases not being heard for months, thereby diminishing the faith of the public in the rule of law. But it does not mean we are a trash bin. We are not ready to accept corruption,» the statement added.

In written replies to questions in the Rajya Sabha, Minister of State in the Prime Minister's Office (PMO) Jitendra Singh said the first task force comprises members from the Department of Atomic Energy, Atomic Energy Regulatory Board, Nuclear Power Corporation of India Limited (NPCIL), Niti Aayog, Ministry of Law and Justice and Ministry of External Affairs. «The Task Force is looking into various aspects like build, own, operation of nuclear power plants by the private sector, nuclear safety, security, safeguards, fuel procurement/fabrication, waste management, spent fuel reprocessing,» Singh said. He said a separate task force is also looking into the Civil Liability for Nuclear Damage (CLND) Act to address the concerns raised by private suppliers. The CLND Act is considered to be the biggest hurdle to private sector participation due to a provision in it that pins liabilities on nuclear suppliers, in addition to the operator, in case of damage.

Law Minister Arjun Ram Meghwal also said that appointments of judges to the Supreme Court and the 25 high courts are made under provisions of the Constitution, which do not provide for reservation for any caste or class of persons. The government is committed to enhancing social diversity, Meghwal said.