From High Court

Also, an affidavit filed by the Under Secretary to the state government Home, C B Chaudhari, assured the court that the final decision will be taken by those at the highest level.

Eknath had complained that even after the hc had ordered an enquiry nothing was being done.His petition alleged that Bipin was killed by cops at the behest of underworld don Dawood Ibrahim because he was the only eye witness in the sensational JJ hospital shoot-out in 1993 in which Sailesh Haldankar was shot dead by rival gangsters. The petition alleged that his son wasfatally assaulted by Deputy Inspector General of Prisons Chavan, Yard Jailor Gnaneshwar Jadhav, the then Superintendent of Police Thane Kilinge, Superintendent Bhadai, a judicial officer and two jail sepoys.Ram Ananda Shelar, one of Shere8217;s inmate, filed an affidavit in support of Eknath 8216;s petition giving an eye witness account of how the DIG and other cops had mercilessly assaulted Bipin. This eye-opening affidavit was later treated as an FIR by the court. However, since no action was initiated, Shere8217;s father filed another petition.

The HC, therefore, had directed the state CID to explain why they had failed to register an FIR against the DIG and other cops for allegedly beating the undertrial to death. Justice N Armugham and Justice P S Patankar had also given a deadline of June 19 to file an affidavit, failing which the would take suo motu action for contempt.

Stay on reservation quota vacated

The High Court today vacated its stay on the special reservation quota for junior colleges runby minority institutions in the state. The stay had followed a petition filed by the Forum for Fairness in Education alleging the colleges were misusing the quota.

The division bench of Justice B N Srikrishna and Justice P D Upasani explained that though it was not possible to address the main question of reservation as raised by the petitioner at this stage, a decision would be taken 8220;certainly before the beginning of the next academic year.8221;

A G overnment Resolution issued in June last year had provided for 50 per cent quota for minority institutions. The break-up was as follows: 20 per cent seats for students from schools attached to these colleges; five per cent management quota, five per cent for children of freedom fighters and ex-servicemen and 20 per cent for the general merit category. Meanwhile, Additional Advocate General B P Apte, who appeared for the government, assured the court that the state would ensure that the prescribed quota was not exceeded by any college. He also said that nostudent would be allowed to fill forms in more than one category.