Wed May 21 12:36:13 UTC 2025: **Headline: Indian Courts Address Waqf Act, Arrests, and Corruption Allegations Amidst Tensions**

**New Delhi, May 21, 2025:** India’s Supreme Court was active today, addressing several key issues ranging from religious property rights to political controversies and economic assessments.

The court continued its hearing on petitions challenging amendments to the Waqf Act, with the Central Government arguing the changes aimed to resolve long-standing issues of mismanagement and misuse of Waqf properties. Solicitor General Tushar Mehta emphasized the amendments were implemented after consulting stakeholders.

In a separate case, Ashoka University professor Ali Khan Mahmudabad was granted interim bail after his arrest over social media posts related to “Operation Sindoor.” The court, while barring him from further online commentary on the matter, ordered the Haryana Police to form a special investigation team (SIT), consisting of IPS officers from outside Haryana and including a female officer, to investigate his posts. Fresh FIRs are prohibited.

The Supreme Court declined to order a criminal case against High Court Justice Yashwant Varma, concerning half-burnt currency found in his residence after a fire. The court noted that an internal inquiry report, along with Justice Varma’s response, had been forwarded to the President and Prime Minister.

Former IAS probationer Puja Khedkar received anticipatory bail in a case involving accusations of cheating and misusing OBC and disability quotas in civil service exams. The court questioned the severity of the alleged crime, highlighting that she “has lost everything.”

In Delhi, the Enforcement Directorate (ED) argued before a special court that a “prima facie” case of money laundering exists against Congress leaders Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi in the National Herald matter. The court directed the ED to provide a copy of its chargesheet to BJP leader Subramanian Swamy, whose complaint initiated the case.

On the security front, Union Home Minister Amit Shah announced the killing of 27 Maoists, including CPI (Maoist) general secretary Nambala Keshav Rao, alias Basavaraju, during an anti-Naxal operation in Chhattisgarh. One security personnel was also killed. Shah reiterated the government’s goal to eliminate Maoism by March 2026.

Reports of drone sightings over Kolkata are under investigation, according to a Defence Ministry spokesperson. The public is urged to avoid speculation as authorities verify the reports.

The Tamil Nadu government has filed a petition in the Supreme Court seeking to transfer a High Court PIL challenging the Governor’s power to appoint Vice-Chancellors.

Meanwhile, Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Sanjay Raut criticized the government’s handling of “Operation Sindoor,” questioning the need for multi-party delegations to countries unrelated to the Indo-Pak issue.

A young cricketer’s family in Belagavi district, Karnataka, lost over ₹24 lakh to cyber fraudsters posing as IPL team agents.

Central Government employees retiring a day before their annual pay hike will now be eligible for a notional increment to calculate pension, following a Supreme Court order.

Moody’s Ratings released a report suggesting India is “well-positioned” to handle potential U.S. tariffs and is unlikely to experience significant economic fallout from tensions with Pakistan, citing robust internal growth.

Internationally, U.S. President Donald Trump announced a design for a $175 billion missile defence shield and appointed a Space Force general to lead the project.

In Spain, an advisor to former Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovych was shot dead in Madrid.

Pakistan announced deeper trade and investment cooperation with China following a recent ceasefire with India, with China expressing support for dialogue between the two nations.

Finally, 14-year-old cricketer Vaibhav Suryavanshi continues to impress in the IPL, with his batting prowess drawing praise from coaches.

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