Bilkis Bano case: Plea challenging remission of 11 convicts mentioned in Supreme Court, CJI says will look into it

 

The Gujarat government on August 15 released 11 convicts in the Bilkis Bano murder and gangrape case of 2002 under its remission and premature release policy.

The Supreme Court on Tuesday said it would look into a request to take up for urgent hearing, petitions challenging the remission granted to 11 convicts in the Bilkis Bano case.

This was said after advocate Aparna Bhat mentioned one of these petitions before a bench headed by Chief Justice of India N V Ramana. The plea has been filed by three petitioners, including CPIM(M) leader Subhashini Ali and independent journalist Revati Laul. A second petition has also been filed by Trinamool Congress MP Mahua Moitra.

When the issue was raised in court Tuesday, the CJI asked if the release was by virtue of a Supreme Court order, to which Bhat said the apex court had by an order given the Gujarat government the discretion to take a decision.

Senior Advocate Kapil Sibal said the challenge was on the principles of remission. To this, the CJI said, “Let us see.”

When Bhat asked if the court would consider listing the matter on Wednesday, the CJI replied: “Let’s see.

 

 

Cutting edge: Can diabetes medicine metformin improve Covid-19 outcomes?

 

Although this study was conducted by the University of Minnesota, several studies have reported favourable outcomes in Covid-19 patients who were on Metformin. Another analysis from the US published earlier this year showed 0.83 per cent of people died of Covid-19 in the group that was on Metformin as compared to 4.02 per cent in the group that wasn’t

Although the diabetes medicine, Metformin, did not prevent hypoxia or low oxygen saturation in patients with Covid-19, it did result in fewer emergency room visits, hospitalisations and deaths due to the pandemic, according to a recent study by researchers from the University of Minnesota published in the New England Journal of Medicine.

Inflation target breach: RBI committee will meet to draft report for Govt

 

In eight years, this will be the first time the RBI would have let retail inflation slip beyond the upper tolerance limit of 6 per cent for three straight quarters.

The Reserve Bank of India will call a special meeting of its Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) after October 12 to discuss a report it will have to submit to the Union government explaining the reasons for the average retail inflation remaining above the upper tolerance limit of 6 per cent for three consecutive quarters.

The Union government, in consultation with the RBI, fixes the inflation target for the central bank every five years. It had fixed it at 4 per cent plus/ minus 2 per cent (upper limit 6 per cent, lower limit 2 per cent) for the period August 5, 2016 to March 31, 2021, and retained it for the next five years ending March 31, 2026.

 

Supreme Court on claim that Dolo firm gave freebies to docs

 

The Supreme Court was told the makers of Dolo tablets had distributed freebies worth about Rs 1,000 crore to doctors for prescribing their 650 mg anti-inflammatory, fever reducer drug.

The Supreme Court on Thursday described as a “serious issue” the matter raised by an NGO relating to the CBDT’s allegation against the makers of Dolo tablets that they had distributed freebies worth about Rs 1,000 crore to doctors for prescribing their 650 mg anti-inflammatory, fever reducer drug.

A bench of Justices DY Chandrachud and AS Bopanna was told by senior advocate Sanjay Parikh and advocate Aparna Bhat, appearing for petitioner ‘Federation of Medical and Sales Representatives Association of India’, that the market price of any tablet up to 500 mg is regulated under price control mechanism of the government but the price of the drug above 500 mg can be fixed by the Pharma company concerned.

Parikh alleged that to ensure a higher profit margin, the company manufacturing Dolo tablets distributed freebies to doctors to prescribe the 650 mg drug. The advocate also said he would like to bring more such facts to the knowledge of the court after a response is filed by the Centre.

“What you are saying is music to my ears. This is exactly the drug that I had when I had COVID recently. This is a serious issue and we will look into it,” Justice Chandrachud said.

The bench then asked Additional Solicitor General KM Nataraj to file his response to the plea by the petitioner in ten days and gave one week time thereafter to the latter to file his rejoinder.

It listed the matter for further hearing on September 29.

The Central Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT) had on July 13 accused the makers of the Dolo-650 tablet of indulging in “unethical practices” and distributing freebies worth about Rs 1,000 crore to doctors and medical professionals in exchange for promoting products made by the pharmaceutical group.