Two years in prison, top Hizbul man walks free, red faces in Jammu and Kashmir

In a setback for security forces in the Valley, Nisar Ahmad Bhat alias Gazi Misbah-ud-din, Hizbul Mujahideen chief commander of operations, has been released on bail by a court in Anantnag after being in jail for more than two years. He was allowed to walk out of the court itself where he was handed over to his lawyer.

"He was bailed out by the honourable court which directed the police party accompanying him to remove his handcuffs and hand him over to his lawyer in court," a J&K Police spokesman said. Sources said the police are conducting an inquiry why Bhat was allowed to leave immediately after he was bailed out.

Before he became the outfit's chief operations commander, Bhat, while in Pakistan, had been the driver of Hizbul Mujahideen supreme commander Syed Salahuddin.

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Supreme Court speaks: law takes its course, Sanjay can’t contest

The Supreme Court put Sanjay Dutt’s political debut on hold today, rejecting the actor’s plea to suspend his conviction and sentence under the Arms Act in the 1993 Mumbai serial blasts case.

The court agreed that Dutt was a “well known cine artiste” with many fans, and that he wasn’t a habitual criminal, but said this did not add up to a case for suspending his conviction.

“In view of the serious offence for which he has been convicted by the Special Judge, we are not inclined to suspend the conviction and sentence awarded by the special Judge in the present case,” a Bench headed by Chief Justice KG Balakrishnan said.

Dutt has been sentenced to six years in prison, and is currently on bail granted by the apex court.

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Underlining ‘moral high ground,’ Obama signs Gitmo shutdown

Saying that “our ideals give us the strength and moral high ground” to combat terrorism, US President Barack Obama today signed executive orders effectively ending the Central Intelligence Agency’s secret interrogation program, directing the closing of the Guantanamo Bay detention camp within a year and setting up a sweeping, high-level review of the best way to hold and question terrorist suspects in the future.

The prison at Guantanamo Bay in Cuba — where prisoners have been detained for years without charge, some subjected to interrogation that human rights groups say amounted to torture — had damaged America’s moral standing in the world.

“We intend to win this fight,” Obama said, “We are going to win it on our own terms.”

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