Chief Justice’s intervention sought after HC stays probe in Ranchi hit-and-run case

By A Representative

The Jharkhand Janadhikar Mahasabha has appealed to the Chief Justice of the Jharkhand High Court seeking intervention after a single-judge bench stayed the ongoing police investigation in a hit-and-run case involving High Court lawyer Manoj Tandon.

On February 19, 2026, the High Court stayed the investigation into Doranda P.S. Case No. 51/2026 and added the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) and the Central Government as parties to the matter. The order came after Tandon filed a writ petition (W.P.(Cr.) Filing No. 4238 of 2026) seeking transfer of the probe to the CBI. The case was heard the same afternoon by a bench headed by Justice Sanjay Kumar Dwivedi.

The matter relates to a road accident that took place on February 17 in Ranchi’s Doranda area. According to the FIR filed by the complainant, Mawaz Khan, his motorcycle was allegedly hit by a Mercedes car driven by Tandon, after which the car reportedly moved ahead with the biker hanging on the bonnet. A video of the incident circulated widely on social media. Both parties have lodged FIRs at Doranda police station.

In an open letter addressed to the Chief Justice, the Mahasabha has raised concerns over what it termed as an attempt to “communalise” the case. The organisation said that the petition filed by Tandon referred to Khan’s alleged social media posts, claiming they reflected support for the banned Popular Front of India (PFI), and suggested that the matter be investigated by the National Investigation Agency (NIA).

However, the Mahasabha stated that Khan’s Instagram profile contains a slogan expressing support for Palestine, which it described as protected under the constitutional right to freedom of expression and consistent with India’s stated international position. The petition also alleged that the investigation would be biased as it had been assigned to a police officer from a “particular community,” which the Mahasabha said amounted to questioning the officer’s impartiality on religious grounds.

The organisation has urged the Chief Justice to examine whether the Court should entertain a petition making serious allegations based on religion or socio-political beliefs without concrete evidence. It also questioned whether procedural norms were fully adhered to, including whether the roster was properly followed, whether a certified copy of the FIR was annexed to the petition, and whether the complainant was given an opportunity to present his version during the hearing.

The Mahasabha further said the case raises broader concerns about equal access to justice in Jharkhand. It pointed to the large number of undertrial prisoners awaiting hearings in state jails, contrasting this with the swift listing and interim relief granted in the present matter.

Appealing for intervention, the organisation stated that the investigation and adjudication of a hit-and-run case must be guided solely by constitutional principles and evidence, and not by the religion, social media views, or socio-economic status of the parties involved.

“Justice must not only be done but must also be seen to be done,” the Mahasabha said in its appeal.

For further information, the organisation has shared contact details of its representatives, including Afzal Anees, Elina Horo, Manthan, P M Tony, Praveer Peter and Siraj Dutta.

Comments

From plagiarism to proxy exams: Galgotias and systemic failure in education

By Sandeep Pandey* Shock is being expressed at Galgotias University being found presenting a Chinese-made robotic dog and a South Korean-made soccer-playing drone as its own creations at the recently held India AI Impact Summit 2026, a global event in New Delhi. Earlier, a UGC-listed journal had published a paper from the university titled “Corona Virus Killed by Sound Vibrations Produced by Thali or Ghanti: A Potential Hypothesis,” which became the subject of widespread ridicule. Following the robotic dog controversy coming to light, the university has withdrawn the paper. These incidents are symptoms of deeper problems afflicting the Indian education system in general. Galgotias merely bit off more than it could chew.

Covishield controversy: How India ignored a warning voice during the pandemic

Dr Amitav Banerjee, MD * It is a matter of pride for us that a person of Indian origin, presently Director of National Institute of Health, USA, is poised to take over one of the most powerful roles in public health. Professor Jay Bhattacharya, an Indian origin physician and a health economist, from Stanford University, USA, will be assuming the appointment of acting head of the Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), USA. Bhattacharya would be leading two apex institutions in the field of public health which not only shape American health policies but act as bellwether globally.

The 'glass cliff' at Galgotias: How a university’s AI crisis became a gendered blame game

By Mohd. Ziyaullah Khan* “She was not aware of the technical origins of the product and in her enthusiasm of being on camera, gave factually incorrect information.” These were the words used in the official press release by Galgotias University following the controversy at the AI Impact Summit in Delhi. The statement came across as defensive, petty, and deeply insensitive.

Growth without justice: The politics of wealth and the economics of hunger

By Vikas Meshram* In modern history, few periods have displayed such a grotesque and contradictory picture of wealth as the present. On one side, a handful of individuals accumulate in a single year more wealth than the annual income of entire nations. On the other, nearly every fourth person in the world goes to bed hungry or half-fed.

Thali, COVID and academic credibility: All about the 2020 'pseudoscientific' Galgotias paper

By Jag Jivan The first page image of the paper "Corona Virus Killed by Sound Vibrations Produced by Thali or Ghanti: A Potential Hypothesis" published in the Journal of Molecular Pharmaceuticals and Regulatory Affairs , Vol. 2, Issue 2 (2020), has gone viral on social media in the wake of the controversy surrounding a Chinese robot presented by the Galgotias University as its original product at the just-concluded AI summit in Delhi . The resurfacing of the 2020 publication, authored by Dharmendra Kumar , Galgotias University, has reignited debate over academic standards and scientific credibility.

Conversion laws and national identity: A Jesuit response response to the Hindutva narrative

By Rajiv Shah A recent book, " Luminous Footprints: The Christian Impact on India ", authored by two Jesuit scholars, Dr. Lancy Lobo and Dr. Denzil Fernandes , seeks to counter the current dominant narrative on Indian Christians , which equates evangelisation with conversion, and education, health and the social services provided by Christians as meant to lure -- even force -- vulnerable sections into Christianity.

'Serious violation of international law': US pressure on Mexico to stop oil shipments to Cuba

By Vijay Prashad In January 2026, US President Donald Trump declared Cuba to be an “unusual and extraordinary threat” to US security—a designation that allows the United States government to use sweeping economic restrictions traditionally reserved for national security adversaries. The US blockade against Cuba began in the 1960s, right after the Cuban Revolution of 1959 but has tightened over the years. Without any mandate from the United Nations Security Council—which permits sanctions under strict conditions—the United States has operated an illegal, unilateral blockade that tries to force countries from around the world to stop doing basic commerce with Cuba. The new restrictions focus on oil. The United States government has threatened tariffs and sanctions on any country that sells or transports oil to Cuba.

Development at what cost? The budget's blind spot for the environment

By Raj Kumar Sinha* The historical ills in the relationship between capital and the environment have now manifested in areas commonly referred to as the "environmental crisis." This includes global warming, the destruction of the ozone layer, the devastation of tropical forests, mass mortality of fish, species extinction, loss of biodiversity, poison seeping into the atmosphere and food, desertification, shrinking water supplies, lack of clean water, and radioactive pollution.

When a lake becomes real estate: The mismanagement of Hyderabad’s waterbodies

By Dr Mansee Bal Bhargava* Misunderstood, misinterpreted and misguided governance and management of urban lakes in India —illustrated here through Hyderabad —demands urgent attention from Urban Local Bodies (ULBs), the political establishment, the judiciary, the builder–developer lobby, and most importantly, the citizens of Hyderabad. Fundamental misconceptions about urban lakes have shaped policies and practices that systematically misuse, abuse and ultimately erase them—often in the name of urban development.

Search This Blog