Legal | SC team gives report on post-Godhra riot cases

New Delhi: A Supreme Court-appointed Special Investigation Team (SIT) probing the post-Godhra riots cases in Gujarat on Monday submitted its report before the apex court.

Headed by former CBI director R.K. Raghavan, SIT also gave a report in a sealed cover before a bench headed by justice Arijit Pasayat.

The main report will be given only to the Gujarat government and advocate Harish Salve who is assisting as an amicus curiae with the bench asking both to file suggestions in four weeks. The next hearing is on 13 April.

- PTI

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SIT submits report on post-Godhra riot cases

New Delhi: A Supreme Court-appointed special investigation team (SIT) probing the post-Godhra riots cases in Gujarat on Monday submitted its report before the apex court.

The team, headed by former Central Bureau of Investigation director R.K. Raghavan, submitted a confidential report in a sealed cover before a bench headed by justice Arijit Pasayat. The main report will be given only to the Gujarat government and advocate Harish Salve, who is assisting the court as an amicus curiae with the bench.

The court posted the matter for further hearing on 13 April.

- PTI

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Govt mulls legal course on Gandhi auction

New Delhi: With a US auction house not heeding India’s request to put off the auction of Mahatma Gandhi’s personal belongings on 5 March, the government is all set to take the legal course to prevent these five articles going under the hammer.

Though negotiations with the New York-based auction house are still on, “we are seriously examining other means including legal action to stop the auction”, a government official involved with the development said.

Culture ministry officials met senior law ministry officials on Monday to firm up the legal course of action.

- PTI

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SC asks Roche not to press for injunction

Mumbai: The Supreme court on Monday asked Swiss-drug maker Hoffman La Roche Ltdnot to press for an injunction against local drug maker CiplaLtdin an alleged patent infringement case filed by the foreign company at the Bombay high court, till the Chennai patent office hears a post-grant opposition of the patent in question, in the next two months.

Roche had last year said in the Bombay high court that Cipla has infringed its Indian patent for an HIV infection drug, Valcyte, by launching a generic version in the local market.

The Supreme Court order follows an appeal filed by Roche after the Madras high court in November set aside its patent grant to Roche after hearing a special leave petition filed by a Tamil Nadu-based patient group, which was denied an opportunity for opposing the patent before grant.

“The (Supreme Court) order is fair as it has given an opportunity for Cipla to contest Roche’s patent through the post-grant opposition, and relief on the infringement case till a decision emerges on its opposition in the patent office itself,” said Cipla’s lawyer Pratibha Singh.

Roche’s India managing director Girish Telang said: “It’s fair on the side of the court to set a definite time to take a decision.” The Supreme Court has also allowed the patient group also to challenge the patent, which was also opposed by at least four other parties.

- C.H. Unnikrishnan