New Delhi, Apr 4 - The Supreme Court today agreed to give an early hearing to SEBI's plea seeking its permission to detain Sahara Group's chairman Subrata Roy Sahara and to initiate contempt proceedings against him for not complying with its orders to refund Rs 24,000 crore to investors. A bench headed by Justice K S Radhakrishnan posted the market regulator's plea for hearing on April 22.

New Delhi, April 4 - The Delhi High Court today set aside its single judge order which allowed Bharti Airtel, one of the largest telecom operators, to continue providing 3G intra-circle roaming facilities with other service providers. A division bench of Chief Justice D Murugesan and Justice V K Jain set aside the single judge's order that stayed the Department of Telecommunications' (DoT) March 15 notification restraining Bharti from providing 3G intra-circle roaming facilities.

New Delhi, Apr 4 - The Supreme Court today asked the Centre and state governments to make punishment for traffic rules violation, particularly misuse of red beacons by VIPs, harsher by introducing the provision for impounding vehicles and increasing the amount of fine to Rs 10,000. The apex court granted the governments time till second week of July to amend the rules, failing which it would pass the order in this regard.

New Delhi, Apr 4 - Former Bihar Governor Buta Singh's occupation of a government bungalow in the national capital invited sharp criticism from the Supreme Court which slammed the estate department for adopting a "pick and choose" policy while evicting unauthorised occupants.

Patna, Apr 4 - The opposition created ruckus in Bihar Assembly for the second consecutive day today to press for a CBI probe in the alleged Rs 18,797.90 crore scam in AC/DC bills. The opposition members created pandemonium in the House as soon as the Assembly began its business on the last day of the budget session.

Balasore, Odisha, Apr 4 - A local court on Thursday once again deferred hearing of the bail petition of dowry torture accused Raja Shree Mohanty, son of former minister Raghunath Mohanty, till Friday. District Sessions Judge V Jayashree adjourned the hearing as Raja Shree’s lawyer on Thursday again sought time to furnish some documents relating to the bail application.

Cuttack, Apr 4 - The Orissa High Court today issued notices to the state government asking it why the Speaker had not implemented the orders passed by it on an application by state NCP president Utkal Ranjan Parida. A Division Bench comprising Justices Indrajit Mahanti and B N Mohapatra taking up a contempt petition filed against Speaker Pradip Kumar Amat issued notice and fixed April 12 for the next hearing of the case.

New Delhi, Apr 3 - The Supreme Court today said it would decide whether a person other than high functionaries is entitled to use of beacons and sirens on their vehicles in view of their being misused and flaunted by people as status symbol. A bench headed by Justice G S Singhvi also said it would examine whether closure of roads for facilitating movement of VIPs is lawful and constitutional.

New Delhi, Apr 3 - The Supreme Court today reserved its judgement on a petition challenging the validity of the USD 8.5 billion Cairn-Vedanta deal and seeking a CBI probe into it. A bench of justices K S Radhakrishnan and Dipak Misra concluded the hearing in which Vedanta and ONGC defended the deal and the Centre also asserted that there was nothing wrong with it.

New Delhi, Apr 3 - A Delhi court today reserved its judgement in a 1984 anti-Sikh riots case in which Congress leader Sajjan Kumar and five others are accused. District Judge J R Aryan fixed the matter for April 16 for clarification, if any, from CBI or the six accused persons after they concluded the final arguments in the case.

Bhopal, Apr 2 - The extradition request of former Union Carbide chairman Warren Anderson, main accused in the Bhopal Gas Tragedy case, is still under examination as no decision has been taken by the US' Department of Justice in this regard, the CBI said in its status report filed with a local court.

Hyderabad, Apr 2 - The Andhra Pradesh High Court today directed the Centre not to insist upon digitalisation of cable TV in the city for a period of 10 days. A division bench of acting Chief Justice N V Ramana and Justice Vilas V Afzalpurkar passed the order on a writ petition filed by one Chalasani Narendra.

Mumbai, Apr 2 - In a setback to liquor baron Vijay Mallya, the Bombay High Court today refused to restrain banks from selling shares of United Spirits pledged as security against loans to Kingfisher, apparently jeopardising his plans to complete stake sale to Diageo and to revive the grounded carrier. "Ad-interim relief refused," said Justice S J Kathawala after hearing the banks and United Breweries Holdings, Kingfisher's parent company, which had filed the suit.