New Delhi, May 20 - Rape is morally and physically the most reprehensible crime in the society which degrades and defiles the soul of a helpless female, the Supreme Court today said. "Rape is the most morally and physically reprehensible crime in a society, as it is an assault on the body, mind and privacy of the victim. While a murderer destroys the physical frame of the victim, a rapist degrades and defiles the soul of a helpless female," a bench of justices B S Chauhan and Dipak Misra said.

New Delhi, May 20 - The plea of arrested Indian pacer S Sreesanth that he be provided with a copy of the FIR of the IPL spot-fixing scandal case was today disposed of by a Delhi court as his lawyer did not turn up to pursue it. "No one present on behalf of the applicant (Sreesanth's advocate). The application is dismissed for non prosecution," Metropolitan Magistrate Gaurav Rao said.

Mumbai, May 20 - Sharif Dada Parkar and Zebunisa Kazi, whose convictions in the 1993 Mumbai bomb blasts case have been upheld by the Supreme Court, today surrendered before the special TADA court here. Parkar, who is over 80, was brought to the court on a stretcher from a hospital in Byculla, while 75-year-old Zebunisa, suffering from cancer, came on a wheel-chair.

Ahmedabad, May 18 - After a U-turn by the Gujarat government on the death penalty for former minister Maya Kodnani and nine others, convicted in 2002 Naroda Patiya riot case, the SIT has decided to seek Supreme Court's guidance on the issue. "Very soon, we are going to file an application before the special bench of the Supreme Court apprising it about the recent Gujarat Government's decision to withdraw the sanction for filing appeal in the Naroda Patiya case," a top SIT official to PTI.

Mumbai, May 18 - The Bombay High Court has upheld a lower court order issuing prosecution process against senior citizens, the managing committee members of a housing society, for failing to maintain fire fighting equipment in their building.

New Delhi, May 17 - Indian pacer S Sreesanth, who is being quizzed along with 13 others in the IPL spot-fixing scandal case, today moved a Delhi court seeking a a copy of the FIR registered against him. Sreesanth, his two teammates of Rajasthan Royals franchise and 11 bookies were yesterday remanded to police custody for five days.

Mumbai, May 17 - The special TADA court today issued non-bailable warrants against two convicts of the 1993 Mumbai serial blasts case as they failed to surrender within the deadline set by the Supreme Court. Actor Sanjay Dutt, for whom yesterday's deadline had been set by the SC, has surrendered before the authorities.

Cuttack, May 17 - The Orissa High Court has reserved its order on a PIL alleging that an Italian tourist died in SCB medical college and hospital here due to negligence. The PIL was filed by a social organisation alleging that the foreign tourist died in the Hospital due to negligence in treatment and care. The hearing was concluded with the filing of an affidavit by the State Health Secretary.

New Delhi, May 16 - Taking exception to litigants and their lawyers suppressing facts of case in court proceedings, the Supreme Court today warned them saying such acts amount to playing fraud with the court. Sending a stern warning to litigants who try to get relief by hiding facts, a bench of justices K S Radhakrishnan and Dipak Misra said, "Court is not a laboratory where children come to play."

Mumbai, May 16 - Emotional scenes and high drama today marked the surrender of actor Sanjay Dutt before a special TADA court here for completing remaining 42-month sentence in the 1993 Mumbai serial bomb blasts case. Clad in crisp white kurta and blue jeans, 53-year-old Dutt was accompanied by his wife Manyata, sister Priya Dutt, brother-in-law Owen Roncon and director Mahesh Bhatt. All of them, except Bhatt, went to the court along with Dutt.

New Delhi, May 16 - A person allegedly posting objectionable comments on social networking sites cannot be arrested by the police without getting permission from senior officers, the Supreme Court today directed in the wake of numerous complaints of harassment that sparked public outrage. The apex court, which refused to pass an interim order for blanket ban on the arrest of a person for making objectionable comments on websites, said the state governments must ensure strict compliance of Centre's advisory which said that a person should not be arrested without taking permission from police officials of the rank of IGP or DCP or SP level.

New Delhi, May 16 - The Supreme Court today said that no person should be arrested for posting objectionable comments on social networking sites without taking prior permission from senior police officials. The apex court, which refused to pass an order for a blanket ban on the arrest of a person for making objectionable comments on websites, said state governments should ensure strict compliance of the Centre's January 9 advisory which said that a person should not be arrested without taking permission from senior police officials.

New Delhi, May 15 - Distressed over the "common practice" of trial courts granting long adjournments for minor reasons, the Supreme Court has asked its subordinate judiciary not to resort to such practice and be a "mute spectator" to the "whims and fancies" of lawyers. A bench of justices K S Radhakrishnan and Dipak Misra said that trial court judges cannot abandon their responsibility by giving in to the demands of adjournments and become mute spectators to the way the proceedings are conducted.

New Delhi, May 15 - NIA today opposed the bail plea of suspected Hizbul militant Liyaqat Shah, who was arrested for allegedly conspiring to carry out terror attacks in the national capital, in a Delhi court which allowed it to take his DNA samples. The National Investigation Agency (NIA) opposed his plea saying that he has been booked under the provisions of stringent anti-terror law Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) and for offences under various sections, including waging war against the country, of the IPC.