From Bhanwari Devi murder to Deep Sidhu's bail plea: Crucial legal cases on April 12

The Supreme Court on April 12 will hear a petition seeking removal of certain verses from the Quran that are allegedly negative, promote terrorism and create the menace of Islamic Terrorism in India. Waseem Rizvi, former chairman of the Shia Waqf Board in UP had filed the PIL in the Apex court. In his plea, Rizvi states that Islam is based on the concepts of equity, equality, forgiveness and tolerance. However, due to extreme interpretations of the above-said verses of the Holy Book, the religion of Islam is drifting away from its basic tenets of equity, equality, tolerance and forgiveness. Here are some of the other key cases before the courts on April 12:

AAP MP Sanjay Singh's plea to be heard in SC

The Supreme Court on Monday is scheduled to hear the petition filed by AAP Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Singh in connection with FIRs for 'hate speech' at his press conference at Lucknow, UP in August last year. 

Multiple FIRs were lodged against him in various police stations of Uttar Pradesh after he addressed a press conference in the state and claimed that people of the state feel "a specific caste is running the government".

Thereafter Singh moved the Supreme Court seeking quashing of multiple FIRs lodged against him in various districts of Uttar Pradesh, saying they have been "maliciously instituted to unleash political vendetta".

A non-bailable warrant was issued against him after which he moved the Supreme Court that later granted him protection against arrest.

SC to hear Bhanwari Devi murder case

The Supreme Court will hear matter related to the Bhanwari Devi case. Earlier SC had directed the SC-ST court to record the statements of all the accused in the Bhanwari Devi kidnapping-cum-murder case be recorded by April 12. The apex court passed this order while hearing the petition of accused Paras Ram Bishnoi. 

Two Congress leaders, including minister Mahipal Maderna and Malkhan Singh Bishnoi, along with 15 other accused of the case, have been under judicial custody since 2011 and facing trial in a special court for cases under the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act. The sudden disappearance of Bhanwari in September 2011, posted as an auxiliary nurse midwife at a sub-centre in Jaliwada village, had sent shockwaves across the political corridors of Rajasthan.

PIL on uniform retirement age of SC and HC judges

The Supreme court on Monday is scheduled to hear a PIL filed by BJP leader and Advocate Ashwini Upadhyay before the Supreme Court seeking uniform retirement age for judges of the High Courts as well the Top Court. The petitioner sought direction from the top court to the Centre to take steps to make the retirement age of judges of High Courts and Supreme Court uniform, as it was irrational to have different retirement age for judges of constitutional courts. At present, the retirement age for the apex court judges is 65 years whereas, for the High Court judges, it is 62 years.

Congress leader Devendra Chaurasiya's murder case

The Supreme Court will hear matter related to the murder of Congress leader Devendra Chaurasiya from Damoh. Earlier the apex court had pulled up the Madhya Pradesh state government for not arresting BSP MLA Rambai’s husband Govind Singh Thakur in connection with the murder of Chaurasiya from Damoh, and for alleged threats to an additional sessions judge.

Soon after the Supreme Court came down heavily on the state government for not arresting Govind Singh despite having an arrest warrant against him by the sessions court judge, the state police had swung into action and announced a cash reward of Rs 50,000 for the arrest of Govind Singh who has been absconding.

Deep Sidhu bail plea in Tis Hazari court

Tis Hazari court is scheduled to hear Punjabi actor-turned-activist Deep Sidhu's bail plea on April 12. Sidhu has been accused of January 26 Republic Day violence after the tractor rally turned violent leading to the protestors breaching the Red Fort and hoisting religious flags at the ramparts of the Red Fort. Hundreds of police personnel who were deployed to oversee the security during the tractor rally were injured due to the violence. Sidhu was arrested by Delhi Police on February 9 for his alleged involvement in the January 26 violence.