NEW DELHI: The biggest news that came out of the courts was not of a verdict. A large stash of cash was discovered at the residence of Delhi High Court judge Justice Yashwant Varma during a fire incident on March 14, making national headlines. According to officials, close to Rs 15 crore was found during the firefighting operation. Following the incident, the Supreme Court repatriated Justice Varma to the Allahabad High Court and ordered an enquiry into the matter. An impeachment motion, too, was moved against him.
The year saw several high-profile cases. Be it the dispute over actor Karisma Kapoor’s late husband Sunjay Kapur’s property or a petition seeking cancellation of the CBFC certificate of the film ‘Udaipur Files: Kanhaiya Lal Tailor Murder’, the front pages of the national dailies created quite a buzz. On August 7, the HC, however, refused to stay the release of the film.
The Delhi High Court remained busy dealing with personality rights of multiple public figures, including Deputy Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh Pawan Kalyan, cricketer Sunil Gavaskar and ‘The Art of Living’ foundation founder Sri Sri Ravi Shankar. Salman Khan, Nagarjuna, NTR Junior, Aishwarya Rai Bachchan, Abhishek Bachchan, Ajay Devgn, R Madhavan and Karan Johar also followed suit. An injunction was also granted to protect Hrithik Roshan’s personality and publicity rights.
A trial court became the centre of national attention after the ED filed a chargesheet against Congress leaders Sonia and Rahul Gandhi in connection with the alleged National Herald scam. The trial court also gathered media attention in two cases — IRCTC corruption case and land-for-jobs scam case — filed against RJD chief Lalu Prasad and his family members. HC reserved judgement in the land-for-jobs case.
Cases related to the 2020 Delhi riots’ accused, Umar Khalid and others also stayed in headlines throughout the year. While some cases are still pending, some continued to extend hearing dates, and some got a verdict. As the year ends, citizens can only hope that justice is neither delayed nor denied.
Best of Cityscapes
1. A nation votes in Delhi
Migrants from across the country have called the capital home for a long period. Ahead of the 2025 assembly polls, citizens were divided in opinion. While Kashmiri migrants had umpteen grievances, the first-time Pakistani-Hindu voters were excited to be a part of Indian democracy. Purvanchalis, who influences about 25-27 constituencies were appeased. Tamil and Bengali communities too had dissapointments and concerns due to the AAP-BJP tug of war. Punjabis were inclined towards AAP, but the Odiyas rooted for BJP. As diverse groups of people vocalised their sentiments, their poll preferences stemmed from factors ranging from civic issues to cultural neglect.
2. Seven hands on the deck
As Rekha Gupta was sworn in as the chief minister, BJP took the capital’s throne after 27 years with the daunting task of delivering on the hopes of those who voted for a change. Accessing the needs of key sectors, the newly formed government chalked out a list of six priorities with Gupta holding the reins.
3. No love in the air
Rearing its ugly head, smog shrouded the city yet again this winter season with an unprecedented surge in respiratory illnesses. Doctors called this disturbing new trend of packed OPDs and escalated demand for inhalers, eye drops and other medication as a ‘full-blown public health emergency’.
4. This Chhath, that Election
The political landscape of the nation ahead of Bihar polls led to an undercurrent in Yamuna, making it the focus of the BJP government. With ministers conducting daily inspections and overseeing Chhath Puja preparations the fact that the festival is about Bihar was not lost on the politicians.
5. The bad, worse and ugly
Once celebrated for ambitious infrastructure projects and modern urban development, the city found itself grappling with a slow, visible decay of public spaces. Footpaths in Laxmi Nagar, Vasant Kunj, Saket, Lajpat Nagar and East Delhi were cracked, encroached upon and buried under construction debris, sewage and garbage, the Mughal-era Barapullah flyover suffered from theft of safety railings and poor lighting. Despite government claims of beautification, the utility beneath the aesthetic appeal remained an unanswered question. This cityscape asked how Delhi fares against the false promises of a modern metropolis while highlighting the need for urgent corrective measures.