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By:

Bhalchandra Chorghade

11 August 2025 at 7:24:18 pm

Flamingo City may see early ‘pink influx’, wetlands worry

Pollution, algal growth and disrupted tidal flows threaten key bird habitats Flamingos could arrive in Mumbai and Navi Mumbai earlier than usual this winter, potentially in larger numbers, but environmentalists warn that deteriorating wetlands may leave the migratory birds with inadequate feeding grounds. Polluted water, excessive algal growth and disrupted tidal flows threaten three key habitats DPS Flamingo Lake, NRI Wetland and TS Chanakya Wetland raising concerns over the region’s...

Flamingo City may see early ‘pink influx’, wetlands worry

Pollution, algal growth and disrupted tidal flows threaten key bird habitats Flamingos could arrive in Mumbai and Navi Mumbai earlier than usual this winter, potentially in larger numbers, but environmentalists warn that deteriorating wetlands may leave the migratory birds with inadequate feeding grounds. Polluted water, excessive algal growth and disrupted tidal flows threaten three key habitats DPS Flamingo Lake, NRI Wetland and TS Chanakya Wetland raising concerns over the region’s preparedness for the annual arrival of the pink visitors, NatConnect Foundation said. Senior scientist Mrugank Prabhu of Srushti Conservation Foundation expects the birds to arrive early, possibly in greater numbers. A deficient monsoon in Kutch could affect water levels and food availability, prompting flamingos to seek alternative feeding grounds sooner than usual, said Prabhu, who has been studying bird movements along the Central Asian Flyway. NatConnect director B N Kumar said the three wetlands were not adequately prepared to receive the birds, which attract birdwatchers and nature enthusiasts to Navi Mumbai and the Thane Creek Flamingo Sanctuary (TCFS), a Ramsar site. The concerns follow private laboratory tests commissioned by NatConnect earlier this year, which found elevated pollution indicators in water samples collected from all three sites. Kumar said flamingos had moved north to Sambhar Lake in Rajasthan during the previous migratory season, while arrivals in the Mumbai region began in smaller batches. He cautioned that deteriorating wetlands could fail to provide suitable feeding grounds if the birds arrived early in search of alternative habitats. NRI Wetland in Nerul has been affected by extensive algal growth, while neighbouring TS Chanakya Lake faces waterlogging and drainage problems. Environmentalists attribute these issues to encroachment and interference with natural water flows. Kumar called for urgent restoration, expressing concern over delays in securing formal legal protection for the wetlands.

SC frowns at ‘automatic criminal trials’

Quaid Najmi
Aug 17
3 min read
Justice Sanjay Karol Justice Augustine George Masih
Justice Sanjay Karol Justice Augustine George Masih

Mumbai: In a judgement with wide implications, the Supreme Court has said that a court should not ‘shut its eyes’ to a criminal prosecution that is manifestly abusive, particularly where unimpeachable evidence shows that allowing the case to proceed tantamounts to an abuse of the court process.


A SC division bench of Justice Sanjay Karol and Justice Augustine George Masih last week quashed a ruling of the Allahabad High Court in a dowry-death case in which the accused husband (Rahul), a Border Security Force personnel and his family were charged after his wife (Anshul) died by hanging in Meerut in June 2016.


The prosecution case was that Rahul and his family had harassed Anshul (deceased) for dowry and when the demand was not fulfilled, allegedly eliminated her.


However, the material produced before the SC painted a different picture. The autopsy (June 14, 206) stated the cause of death was ‘asphyxia due to ante-mortem hanging’ with no external injuries. The police investigation said that the main entrance of the home and the room where the woman was found hanging were locked from inside and were broken open by the cops.


More clinching was the Rahul’s official service record and a BSF certificate showing that he was on official duty in Shillong (Meghalaya) near the India-Bangladesh border, and had gone to New Delhi only on June 14, a day after his wife’s death, staying there till June 19. The BSF version on record – that the accused was not present in Meerut on the day of the incident – was never challenged and hollowed out the prosecution’s stance.


As per a FIR lodged by Meerut’s Incholi Police Station on June 13, 2016, Rahul, his parents Ramnath and Sheela, and other relatives had tortured Anshul for dowry, who was found dead at home that day.


Full Trial

During the lower court proceedings, Rahul moved the Allahabad HC in 2018, seeking quashing of all the criminal proceedings against him. Meanwhile, after a full trial, Additional Sessions Judge Meerut Court 1 acquitted his family members on October 17, 2025 on grounds that the prosecution failed to establish its case beyond reasonable doubt.


Notwithstanding the trial court acquittal of Rahul’s family, on December 12, 2025, the Allahabad HC had dismissed Rahul’s plea of alibi - saying it was a question of fact requiring proof at the trial, and no finding on alibi could be recorded for the first time in a petition under CrPC Sec. 482.


After considering all the material before, Justice Karol and Justice Masih quashed the police FIR (June 13, 2016), chargesheet (July 15, 2017) and all consequential criminal proceedings against the accused in the Meerut trial court and the Allahabad HC.


‘Landmark verdict’
Nagpur-based legal eagle Barrister Vinod Tiwari hailed the verdict as ‘landmark’ which would guide the courts in a large number of cases where trials drag on at various levels  all over India “despite incontrovertible material” proving the absence of the accused during the alleged crime.

“This judgement will halt all such mischievous cases intended to harass innocent citizens by misusing the legal processes, stop wastage of courts’ time without adding to the alarming burden of case backlogs in the legal system,” declared Barr. Tiwari.

SC’s four-step test to halt dubious criminal proceedings
Justice Karol and Justice Masih said the mere existence of a chargesheet does not give a prosecution an automatic right to continue trial indefinitely if the basic material supporting it cannot withstand scrutiny.

The SC underlined a four-step test to determine whether criminal proceedings can be halted on the strength of defence material before the trial: The material must be sound, reliable and beyond serious doubt; Must be capable of effectively knocking out the factual foundation of the allegations; The material must be unrefuted by the prosecution or be so strong that it cannot be disputed; and the court must ask the crucial question: Would allowing the trial to continue amount to an abuse of the court process and fail to serve the ends of justice?

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