Overview
- Fifty‑six former judges issued a joint letter denouncing the attempt to impeach Justice G.R. Swaminathan as an effort to intimidate the judiciary, pointing to his Karthigai Deepam order as the trigger.
- More than 100 MPs have filed a removal motion against the Madras High Court judge after his directive on lighting the hilltop lamp; Tamil Nadu officials refused to implement it citing law‑and‑order concerns.
- Thai authorities have started procedures to send nightclub co‑owners Gaurav and Saurabh Luthra back to India over the Dec. 6 Goa blaze that killed 25 people, with the Indian embassy coordinating.
- Police actions broadened: Delhi Police seized ₹3.59 crore in demonetised ₹500/₹1,000 notes and arrested four near Shalimar Bagh, and Kanpur Police said alleged fraudster Ravindra Nath Soni was arrested as probes tracked about ₹22 crore in assets and an overseas network.
- The Supreme Court refused to hear a petition seeking earthquake‑policy changes, saying disaster management is a policy issue not suited to judicial intervention.