[align=justify]
1. The Madras High Court today rejected a challenge by Novartis to a provision in the Indian Patents Act that denies patents for minor improvements to known drugs, and the Swiss drug giant said it was unlikely to appeal.
Dismissing the writ petitions by Novartis AG of Switzerland and Novartis India, challenging the constitutional validity of Section 3 (d) of the Indian Patents Act as amended in 2005 along with an explanation, a Division Bench, comprising Justice R Balasubramanian and Justice Prabha Sridevan, said it had no jurisdiction on whether Indian patent laws complied with intellectual property rules set by the World Trade Organisation, as Novartis had questioned
[/align]
[align=justify]2) THE Delhi High Court on Monday reserved for judgment a petition filed by former External Affairs Minister Natwar Singh and his son Jagat challenging denial of access to all existing documents used by the Directorate of Enforcement (ED) in the ongoing probe into the money trail in the multi-million dollar Iraqi oil-for-food scam. [/align]
In a temporary relief to both, a Division Bench led by Justice T S Thakur granted interim stay to ED proceedings until the verdict is pronounced by the court on Singh's petition.
[align=justify]3) THE Supreme Court on Monday issued notice to Gujarat police officer N K Amin, described by investigators as a ""potential accused"" in the fake encounter killing of Sohrabuddin Sheikh. Amin is alleged to have supervised the disposal of the body of the victim's wife Kausar Bi. [/align]
The court was hearing a state Government petition challenging a trial court's order granting him anticipatory bail.
A bench of Justice Tarun Chatterjee and Justice P K Balasubramanyam has sought reply from Superintendent of Police N K Amin and set further hearing for Friday.
[align=justify]Amin is being investigated in the killing of criminal Sohrabuddin Sheikh in a fake encounter. Police also killed Sheikh's wife Kausar Bi, whom they had picked up with him. The named main accused in the case are police officers D G Vanzara and Pandyan.
4) The Supreme Court on Monday issued notice to INLD leader Ajay Chautala among others on an appeal by Mukesh Ambani group's Reliance Ventures seeking transfer of petitions challenging setting up of special economic zones by acquiring agricul tural lands.
The Supreme Court on Monday issued notice to INLD leader Ajay Chautala among others on an appeal by Mukesh Am- bani group's Reliance Ventures seeking transfer of pe- titions challenging setting up of special economic zones by acquiring agricultural lands.
[/align][/align]
