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Acquitted after 7 years: Man accused of raping and murdering 100-yr-old woman acquitted, Court says woman’s grandson may have filed case to get govt compensation

OpIndia Staff
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Acquitted after 7 years: Man accused of raping and murdering 100-yr-old woman acquitted, Court says woman’s grandson may have filed case to get govt compensation

The Allahabad High Court recently acquitted a man who was convicted for the attempted rape and murder of a 100-year-old woman seven years ago. The bench of Justices Ashwani Kumar Mishra and Dr. Gautam Chowdhary overturned the trial court’s judgment which awarded the accused life imprisonment. It overturned his conviction on the grounds of lack of independent witnesses and the absence of confirmation of rape and murder in the medical report. It noted that the evidence indicated that the deceased died due to ‘septic shock’ and not due to any blow or injury. 

Notably, the said incident took place in Meerut on 29th Oct, 2017. At that time, the accused, Ankit Punia, was 24 years old. He was sentenced to life imprisonment by a special court on 20th November, 2020. However, the High Court overturned his conviction on 13th August this year. 

Punia was accused of trespassing, attempted rape, and murder. The prosecution had alleged that the elderly woman was too frail to resist and she was assaulted and later died in the hospital. Subsequently, a case was filed under several sections, including provisions of the SC/ST Act. 

The two-judge bench heard Punia’s appeal, which argued that the case was fabricated. His lawyer, Arun Deshwal, told the court that the elderly woman’s grandson took Rs 1 lakh as a loan from the accused which he never repaid. His counsel argued that to avoid repaying the loan as well as to secure financial assistance from the government, the informant fabricated a false case and implicated the accused. 

Meanwhile, according to the allegations levelled by the informant (Shani Kumar Balmiki), his ailing 100-year-old grandmother was resting on a cot in the verandah of their home. He and his wife were in a nearby room and heard their grandmother, who was in a semi-conscious state, whining. When they rushed there, they found the accused (Ankit Punia) and two fellow villagers sexually assaulting their grandmother.

They also alleged that they had to lift Ankit off their grandmother with great difficulty as the accused appeared to be in an inebriated state. However, when they attempted to nab him, he fled from the scene.

According to the Shani Balmiki, they immediately took his grandmother to the police station via an ambulance and filed a report in this case. Later, the trial court convicted him as it concluded that there was a complete chain of evidence showing that the accused committed the crime. 

However, the High Court was told that the informant (Shani Balmiki) had admitted in his testimony that he was living in Ghaziabad with his wife at the time of the incident. Therefore, he couldn’t have been an eyewitness to the alleged incident. It was also submitted that the victim was ill and passed away due to poor health in which the accused had no role to play.

Based on the testimonies, forensic evidence, and medical report, the High Court bench found that there was no sign of rape and murder of the deceased.

The bench also noted the fact that the trial court had expressed its opinion that no sperm or semen was found on any object, nor was there any sign of external injury on the genitals in the medical report of the victim, and that no evidence or signs of penetration by the accused were found.

Consequently, the High Court concluded that the trial court was wrong in assuming that the accused was attempting to commit rape. The Court held that section 376/511 of the IPC against the accused for trying to commit rape was not proved.

The bench also observed that it was probable that the allegations of sexual offence and homicide were made against the accused only to get financial support from the government.

The court observed, “…this fact is credible that the complainant falsely implicated the accused to get the money from the government. Sunny Kumar had falsely implicated the accused by committing a criminal conspiracy because of the money taken from the accused. This is because the prosecution witness No. 1 has admitted in his cross-examination that ‘after the death of my grandmother Phullo Devi, my father and his three brothers had received Rs. 8.25 lakh from the government.’”

Centre takes down lateral entry ad: Opposition’s caste politics is a Frankenstein’s monster threatening to consume India’s growth story

Amit Kelkar
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Centre takes down lateral entry ad: Opposition’s caste politics is a Frankenstein’s monster threatening to consume India’s growth story

On Tuesday (August 20), the central government took a U-turn two days after the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) called applications for lateral entry into the government service.

The Centre sent a letter to the UPSC requesting the withdrawal of an advertisement that invited applications for lateral entry into 45 positions of joint secretaries, directors, and deputy secretaries across 24 ministries on a contract basis. These positions were scheduled to be filled by September 17.

Minister of State for Personnel, Public Grievances Jitendra Singh has requested the UPSC chairman to withdraw the current Lateral Entry advertisement.

In his letter, the minister explained that the decision is part of a broader reevaluation of the lateral entry system within the government.

“While most significant lateral entries before 2014 were made in an ad-hoc manner, often involving alleged favouritism, our government has focused on making the process institutionalized, transparent, and inclusive,” the letter stated. “The Prime Minister firmly believes that lateral entry must adhere to the principles of equity and social justice outlined in our Constitution, particularly regarding reservation provisions.”

The reversal comes just two days after the Centre initiated a search for 45 “talented and motivated Indian nationals” to fill positions as joint secretaries, directors, or deputy secretaries through lateral recruitment. While this approach to addressing knowledge gaps in the cadre-based bureaucracy is not new, it sparked a needless controversy after the opposition political parties, led by Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, once again used the calling card of caste politics that has been leverage to the hilt to undermine the popularity of PM Modi and cast a dent in BJP’s electoral supremacy. 

Taking to X, Gandhi tweeted, “Lateral entry is an attack on Dalits, OBCs, and Adivasis. BJP’s distorted version of Ram Rajya seeks to destroy the Constitution and snatch reservations from Bahujans.” He later escalated his criticism, calling it an “anti-national step.”

Another opposition leader, SP chief Akhilesh Yadav went a step ahead and called for a nationwide protest against the advertisement issued by the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC).

Not just the opposition leaders, but NDA alliance partners too jumped the bandwagon and raised their opposition to the lateral entry into the bureaucracy, something which has been happening for decades, including during UPA years as pointed out by Jitendra Singh in the letter, citing Sonia Gandi’s National Advisory Council that was formed in 2004. 

While Congress had formed it to accommodate academicians, historians, bureaucrats, and civil services officers who helped them in setting agendas and shaping public opinion about policies designed and implemented by their governments, the Modi government had sought to bring in experts from various fields to fill vacant positions in the bureaucracy. In 2017, the NITI Aayog suggested hiring professionals from outside the All India Services and Central Civil Services for middle and senior management roles in the central government.

According to an India Today report, these experts could be recruited from private companies, public sector enterprises, and state governments.

These ‘lateral entrants’ would join the central secretariat, which had previously been primarily staffed by career bureaucrats from the All India Services and Central Civil Services.

These experts are initially appointed for three years, with the possibility of extending their tenure to five years.

Since 2018, approximately 63 individuals have been brought into the bureaucracy through lateral entry. This includes eight joint secretaries in 2019, and 2022, three joint secretaries and 27 directors, as reported by India Today.

In 2019, then Minister of State for the Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT) Jitendra Singh explained in the Rajya Sabha that “lateral recruitment aims to fulfil two objectives: infusing fresh talent and enhancing manpower availability.”

The lateral entry option granted the government an opportunity to hire officers and bureaucrats who specialised in particular fields and who had the expertise and experience to expedite the country’s development story.  It didn’t discriminate against any reserved categories, as alleged by Mr Gandhi and the SP chief, as it was open to every qualified officer regardless of their caste or religion. 

But since the opposition, having extracted their pound of flesh with the perpetuation of caste politics during the Lok Sabha elections feels more than confident to continue barreling down the path of exploiting caste-based divisions to catapult themselves to the corridors of power, they buckled down with the modus operandi of stoking fears among the reserved classes and casting the centre as a government working against their interests.  

Instead of ushering the country into the future and a united India, the opposition parties are determined to yank the nation back to the 1970s and 1980s, when the country was mired in caste polity while our much larger neighbour, China, economically weaker than us then, cleared the decks for unprecedented growth trajectory, attracting foreign investments and manufacturing companies to become the world’s second-largest economy.

The Indian country was on the cusp of a transformational change then. It is on another cusp today as China grapples with economic challenges, compounded by Xi Jinping’s increasingly authoritarian inclinations and the supply chain woes faced by multinational corporations in the wake of the COVID pandemic. The world has set its eyes on a democratically robust country like India, with a burgeoning domestic consumption-led economy and a technologically savvy workforce, as a preferred destination that would drive global growth in an increasingly fraught environment plagued with wars and geopolitical tensions.

But just like the last time, when Congress-led governments allowed China to outpace India in terms of growth and development, this time, too, the Congress party and its alliance partners appear hellbent on bogging down the current dispensation by unleashing the Frankenstein’s monster of caste politics on us for their petty political objectives. For the next 5 years of the Modi government, expect this monster to make an appearance, every now and then, with both, the Centre and the opposition, using it to score political brownie points.

But for an average Indian who prefers meritocracy as well as social justice, affirmative action, social cohesion, individual identity, and religious kinship, this race to the bottom only threatens to undermine the country’s inspiring growth story. It might even delay the collective goal of making the country the world’s third-largest economy. With caste politics again gaining currency, the nation could witness another burst of brain drain, with the young and the talented falling over themselves to rush out of the country to a place that respects and rewards their talent and dynamism and does not reduce them to their social identities.

Re-naming Harappan Civilization “Sindhu-Sarasvati” in NCERT textbooks is based on established scholarship: NCERT panel head Michel Danino

OpIndia Staff
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Re-naming Harappan Civilization “Sindhu-Sarasvati” in NCERT textbooks is based on established scholarship: NCERT panel head Michel Danino

Amidst controversy over the new Class 6 social science textbook Exploring Society: India and Beyond for using names “Sindhu-Sarasvati” and “Indus-Sarasvati” for Harappan Civilisation, Michel Danino, the chair of the NCERT committee that drafted the textbook has defended the changes. The leftist ecosystem is claiming that these alternative names demonstrate the “Hindutva agenda” of the government.

Defending the alternative names used for Harappan Civilisation in NCERT textbook, Michel Danino told Indian Express, “The decision to include alternative names like ‘Sindhu-Sarasvati’ and ‘Indus-Sarasvati’ for the Harappan civilization is neither new nor driven by any political agenda. Archaeologists, such as Professor Jonathan Mark Kenoyer of Wisconsin University, British archaeologist Jane McIntosh, and the late Raymond Allchin, one of the foremost authorities on the Indian subcontinent, have used these terms in their work. Jean-Marie Casal, the French archaeologist, also speaks of the Sarasvati River in the context of the Harappan civilization. Gregory Possehl, the late American archaeologist, dedicates several chapters to the Sarasvati River in his book ‘The Indus Age.’”

Danino asserted that the new terminology used in the textbook is based on established archaeological scholarship and not any contemporary political influence. “This terminology is based on established archaeological scholarship, not on any recent political influence. So, this is not a Hindutva thing. Moreover, we have included all alternative names. To me, this is factual,” the visiting professor at IIT Gandhinagar said.

Moreover, Danino called the induction of alternative terminology a “good first step” and also added that more such steps will be taken in the coming days.

In July this year, it was reported that the new NCERT Class 6 Social Science textbook has undergone certain changes. This also included reference to the Harappan Civilisation as “Sindhu-Saraswati” and “Indus-Saraswati” civilisation. Amidst controversy over the new Class 6 social science textbook Exploring Society: India and Beyond for using names “Sindhu-Sarasvati” and “Indus-Sarasvati” for Harappan Civilisation, Michel Danino, the chair of the NCERT committee that drafted the textbook has defended the changes. The leftist ecosystem is claiming that these alternative names demonstrate the Hindutva agenda of the government. While earlier, there were distinct textbooks for History, Political Science, and Geography, the new textbook covers all the relevant subjects within the fold of Social Science.

The new textbook has been organised into five themes: ‘India and the World: Land and People’, ‘Tapestry of the Past’, ‘Our Cultural Heritage and Knowledge Traditions’, ‘Governance and Democracy’, and ‘Economic Life Around Us’.

Interestingly, it was reported last year that the researchers from Deccan College Pune and the Central Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) found that human remains unearthed at an ancient site of Rakhigarhi – a village in the Hisar district of Haryana – date back roughly 8,000 years

During the excavations, a large settlement of the largest ancient houses ever was found underground. A courtyard along with a drainage system were also found in it. Moreover, there were two to six-bedroom houses that were also available at that time. The clothing fashion of the people of that time is also known. The research team found a colourful worn piece of cloth, a shawl and a skirt.

“This research has found strong evidence that the Harappan civilisation is 7,000 to 8,000 years old. Scientists from the Department of Archaeology of India and Deccan College have worked together on the project. It is agreed that there was human habitation or civilisation in our country 8,000 years ago,” Deccan College Pune assistant professor Prabhodh Shirwalkar asserted adding that the people back then were as advanced as they are in present times.

Throat slit, multiple wounds and missing identity: Police find dead body of woman in Bareilly hotel, room was booked by Mohammed Alam

OpIndia Staff
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Throat slit, multiple wounds and missing identity: Police find dead body of woman in Bareilly hotel, room was booked by Mohammed Alam

On Tuesday (20th August), the dead body of a 28-year-old woman was recovered from a hotel room in Bareilly city of Uttar Pradesh.

As per reports, the room was booked two days earlier by a man using the identity card of ‘Mohammed Alam’. The staff at the ‘Hotel Preet Palace’ discovered a foul smell exuding from the room on Tuesday.

On opening the gate using a duplicate key, they found the dead body of the woman. The hotel staff thereafter immediately called the police.

On reaching the spot, the police found that the throat of the victim had been slit. There were 5 deep wounds on her body, including the shoulder. The cops also found a burqa on the bed.

Following a preliminary investigation, a police official said that the girl was made unconscious before the murder. Cops believe that the woman was brought to the hotel with the sinister plan to murder.

The accused man, who booked the hotel room, is believed to be Mohammed Alam. He is a resident of Azamnagar in Bareilly. Alam had left the hotel facility on Monday.

After collecting information from the hotel owner Karanpreet Singh, the body of the woman was sent for post-mortem. It had come to light that the hotel did not take the identity card of the victim at the time of check-in.

In the meantime, the police have sealed the room where the murder took place. They also seized the Aadhar card of Mohammed Alam. The cops are now trying to establish the identity of the victim.

According to Superintendent of Police Rahu Bhati, the murder took place at least 10-12 hours before the discovery of the body. “Police teams have been deployed to search for Mohammed Alam. The postmortem of the body is being done. The accused will be caught soon,” he added.

‘Code names for women, zero safety’: Hema committee highlights sexual harassment, gender discrimination in Malayalam film industry

OpIndia Staff
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‘Code names for women, zero safety’: Hema committee highlights sexual harassment, gender discrimination in Malayalam film industry

The Kerala government, led by Pinarayi Vijayan, came under heavy criticism on Tuesday, 20th August, for holding up the release of the Hema committee report, featuring startling information about how women are treated in the Malayalam film industry.

The government-appointed expert group discussed several embarrassing aspects, including unwanted physical advances made to women in the Malayalam film industry before they even started working and code names for women who would compromise. On Monday, August 18, the report was made official.

This study, which bears the name of the committee’s chair, Justice K. Hema (Retd.), is an important document that highlights the challenging circumstances that women in the film industry face. The committee was established in response to the 2017 sexual assault of a well-known actress, which caused public indignation and prompted calls for structural reform in the business.

The panel consisted of three people- legendary actress Sharada, and former bureaucrat K.B. Valsalakumari, led by Justice K. Hema. The committee’s mandate included looking at the working environment for women in the Malayalam film industry and coming up with suggestions for preventing discrimination and sexual harassment.

The study emphasized the serious obstacles that women encounter in the Malayalam film business, such as pervasive sexual harassment, discrimination based on gender, and an unfriendly workplace. The most startling discovery was that women who experience sexual harassment or assault frequently choose not to speak up for fear of being branded as “troublemakers” or being shunned by the business.

The report stressed that women have few options for pursuing justice or safety because there is no legally recognized body to deal with these problems.

Testimonies from other women in the industry, who detailed their terrifying experiences, are included in the report. A scenario that was particularly unsettling featured an actress who was made to rehearse a scene in which she was hugged by an actor who had previously molested her. The actress suffered severe physical and psychological damage from having to endure 17 takes. Her performance was critiqued by the producer, who failed to recognize or comprehend the emotional agony she was experiencing.

These testimonials highlight the widespread culture of insensitivity and exploitation that women in the field face on a daily basis. The study found that the Malayalam film industry has a deeply embedded patriarchal mentality that feeds the myth that women only pursue careers in the business to gain notoriety and fortune, and as a result, they will “surrender” to anything.

Because of this poisonous culture, women are exploited by men in positions of authority who believe they will do whatever it takes to get a part in a movie. The study chastised the industry for failing to acknowledge the fact that a large number of women are acting professionals who are in the business for the love of the trade rather than just the money.

The study emphasized how few basic amenities, like women’s restrooms and changing areas on movie sets, are available to women in the business. The substantial salary gap that exists in the Malayalam cinema industry between male and female actors was also highlighted by the survey.

Even in cases where women possess equal or greater experience and talent, they are frequently paid far less than their male colleagues. The discrimination against women in the workplace due to their gender is a reflection of larger issues of injustice and inequality. The report further touched upon the issue of cyberbullying and online harassment faced by women in the film industry.

The committee discovered that the sector frequently rejects women who dare to speak out against harassment or discrimination. They are called “problem-makers,” which negatively impacts their chances of getting a job and makes them feel alone in the workplace. The industry’s culture of backlash against female employees who speak for themselves is a contributing factor to the ongoing harassment and abuse of these workers.

Kolkata Police file corruption case against Sandip Ghosh after WB govt formed SIT to probe financial irregularities during the former RG Kar principal’s tenure

OpIndia Staff
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Kolkata Police file corruption case against Sandip Ghosh after WB govt formed SIT to probe financial irregularities during the former RG Kar principal’s tenure

Former Principal of Kolkata’s RG Kar Medical College and Hospital, Sandip Ghosh has been facing widespread criticism and is under scanner for his initial response and handling of the female trainee doctor’s case who was raped and murdered in the Hospital’s seminar Hall on 9th August. Now, the Kolkata Police have registered a corruption case against Ghosh. The development came after the West Bengal government formed an SIT to probe financial irregularities during Ghosh’s tenure. However, the Bharatiya Janata Party has slammed the West Bengal government over this development stating that it was Mamata Banerjee’s move to save him. 

On Tuesday (20th August), the Kolkata Police registered a corruption case against Sandip Ghosh based on a written complaint filed by Debal Kumar Ghosh who is the Senior Special Secretary of Bengal’s Health Department. 

Earlier, the West Bengal government, led by Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, had constituted a Special Investigation Team (SIT) to investigate the allegations of financial irregularities at RG Kar Hospital from 2021 onwards, that is, during the tenure of Sandip Ghosh. Ghosh has been booked under provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) and Prevention of Corruption Act among other charges.

According to an official statement, the four-member SIT will be headed by Inspector General of Police Pranav Kumar. The three other members include DIG of Murshidabad Range Waquar Reza, DIG of CID Soma Das Mitra, and DCP of Kolkata Police Indira Mukherjee. It will have to submit its first report to the Bengal government within a month.

TMC govt trying to save Sandip Ghosh, says BJP

However, the BJP has launched an attack on the TMC government accusing it of attempting to save the disgraced former principal of RG Kar Hospital. Taking to X, BJP Social media head, Amit Malviya said that it was nothing but a move by CM Banerjee to save Ghosh. He added that the West Bengal Police will arrest Sandip Ghosh to prevent CBI from taking his custody. 

Malviya further stated that a free and fair investigation into the rape and murder case of the trainee female doctor is not possible unless Mamata Banerjee resigns. 

The BJP leader also argued that police officers are not equipped to investigate financial crimes.

He also shared the official state government notification about the formation of an SIT against Sandip Ghosh and wrote, “Now, WB Govt constitutes a SIT to probe allegations of financial irregularities by Dr Sandeep Ghosh, the disgraced Principal of RG Kar Medical College & Hospital. 4 IPS officers are part of the SIT. How are police officers equipped to investigate financial crimes? This is nothing but Mamata Banerjee’s move to save Ghosh. WB Police will arrest Sandeep Ghosh,  just in time, to stop CBI from taking him in custody. Unless Mamata Banerjee resigns, free and fair probe in the rape and murder of the lady doctor is not possible. She must resign now.” 

Meanwhile, on Monday (19th August), the CBI team grilled Sandip Ghosh for the fourth consecutive time in connection to the rape and murder case that took place on 9th August. As per reports citing officials of the investigating agency, the CBI is examining his mobile phone logs as well as his WhatsApp chats. 

As per reports, Sandip Ghosh was asked about his role after he received the news of the trainee doctor’s death, who he had contacted thereafter, and why he made the parents wait for nearly three hours before letting them see her body. 

He was also asked as to who ordered renovation of rooms adjacent to the seminar hall, after the body was found there on 9th August.

The official said that some of his version does not match with that of the others who are being interrogated in the case.

West Bengal: TMC goon attacks doctor in Malda, verbally abuses nurses and threatens to kill them

OpIndia Staff
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West Bengal: TMC goon attacks doctor in Malda, verbally abuses nurses and threatens to kill them

On Sunday (18th August) night, a local Trinamool Congress leader ambushed the Harishchandrapur Government Hospital and carried out attacks on doctors and nursing staff. The incident took place in the Malda district of West Bengal.

As per reports, the accused was identified as Avinash Das. He entered the hospital premises at 11 pm and verbally abused on-duty nurses. After hurling the choicest of expletives, Das threatened to kill the nursing staff.

When a medical officer named Prabhakar Saha objected to his behaviour, the TMC goon thrashed him mercilessly. He even proceeded to assault the nurses physically.

Fortunately, the accused was overpowered by the doctors and General Duty Assistants (GDAs) present there. Soon after, the cops were called in at the hospital. The police reached the spot, arrested the TMC goon and booked him under non-bailable offences.

While speaking about the matter, Malda Superintendent of Police Pradeep Kumar Yadav said, “The accused has been arrested. A case has been registered against him as per law. He will be produced in court on Monday.” 

Following the incident, doctors and nurses working at other government hospitals in Malda have questioned the lack of safety.

Prabhakar Saha, who was attacked by Avinash Das, told the media, “The accused came to look for a patient and started talking to me in indecent language. He also abused the nurses present there. When I protested, I was beaten brutally. Then he went to attack the nurses. We were able to prevent it. After that, he threatened to kill us. We feel insecure.”

Avinash Das is said to be close to TMC MLA from the Harishchandrapur constituency, Tajmul Hossain. On Monday (19th August), he was remanded to 5 days in custody.

Family members of dead patient attack SSKM hospital

On Sunday (18th August), the family members of a deceased patient attacked the trauma care unit of SSKM hospital in Kolkata after accusing doctors of medical negligence.

The accused ambushed the healthcare facility, carried out vandalism and physically assaulted an on-duty doctor named Subrata Shur. In visuals shared on social media, the victim could be seen in a wounded state with his face covered in bruises.

The incident took place amid the ongoing protests over the rape and murder of a junior doctor at the RG Kar Medical College and Hospital in Kolkata.

While speaking about the matter, a police official informed, “His family members came to the hospital and started vandalising the area, alleging that negligence by doctors had led to the youth’s death.”

BJP leader Locket Chatterjee took to social media to inform that the accused has connections to a powerful Minister of the Trinamool Congress (TMC).

6, including Nafees Chishti, Salim Chishti, Iqbal sentenced to life imprisonment in 1992 Ajmer mass rape and blackmail case after 32 years

OpIndia Staff
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6, including Nafees Chishti, Salim Chishti, Iqbal sentenced to life imprisonment in 1992 Ajmer mass rape and blackmail case after 32 years

On Tuesday, 20th August, six culprits of one of the largest sex scandals in the nation, which took place in Ajmer 32 years ago, have been sentenced to life in jail by the district court. They also face a fine of Rs 5 lakh in addition to this. The accused persons who have been awarded life imprisonment are Nafees Chishti, Naseem alias Tarzan, Salim Chishti, Iqbal Bhati, Sohil Gani, and Syed Zameer Hussain.

At the time of sentencing, all six accused persons were in the courtroom. Iqbal Bhati, one of the suspects who was in Delhi, was transported in an ambulance to Ajmer for the case. Earlier today, the POCSO court delivered a historic verdict, declaring all the six accused guilty.

In 1992, the accused gang-raped more than 100 girl students from Ajmer’s renowned Mayo College and blackmailed them using their photographs. Four other accused have already served their sentences. Following the guilty verdict, the police took all the accused into custody. The initial chargesheet, filed on November 30, 1992, listed eight individuals. Later, four additional chargesheets were submitted, bringing the total number of accused to 12.

The primary accused, Farooq Chishti, served as the President of the Ajmer Youth Congress. Nafees Chishti held the position of Vice President of the Ajmer Indian National Congress, while Anwar Chishti was the Joint Secretary of the Ajmer Indian National Congress.

The scandal came to light through an article in a local newspaper. It revealed the sexual exploitation of schoolgirls by blackmailing them using nude photographs. The gang responsible for this influenced religious, political, social, and economic fields. This revelation created an uproar across the country. It created an atmosphere of fear among government officials, police, and members of social and religious organizations of the state.

The Ajmer District Police discovered that several affluent young men from the families of Khadims, the caretakers of the Sufi saint Khwaja Moinuddin Hasan Chishti’s dargah, were involved in the scandal. The police also suspected high-ranking politicians and officials. Due to concerns about potential threats to law and order in the city, the police initially hesitated to take action, facing significant pressure.

A subsequent news article titled “How the Blackmailers of Schoolgirls Remained Free” featured explicit photos, which further fueled public outrage. Protests demanding justice started, and Hindu organizations threatened to take matters into their own hands if legal action wasn’t taken against the perpetrators.

Under immense pressure, the Ajmer District Bar Association met with local authorities and suggested jailing the identified suspects under the National Security Act to calm public anger and prevent communal tensions. Eventually, the investigation was handed over to the CID.

This crime sparked a movement across Rajasthan, demanding the arrest and justice for the victims.

On May 30, 1992, the CID officially took over the investigation. The scandal involved influential individuals, including members of the Khadim Chishti families and the Youth Congress, exploiting schoolgirls. Explicit photos leaked from a photo lab drew attention to the crime.

Initially, the Ajmer District Police conducted the investigation. The harassment linked to this case led several people, including the photo lab owner and manager, to commit suicide. Several of the girls involved also ended their lives.

Despite decades of demands for justice by over 100 victims, many of the criminals were acquitted or released on bail. The case went through various courts, including the High Court, Supreme Court, Fast Track Court, and POCSO Court. However, for most victims, who are now in their 50s or 60s, justice remains elusive.

Uttarakhand: Forest official brutally assaulted for objecting to drinking alcohol near Khichdi river, accused get bail within hours. What happened

OpIndia Staff
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Uttarakhand: Forest official brutally assaulted for objecting to drinking alcohol near Khichdi river, accused get bail within hours. What happened

A video from Uttarakhand has gone viral on social media showing five to six drunk and violent youngsters thrashing and hurling abuses at a forest guard Vijendra Chauhan. The incident unfolded on Sunday (18th August). After this video went viral on social media, the police arrested the five accused including two minors and sent them to jail.

Some reports claim that the accused youth got bail within hours. After the video of the incident went viral, Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami took note of the matter. The accused persons were arrested after the Ramnagar Forest Division filed an FIR against these youths at Ramnagar Kotwali.

According to reports, some youngsters were drinking alcohol and bathing in the Khichdi River in Kyari village, which comes under the Ramnagar Forest Department. People have been strictly barred from going near the rivers and drains due to severe rains across the state. The Meteorological Department issued an alert in this regard. When the forest employee stopped the accused youths from drinking alcohol, they began abusing and beating the forest inspector.

The police arrested the accused youths at the forest barrier on Tedha Road and a case was registered against them and they were sent to jail. Some media reports have said that the accused youths managed to get bail within hours of their arrest.

It is also being claimed that among the accused, two youths are sons of Uttarakhand Athlete Association chairman Vijendra Chaudhary. It is alleged that the victim was also pressured to end the matter.

Badlapur: Two 4-year-old girls sexually assaulted in school washroom, anger among locals over police delay, school negligence and CCTV. Read details

OpIndia Staff
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Badlapur: Two 4-year-old girls sexually assaulted in school washroom, anger among locals over police delay, school negligence and CCTV. Read details

Massive outrage erupted in the state of Maharashtra on Tuesday, 20th August, after the incident of rape of two toddler girls came to the fore from Badlapur region of Thane district. As per the initial reports, two minor girls, aged 4, studying in Nursery, were sexually assaulted by a school sweeper in the washroom of a well-known school named Adarsh Vidya Mandir in Badlapur near Mumbai.

The accused has been identified as Akshay Shinde who has been arrested by the police. Shinde is believed to have been employed in the school based on a contract by a third-party organization. He was booked and arrested by the police only after the parents of the girls insisted on filing a formal complaint. This is despite initial attempts by the police to play down the issue by delaying the filing of the FIR for over 12 hours.

The parents and the enraged citizens launched massive protests outside the school and also halted the local train between Kalyan and Karajat on Tuesday, 20th August. They called for a shutdown of Badlapur city and stopped local trains, further demanding capital punishment for the accused person. 

The National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR) has decided to dispatch a team to Badlapur in order to conduct an investigation after learning about the occurrence.

Management suspends school principal, two attendants

In the meantime, the school released a statement expressing public regret for the tragedy and admitting to grave mistakes in student safety. To avoid similar occurrences in the future, the administration committed to putting in place strict safety protocols and more CCTV cameras across the campus. The school has promised to cooperate fully with the police as well.

In the meantime, the management also suspended the school Principal and two attendants who were responsible for taking the students to the washroom. The school has also terminated the contract with the third-party organization via which Shinde was employed at the school as a sweeper. The organization has further been blacklisted.

Schools in the area remained closed on Tuesday, 20th August, in solidarity with the protesting parents.

What happened to the girls inside the washroom

The incident is said to have happened on 12 and 13th August on the school premises when the girls had gone to use the toilet. However, it came to the fore on Monday, 19th August, only after the girls refused to go to the school as were scared after what had happened to them. When asked by parents, the girls revealed that they had been sexually assaulted at the school.

The police have arrested the accused and the court has sent him to three days of police remand. Maharashtra Education Minister Deepak Kesarkar commented on the issue and said, “We will see to it that the existing safety measures are further strengthened. We are issuing a circular today that CCTVs must be operational in each school. We will appoint a committee based on the Vishakha committee in schools as well. We will fast-track this case and give the strictest punishment to the accused. The school Principal, the class teacher, and 2 assistants have been suspended. The school also has been served a notice. A woman senior PI who delayed registering a case should be suspended.”

Police accused of delayed probe, CCTVs not working

It is important to note that during the police probe, the school administration stated that the CCTVs weren’t working at the time when the incident happened. Senior police inspector Shubhada Shitole is reportedly accused of delaying the case despite it being a POCSO (Protection of Children from Sexual Offenses) case. Following this, the inspector was immediately transferred.

Shops and other businesses in the Badlapur area remained closed on Tuesday in observance of the protest. Additionally, the school that was the site of the alleged sexual assault was forced to close. Prominent local politicians joined the protest with their supporters.

Further investigation into the case is underway.

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