Woman cop held taking bribe

498a misuse - 5

498a misuse - 4

498a gives men pre-wedding jitters

498a misuse -3

why no punishment for dowry givers

Dowry is a shield, not an assassin's weapon : court

Woman arrested for husband's contract killing

Woman arrested for husband's contract killing

Mumbai: A 10-year-long marriage ends in tragedy, as the 30-year-old husband is found dead on isolated grounds with injury marks over the body. Friends and relatives naturally sympathise with the young widow. That is till her actual role in the denouement comes to the fore. Cops from Ulhasnagar crime branch have arrested a 25-year-old woman who hired a hit man to get her spouse killed. To mislead the police, she filed a complaint claiming her husband had gone missing and later got a murder case lodged against unknown persons after the body was found.

Shivaji Nagar police had recovered the corpse of an unknown person with injury marks all over at Ambernath MIDC area on January 29. They immediately started checking all the missing complaints and learnt that a 30-year-old who was an electrician and a resident of Manish Nagar in Ulhasnagar was missing and a complaint had been lodged by his wife at Central police station.

"When the wife Preeti Krishnachand Mishra (25), was called she identified the body as that of her husband Krishnachand," said Machindra Chavan, senior police inspector of Ulhasnagar crime branch.

In further investigations, police started questioning Preeti who frequently changed her statements.

"When we inquired about Preeti from her neighbours they told us that some people had seen her roaming around with a 22-year-old youth Jishan Munnar Shaikh, a student of BCom third year," said Chavan.

"Shaikh was then summoned by the Crime Branch and during questioning he broke down and accepted that he and Preeti had given a supari of Rs. 1 lakh to one Akshay Suresh Gaikwad to kill Krishnachand," said Milind Bharambe, additional commissioner of police (crime), Thane.

Akshay's father Suresh Gaikwad is an ex-corporator and is now contesting municipal elections from Ulhasnagar on a Congress ticket.

Akshay, along with aides Jaysingh Mudaliyar and Damodar Hadalke met Krishnachand on January 28. They drank wine at Bittu Bar in Ulhasnagar and later went to the MIDC area, where the trio stabbed Krishnachand at an isolated place and killed him.

"Preeti had sold all her jewellery to arrange the contract killing of her husband. Preeti was in love with Jishan and was bored with her 10-year-old relationship with her husband who had started drinking," said Meghshyam Dange, police inspector of crime branch.

The miscreants were arrested yesterday and are in police custody.

http://www.ndtv.com/article/cities/woman-arrested-for-husband-s-contract-killing-172691 

I enjoyed my stay in jail: James Vasanthan

I enjoyed my stay in jail: James Vasanthan

Popular music director/anchor James Vasanthan was recently arrested for allegedly abusing his 63-year-old neighbour. Now, he is out on bail, and, he opened up to Chennai Times about his arrest. He says, "It was around 3.30 pm on Sunday when cops came into our house. Though initially I was not told about the arrest, later I was informed that I would be held. They didn't even tell me on what charge they were arresting me. Following that, I was imprisoned in Puzhal jail for two days."

He was accused by the woman for displaying indecent gestures in public. Reacting to the allegations, he says, "Some women take the sexual harassment law to their advantage and target innocent men like me. This is not the first case that has been forced on me. I know very well that this woman does everything with the support of the top cop in the city."
Trouble started for the composer when he bought a house in Palavakkam in 2011. "Since then, this neighbour is causing trouble. Her intention is to get our place which she asked us to sell to her when we first bought it. At first, she filed an attempt-to-murder case and now, she lodges a sexual harassment case. I will legally disprove all these false allegations."
James has spent nearly 48 hours in the prison. He says, "I have a positive approach to life; so, I enjoyed my stay in the jail. My wife has been my pillar of strength during this crisis. I will strive hard for justice."

http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2013-08-09/news-interviews/41237107_1_james-vasanthan-sexual-harassment-case-neighbour

Woman allegedly commits suicide over dowry harassment

Woman allegedly commits suicide over dowry harassment

Kanpur: A 20-year-old woman allegedly committed suicide after being threatened by her sister-in-law of implicating her in a case of dowry harassment, police said in Kanpur today.

The woman allegedly hanged self in her room yesterday, police said.

A suicide note has been recovered in which she has blamed her sister-in-law and her relatives for her suicide, police said.

The note alleged that the sister-in-law used to threaten the victim and other family members that she would implicate them in a dowry harassment case if they asked her to do household works, police said.

No arrest has been made so far and family members are being questioned, police said.

http://www.ndtv.com/article/cities/woman-allegedly-commits-suicide-over-dowry-harassment-405238 

Men can get harassed anywhere anytime....

Men can get harassed anywhere anytime....

furniture or luggage given by bride's parents in marriage is not Dowry

Dowry case against Arjun Singh is misuse of law: Renuka Chowdhury

 When it comes to minister, Renuka Chowdhary finds misuse of law, but when same happens to normal person its proper usage of 498a.

Dowry case against Arjun Singh is misuse of law: Renuka Chowdhury

New Delhi, July 31: Women and Child Development Minister Renuka Chowdhury today strongly defended Human Resource Development Minister Arjun Singh, saying a dowry harassment case against the latter was 'misuse' of the anti-dowry law. ''I definitely object to the misue of the Act like this,'' Ms Chowdhury told reporters when asked for her reaction about FIR being registered against Mr Singh and five of his family members by Uttar Pradesh police under the Anti-Dowry Act on a complaint by Madhvendra Singh, father of Priyanka Singh whom his grandson Abhimanyu had married. She said such incidents would harm the interests of the people genuinely seeking protection under the anti-dowry law. Though asserting that the law would take its own Course in the case, Ms Chowdhury, however, said the Act was made to benefit the people who are harassed for dowry. ''Such misuse of the law would create problems for those women,'' she added. She pointed out that the Human Resource Development Minister has already clarified that he was not even present at the wedding. The Uttar Pradesh police has registered an FIR against Mr Singh, his wife Beena Singh, son Abhimanyu Singh, grandson Abhijeet Singh and three others on the direction of Additional Chief Judicial Magistrate, Chandausi. Madhvendra Singh has alleged that Priyanka's in-laws had been demanding a Mercedes car and a flat in Noida from him and his daughter was being tortured when their demand was not met. Mr Singh had yesterday distanced himself from the case asserting that he had nothing to do with the allegation of harassment of his grandson's wife for dowry. Meanwhile, the Uttar Pradesh Government has indicated that it would order a CBI inquiry into the allegations against the Union Minister and his family members.

Read more at: http://news.oneindia.in/2007/07/31/dowry-case-against-arjun-singh-is-misuse-of-law-renuka-chowdhury-1185875316.html

High court alert on 498A

High court alert on 498A 

The high court on Thursday observed that some women were abusing IPC Section 498A to harass those the clause aims to protect them from — husbands and in-laws.

Justice K.S. Ahluwalia made the observation while quashing criminal charges against Mita Bhaduri and her husband Tapan, who were fearing arrest in connection with a case under section 498A (cruelty by husband or relatives of husband) lodged by her sister-in-law Maumita Maitra.

“The proceedings against the petitioners (Mita and Tapan) will be an abuse of the process of law. The FIR, along with all proceedings against the petitioners, is quashed,” Justice Ahluwalia said in his three-page order.

Quoting a Supreme Court ruling, Justice Ahluwalia said: “The ultimate object of justice is to find out the truth and punish the guilty and protect the innocent. The tendency of implicating all immediate relations is also not uncommon. The courts have to be extremely careful and cautious while dealing with these complaints and must take pragmatic matrimonial cases.”

Legal experts in the city welcomed Justice Ahluwalia’s view, which they said had highlighted the tendency of a section of women and their family members to misuse article 498A and lodge false complaints against in-laws.

“If a woman lodges a complaint of torture against her husband or any of her in-laws within seven years of marriage, police will have to arrest the accused first. No investigation is needed to arrest the accused or family members. Many women misuse the law to falsely implicate their husbands and in-laws,” said lawyer and former mayor Bikash Ranjan Bhattacharyya.

Maumita, a resident of Khardah, on the northern fringes of the city, had married Atanu in December 2002. The couple, who had been living at Atanu’s house in Sodepur, have two daughters — Arunima, 7, and Archisha, 5.

In December 2012, Maumita had lodged a complaint of torture against her husband, sister-in-law Mita and her husband Tapan.

Mita and Tapan — the couple got married in 1983 — live at Sinthee, around 12km from Atanu’s house. They moved a petition in the high court, seeking quashing of the proceedings against them.

The couple’s lawyer Debabrata Chatterjee submitted: “Maumita had complained that she had been regularly subjected to mental and physical torture by my clients. Is it possible? Mita and her husband have their own family. Why will they go to Sodepur regularly and torture Maumita?”

The judge observed: “It’s a fact that Mita and Tapan lived far way from the complainant’s house. The sister, who got married 19 years before her brother’s wedding, had nothing to do with the brother’s matrimonial affairs.”

http://www.telegraphindia.com/1130126/jsp/calcutta/story_16485664.jsp#.Uffp-m0uxRA 

Now, a helpline for harassed men

Now, a helpline for harassed men

KOZHIKODE: A legal aid centre formed by victims of dowry law (IPC498A) and other anti-men laws is launching a helpline for clients. The JanamithramJanakeeyaNeethiVedi, launched three years ago, promises that the service will be available round the clock from August 11.

The facility, offering legal aid and steps to tackle fabricated cases, will be launched in Malayalam in the first phase. The helpline numbers will be 9387469083 and 9142930682.

Vedi president M A Ibrahim Ravuthar said the increasing instances of misuse of laws, anti-men directives of family courts and the new amendment to Hindu Marriage Act had forced the 5,000-member-strong organization to launch the helpline. "The number of educated women misusing IPC section 498A to harass their husbands and other relatives is on the rise. We are looking to help such people," he said.

The genuineness of cases will be verified with the help of organization members in the respective districts. Legal aid to face fabricated cases will be provided to only those whose claims are found to be genuine in the verification process.

"The organization will also seek to work like mediators for the speedy disposal of cases. We have already contacted similar organisations in other states to work together. The helpline can benefit even those who don't know whom to approach for help,'' Ravuthur said.

"We will also provide legal aid with the help of police and state legal services authority,'' he added. http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/kozhikode/Now-a-helpline-for-harassed-men/articleshow/21290465.cms?fb_action_ids=185487584954514&fb_action_types=og.likes&fb_source=other_multiline&action_object_map={%22185487584954514%22%3A282026641937032}&action_type_map={%22185487584954514%22%3A%22og.likes%22}&action_ref_map=[] 

Mistress of Spice: Renuka Chowdhury

Mistress of Spice: Renuka Chowdhury

Renuka Chowdhury likes to be in the news. This week, however, the women and child development minister hit the headlines for all the wrong reasons. Her advice to women to trust condoms more than men received flak not only from men but also from women’s organisations. In the midst of this, she also provided enough ‘masala’ to news channels to rake up a fresh controversy.
The 52-year-old minister from Andhra Pradesh is not left deterred, though. “I will rather deal with controversies than die compromising. I will always knock at the door of truth,” was her reaction to opinions against her on television. “People should understand the context (of the statement) — that most women get HIV/AIDS from their husbands. I just wanted to caution them,” she said.
But critics like Poornima Advani, former chairperson of National Commission for Women, would prefer more subtle ways of cautioning. “Telling (women) that men cannot be trusted is demeaning your brothers and creating a rift in families,” said Advani.
Others questioned Chowdhury’s wisdom in asking women to purchase condoms themselves, saying they would be branded as sex workers. They feel that propagating such views can cause more harm to women than do any good.
All for a cause?
A housewife-turned-politician, Chowdhury, however, describes such views as mindset problems. And strong statements such as the one she made, she says, are needed to change the popular mindset. So, don’t be amazed if Chowdhury has more astonishing words of advice for women in the future.
She believes women cannot be empowered without strong rhetoric from the top level in the government and actually takes credit for initiating a national debate on issues relating to women’s right with her statement.
Chowdhury would have you believe that she has taken over the task of championing the cause of women’s empowerment. “I have seen traumatised women in the worst possible inhuman conditions. I am here to bring a change in their lives,” she has said.
Her eloquence on mandatory registration of pregnancies last week had several women organisations up in arms, terming the proposal as a move to infringe a woman’s privacy. Bur Chowdhury disagrees: “What privacy are you talking about? They (women) live with 10 members in a room and don’t have a bathroom. They cannot even decide when to bear a child. Registration (of pregnancy) will help give a woman good and healthy life.”
Heated history
The fresh row in the aftermath of Chowdhury’s statement may dissipate with time as it has happened in past, but Chowdhury’s political career, which started in 1984, has seen a long list of controversies. She hogged the limelight when she stood on top of a jeep to protest the ouster of the Andhra Pradesh government, and won the election against Congress leader P. Janardhan Reddy.
Then there was a time when she created a storm by joining the Congress after quitting the Telugu Desam Party and was subsequently made a minister of state for health and family welfare.
Her stint at the helm of the women and child development ministry has not been any less controversial. Her strong advocacy of the Domestic Violence Act earned her the dubious distinction of being one of the most hated Indian politicians on blogs and websites.
Blogs like the Unquiet Mind described her as ‘men hater’ and ‘creator of gender bias in the Indian laws’. Chowdhury’s office has received large amounts of hate mail but her officers perceive it as a signal of the good work being done. The domestic violence law even received flak from the Supreme Court, when it  observed that it was a “badly framed law”.
Mixed bag of results
Chowdhury’s critics like Ranjana Kumari of Women Power Connect point out that mere sensational comments on women and child issues will not work. Many of Chowdhury’s ideas —  like orphanages for girl children, which were highlighted in media with fanfare — have just not taken off, points out Ranjana Kumari. She adds that there is a need to bring seriousness in the government’s thinking on women and children issues.
Chowdhury’s retort is sharp: “We are here to restore rights of women as enshrined in the Constitution and give them a dignified way of living, which has not happened in 60 years of Independence.”
But the minister’s overdrive and admission of the faults within her ministry has won her accolades from Prime Minister Manmohan Singh.
For the first time, a law to protect the rights of children, a law against sexual harassment and a Child Protection Scheme are in the pipeline. Chowdhury admits that the world’s biggest child nutrition plan — the Integrated Child Development Scheme — was flawed, and has asked for restructuring of the scheme.
On the latest issue, Chowdhury claims she has got calls congratulating her for her views on HIV/AIDS and registration of pregnancies. And in making these statements, she says, she had taken the advice of a friend, who told her: “You should speak your heart out.” Well, the advice sure has brought into national focus the once low-profile ministry that she heads.
www.hindustantimes.com/News-Feed/India/Mistress-of-Spice-Renuka-Chowdhury/Article1-237774.aspx 

The forgotten women: MiLs take on DiLs

The forgotten women: MiLs take on DiLs

She does not seem to like Ekta Kapoor. And she is fighting a tough and rare battle which many people frown upon. She is that part of the society which has been branded as the ‘accepted vamps’. She is Neena Dhulia, a mother, but unfortunately, she is also a mother-in-law. Today, she is in a convoluted battle for the deserved rights of the ‘forgotten women of India’ - the mother-in-laws (MiL).
Up against a society which has often termed MiLs as the demon and daughter-in-law (DiL) as the sati savitri, the laconic Neena has support from over 3000 other MiLs who have been harassed by their DiLs. Having founded the All India Mother-in-Law Protection Forum (AIMPF) in 2009 in Bangalore, she is on a dragooned mission, expressing her remorse, hoping that it will explode silently and effectually redound in the society.
“From seven members, today we have around 3000 members and all are mother-in-laws harassed by daughter-in-laws. We used to visit the The Save Indian Family Foundation (SIFF) which is a men’s rights organisation, every Sunday at Cubbon Park. It was here that mothers of harassed husbands started meeting and then one fine day, we decided to have a forum for ourselves so that our grievances are also heard,” said the 60-year-old Neena.
Fighting for justice, and more so, fighting to clear her name as the plotting and villainous MiL, she also has the strong support of her son, Virag who is an active member of the SIFF. Her trouble began when he married. Within two months, his wife left home because she did not want to stay with his parents. Thus, began the journey of the percipient mother and son to fight for justice, a fight for which they have been innocently pushed towards.
And the anger that has been building within her is evident when she speaks. “Today there are 15 laws for daughter-in-laws but none for mother-in-laws or sister-in-laws. These 15 laws are being grossly misused. We contacted the National Commission for Women and have written numerous letters, but they have vehemently refused to address our problems. We are not in their mandate,” said Neena.
According to her, the society, the print and electronic media have constantly been portraying mother-in-laws as monsters and vamps. “All the years, we care for our child and as soon as marriage happens, we become the demon. No mother would want to ruin her son’s life. It is false propaganda which is breaking up families. Today it is so easy for a daughter-in-law to go to a police station and file a complaint. It is like ordering a pizza. In many cases, it is just extortion,” she states.
Neena lambasts the government because she says that while today, the government has made laws like the 498 A and the Domestic Violence Act wherein a daughter-in-law can file a complaint but not a mother-in-law.
But her fight is long and she is hopeful. “I am sure the change will happen. Today, at least the mindset has changed. Earlier people were not even accepting that false cases were being registered,” she adds.

 

 

http://newindianexpress.com/cities/bangalore/article1508482.ece 

Daughter-in-law withdraws dowry case against Shankar Rao

Daughter-in-law withdraws dowry case against Shankar Rao

Hyderabad: Vamsi Priya, daughter-in-law of former minister Dr P. Shankar Rao, on Wednesday withdrew the dowry harassment cases that she filed against her husband and in-laws.
Vamsi Priya also filed a petition in the Andhra Pradesh High Court stating that she was withdrawing the cases.
It may be mentioned that the Cantonment MLA was arrested by the Central Crime Station officials of City Police in connection with the same dowry harassment case filed against him. Later, he was shifted to a hospital after he fell ill where he is still undergoing treatment.
 

http://www.deccanchronicle.com/130717/news-politics/article/daughter-law-withdraws-dowry-case-against-shankar-rao 

Husband arrested for sexually starving wife for dowry

Husband arrested for sexually starving wife for dowry

The all women police here have arrested a man for sexually starving (refusing to cohabit) his wife even a year after their marriage, demanding that she first fulfill his demand for dowry.
Priya (22) who was unable to bear the mental agony of her husband Ramesh (23) for more than 16 months finally approached the police.
Police said she got married in March last year and her nightmare began the same day as her husband demanded immediate handing over of seven sovereigns of gold ornaments and Rs five lakh cash, saying he would not have any physical contact with her till such time.
Her parents had agreed to give 20 sovereigns of gold to Ramesh, who works in a goldsmith outlet, but could give only 13 sovereigns on day of the marriage, they said.
Based on the complaint, Ramesh was arrested and a hunt is on for his parents who were part of the torture, police said.

http://www.indianexpress.com/news/husband-arrested-for-sexually-starving-wife-for-dowry/1143641/ 

Married or not, domestic violence act binding, says Kerala HC

Married or not, domestic violence act binding, says Kerala HC


Kochi: In a significant ruling, the Kerala High Court has held that a woman is entitled to get protection under the provisions of the Protection of Women from Domestic Violence Act even if she was in a live-in relationship. 'What was intended under Sect 2(a) of the Act was a relationship of the same nature as marriage and nothing more', Justice K Harilal said in his order on Tuesday while dismissing a petition filed by a man hailing from Cherthala in Alapuzha district against a complaint from his live-in partner seeking protection from domestic violence and compensation.
According to Justice Harilal, "The couple must have lived together akin to spouses. That alone is sufficient. The legislature intent of the Act itself is to give protection to the women who were living with the husband in the nature of a marriage without a legal marriage."
The petitioner's contention was that the complainant was not a wife as per Sect 2(f) of the act and there was no domestic relationship them.

http://ibnlive.in.com/news/married-or-not-domestic-violence-act-binding-says-kerala-hc/407277-62-126.html