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

'Amended Marriage Laws Bill 2010 will harm interest of husbands'

NAGPUR: Not happy with Marriage Laws (Amendment) Bill 2010 tabled in Parliament on August 26, men's rights activist Rajesh Vakharia of 'Save Indian Family Foundation', Nagpur chapter, says that the law is against the principles of natural justice. "Statements in support of this law were grossly misleading and downright incorrect," says Vakharia.

He feels that only lawyers will welcome such a law which gives power to law enforcement systems. "When the government planned to amend Criminal Procedure Code to reduce arrests under Section 498A to stop its misuse, lawyers protested against this move claiming they will not be able to make big money from bail fees from men and their families," says Vakharia.

Vakharia's view is that if the bill is passed by Parliament, then husbands will lose their hard-earned property if their marriage breaks. They will face false cases under Section 498A, Domestic Violence Act, Section 125 CrPC, etc. and get extorted further.

They may also lose custody of their children to their estranged wife and will become bankrupt if their wife decides to leave or if they are unhappy in the marriage.

"All I want is that the law minister should call for an open debate on the pros and cons of this law," he says.  http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/Amended-Marriage-Laws-Bill-2010-will-harm-interest-of-husbands/articleshow/22228527.cms 

Woman tramples live-in partner to death

Woman tramples live-in partner to death

CHENNAI: Police on Saturday claimed to have solved the July 2 murder of a real estate agent in Thirukazhukundram, 45km from Chennai, with the arrest of his live-in partner.

Serena, 32, trampled Suresh Kumar, 31, to death when he was asleep because he had objected to her friendship with a woman named Gowri, police said. Kumar was heavily drunk at the time. She then hung his body from the ceiling.

The next morning she alerted neighbours saying she had woken up to find Kumar hanging. Soon, police arrived on the scene and began investigations. Not convinced with Serena's answers, police registered a case of murder but initially suspected the hand of an outsider. "However, Serena remained on the list of suspects list as she was present in the house at the time," a police officer said.
It was thought that he had been strangled, but the injury on one side of the neck ruled out this possibility. The usual marks associated with it were absent, police said. But the symptoms present made it clear he was murdered.
Unable to make up their minds about the cause of death, police again turned their attention to Serena after rejecting the chances of an outsider having committing the crime. She was taken to the police station and questioned separately by a team of women personnel. She finally confessed to the killing.
Inquiries revealed that Suresh Kumar, a resident of Vallam near Chengalpet, had been living with Serena for the past couple of years. Serena, whose husband lived and worked abroad, resided at a house in Thirukazhukundram with her son and daughter. Trouble began between the couple when Suresh Kumar objected to Serena's friendship with Gowri and they often fought over the issue.
At night on July 1, a fresh altercation broke out over the subject before the couple went to sleep. Later, Serena woke up and trod on Kumar's neck with her foot, according to her confession statement. She later hung the body from the ceiling and went to sleep.
Serena has been remanded in judicial custody.

http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2013-07-07/chennai/40420329_1_serena-suresh-kumar-live-in-partner

Daughters-in-law abuse elderly more, says HelpAge India study

Daughters-in-law abuse elderly more, says HelpAge India study 

Daughters-in-law are the worst abusers of the elderly in homes in Thiruvananthapuram, a study conducted by HelpAge India says.

The study, covering 24 cities including the Kerala capital, released here on Friday, says that daughters-in-law constituted 44 per cent of the abusers, followed by daughters (32 per cent) and sons (24 per cent). The study was released to mark World Elder Abuse Awareness Day on Saturday.

The report says that the elders’ perception of abuse constituted neglect (38 per cent), economic exploitation (27 per cent), and disrespect (35 per cent). Among the abused, 24 per cent made an attempt to report it, their first choice being a community leader. Their second choice was the local police and the third choice relatives, friends, and NGOs.

Those who did not report abuse did so in order to maintain confidentiality of family matters; ignorance about the best way to deal with the problem; or lack of confidence in the ability of the person or agency.

Twenty two per cent of those surveyed reported experiencing abuse, 34 per cent of them experienced abuse for three to five years. For 33 per cent of the respondents, abuse was a daily experience. Among those who reported abuse, 89 per cent of the elderly belong to age group of 60-70 years, 10 per cent to 71-80 years. The mean age of those who reported abuse was 65 years. Forty five per cent of respondents were postgraduates, 25 per cent graduates. Among them, 85 per cent were married and 14 per cent were widows or widowers, the study says.

http://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/Thiruvananthapuram/daughtersinlaw-abuse-elderly-more-says-helpage-india-study/article4817075.ece 

दुष्कर्म का मामला निकला झूठा

दुष्कर्म का मामला निकला झूठा

वरिष्ठ संवाददाता, बल्लभगढ़ :
सहायक पुलिस आयुक्त (एसीपी) सेंट्रल पूनम दलाल ने थाना सदर पुलिस को जेल अधिकारियों के खिलाफ दुष्कर्म के आरोप में दर्ज मुकदमें को रद करने के आदेश दिए हैं।
विदित हो कि 14 मई 2013 को जिला नीमका जेल के बंद दो महिला कैदियों उपाधीक्षक शाहिद खान पर बंद कमरे में दुष्कर्म करने तथा दो महिला वार्डनों पर दुष्कर्म के लिए प्रेरित करने का आरोप लगाया था। इस मामले में महिलाओं की शिकायत पर थाना सदर में भी मामला दर्ज किया गया। मामले की जांच सेंट्रल एसीपी पूनम दलाल को सौंपी गई थी। जांच के दौरान एसीपी ने जेल में करीब 65 कैदियों के बयान दर्ज किए। इस दौरान उन्होंने जेल के कर्मचारियों से भी बातचीत की। जांच के दौरान एसीपी ने जेल अधिकारियों के खिलाफ मामले को झूठा पाया। एसीपी ने अपनी जांच पूरी करने के बाद थाना सदर पुलिस को लिखित में मुकदमा निरस्त करने के आदेश दिए हैं। इसकी पुष्टि थाना सदर प्रभारी प्रशिक्षु आइपीएस अभिषेक जोरवाल ने भी की है।

http://www.jagran.com/haryana/faridabad-10538273.html 

आत्महत्या को मजबूर के आरोप में ससुराली नामजद

आत्महत्या को मजबूर के आरोप में ससुराली नामजद

संवाद सूत्र, फरीदकोट : स्थानीय पटेल पार्क के निकट निवासी व फरीदकोट में विवाहित एक महिला के पति द्वारा मानसिक रूप से परेशान होकर नहर में कूदकर आत्महत्या करने के मामले में फरीदकोट पुलिस ने मृतक की माता के बयानों पर मृतका की पत्‍‌नी सहित अबोहर निवासी ससुराल परिवार पर आत्महत्या करने का मामला दर्ज कर लिया है।
जानकारी के अनुसार न्यू कैंट फरीदकोट निवासी आशा रानी ने जिला सीनियर पुलिस कप्तान गुरमीत सिंह रधावा को दी शिकायत में बताया कि उसका बेटा शशि कुमार सरकारी अध्यापक था। उसका अबोहर निवासी अपनी पत्‍‌नी भारती पुत्र मदन लाल के साथ घरेलू झगड़ा चल रहा था। इस पर भारती ने वूमेन सेल में केस भी कर रखा था और शशि कुमार इसकी तारीखें भुगत रहा था।
आशा रानी ने बताया कि शशि के ससुराल वाले भी उसको पिछले काफी समय से परेशान कर रहे थे। इसी परेशानी के चलते उसने गत दिनों नहर में कूदकर आत्महत्या कर ली। फरीदकोट पुलिस ने आशा रानी के बयानों पर भारती, उसके पिता मदन लाल गाधी, निटकोन अधिकारी उसके भाई पि्रंस गाधी व ज्योति गाधी पर आत्महत्या के लिए मजबूर करने के मामले के तहत मुकदमा नंबर 181 दर्ज कर लिया है।

http://www.jagran.com/punjab/faridkot-10544453.html 

SC cautions on slapping murder charge in dowry death case

SC cautions on slapping murder charge in dowry death case 

HDFC Bank’s 30 year home loan New Delhi, July 4: In dowry death cases, the trial courts should not mechanically frame a murder charge against the accused unless there is prima facie evidence supporting the finding, the Supreme Court has said. "The question whether it is murder punishable under Section 302 IPC or a dowry death punishable under Section 304B IPC depends upon the fact, situation and the evidence in the case," said the apex court bench of Justice TS Thakur and Justice Ranjana Prakash Desai in a recent judgment. "If there is evidence whether direct or circumstantial to prima facie support a charge under Section 302 IPC, the trial court can and indeed ought to frame a charge of murder punishable under Section 302 IPC, which would then be the main charge and not an alternative charge as is erroneously assumed in some quarters," said Justice Thakur pronouncing the judgment. If the main charge of murder was not proved against the accused at the trial, the court could look into the evidence to determine whether the alternative charge of dowry death punishable under Section 304B was established, the apex court said. The ingredients constituting the two offences were different, thereby demanding appreciation of evidence from the perspective relevant to such ingredients, the bench said. A charge under Section 304B of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) was not a substitute for a charge of murder punishable under Section 302 of the IPC, the court said. The court said this while clarifying its earlier order of Nov 22, 2010, which was being "mechanically" read to invoke the charge of murder in every dowry death case. The apex court by its interim order had directed all trial courts to ordinarily add Section 302 of the IPC to the charge under Section 304B "so that death sentences could be imposed in such heinous and barbaric crimes against women". Setting aside a Delhi High Court order upholding the addition of murder charges by the trial court in pursuance to the apex court's Nov 22, 2010, interim order, Justice Thakur and Justice Desai said: "That was not, in our opinion, the true purport of the order passed by this court." Clarifying the Nov 22, 2010, interim order, the apex court said: "The direction was not meant to be followed mechanically and without due regard to the nature of the evidence available in the case." "All that this court meant to say was that in a case where a charge alleging dowry death is framed, a charge under Section 302 can also be framed if the evidence otherwise permits," the judgment said. It is common ground that a charge under Section 304B IPC is not a substitute for a charge of murder punishable under Section 302. The court said this while addressing the question whether the high court was justified in affirming the trial court decision to add murder charge against Jasvinder Saini and others who were under penal provisions for punishment for cruelty against woman by her husband and his relatives, dowry death and criminal breach of trust. Initially while framing the charges, the trial court did not find any evidence to invoke the murder charge but added it after the apex court's Nov 22, 2010, interim order. Saini and his relatives were named as accused in the case of his wife Chandni's death under unnatural circumstance.

http://www.samachar.com/SC-cautions-on-slapping-murder-charge-in-dowry-death-case-nheuM3hdbbj.html