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High-Ranking Delhi Govt Official and Wife Charged with Rape of Minor

September 18, 2024, 5:35 pm

A high-profile case involving the alleged rape of a minor girl by a former Delhi government official and his wife took a significant step forward on Wednesday. The Tis Hazari court took cognizance of the charge sheet filed against Premoday Khakha, the former Deputy Director of the Women and Child Development Department, and his wife Seema Rani.

The couple has been in custody since August following their arrest in connection with the alleged sexual abuse of the minor girl. The victim, a friend of Khakha’s daughter, had moved in with the family after losing her father. According to police, Khakha repeatedly raped the minor over several months, resulting in her pregnancy. The victim claims that Khakha’s wife also threatened and coerced her into having an abortion.

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The court has scheduled a hearing on December 5 for the scrutiny of documents related to the case. Delhi police are also expected to file a supplementary charge sheet against Khakha’s son and daughter, who have been granted protection from arrest by the Supreme Court.

Brij Bhushan Sexual Harassment Case: Court Postpones Evidence Recording Due to FSL Delays

July 26, 2024, 6:14 pm

On Friday, the Rouse Avenue court postponed the recording of evidence in a sexual harassment case involving former MP and ex- WFI chief Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh. The delay was due to a mobile phone seized during the investigation being held at the Forensic Science Lab (FSL) in Rohini, Delhi.

Additional Chief Judicial Magistrate (ACJM) Priyanka Rajpoot deferred the chief examination of Constable Mukesh Kumar, who was involved in the investigation and had seized two mobile phones from Deepak Singh and Subedar Yadav in Gonda, Uttar Pradesh. These phones are currently at the FSL.

The court also summoned a victim and another witness, Rashmi, to provide their evidence. The court noted that if the victim is uncomfortable testifying in the courtroom, her statement would be recorded in a vulnerable witness room. The next hearing is scheduled for August 6.

On July 11, the court ordered the trial and recording of prosecution witness statements to commence in the alleged sexual harassment case against Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh and Vinod Tomar. Meanwhile, Brij Bhushan’s counsel, advocate Rajiv Mohan, withdrew an application seeking documents related to foreign travel and hotel stays, with the option to refile with detailed authority information.

The court formally framed charges against Brij Bhushan and Vinod Tomar on May 21, which they denied, demanding a trial. Charges were initially ordered to be framed on May 10, based on allegations by several women wrestlers. The court found sufficient material to proceed against Brij Bhushan under sections 354 and 354A of the IPC and under section 506 (part 1) based on allegations from two women. However, he was discharged from allegations by a sixth wrestler.

Vinod Tomar faced charges under section 506 (part 1) of the IPC based on one woman’s allegations and was discharged from other allegations. The court scheduled the formal framing of charges for May 21.

The Delhi Police chargesheet, filed against Brij Bhushan and Tomar, indicated they complied with Section 41A of the CrPC by joining the investigation without arrest. The 1,599-page chargesheet included statements from 44 witnesses and six statements under Section 164 of the CrPC, alongside several event photographs. The chargesheet concluded that Brij Bhushan was “liable to be prosecuted and punished for offences” of sexual harassment, molestation, and stalking.

The case originated from complaints by women wrestlers, leading to two FIRs against Brij Bhushan—one under the POCSO Act, which resulted in a cancellation report for a minor wrestler, and another based on complaints from multiple wrestlers. The Delhi Police chargesheeted Brij Bhushan for offences under sections 354, 354A, and 354D of the IPC, and Vinod Tomar for offences under sections 109, 354, 354A, and 506 of the IPC, as confirmed by Suman Nalwa, PRO, Delhi Police.

Karnataka Horror: Man Chops Off Minor Girl’s Head After Their Marriage Put Off

May 10, 2024, 6:16 pm

A 16-year-old girl was brutally killed in Kodagu district allegedly by a man who chopped off her head and took it along with him after their proposed marriage was put off as she was a minor, police said on Friday.

Subsequently, the 32-year-old accused, identified as Prakash, fled the place and is yet to be arrested, they said.

The incident was reported from Surlabbi village.

According to police, the girl had just completed her SSLC this year and her engagement was fixed with Prakash on Thursday.

However, someone informed the Child Helpline number and officials from the Child Welfare Department reached the girl, Meena’s house and counselled both the families saying that if they went ahead with the marriage, it would attract provisions of the POCSO Act and Child Marriage Act.

Both families then agreed that only after Meena attained the age of 18 she would be married to Prakash. The officials and the groom’s family then left the place.

However, at around 5.30 pm on Thursday, Prakash barged into Meena’s house, kicked her father and assaulted her mother with a sharp-edged weapon, generally used for cutting trees. He then dragged the girl outside for about 100 metres, chopped off her head and fled the scene with it, Superintendent of Police (Kodagu), Ramarajan K, told PTI.
The victim’s father and mother were admitted to a hospital where the woman was treated for her injuries. Her father did not receive any visible cut injuries, he said.

“All efforts are being taken to nab the accused,” he added.

A case has been registered against the accused under Sections 307 (attempt to murder) and 302 (murder) of the Indian Penal Code and relevant sections of the Protection of Children against Sexual Offences Act, police said.

The victim has three sisters and two brothers and she was the youngest, police added.

8-year-old raped in Mumbai’s Jogeshwari

September 27, 2023, 3:27 pm

According to police, a 53-year-old man raped an eight-year-old girl in Mumbai’s Jogeshwari neighborhood on Wednesday. The victim and the accused both resided in the same building, according to Mumbai police, and the girl’s mother used to leave her there while she went to work because there was no one at home to watch over her. The girl told her mother about the incident a few days ago, and she immediately filed a complaint with the police station. The accused was taken into custody after Mumbai police filed a case under Section 376 of the IPC and the POCSO Act.

Delhi Police files cancellation report in minor wrestler’s case; next hearing on 4 July

June 15, 2023, 1:34 pm

In the minor’s case in the FIR against former WFI chief Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh, Delhi Police has submitted a cancellation report in Delhi Patiala House Court. The case’s next hearing is scheduled for 4 July. When no supporting evidence is discovered, a cancellation report is produced. “We have submitted the POCSO case’s final report. The next hearing is scheduled on 4 July, according to Special Public Prosecutor Atul Srivastava.

The father of a minor wrestler claimed to have “corrected” his previous statement regarding Brij Bhushan Singh’s case and that he had made a false complaint against the bhushan “out of anger” last week, according to media reports. The father of the minor had reportedly admitted to being “under a lot of pressure” and that the entire family was “in depression,” according to Olympian Bajrang Punia , who made this claim later. He had stated that the wrestlers will stage a larger protest if the government did not file the chargesheet in the complaint by 15 June as promised.

Teacher arrested in Uttar Pradesh for attempting to sex attack schoolgirls

May 15, 2023, 12:33 pm

In a horrific occurrence, a government school teacher from the Shahjahanpur district of Uttar Pradesh was detained after police reported that he had molested at least 18 girls.

According to authorities, the accused, a computer teacher, was supported by the school’s principal and an assistant teacher, who have both been arrested. According to the police, the three suspects have been charged under the POCSO (Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act), the IPC, and the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act.

The three defendants have been identified as computer teacher Mohammad Ali, assistant teacher Sajia, and school principal Anil Pathak.

“Case of sexual harassment of minor girls in Tilhar police station of Shahjahanpur. As many as 18 girls have been sexually abused and are to be X-rayed today. The accused has been arrested,” Shahjahanpur Senior Superintendent of Police S Anand told source. He said that legal action is being initiated and the Child Welfare Committee has been informed.

The secondary school in Shahjahanpur district’s Tilhar police station is the subject of the case. A computer teacher named Mohammad Ali used to abuse young female students. Anil Pathak, the principal, and Sajia, another teacher, supported him, according to Tilhar Circle Officer Priyank Jain.

He said that the village head Pradhan Lalta Prasad filed a complaint against all the accused at Tilhar police station.

One of the girl confided with her parents about how her computer teacher had improperly touched both her and other female classmates in the past. Following a school raid. The parents of these girls then raided the school and also recovered used condoms from the school’s toilet. On social media, a supposed video of the incident appeared.

The principal and the assistant instructor have both been suspended by education department officials.

“A procedure has been started and will be finished soon for the departmental investigation against the computer teacher. Basic Shiksha Adhikari (BSA), Kumar Gaurav, stated that the principal and the assistant teacher were currently suspended. Kumar Gaurav further added that a case has been registered and the police are investigating the matter.

Baldev Singh Aulakh, a minister in Uttar Pradesh, denounced the incident and demanded that those responsible face harsh punishment.

When questioned about the alleged assault on the girls, the majority of whom are Dalit, the minister responded, “We respect all castes and communities, the matter isn’t about Dalits, but about the girls, and action should be taken against the accused as per law.”

Kumar Gaurav further added that a case has been registered and the police are investigating the matter.

Meanwhile, Uttar Pradesh minister Baldev Singh Aulakh condemned the incident and said that strict action should be taken against the accused.

Delhi: Juvenile apprehended for sexually abusing a girl in Kalyanpuri

April 30, 2023, 7:29 pm

The Delhi Police arrested a boy on Sunday for allegedly sexually assaulting a girl child in Delhi’s Kalyanpuri neighborhood.

On Saturday night, Kalyanpuri Police Station received information that a girl child had been sexually assaulted by her neighbor. According to the allegations, the victim child was playing in the streets when the accused allegedly took her to a vacant house in front of a park near his home and sexually assaulted her. The child began to cry, and both she and the accused boy fled the scene.

The victim told her mother about the incident, and she was taken to the hospital, where the complaint was filed. She was examined medically and counseled by a children’s care counsellor at Lal Bahadur Shastri Hospital. Doctors confirmed the assault during an examination.

The police opened an investigation under sections 376 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) and 6 of the POCSO Act. The police also apprehended the accused boy, who happens to be a juvenile. The case is being investigated further.

Minor girl raped; 1 held in Mathura

January 5, 2023, 1:03 pm

Uttar Pradesh Police has arrested one person for raping a minor girl in Mathura’s Gausana. Meanwhile, the arrested accused has been identified as Satish who hails from Gausana village of Mathura. Senior Superintendent of Police Shailesh Pandey ordered his arrest and within 24 hours the accused has been arrested. “A case has been registered against the accused under section 452/376AB of the Indian Penal Code (Punishment for rape on woman under twelve years of age) and 5M/6 POCSO Act at Jamunapar police station,” City SP Martand Prakash Singh said.

AC mechanic rapes 5-year-old girl in Navi Mumbai

December 9, 2022, 1:40 pm

A five-year-old girl has been raped by a mechanic who came to repair the AC in Navi Mumbai’s Taloja Parishar in the lift of the building.

Meanwhile, police have arrested 19-year-old Mohammad Akhtar Mathar Hussain for allegedly sexually assaulting a five-year-old girl outside a building of Taloja police station in Navi Mumbai.

Senior Police Inspector of the Taloja Police station, Jitendra Sonawane said, “A 5-year-old girl was sexually assaulted by a 19-year-old man, identified as Mohd Akhtar Mathar Hussain in Taloja, Raigad district.”

The accused carried out the incident after fixing the AC in one of the rooms. The accused saw a five-year-old girl playing in the parking lot and looked around where there was no one and raped the girl child.

“The accused picked the victim while playing, and sexually assaulted her inside a lift. The accused is an AC mechanic and was visiting a nearby flat. Seeing no one around, he took the girl to the lift, forced himself on the victim inside the lift, and sexually assaulted her,” Sonawane said.

Even the security guard of the building was also not present and later he took the girl to the lift, while the accused forced the child into the lift and sexually assaulted her.

Moreover, the accused has been arrested and under the POCSO act, the case has been registered.

“The accused was brought to the police station. A case under sections 8 and 376 of IPC and POCSO has been registered against the accused and he has been arrested,” Sonawane said.

However, the accused will be produced in court on Friday and taken on police remand. At present, the victim girl is being treated in the hospital.

Marriage in Muslims is not excluded from POCSO Act: Kerala HC

November 20, 2022, 4:46 pm

According to a ruling by the Kerala High Court, a marriage between Muslims under personal law is not exempt from the scope of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offenses (POCSO) Act.

In addition, the court decided that POCSO Act offences would apply regardless of whether the marriage was valid or not if one of the parties was a juvenile.

The Single Bench of Justice Bechu Kurian Thomas further observed, “The POCSO Act is a special statute enacted specifically for the protection of children from sexual offences. Sexual exploitation of every nature against a child is treated as an offence. Marriage is not excluded from the sweep of the statute.”

“The POCSO Act is a special enactment. The advances and progress achieved in societal thinking have resulted in the enactment. This special statute was enacted based on principles arising out of jurisprudence relating to child abuse. The child abuse jurisprudence evolved out of the need to protect the vulnerable, the gullible and the innocent child. The legislative intent to protect the child from sexual predators hovering over them under different labels, including that of marriage, is explicitly evident from the statutory provisions,” he further observed.

The court further mentioned that underage marriages have historically been seen as a breach of human rights.

“A child marriage compromises the growth of the child to her full potential. It is the bane of society. The legislative intent reflected through the POCSO Act is to prohibit physical relationships with a child, even under the cover of marriage. This is the intent of society, too, for a statute is, as is often said, the expression or reflection of the will of the people. In the accomplishment of the said intent, the POCSO Act has defined the word ‘child’ in section 2(d) as ‘any person below the age of 18 years,” the court observed.

“Personal laws and customary laws are both laws. Section 42A intends to override such laws also. Therefore it cannot be gainsaid that after the coming into force of the POCSO Act, penetrative sexual intercourse with a child, even if it is under the guise of marriage, is an offence,” the court added.

A Muslim man, 31, who is accused of kidnapping and raping a minor girl, had filed for bail. The court denied his plea. According to the personal laws that applied to them, he claimed that he had legally wed the girl in March 2021.