Courts cannot force husband to keep wife: SC 


Press Trust of India, New Delhi, Nov 26 2017, 9:23 IST


The Supreme Court has said that courts cannot force a husband to

The Supreme Court has said that courts cannot force a husband to "keep his wife" as it asked a man, a pilot by profession, to deposit Rs 10 lakh as interim maintenance for his estranged wife and upkeep of their son.

The apex court restored the bail order of the Madras High Court which was cancelled after the husband refused to comply with the compromise agreement.

"We cannot force a husband to keep his wife. It's a human relationship. You (man) deposit Rs 10 lakh with the trial court which will be withdrawn by the wife unconditionally to meet her immediate requirement," a bench of justices Adarsh Goel and U U Lalit said.

When the counsel appearing for the man said that the amount be reduced, the bench said that apex court is not a family court and no negotiations can be held.

"If you agree to deposit Rs 10 lakh immediately, the bail order would be restored," the bench said.

The counsel then agreed to deposit Rs 10 lakh but sought some time.

"We are inclined to restore the order of bail in view of the statement made on behalf of the petitioner that the petitioner will deposit a sum of Rs 10 lakh with the trial court within a period of four weeks," the bench said.

It said that the amount may be withdrawn by the wife unconditionally so that she can meet immediate requirements for herself and the child.

"The said amount will be subject to adjustment in any future proceedings. The parties are free to reach a mutual settlement for rehabilitation, as was earlier proposed. Accordingly, the order of bail will stand restored subject to above stipulations," the court said.

It directed that the pending proceedings may be completed by the trial court, as far as possible within a period of three months, as already directed by the high court.

The Madurai bench of Madras High Court had on October 11, cancelled his anticipatory bail saying the man has entered into a compromise memo with the complainant but contrary to the compromise memo, he had gone back from his promise and filed an evasive counter affidavit to wriggle out from his responsibilities.

It had noted that the very first condition of the memo that he would take her and their child to his place of working along with himself has not been fulfilled and under the pretext of the reunion has made the wife to drop the departmental action that was initiated against him.

The high court had also noted that due to the false promise, the life of their child is in limbo as a transfer certificate has been obtained from the school.

It directed the police to complete the investigation and file the charge sheet before the trial court within three months.

The husband was booked under various sections of IPC including dowry harassment.

Chennai: 1098 helpline goes dead for over 5 hours

DECCAN CHRONICLE. | KV NAVYA

 

Published Nov 26, 2017, 1:25 am IST

 

Respite for the vulnerable students came in the form of 104 helpline service run by the Tamil Nadu State Health department.

 

 

Talking about the issues of 1098, child rights activist, M. Andrew Sesuraj said, “Initially, when people were using only landline phones, every district in South India had a call centre.

 

Chennai: In the wake of counselors and psychologists stressing the need to arrest the number of suicides by students and emphasizing on the help line numbers, it is found that 1098, which is the first and only 24-hour, free emergency phone service for children, has failed to serve any purpose. Deccan Chronicle’s call to 1098 on Saturday went unanswered for over five hours.

Over 15 years after Childline India Foundation’s toll free 1098 helpline was launched in the city, the awareness still remains low and very few people who know about the service have abandoned it due to its poor maintenance.

Talking about the issues of 1098, child rights activist, M. Andrew Sesuraj said, “Initially, when people were using only landline phones, every district in South India had a call centre. So, the call would directly go to local telephone exchange that redirects the call to a helpline centre in the area. But, when mobile phones came in, the calls were being diverted to the service centre which led to call diversions, like Tiruchy’s call going to Madurai and Chennai’s call to Puducherry that ultimately led to proximity irrelevance.”

He further added that to address the issue, Thoraipakkam was selected as the only centre for all the calls and around 25 people were appointed for each shift. However, the complaints about the service do not seem to recede.

“1098 has been obsolete for over three years now. Mostly, after 8 pm, nobody picks the “24/7” helpline. Though numerous child rights activists have been spreading awareness in workshops at schools, the purpose is hampered,” said P. Krishnamurthy, a resident of Guindy.
However, when contacted an official from 1098 said, 6-11 pm are the peak hours when they would receive bulk of the calls and service issues still persist, which are currently being addressed.
Respite for the vulnerable students came in the form of 104 helpline service run by the Tamil Nadu State Health department. Statistics show that 1,200 people have been rescued by the counselors of 104 from committing suicide so far.

Sources said they usually attend around 20 calls per day and the numbers surge during examination time. However, they said the recent incidents have also shot up the number of calls due to the increased concern among the public.

Chennai to be first in India to get BSNL 4G services 

DECCAN CHRONICLE. | JM RUDHRAN BARAASU

Published Nov 26, 2017, 1:38 am IST

BSNL SIM card users in the city, especially 3G users, are deprived of better service for a long time as the coverage of BSNL is weak.



With 288 4G towers, and more 3G and 2G towers, the state-owned telecom provider is eyeing to regain the customers it lost owing to weak network coverage.

Chennai: With private telecom giants changing the Indian data consumption manner, state-owned telecom provider BSNL is all set to start 4G services in Chennai circle. Chennai will be first city testing BSNL 4G services if everything goes according to the plan.

“We (Chennai circle) are allotted with 288 4G towers, 468 3G towers and 365 2G towers. This equipment will provide quality services to our customers. With new 4G towers, we are starting our 4G operations soon. Chennai will be the first city that will have BSNL 4G service in the country,” a senior official attached with BSNL Chennai circle, said.

BSNL SIM card users in the city, especially 3G users, are deprived of better service for a long time as the coverage of BSNL is weak. “Due to the high rise buildings hindering signal, BSNL 3G coverage is far and few between. This irritates the customers and some opted for other service providers. Coverage inside huge buildings is sometimes weak,” V. Sathiabalan, former member, the telecom advisory committee said.

But the official expressed optimism and said that 1,121 new towers would help BSNL in providing unblemished service to customers. “BSNL Chennai circle is now having 2,700 towers. The new towers and other equipment will be delivered during the first week of December. Immediately we will start installation processes and subsequently 4G operations. Also, we are trying to relocate towers where high rise buildings affect coverage,” the official added.

The close proximity of Chennai with Sriperumbudur, one of the industrial hubs of Tamil Nadu played a major part in offering the chance of boasting first BSNL 4G services in the country. “4G towers, which are allotted are being manufactured in Sriperumbudur. Due to logistics advantage and a considerable number of BSNL users in Chennai, our Delhi head office has decided to start 4G services in Chennai,” the officer explained.

With RJio changing the business model of telecom industry subversively, BSNL has also followed their trail with aggressive plans and competitive offers with unlimited talk-time and data. “Once we complete installing, BSNL Chennai circle will get more equipment that will help compete with private companies,” the official added.

A candidate who tells a lie cannot be a cop, Hyderabad High Court rules 

DECCAN CHRONICLE.
Published Nov 26, 2017, 2:18 am IST

The board cancelled their candidature based on the common ground of suppression of their involvement in criminal cases.


Hyderabad High Court

Hyderabad: The Hyderabad High Court held that a candidate who tells a deliberate lie when specifically asked cannot be taken even with a pinch of salt. He is wholly unworthy of being drafted into the police department which calls for the highest degree of honesty and rectitude, it said.

A division bench comprising Justice C.V. Nagarjuna Reddy and Justice G. Shyam Prasad while allowing a batch of petitions by the State Level Police Recruitment Board of AP, observed, “Furnishing of false statement would even dwarf his earlier conduct of his involvement in a criminal case.”

The board had challenged the orders passed by the AP Administrative Tribunal setting aside the cancellation of candidature of P. Vinay and five others selected as constable in 2014.

The board cancelled their candidature based on the common ground of suppression of their involvement in criminal cases.

The tribunal set aside the cancellation holding that offences against the selected candidates were not heinous like murder, rape, involving moral turpitude. The tribunal held the view that the acquittal by Lok Adalat would erase the stigma.

Referring to a judgement of the Supreme Court in Commissioner of Police, New Delhi, v Mehar Singh, the bench said “Indub-itably an applicant seeking employment in the police force is expected to make a fair disclosure of their antecedents for a disciplined force like police department, a fair disclosure is an essential requirement and an aspirant is expected to state these facts honestly, which is an inbuilt requirement of any public employment.”

This obligation to make a fair disclosure was incorporated in the Rule and the consequences of failure to discharge this obligation was also made explicit. These candidates had failed to disclose their involvement in criminal cases, they have gone a step further by making a blatantly false statement in the relevant column, Justice Nagarjuna Reddy and Justice Shyam Prasad said.

DOn’t harass dhaba owner: HC
The Hyderabad High Court directed the city Central Crime Station police not to interfere with the business activity of petitioners who were running restaurants with a name identical to ‘Santosh Dhaba’ while investigating the case of alleged trademark infringement against them, except in a manner known to law.

Justice S.V. Bhatt was disposing of a petition by owners of Maa Santosh Dhaba alleging that the CCS deputy dommissioner of police and other officers were harassing and threatening to close their business stating that the name and style of Maa Santosh Dhaba in Somajiguda was identical to Santosh Dhaba.

According to the petitioners, one Manoj Kumar Shukla lodged a complaint with the CCS police claiming that he had the registered trademark of Santosh Dhaba and running a dhaba identical to it would infringe on his copyright.

While disposing of the case, the judge refused to restrict the investigation officer from the probe, but directed that the process of investigation ought not to interfere with the business of petitioner. Justice Bhatt made it clear that the alleged trademark infringement was not considered by the court.

Plea seeks checks on LPG vehicles

A PIL has been moved before the Hyderabad High Court challenging the inaction of the transport authorities in inspecting vehicles run with LPG periodically.

Policeman who attacked speeding motorist placed under suspension

TNN | Nov 26, 2017, 00:42 IST

Kanyakumari: A special sub-inspector (SSI) of police has been placed under suspension with effect from Friday night after a CCTV footage of the policeman attacking a biker at Kallupalam near Thiruvattar in Kanyakumari district, went viral on social media and gained nation-wide attention.

The footage that has been widely criticised shows two youth riding a bike and the policeman, Maria Ackrose, getting ready to hit the rider, with his lathi. The policeman then hit the rider Rajesh, 24, on his head as he rode between him and two other policemen who were standing close by. The incident left the public fuming.

Passersby picked up an argument with the police personnel there and also partially manhandled him which has been recorded in another video by the public. Police sources said the aggravated action by the SSI was an outcome of an incident involving the same youth about 30 minutes before the assault on the biker.

"It is not because they did not wear a helmet, as claimed in social media. The duo riding the bike without helmet did not stop when the police team tried to stop them. One of them provoked the policeman with a finger gesture and the police waited there for them to return," said an officer.

In a fit of rage the SSI lost his cool and attacked Rajesh on his head with a lathi. "But this cannot be a reason for a policeman to handle the public in such a manner. So he has been placed under suspension," said superintendent of police (SP) of Kanyakumari district, M Durai. He added that preliminary departmental inquiry has been ordered into the incident.

The SP said that assistant superintendent of police of Colachel sub-division, E Sai Charan Tejaswi, has will be inquiring the victim, his pillion rider, the policeman involved in the incident and the public and submit a report on the same to the SP in a week. No case was registered against the policeman or the rider (for provocation) till Saturday evening.

However, locals alleged this is the only incident that came to light and that there have been at least two other incidents of police attacking or abruptly stopping two-wheeler riders with their lathi in different parts of the district, leaving the riders and other road users injured. One such incident took place at Kulasekaram and another at Attur.

Mother-in-law’s hand suspected in woman’s killing

TNN | Nov 26, 2017, 00:44 IST

Tuticorin: In a shocking incident, a 24-year-old woman was allegedly hacked to death by her mother-in-law at Therespuram on Saturday evening. According to police, preliminary inquiry revealed that the victim Kavitha had got married to Ahmed Raja about three years ago. It was a love marriage and the couple have two children.

Inquiry revealed that it was a second marriage for both Kavitha and Raja. A week ago, Kavitha gave birth to a boy and ever since she and her mother-in-law Fathima have not been on good terms. On Saturday, the two women fought bitterly and Raja had to interfere to bring the situation under control.

Police sources quoting Raja said that he had gone out and on returning home late in the evening he was shocked to see his wife dead in a pool of blood with a deep cut on the head. Since his mother was missing and could not be reached, police suspect her.

SP of Tuticorin district P Mahendran conducted preliminary inquiries at the spot. The victim's body was sent to the Thoothukudi Medical College and Hospital for postmortem. Thoothukudi North police was quizzing Raja and are on the lookout for his mother.

In another incident, a 25-year-old man was found murdered in a farmland at the foothills of Kalakkad in Tirunelveli district on Saturday. The victim was identified as J Divakaran alias James, 25, of Veeravanallur near Cheranmahadevi. While it is suspected that he could have been murdered the previous night he body was found on Saturday morning.

Amaladas, 67, of Kanyakumari who was taking care of the banana plantations and coconut grove spotted the body and alerted Thirukkurungudi police. His body was sent to the Tirunelveli Medical College and Hospital for postmortem. Preliminary inquiry revealed that he tried to sexually harass a woman who is his close relative.

It is suspected that he could have been abducted and murdered in connection with the incident. He suffered at least seven cuts on his face, head, wrists and legs. Police said that they have identified a few suspects and two special teams are on the lookout for them. Unconfirmed reports said that two suspects have already been picked for inquiry.

Rift is out as OPS ignored for function in Madurai

TNN | Updated: Nov 26, 2017, 05:54 IST


Chief minister Edappadi K Palaniswami

CHENNAI: An AIADMK party flag hoisting function in Madurai on Saturday has brought to the fore the simmering feud between the two factions headed by chief minister Edappadi K Palaniswami and his deputy O Panneerselvam.

At the function, Palaniswami hoisted the party flag to celebrate the reclamation of the party name and symbol. Despite being in Madurai, OPS did not attend the function because he was not extended an invitation.

Also, local MP N Gokulakrishnan and MLA S S Saravanan, both belonging to the OPS camp, were not invited for the function. Party Rajya Sabha MP V Maithreyan said neglect was causing heartburn among OPS supporters.