When Instagram friendship turned a nightmare for married woman

When Instagram friendship turned a nightmare for married woman

Chaithanya.Swamy@timesofindia.com 08.11.2024

Bengaluru : A 37-year-old married woman’s friendship with an Instagram acquaintance landed her in deep trouble as the latter extorted gold ornaments and cash from her using her nude photographs, which he also sent to her relatives and friends. He even contacted her husband, resulting in her being sent out of the marital home. Police took swift action and arrested the accused. 

According to the police complaint lodged by Radhika (name changed), she got married in 2012 and has an 11-yearold daughter. Her husband is in the real estate business. The couple developed differences over the past four years but they continued to live together. In early 2021, she befriended Abhishek M Naik, 24, a private firm employee, on Instagram. Naik had two accounts — ‘Abhi_373’ and ‘Abhishek_Naik_373’. After a few days of friendship on social media, the duo exchanged phone numbers and started texting regularly. Radhika shared with Naik her marital issues. He took advantage of her situation and counselled her. She felt comfortable with him, and the duo started making WhatsApp video calls, speaking for hours. 

Radhika considered Naik a trustworthy partner and started posing nude on the video calls. She also sent him nude photos and videos of herself. He also recorded her audio calls and saved the audio messages sent by her. Over time, the duo developed differences and Radhika started avoiding Naik. He then began blackmailing her for ransom by threatening to leak her nudes. She gave him gold ornaments and cash on multiple occasions. As he demanded more money and gold, Radhika informed him she didn’t have any more valuables to part with. He threatened to send her nudes to her family members and friends. Naik got in touch with her husband over phone and informed him about the affair. Her husband threw Radhika out of the house in May, and she and her daughter began living with her sister. 

She blocked Naik’s number and changed her mobile number thereafter. But he continued to be in  touch with her husband and managed to collect her and her family members and friends’ numbers. He again started harassing her and recently, collected the address of her sister’s house from her husband and came in search of her on Oct 5. She learnt he was showing her nudes to people in the area and asking for the address. He even showed the nudes to her sister’s office staff. They alerted her sister, after which Radhika lodged a complaint. 

A senior police officer said Radhika met Abhishek on multiple occasions and they were in a relationship. When she avoided him, he became possessive and wanted her back in his life. “We caught him red-handed when he was near her sister’s house and arrested him.” A case has been registered under Information Technology Act and Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita Sections 354C (voyeurism) & 384 (extortio

Mgmt quota MBBS: Top SC students to get ₹50L incentive

Mgmt quota MBBS: Top SC students to get ₹50L incentive 

TIMES OF INDIA  BENGALURU 08.11.2024

Bengaluru : The social welfare dept has announced an incentive of Rs 50 lakh for meritorious Scheduled Caste (SC) students from families with annual income up to Rs 8 lakh, who are forced to seek admission under management quota in private medical colleges for having missed out on govt quota seats. This new provision has come into force from the current academic year itself, reports Sruthy Susan Ullas. 

In Karnataka, MBBS seats under management quota in private colleges bear an annual fee ranging from Rs 25 lakh to Rs 40 lakh. According to a circular issued by the department on Oct 24, SC students who had more than 95% marks in their II PUC, but were unable to secure a govt quota seat through NEET and had to get admitted to private colleges under management quota, would henceforth be eligible for Rs 25 lakh towards payment of their college fees.

Just 1 student has applied for ₹25L incentive Additionally, those who avail of this benefit will be eligible for another Rs 25 lakh as a further incentive if they clear their first year of MBBS with 60% marks. This amount will also come in handy for students to pay off their loans, in case they have already completed their admission formalities. However, though the social welfare department expects around 25 students to avail of this  scheme every year, in the 2024-25 academic year, only one student has applied for it until now. “It came to our notice that there are meritorious SC students who miss out on a good NEET score as it is a very coaching-oriented exam. This initiative aims to incentivise those students,” said an official from the social welfare department. “We need more doctors from the SC community. We have made strict norms like 95% PU marks and 60% MBBS score to avoid this provision from being misused,” the official reasoned. A total of 1.2 lakh SC students wrote the II PU exam in the last academic year in all streams

No male tailor should take women’s measurements, proposes UP panel

No male tailor should take women’s measurements, proposes UP panel 

Also Suggests No Male Should Train Women At Gyms Or At Yoga Sessions 

Sachin Sharma TNN 08.11.2024 

Shamli : Uttar Pradesh State Women’s Commission has proposed a slew of radical measures to ensure safety of women in the state. Among them: male tailors must no longer take women’s measurements and no men should train women at gyms or during yoga sessions. In the proposed safety guidelines aimed at “improving security for women in public and commercial spaces”, the commission has also recommended that female security personnel be present on school buses, and female staff in women’s clothing stores. 

These suggestions were discussed in an Oct 28 meeting in Lucknow, where the commission members explored various measures to address women’s safety. Maneesha Ahlawat, a member of the commission, told TOIon Thurs-day: “The discussions are preliminary. Feasibility of these proposals is yet to be decided. Once approved, these proposals will be submitted to the govt to draft a policy for groundlevel implementation.” Meanwhile, Shamli district probation officer Hamid Hussain has already issued instructions for establishments to start adoptin these guidelines. Hussain said the key directives include mandatory female trainers or teachers in women’s gyms, drama and yoga centres, and the installation of CCTV systems with DVR capabilities. “School buses are now required to have a female security guard or teacher present,” Hussain said. “Boutique centres must employ female tailors for taking measurements of women, with active CCTV monitoring. Additionally, coaching centres are required to have CCTV surveillance and proper restroom facilities. Stores selling women-specific clothing and accessories must also employ female staff to assist customers.” Local social worker Veena Agrawal from Shamli district welcomed the initiative.

“We welcome this effort by the Women’s Commission. These measures aim to strengthen safety and ensure a supportive environment for women in various public and commercial spaces across the state,” she told TOI.

Can’t curb media’s right to freedom of speech: HC

Can’t curb media’s right to freedom of speech: HC 

TIMES OF INDIA  AHAMEDABAD 08.11.2024

Kochi : In a landmark judgment, the Kerala high court has held that the media’s right to freedom of speech and expression cannot be restricted except by a law enacted by a competent legislative body, and even then only on the grounds explicitly listed in Article 19(2) of the Constitution, which permits the govt to impose reasonable restrictions on freedom of speech and expression. A larger bench of the high court, comprising Justices A K Jayasankaran Nambiar, Kauser Edappagath, C P MohammedNias, C S Sudha, and V M Syam Kumar, delivered this ruling whileaddressing petitions on the scope and limitations of media freedoms in reporting criminal investigations or cases pending before various courts.

The bench also held that the media’s right to speech and expression is integral to fundamental rights. The bench highlighted that media’s freedom of speech and expression while reporting on criminal investigations or pending cases must respect the principle of separation of powers under the Constitution. This principle, along with the rule of law, dictatesthat a final and authoritative declaration of guilt or innocence is reserved for judicial authorities. Therefore, any definitive media statements about a party’s guilt or innocence before a judicial determination do not fall within the protections provided by the right to speech and expression guaranteed by Article 19(1) (a) of the Constitution. In instances where individuals claim that media actions have infringed, or are likely to infringe, on their right to dignity or reputation, they may seek relief in a constitutional court.

Amreli farmer gives honourable burial to his beloved hatchback

Amreli farmer gives honourable burial to his beloved hatchback 

FIVE-HOUR SAMADHI FUNCTION CULMINATES WITH DINNER FOR 2,000

Dilip Jiruka 08.11.2024 

Rajkot : All of us have seen police dogs receiving respectable burials as a tribute to their valour in combating terrorists or sniffing out explosives and drugs. In Amreli, however, a farmer's family gave an honourable burial (samadhi) to his beloved car that reached its age. Yes, you heard it right! And it wasn’t a silent sendoff to the hatchback, which the car owner, Sanjay Polra, asserts brought the family immense prosperity and elevated their social standing ever since they drove it out of the showroom in 2006. 

The grand event held in Padarshinga village of Lathi taluka on Thursday was marked by ritualistic prayers to the family deity, after which the car, decked with flowers, was taken out in a procession to the ‘samadhi’ spot on his farm. The function, organised in the presence of saints and local spiritual preachers, culminated with a delectable spread of puris, chapatis, subji, and laddos for all 1,500 villagers and invitees. After hitting upon the ‘samadhi’ idea some days ago, Polra sent out a specially designed four-page invitation to some 2,000 people. 

The invitation read: “This car has been like a family member since 2006, and it brought us good fortunes. We gained prosperity, and our reputation in society was elevated. We want this car in our memory forever, and that's why we have planned a samadhi (burial) of this car.” "I purchased this car in 2006. Ever since I bought it, the vehicle brought my family good luck and elevated our social prestige. I wanted to do something different, so I decided on a respectable adieu in the form of samadhi for the car,” Polra said. The Polra family will offer floral tributes to the memorial on Nov 7 every year. “We will plant trees around the memorial,” said Polra. Vipul Sojitra, a villager, said, "I was amused when he invited me to the samadhi function of a car. The family wanted to do something out of the box for their beloved car.”

Gujarat family gives ‘lucky’ car a sendoff samadhi

Gujarat family gives ‘lucky’ car a sendoff samadhi 

Dilip Jiruka TNN 08.11.2024

Amreli : As epitaphs go, “Born a car, loved like a favourite child” would be an apt one for a memorial to GJ05 CD7924. 

Sanjay Polra and his family, residents of Padarshinga in Lathi taluka of Gujarat’s Amreli, gave their beloved lucky charm a ceremonial send-off to car heaven on Thursday in the presence of the entire village and other invitees. The rituals, complete with a priest reciting Sanskrit shlokas in front of the family deity, were the culmination of a procession with the flower-bedecked hatchback from Polra’s home till the “samadhi” site at his farm. A JCB backhoe was requisitioned to cover the car’s final resting place with earth once it had been lowered there.

 “This car has been like a family member since we drove it out of a showroom in 2006. It brought us for tune. We gained prosperity, and our stature in society went up several notches. We want this car stored in our memories forever,” Polra wrote in the fourpage invitation sent out to 2,000-odd guests. The invitees were served a spread of puri, chapati, subji, and laddoos. Polra said he intended to plant trees around the memorial to his silver hatchback. “I wanted to do something different, so I settled on this send-off. 

We will assemble here on Nov 7 each year to reminisce about all the journeys we took in our favourite car.” Vipul Sojitra, a villager who was witness to the ceremony, said he initially found it amusing that someone would organise a samadhi for a car. “Sanjaybhai is a childhood friend. His family wanted to do something out of the box for their beloved car, and that’s why they held this event,” he said.

Can’t change eligibility criteria after advertising vacancy: SC

Can’t change eligibility criteria after advertising vacancy: SC 

Figuring In Select List No Guarantee For Employment: 5-J Bench

Dhananjay.Mahapatra@timesofindia.com 08.11.2024

New Delhi : Giving a legal cloak to the age-old norm ‘rules of the game can’t be changed midway’, Supreme Court on Thursday ruled that the eligibility criteria for govt jobs cannot be altered after advertising vacancies, and also said that transparency and nondiscrimination are inflexible features of public recruitment. A bench of Chief Justice D Y Chandrachud and Justices Hrishikesh Roy, P S Narasimha, Pankaj Mithal and Manoj Misra said, “Eligibility criteria for being placed in the ‘select list’, notified at the commencement of the recruitment process, cannot be changed midway through the recruitment process unless the extant rules so per mit, or the advertisement, which is not contrary to the extant rules, so permit.”

Writing the judgment, Justice Misra said, “Even if such change is permissible under the extant rules or the advertisement, the change would have to meet the requirement of Article 14 of the Constitution and satisfy the test of non-arbitrariness.” The bench said the recruiting authorities must devise appropriate procedures for keeping the process of selection “transparent, non-discriminatory/ nonarbitrary” with focus on achieving the object of selecting the right candidate for the public employment. Referring to open-ended advertisements for recruitment, SC said it may give some discretion to the recruiting authority to adopt steps relevant to the process of recruitment and nature of employment, but none of such steps could be arbitrary or violative of the right to nondiscrimination guaranteed under Article 14 of the Constitution. 

However, it also said that even if a person finds his name in the list of selected candidates on completion of the recruitment process, he/ she does not get “an indefeasible right to  appointment”. However, the five-judge bench put in a caveat: “The State or its instrumentality cannot arbitrarily deny appointment to a selected candidate.” But it clarified that “the State or its instrumentality for bona fide reasons may choose not to fill up the vacancies.” It said if vacancies exist, a candidate in the zone of consideration of the select list cannot be arbitrarily denied appointment.