Court upholds death penalty for rape and murder convict

Court upholds death penalty for rape and murder convict

Kota Man Had Killed Mentally Challenged Minor Daughter

TIMES NEWS NETWORK

Kota:28.01.2021 

A Pocso court in Kota on Wednesday upheld the conviction of death penalty of a 45-year-old man for raping and murdering his 15-year-old mentally challenged daughter in his house in Nayapura police station area of Kota city five years ago. The court also slapped a penalty of Rs 10,000 upon the convict.

However, the Pocso court-1 in Kota on January 20, 2020, terming the crime ‘most heinous’ and ‘shameful for human society’, had convicted the man to death sentence by hanging him till his last breath and had also imposed a fine of Rs 20,000, following which the convict appealed in the high court against the conviction. The high court directed the Pocso court for cross examination with the deceased minor’s mother in the court.

As per the directions by the high court, the cross examination with the deceased minor girl’s mother was carried out in the court where the statements of the mother remained the same and unchanged and the three witnesses produced in defense also could not state significantly in the case, public prosecutor (PP), Pocso court–1 Premnarayan Namdev said.

The Pocso court judge Ashok Choudhary on Wednesday upheld his previous decision and convicted the 45-year-old man to life sentence by hanging and also imposed a penalty of Rs 10,000, he said.

“If the crime is committed by accused father as a result to satisfy his lust, it is apt to shake internal social bondage of a particular man, family and society,” the Pocso court judge observed in his judgment.

The 15-year-old mentally challenged girl was found murdered on May 13, 2015 in her house. The postmortem report revealed she was 4 months pregnant. When the DNA report of the samples of deceased minor girl disclosed her father was the father of the 4 month foetus and later, when the statements of deceased minor’s mother verified that the father had been raping the daughter for long and that resulted in the pregnancy, the Nayapura police two months later filed a chargesheet against the father in the court.

The Pocso court-1 in the city on January 20, 2020, following hearing and examination of the statements of 18 witnesses in the case, had convicted the accused man to death.

The convicted man, father of 6 children, including the deceased minor girl, worked as a guard at a warehouse in the city and he himself lodged a report in Nayapura police station on May 13, 2015 and alleged that when he returned home in the evening, he found his daughter brutally murdered in the house. The mother of the deceased minor ran a tea stall outside the warehouse and her younger brother would attend the mother at the tea stall.

Sasikala released from jail, to stay in Bengaluru hospital

Sasikala released from jail, to stay in Bengaluru hospital

TIMES NEWS NETWORK

Bengaluru:28.01.2021

Former AIADMK secretary VK Sasikala was released on Wednesday, ending a four-year jail term in a disproportionate assets case. She will continue to be treated at Victoria Hospital for Covid-19 for the next few days and is free to walk out on discharge.

Hundreds of Sasikala’s supporters, including nephew TTV Dinakaran, were seen waiting oustide the hospital ahead of her release. However, doctors and police refused to let the supporters in. Dinakaran was seen entering the hosptial after prison officials completed the formalities. A close aide of late Tamil Nadu chief minister J Jayalalithaa, Sasikala was lodged at the central prison in Parappana Agrahara along with her sister-in-law J Elavarasi and nephew VN Sudhakaran in the case. Charges against the prime accused and Jayalalithaa lapsed as she had passed away by the time the Supreme Court upheld the trial court judgment.

On Wednesday, prison officials completed the release formalities at the hospital. Sasikala signed the prison register, which she had last signed while entering the jail on February 15, 2017, hours after the SC judgment. “With love, blessings and good wishes of her supporters, Chinnamma (Sasikala) is recovering and she will be discharged soon. She is getting good treatment here and we are happy with it. Doctors have to decide when to discharge her. Merging of political parties and other decisions on Tamil Nadu politics will be taken soon,” Dinakaran said. A bulletin released by Victoria Hospital on Wednesday said Sasikala will be discharged on the tenth day of her admission if she is asymptomatic and free of oxygen support for at least three days.

With a week to go for her scheduled release, Sasikala was shifted to Bowring hospital on January 20 following fever and breathlessness. The next day, she was shifted to Victoria Hospital, where her second RT-PCR test showed she was Covid-positive. “Sasikala, convict number-9234, has completed her four years of term and paid the fine. Today, she will be released. If she is to be treated further, please treat her as general patient. She need not come back to prison,” read a communication from the chief superintendent of police, central prison, to the medical officer of Victoria Hospital.

SC stays Bombay HC’s acquittal of man who groped 12-year-old girl

SC stays Bombay HC’s acquittal of man who groped 12-year-old girl

Dhananjay.Mahapatra@timesgroup.com

New Delhi:28.01.2021 

The Supreme Court on Wednesday took just two minutes to stay a Bombay High Court order, which had acquitted a man of charges under the POCSO Act on the specious logic that groping a 12-year-old girl without removing her clothes was not sexual assault though it convicted him under the Indian Penal Code provision for outraging her modesty.

The Nagpur bench of Bombay HC had sparked outrage on January 19 by acquitting the accused under Section 8 of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act, while maintaining his conviction for outraging the modesty of the minor girl under Section 354 of the IPC.

In February last year, a Nagpur trial court had sentenced the 39-year-old man to three years imprisonment under Section 8 of POCSO Act for groping the girl as also under Section 354 of IPC.

Attorney general K K Venugopal termed the order “unprecedented and disturbing”, adding that it would set a bad precedent.

"It is a very disturbing judgment that sets a new rule that in the absence of skin-to-skin contact, that is groping a child without removing her clothes, would not amount to sexual assault under Section 8 of the POCSO Act. It sets a dangerous precedent. Please take suo motu cognisance of the judgment and stay its operation," he said.

How could the HC rule that there was no sexual intent as there was no skin-to-skin contact, the AG asked. The SC permitted the AG to file an appeal against the HC judgment. Two days ago, National Commission for Protection of Child Rights chairperson Priyank Kanoongo had written to the Maharashtra government asking it to appeal against the HC judgment before the SC.

After hearing the AG, a bench of Chief Justice S A Bobde and Justices A S Bopanna and V Ramasubramanian said, "In view of what is stated, we permit the attorney general to file an appropriate petition against the said judgment. In the meantime, we stay the acquittal of the accused in respect of the offence under Section 8of POCSO Act. Issue notice to the accused and the state of Maharashtra returnable in two weeks."

Justice Pushpa Ganediwala had ruled that groping the breasts of the 12-year-old girl without removing her top would not amount to an offence under Section 7 of POCSO Act, punishment for which is prescribed under Section

8. "Admittedly, it is not the case of the prosecution that the appellant removed her top and pressed her breast. As such, there is no direct physical contact ie skin-to-skin with sexual intent without penetration," the judge had said.

Full report on www.toi.in

8 docs reject Covishield, opt for other shot

8 docs reject Covishield, opt for other shot

Sumitra.DebRoy@timesgroup.com

Mumbai:28.01.2021 

In a twist to the Covaxin story, eight doctors from the Mumbai region rejected the Serum Institute's Covishield vaccine and took shots of Covaxin instead at JJ Hospital on Wednesday.

Hospital authorities, who have struggled to persuade potential recipients to accept Covaxin, were enthused by the incident. They said they will henceforth allow voluntary walk-ins for the Bharat Biotech-manufactured vaccine so long as names are registered on the Co-Win app which is used to monitor the immunisation programme. The arrangement, though, is a oneway street for now – such flexibility is not on offer for those allotted Covaxin but show preference for Covishield.

Dr Vivek Giri, the port health officer, said he opted for Covaxin as he is more confident of the technology, which uses an inactivated virus.

[Breaking] Supreme Court Stays Bombay HC Judgment Which Held 'Skin To Skin' Contact Necessary For 'Sexual Assault' Under POCSO Act

[Breaking] Supreme Court Stays Bombay HC Judgment Which Held 'Skin To Skin' Contact Necessary For 'Sexual Assault' Under POCSO Act: The Supreme Court on Wednesday stayed the acquittal of the accused under the Bombay High Court Judgment which held that pressing of breasts of a minor girl without disrobing does not amount to 'sexual...

How Bombay High Court's Interpretation Of Section 7 Of POCSO Act Fails Us

How Bombay High Court's Interpretation Of Section 7 Of POCSO Act Fails Us: A

Students struggle to arrange hostels as colleges set to reopen

Students struggle to arrange hostels as colleges set to reopen

TIMES NEWS NETWORK

Hyderabad:27.01.2021

With physical classes set to commence from February 1, many students are struggling to arrange a hostel/paying guest accommodation. Even colleges are feeling the heat as rooms can no longer be offered on sharing basis as per social distancing norms.

Following the Telangana government orders, many colleges are in the process of allowing final year students from February 1 followed by other students in a phased manner. At a time when the rooms in college and university hostels are already limited and overcrowded, Covid-19 poses a bigger challenge for the managements.

“From February 1-6, students can renew their hostel facility. We will issue ID cards to those who will be renewing the hostel facility for the ensuing academic year. As per the renewals, we will allot rooms. Rooms with six beds will have only two students at a time and a room with two beds will be allotted to a single student,” said professor LB Laxminkanth Rathod, principal, Nizam College, adding that it will be a difficult task to accommodate students.

Nearly 20%-30% of the student population in the city comes from neighbouring districts and states to various colleges for undergraduate and postgraduate courses.

Many students are now forced to cough up huge amount to avail private hostel/PG facilities. With colleges planning to call students for laboratory work for only 30 days at a time, finding accommodation is turning out to be a bigger hassle for those coming from other districts.

“Most private hostels and PGs are seeking an advance of at least three months. Nobody is ready to accommodate us for a month or less than that. How does the government expect us to come from farflung places and cough up huge amount without having any clarity on the schedule of classwork,” said Jonnalagadda Sharath, a BTech student.

College directed to pay ₹40,000 to student for withholding certificates

College directed to pay ₹40,000 to student for withholding certificates

Nirupa.Vatyam@timesgroup.com

Hyderabad:27.01.2021 

A district consumer forum here has directed Madina Degree College for Women to pay about ₹40,000 to a student, who discontinued her bachelor’s course in the second year, for withholding her certificates and for forcing her to pay second year tuition fee.

M Jahanavi, the complainant, submitted that she had joined Bachelor of Science (BSc) course in the academic year 2017-18 at Madina Degree College for Women.

After completion of the first year, she said that she had qualified for the BPT (Bachelor of Physiotherapy) course in the counselling conducted by the Telangana State Council for Higher Education (TSCHE).

She said that she approached the staff concerned at the college seeking the return of her original certificates as she would need the same to complete the admission process into BPT course. Jahanavi alleged that the management insisted that she pay the fee for the remaining term of the course to get certificates. As the last date for submitting her certificates for admission into BPT course was nearing, she said that she had no option except to pay ₹24, 535 towards the second year so as to cancel her admission and get certificates back.

Claiming that demanding the fee in advance to return her original certificates amounts to unfair trade practice, she filed the complaint.

The opposite party, in their written version, said that allegations made by the complainant are false and frivolous. They submitted that as per the University Grants Commission rules, the complainant has to pay the entire course fee in view of the declaration given by her while taking admission. They said that the complainant, in fact, had to pay the entire fee (fee for three years) as per the rule, but the college was kind enough to consider the request of the complainant and forgo the third year’s fee.

During the trial, the bench noticed that as per the UGC rules, higher educational institutions can charge the fee in advance only for the semester/year in which a student wants to engage in academic activities, but not for the entire programme and cannot collect original certificates.

“The opposite party had not even issued fee receipt while collecting the second year fee. This amounts to deficiency of service and also the adoption of unfair trade practice,” the bench said.

The bench said the college did not even issue a fee receipt

AP couple held for murdering their daughters

AP couple held for murdering their daughters

Sandeep.Raghavan@timesgroup.com

Tirupati:27.01.2021

Police in Andhra Pradesh’s Madanapalli on Tuesday arrested the couple, who killed their two daughters allegedly under the influence of tantriks. The couple was in a state of trance sitting near the bodies when the police had reached their home on Sunday.

While the father, V Purushotham Naidu, has reportedly come out of the trance, his wife Padmaja continued to behave strangely. She was singing and dancing and shouting that the coronavirus had not originated in China, but created by the gods to cleanse the “bad elements” in the Kali Yug. When police took Padmaja for a Covid test, she refused to give her sample saying that she was the virus in human form and there was no need for tests. The couple murdered their kids, Alekhya (27) and Sai Divya (22), in what appeared to be part of occult practice. Both the accused were produced before the local magistrate and were later admitted to the psychiatry ward of a hospital.

Violence a jolt, but farm unions firm on repeal of laws & MSP

Violence a jolt, but farm unions firm on repeal of laws & MSP

New Delhi:27.01.2021 

Tuesday’s violence during the tractor rallies came as a setback for farm unions agitating for repeal of farm laws. However, they vowed to continue their protests, while seeking to dissociate themselves from the violence, reports Vishwa Mohan.

The unions said there were no plans to abandon the march to Parliament on Budget day, though neither courts nor the Central government may be accommodative this time. The unions, which have received favourable notice so far, will find themselves being questioned over the manner in which their rally spun out of control and resulted in chaos.

Union leaders do not appear ready to give up on their core demands — repeal of laws and legal guarantee to minimum support price (MSP). Some of them even feel that their protests are getting more traction. The unions will wait to see how opposition parties take up the stir in the Budget session, which begins on Friday.

Did Tarn Taran youth hoist flag at Red Fort?

A video of a youth hoisting the Sikh religious flag at Red Fort went viral on social media. He was later identified as Jugraj Singh from a village in Punjab’s Tarn Taran. P 5

Govt ‘expects’ TV coverage to hurt farmers’ stir

The likely stand of the Centre, which has so far been at pains to signal its flexibility to amend the laws — short of repeal — was not clear, though BJP members were taken aback by the violence. The government and BJP offered no word on the violence, with sources saying the priority was to restore law and order. The government seemed to expect the televised events to hurt the protest, while the proceedings in SC, which had asked if the rally would be peaceful, could also see the Centre spelling out its stand.

So far, the government has been careful in not using coercive methods, keeping in mind the sensitivity of Punjab, from where most of the unions are from, being a border state and the likely role of extremists in exploiting the situation. The unions said they had mobilised some groups in Maharashtra, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Bihar, MP and West Bengal to intensify the agitation. All these states, along with Assam and Manipur, witnessed protests on Tuesday. Until now, the mobilisation has been largely cadre-based with Left-aligned All India Kisan Sabha playing a leading role.

“Those elements which are not going along with the collective spirit of farmers’ movement and which broke the norms, are the ones who have weakened themselves, and it is not the movement that is weakened,” said Kavitha Kuruganti of Mahila Kisan Adhikar Manch.

Full report on www.toi.in

Sub-registrar: Ashoka’s secy asked for money from me

Sub-registrar: Ashoka’s secy asked for money from me

Udaya Kumar and Kiran Parashar TNN

Chikkamagaluru/Bengaluru:  27.01.2021

A sub-registrar from Chikkamagaluru district has filed a complaint against Karnataka revenue minister R Ashoka’s personal secretary for allegedly demanding bribe on Sunday.

HS Chaluvaraju, 46, has said in the complaint that personal secretary Gangadhar met him during the minister’s visit to Sringeri.

“When I met him, he asked me to pay him money,” Chaluvaraju has alleged. Gangadhar, an employee in Vidhana Soudha secretariat’s office and deputed as personal secretary for Ashoka, has since been transferred, sources said.

Sringeri Town police registered a non-cognizable complaint on Monday and said they will seek the government’s permission to register an FIR. Chikkamagaluru SP Hakay Akshay Machindra confirmed receiving the complaint. Chaluvaraju said he received a WhatsApp message from an unlisted number on Jan 20 about Ashoka’s travel to Sringeri.

‘Took me to room, sought money’

n January 24, I received a call From a person who identified himself as Gangadhar working as PS to the minister. He asked me to meet the minister at Adichunchanagiri Convention Hall at Sringeri after 6pm. When I reached there, Gangadhar arrived around 7pm. I met him in a room attached to the convention hall where he asked me to give him money,” he stated.

Chaluvaraju said: “On January 24, the caller asked me, ‘Bartheera?’ (are you coming?) Then he said, ‘Tartheera?’ (will you bring?) I asked him what should I bring? He said that ‘we will speak’ about it later. On Sunday, when the minister was attending an event in the convention hall, Gangadhar took me to a room and sought money. I said I don’t have the habit of taking/giving money. On Monday, he asked for money on phone. I asked him whether his conscience permits him to demand bribe. I filed a complaint and wrote to the minister against Gangadhar.”

Chaluvaraju, from Hunsur in Mysuru, said he has not taken or given bribe in his career as a government officer for 21 years. He was promoted as a sub-registrar in 2005. KPCC president DK Shivakumar said a sub-registrar has, finally, come forward to file a complaint while many others suffer in silence. “There are so many cases like this in the state," he said.

BJP national general secretary CT Ravi said the personal secretary was allegedly collecting money, which the minister was unaware of.

Is that a coral underwater? No, it’s a Covid-19 mask

Is that a coral underwater? No, it’s a Covid-19 mask

Kamini.Mathai@timesgroup.com

Chennai:27.01.2021

For more evidence of the pandemic, dive 60 feet under water. Scuba divers, kayakers and water sports enthusiasts say they have been collecting piles of discarded masks from the shoreline and seabed off Chennai and neighbouring areas.

Over the past few days, scuba diver S B Aravind has gathered up more than 120kg of garbage floating about underwater, a third of that being Covid-19 masks, he says. “I was doing a regular dive off the coast of Puducherry with students when I noticed corals with masks wrapped around them. So I went back for another few dives and started cleaning it up,” he says. At 18 metres under water, Aravind says there are “so many all over the place it’s going to take a long while to clean up”.

Every year, the December-January rains result in a lot of flotsam and jetsam being washed into the sea, masks being the latest entrants. Kayaker John AJ for instance, has so far picked up 30 or more masks from the waters of Kovalam, ECR and Puducherry.

“I carry a bag with me every time I kayak so I can pick up garbage from the sea. Just doing my bit. It’s mostly plastics and masks,” he says. “If people disposed garbage in the proper manner this would not be happening,” he says.

Masks are part of the coastal landscape now, says Bay of Life founder Showkath Jamal. “Especially the blue disposable ones. We’ve been ridding the beaches of them. Every day we pick up at least 50.” While Jamal’s team does beach cleanups every day, every February they organize an ‘inside out’ session, where in association with the Coast Guard, they do an intensive cleaning of the beach and the water. “Divers will clean the insides of the sea and we will clean the outside.”

N Godhantaraman, head of department of Environmental Science at the University of Madras, says macro and microplastics can get consumed by marine organisms and impact the food chain. “The pollutants affect at every level from the zooplankton to the larger fish. And finally, humans as well, who consume the fish,” he says. Though nonbiodegradable masks may begin as macroplastic pollution, they end up as microplastics, he explains.

Conservationists from around the world have begun putting up social media posts of masks polluting ocean floors. French conservationists Laurent Lombard for instance showed videos of algaeentangled masks and in the sea near Antibes.

TROUBLED WATERS: Discarded masks in the sea off the city coast

North Western Rly notifies extension of special trains

North Western Rly notifies extension of special trains

TIMES NEWS NETWORK

Chennai:27.01.2021

The North Western Railway has notified the extension of special trains.

According to a press release, biweekly special trains such as 02968 Jaipur – Dr MGR Chennai Central Bi-Weekly Special Train on Fridays and Sundays will be extended to run from February 5 until further advice. 02967 Dr MGR Chennai Central-Jaipur Bi -Weekly Special Train on Sundays and Tuesdays will be extended to run from February 7 until further instruction.

As far as weekly trains are concerned, 02475 Hisar - Coimbatore Weekly Special Train on Wednesdays will be extended to run from February 3, 02476 Coimbatore–Hisar Weekly Special Train on Saturdays will be extended to run from February 6, 02978 Ajmer - Ernakulam Weekly Special Train on Fridays will be extended to run from February 5, 02977 Ernakulam - Ajmer Weekly Special Train on Sundays will be extended to run from February 7, 02970 Jaipur - Coimbatore Weekly Special Train on Tuesdays will be extended to run from February 2 and the service of 02969 Coimbatore - Jaipur Weekly Special Train on Fridays will be extended to run from February 5.

NCTE nod pending, admissions to 2,500 BEd seats delayed again

NCTE nod pending, admissions to 2,500 BEd seats delayed again

Ragu.Rmn@timesgroup.com

Chennai:27.01.2021

Admissions to 2,500 BEd seats in government and government-aided colleges in Tamil Nadu have been delayed further as the southern regional committee of the National Council for Teacher Education (NCTE) is yet to give its nod for the admissions. Recently, higher education secretary Apoorva asked the council to relax faculty requirements view of the ongoing recruitment.

The directorate of collegiate education used to conduct single-window counselling for 2,500 BEd seats in seven government colleges of education and 14 governmentaided colleges. Citing faculty shortage in government colleges, the NCTE directed all the seven institutions not to make any admission till the recruitment is completed.

The Teachers Recruitment Board (TRB) has expedited the recruitment of 33 faculty members to government colleges.

The southern regional committee after perusing the higher education secretary’s January 3 letter decided to request the NCTE chairperson to take appropriate action on the matter. “Only then the SRC can consider the request made by the principal secretary, Government of Tamil Nadu,” minutes of the southern regional committee meeting said.

Online registration for BEd admissions was held from December 4 to10. Several hundred candidates applied.

Candidates said they are worried about the long delay as they may lose a full year if admissions are delayed. “Tuition fee in government colleges is just ₹2,000 against ₹35,000 in private colleges. Because of the delay in admissions, the 14 government-aided colleges are also not able to fill 90% seats under government quota,” an aspirant said. There are 1,900 BEd seats in 14 government-aided colleges.

“There are chances that the admissions may not be possible for this academic year with only three months available. The higher education department should consider conducting admissions for this batch in the calendar year instead of in the academic year,” said J Robert, general secretary of the Secondary Grade Seniority Teachers Association.

“The government can still conduct BEd counselling in February and for this batch can finish 3-4 months late. If they don’t conduct admissions, it will affect aspirants,” said A Manoharan, president, Voice of Academics.

Sources said the TRB conducted the certificate verification for 1,400 candidates and is likely to appoint the 33 faculty members to government colleges of education by the first or second week of February.

NEWS DIGEST

NEWS DIGEST

27.01.2021 

Employee steals 5kg gold from jewellery store

Police have launched a hunt for the manager of a popular jewellery store after he allegedly decamped with gold and diamond jewels weighing about 5kg from the safe. The suspect, Praveen Singh from Rajasthan, was employed at the corporate office of the jewellery shop on Habibullah Road. He had reported to work on Saturday, according to police. With his phone not reachable till Monday, his colleagues grew suspicious and checked the stock. They found the gold and jewels missing. The store has filed a complaint with the Teynampet police station.

Burglars steal gold worth ₹2 lakh: Miscreants escaped with gold and cash from the Avadi house of a government employee on Monday. Police said Godhandaraman of Bharathiyar Avenue is employed as an assistant engineer in the electricity department at Koyambedu. He and his family left for their relatives’ house in Perambur on Saturday for a marriage. Upon returning on Tuesday morning, he found that the front door of his house was open and articles from the cupboard were scattered. Following his complaint, the Avadi police registered a case and launched a hunt for the thieves. Police said around five sovereigns of gold worth ₹2 lakh and ₹6,000 cash weere stolen. Visuals sourced through CCTV footages revealed that the miscreants entered the house on Monday night.

Metro rail celebrates Republic Day: Chennai Metro Rail Limited (CMRL) celebrated the 72nd Republic Day at the CMRL admin building in Koyambedu on Tuesday. Pradeep Yadav, managing director, CMRL, hoisted the national flag and accepted the parade salute on the occasion. As part of Republic Day celebrations for encouraging sportsmanship among fellow colleagues, sports competitions such as brisk walk, badminton, table tennis, carrom were conducted.

Sasikala free, but unlikely to be discharged

Sasikala free, but unlikely to be discharged

Bengaluru:

Former AIADMK general secretary V K Sasikala will be released from the Central Jail, Parappana Agrahara, on Wednesday. However, doctors treating the 66-year-old for Covid-19 in Victoria Hospital have advised against discharging her for the next two-three days.

Sasikala was sentenced to four-year imprisonment in 2017 in a disproportionate assets case.

Sources in the home department told TOI all her release-related formalities will be completed at the hospital on Wednesday morning. “She will technically be free, but not medically yet,” said a health department official.

Referring to the feedback received from doctors, the official said: “She is not fit for discharge as of Wednesday. She is being given intermittent oxygen supply and is stable. She will have to stay in the hospital for another three days.”

Medical superintendent Dr Ramesh Krishna K said she was consuming food orally and was walking with support.

A health department official said: “Her family is yet to decide on getting her discharged. If they insist on moving her out of the hospital on Wednesday, it will be recorded as “discharged against medical advice”. TNN

Rly board approves operation of express spls

Rly board approves operation of express spls

TIMES NEWS NETWORK

Chennai:27.01.2021

Following the approval of the railway board, the fully reserved daily express special trains 06115 / 06116 Chennai Egmore-Puducherry-Chennai Egmore Daily Express Specials will be operated.

According to a press release, with a composition of two second class chair cars, seven general second class coaches and two luggage-cumbrake vans, 06115 Chennai Egmore-Puducherry Daily Express Special train will leave Chennai Egmore at 6.10pm from January 31 onwards and will reach Puducherry at 10.15pm the same day until further instructions. In the return direction, 06116 Puducherry - Chennai Egmore Daily Express Special train will leave Puducherry at 5.35am from February 1 onwards and will reach Chennai Egmore at 9.30pm the same day.

The railway board has approved operation of 06115 / 06116 Chennai Egmore – Puducherry – Chennai Egmore Daily Express Specials

VIT honours coronavirus warriors on Republic Day

VIT honours coronavirus warriors on Republic Day

TIMES NEWS NETWORK

Chennai:27.01.2021

Vellore Institute of Technology (VIT) on Tuesday honoured Covid-19 warriors, including doctors, nurses and paramedical staff for their selfless service during the pandemic period at a Republic Day function held at the institute’s Vellore campus.

Vellore Institute of Technology (VIT) vice-president GV Selvam hoisted the national flag and honoured 75 people, including Covid warriors and security personnel from VIT who had helped the police department during the Covid-19 lockdown.

He also awarded N Vinayagam, deputy superintendent of police, armed reserve, Vellore district and Dr D Baskaran for protecting the people. While Vinayagam facilitated distribution of Kabasura Kudineer to armed reserve police, Baskaran came up with an herbal face mask.

VIT VC Dr Rambabu Kodali, registrar K Sathiyanarayanan, director (students welfare) Dr Amit B Mahindrakar, faculty and staff also took part in the function.

UPSC Exams - Extra Chance For Final Attempt Candidates Would Amount To Differential Treatment : Centre's Affidavit In Supreme Court

UPSC Exams - Extra Chance For Final Attempt Candidates Would Amount To Differential Treatment : Centre's Affidavit In Supreme Court: The Department of Personnel and Training has filed an Affidavit before the Supreme Court submitting that an extra chance will not be provided to candidates who have exhausted all their attempts

Customs seize ₹36 lakh worth gold, smartphones at airport

Customs seize ₹36 lakh worth gold, smartphones at airport

Chennai:26.01.2021

Customs officials seized ₹36 lakh worth gold and electronic gadgets from two passengers who arrived from Dubai at the city airport on Monday.

Based on a tip, customs officials intercepted Rawther Naina Mohamed, 50, and Ibrahim, 46, both of Ramanathapuram, at the exit gate after they arrived from Dubai. Upon searching, gold paste bundles, gold cut bits containing a total 705 grams of gold, worth ₹35.92 lakh were recovered and seized under the Customs Act. Sleuths further found six expensive mobile phones, worth ₹4.2 lakh, in the checked-in baggage and seized them too. Further investigation is on.

Govt regularisation of unapproved plots extended till Feb 28

Govt regularisation of unapproved plots extended till Feb 28

TIMES NEWS NETWORK

Chennai:26.01.2021

The state government on Monday extended the scheme for regularisation of unapproved layouts and plots till February 28, more than two years after the scheme ended. The one-time amnesty scheme, The Tamil Nadu Regularisation of Unapproved Layouts and Plots Rules, 2017, was launched in May 2017 and closed in November 2018 after three extensions.

The housing and urban development department said the latest extension was to provide an opportunity to those who missed the chance to apply for regularization.

This followed a letter from the director of town and country planning (DTCP) that representations had been received from various organizations to extend the scheme.

The DTCP suggested the scheme be extended by another six months as many had missed applying for regularization as they did not know it had ended and some others because they expected it would be extended.

Moreover, during the housing and urban development department’s virtual interaction with real estate associations in June last year, there was a demand for extending the scheme, Monday’s order said.

Subsequently, the Chennai Metropolitan Development Authority (CMDA) also sought extension of the scheme.

Accordingly, the housing and urban development department has extended the scheme till February 28, 2021.

Application for regularization can only be made online, said the order signed by D Karthikeyan, secretary of housing and urban development department.

Confederation of Real Estate Developers’ Association of India (CREDAI) Tamil Nadu chapter chairman S Sridharan said, “Extending the scheme will bring more housing plots under the bracket of regularization.”

Girl, 5, dies after measles shot: SHRC tells govt to pay ₹2L relief

Girl, 5, dies after measles shot: SHRC tells govt to pay ₹2L relief

TIMES NEWS NETWORK

Chennai:26.01.2021

The State Human Rights Commission recommended a compensation of ₹2 lakh to the father of a five-yearold girl who died a day after she was administered the Measles and Rubella (MR) vaccine at the Institute of Social Paediatrics, Stanley Medical College Hospital, in 2018. The commission had taken suo motu cognisance of the incident based on a newspaper report.

D Gopi, father of D G Thanishka, had submitted that the child did not suffer from any health issues before she was administered the vaccine around 11am on May 2, 2018. Within 15 minutes, Thanishka complained of breathless, severe burning in the eyes and fainted. She was then taken to the emergency ward by hospital staff and the parents were not allowed to see her, he said. She was pronounced dead the next day.

In response, Selvi, assistant professor at the Institute of Social Paediatrics, the dean and the head of the department at the institute denied allegations of medical negligence and irregularities. After the vaccination, the child had developed anaphylaxis (a severe allergic reaction) which was promptly identified and treated. The respondents denied allegations of not allowing the parents to see the child. Further, they said 20 children were administered the shot that day from the same MR vial and no other complications were reported.

Based on the evidence, commission member D Jayachandran observed, “It is not in dispute that the child died due to pulmonary edema with pneumonitis and acute tubular injury of the kidneys. But the respondent has not produced any document to show that the child died due to individual immune response to the vaccine,” and ruled that the Government of Tamil Nadu pay ₹2 lakh relief.

Investment fraud: Properties worth ₹207cr attached

Investment fraud: Properties worth ₹207cr attached

TIMES NEWS NETWORK

Chennai:26.01.2021

Enforcement Directorate, Chennai, provisionally attached 1,081 immovable properties spread across 3,850 acres worth ₹207 crore in Madurai, Ramanathapuram and Chennai in a money laundering case where the accused allegedly defrauded public in the guise of investment.

The attached assets are in the name of M/s Disc Assets Lead India Ltd, M/s Eagles Eye Real Estates, M/s Meadow Realtors and its key managerial personnel.

The investigation was initiated by Economic Offences wing of TN police who booked a criminal conspiracy and cheating case against M/s Disc Agrotech Ltd, Disc Assets Promoters Ltd, Disc Asset Lead India Ltd and its directors V Janarthanan, N Umashankar, N Arunkumar, C Srinivasan, T Shyamchander and S Jeevalatha in 2006. They had allegedly collected money from public in various parts of Tamil Nadu and Kerala promising them land in return. The money was collected in instalments.

ED initiated a case under Provision of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) based on TN police’s FIR.

Investigation by the central agency revealed that the directors of the company had floated many entities like Dal Marketing Solutions Pvt Ltd and Aiyan Marketing Solutions Pvt Ltd to collect money from public on behalf of Disc Assets Lead India Ltd to circumvent legal impediments of the SEBI Act. The total money collected amounted to ₹1,273 crore.

Investigation under PMLA by ED revealed that the invested amount collected from depositors was utilised in purchase of immovable properties in Tamil Nadu in the name of the company, its directors and other unrelated entities.

A major portion of the collected amount was siphoned off by the directors of the company through entities which were floated by them with their close relatives as directors or partners. The accused persons had cheated their depositors by neither allotting them land nor returning their investment.

One arm of Kilkattalai flyover to be ready by Feb

One arm of Kilkattalai flyover to be ready by Feb

Oppili.P@timesgroup.com

Chennai:26.01.2021 

One arm of the flyover on Thorappakkam-Pallavaram radial road at Kilkattalai junction will be open for public in mid-February. About 50% of the congestion at the junction is expected to reduce once the 700-metre arm is opened.

A senior state highways department official said 95% of work on the flyover, delayed due to the Covid-19 pandemic and rain from the northeast monsoon, was completed.

The project is expected to be ready by the first week of next month and chief minister Edappadi K Palaniswami is expected to inaugurate it a week later.

Asked about the progress of work on the flyovers at Velachery and Medavakkam ones, the official said the two projects were still best with problem including of land acquisition.

At Velachery, realignment of the Metrowater pipeline and sewer line, which had caused the delay, was a major issue. Also, work on the two-level flyover is more complex because construction at the higher level can be taken up only when work on the one below is completed, the official said.

In May, when the ₹186 crore Velachery flyover is thrown open to the public, motorists can finally breathe easy. Currently sweating out in long lines of stranded vehicles, they can breeze through to Taramani, Tambaram or Saidapet and vice versa. The junction is a key link to the IT corridor for residents of several interior areas.

Similar is the situation at Medavakkam where the 2.3km long flyover, the longest in the city, is coming up. Given its proximity to Sholinganallur and a few other areas along the IT Corridor, reducing congestion was a major issue. With scores of residential colonies having sprung up in the vicinity, vehicles stretching for lines in all directions during the morning and evening rush hour became common.

Constructing a flyover at the junction had been a long standing demand of people in the area.

TAKING SHAPE: The flyover that’s coming up on Thoraipakkam-Pallavaram Radial Road

Airlines wary of flying people from UK to Chennai

Airlines wary of flying people from UK to Chennai

TIMES NEWS NETWORK

Chennai:26.01.2021

Airlines have become cautious while boarding passengers from London to Chennai and other cities in the country as the Union government has instructed that passengers flying via transit airports should not be allowed.

Checks are also high Dubai, a popular transit hub, after an airline got penalised when a Covid-19 positive passenger flew from the UAE to Chennai recently. Airlines are checking documents at Dubai to find out if all passengers to Chennai are originating from Dubai or whether they are coming from the UK.

The heightened travel restrictions in London and document screening in Dubai have affected passenger confidence to travel abroad, said Basheer Ahmed of Travel Agents Federation of India (TAFI).

Earlier, passengers from London were allowed to fly via transit airports such as Paris, Frankfurt, Dubai, Abu Dhabi and a few others. Now this has been stopped as the government wants to restrict the number of passengers who land in Chennai, Mumbai and Delhi from the UK.

An airport official said the scrutiny of documents is high at airports abroad. “This has made travel a hassle for people, especially those who want to come from the UK because there are fewer direct flights to Chennai. Air India is flying while British Airways is resuming schedule only from next month. There is an uncertainty whether the flights will continue or not.”

“A majority of the people have to land in Mumbai and Delhi. But they have to spend more to travel to Chennai by domestic flights because domestic fares have increased,” said Ahmed.

A London-Chennai oneway ticket costs Rs 30,000 while London-Mumbai flight costs Rs27,000 for travel in the second week of next month because the route has more flights. However, passengers have to pay Rs 4,500 to 5,000 on the Mumbai-Chennai leg. Most of the travel is not booked much in advance as there is a need for registrations and approvals.

People are hesitating to travel from Chennai to London unless they have to travel for business or work because cases are high in the UK and the country has put in a lot of restrictions.

Passengers do not want to get stuck abroad if their test there turns positive. “It is going to make people wary of traveling to destinations even when they are open for leisure and business travel,” an airline official said.

Won’t interfere with earlier order on chief engg appointment: HC

Won’t interfere with earlier order on chief engg appointment: HC

TIMES NEWS NETWORK

Chennai:26.01.2021

The Madras high court on Monday refused to interfere with an order quashing the appointment of a retired officer of the Chennai corporation as the chief engineer of the commissionerate of municipalities.

Upholding the order of a single judge in quashing the appointment, the first bench of Chief Justice Sanjib Banerjee and Justice Senthilkumar Ramamoorthy said, the Tamil Nadu Municipal Engineering Services Rules does not permit such appointment.

“As per the rule, a chief engineer of municipalities has to be selected by promotion from the superintendent engineers of the municipal corporations other than the municipal corporation of Chennai,” the bench said. This apart, such a candidate must have worked in the Tamil Nadu engineering services other than the Chennai corporation, the judges added.

The issue pertains to a plea moved by N Natarajan, chief engineer, Commissionerate of municipal administration challenging his transfer to the post of chief engineer in the office of the commissioner, Chennai corporation. As his replacement, a retired officer Pugazhendi, who was working as principal chief engineer in the Chennai corporation on extension of service was posted as the chief engineer municipal administration.

Allowing the plea, a single judge of the court observed that it is not open to the Tamil Nadu government to use ‘Pleasure Doctrine” to make illegal appointments.

This court is constrained to hold that the extraordinary favour shown to Pugazhendi who got extension of service continuously for the fifth year appears to be on an extraneous consideration, the single judge said while quashing the appointment.

Aggrieved, the state government moved the present appeal challenging the order.

According to Natarajan, Pugazhendi, who was working as a Chennai corporation chief engineer retired on June 30, 2016. But his service has been extended three times on the ground that his service was required to oversee projects undertaken by the corporation worth ₹12,000crore.

Parents kill their 2 daughters in AP to usher in ‘Satya Yug’

Parents kill their 2 daughters in AP to usher in ‘Satya Yug’

Couple Believed Their Children Would Be Reborn In 24 Hours

Sandeep.Raghavan@timesgroup.com

Tirupati  26.01.2021 

The couple who bludgeoned their two college-going daughters to death at Madanapalle in AP’s Chittoor district on Sunday night did so with the belief that their children would come back to life within 24 hours. They strongly believed that ‘Kali Yug’ was ending and Monday would see the ‘dawn of Satya Yug’ which their ‘reborn’ daughters would be able to enjoy.

V Purushotham Naidu and his wife Padmaja told the police they ‘sacrificed’ the two women only to bring them back to life in a purer form. “Give us time till the end of the night, we will bring them back,” they said when the police reached their house after being alerted by a friend of the couple.

While Purushotham is an associate professor of chemistry at government degree college for women in Madanapalle, Padmaja runs a private coaching institute for IIT aspirants.

The victims have been identified as Alekya, 27, and Sai Divya, 22. Alekya had completed her MBA from Indian Institute of Forest Management in Bhopal and was preparing for civil services. Younger daughter Sai Divya had recently completed her BBA and was learning music. The daughters had come home during the Covid-19 lockdown and stayed back.

Neighbours told police they had been hearing strange sounds from the house for the last four days, but the couple told everyone they were performing special pujas. At around 9pm on Sunday, Naidu called up a friend and told him his daughters had been sacrificed to the Almighty. Shocked, his friend alerted Madanapalle police who rushed to the spot.

The couple initially stopped the police from entering the house, stating rituals were being performed and no outsiders would be allowed inside. When police officials forcibly barged into the house, it was in disarray with objects of tantric worship strewn everywhere.

The body of one of the daughters was lying in the puja room while the second daughter’s body was found naked and in a pool of blood in a bedroom on the second floor. A ‘kalash’ had been stuffed in her mouth.

Police officials said the couple believed they could receive signals from the divine force. “Many miracles have happened in our home which you will never understand. Please let us complete our pujas and we will surely bring our daughters back to life,” the couple pleaded.

The younger daughter, who was the first to be killed, was bludgeoned with a dumb-bell in the puja room, while the elder daughter was killed with a trident. The bodies have been shifted to the local government hospital for post-mortem.

“Naidu and Padmaja will be taken into custody once they complete the last rites of their daughters,” Madanapalli DSP Ravi Manoharachari told TOI.

Chittoor SP S Senthil Kumar said, “Superstition appears to have driven the parents to kill their daughters. We will come to know if there was any other reason behind this killing during the course of our investigation.”

DRIVEN BY SUPERSTITION:

Alekya and Sai Divya had come home during the Covid-19 lockdown and stayed back

No action on IIT-M professor found guilty of harassment

No action on IIT-M professor found guilty of harassment

Ragu.Raman@timesgroup.com

Chennai:26.01.2021

An associate professor in the civil engineering department at IIT Madras, found guilty more than two months ago of sexually harassing a research scholar, continues in the post though he was to be demoted. IIT’s internal complaints committee against sexual harassment (CCASH) recommended that Mathava Kumar be demoted to assistant professor and that he be barred from guiding women research scholars for five years. IIT-M officials, including director Bhaskar Ramamurthi and CCASH chairperson professor Hema A Murthy, refused to comment, while the institute’s media cell said CCASH proceedings were confidential.

Even on Monday night, Kumar’s name figured on the IIT website as associate professor. “It is very clear that Mathava Kumar misused his position as guide, and the research scholar’s vulnerability as a single parent, and did made sexual advances to her, for a temporary relationship,” the committee had said.

IIT-M panel moots demotion of prof guilty of harassing woman

The committee met in August and September last year and studied the various depositions and the WhatsApp messages presented as evidence by the woman research scholar, which Mathava Kumar admitted he sent. TOI has seen the WhatsApp messages and has a copy of the committee’s recommendations made in October 2020 In her complaint, the research scholar said Mathava Kumar asked her to cook at his quarters during lockdown and wanted to have a temporary relationship with her. When she refused, he resorted to character assassination, the research scholar said in her complaint.

The CCASH committee headed by professor Hema A Murthy conducted inquiries and found samples of abuse and how the professor steered WhatsApp conversations away from work to her personal issues and commented on her mannerisms, which he did found sensual.

“Being a single mother, the victim had to persevere [sic] the perverse attitude of her guide for more than three years as she wanted to complete her PhD that will help her pursue a good career. She did not report earlier as she had already asked for a change of guide,” the meeting minutes of the committee said. The meeting minutes were signed by all five committee members and the director of the institute Bhaskar Ramamurthi.

The committee also recommended behaviour remedial training for Mathava Kumar. It said he should not be permitted to guide any PhD student for two years and any girl students for five years. Sources said Mathava Kumar still has nine PhD scholars, including women, as his students.

On a further complaint of character assassination, the committee said, “This violates every issue of privacy, and personal space. Such acts are detrimental to the institute where gender equality is given. Based on the recent violation, the committee does feel that it must be pointed out that a repeat act again can lead to termination.”

When TOI contacted Mathava Kumar, he disconnected the call and did not pick up again. He also did not respond to messages and email.

IIT Madras director Bhaskar Ramamurthi said he cannot comment. “If at all anything is going on, it’s going on by a properly constituted committee,” he said. Murthy, chairperson of the CCASH, also refused to comment.

Earlier, the institute, in response to a mail from TOI, said “Sexual harassment complaints are handled as per the law by the duly constituted CCASH (Complaints Committee Against Sexual Harassment) and its proceedings are confidential.”

IIT’s media cell said: “CCASH processes are confidential, as are any disciplinary procedures flowing from them. If there is any official statement from the institute Media Cell shall share it.”

Panel also said Mathava Kumar should not be permitted to guide any PhD student for two years and any girl students for five years.

Cash for jab: TN pvt hosps open ‘regn’ to jump vaccine queue

WILL AXE LICENCE, WARNS HEALTH SECY

Cash for jab: TN pvt hosps open ‘regn’ to jump vaccine queue

TIMES NEWS NETWORK

Chennai:26.01.2021 

Private hospitals inviting ‘registrations’ for Covid-19 vaccination or trying to monetise the government-sponsored programme will have their licences cancelled besides facing action under the Clinical Establishment Act, health secretary J Radhakrishnan said on Monday. Priority for vaccines should be given strictly to eligible healthcare workers, he said.

Fewer than 40% of the daily targeted population have received the vaccine since January 16 and many private hospitals are opening “registrations”, sometimes with a fee, for those interested.

On Sunday, one hospital sent text messages to multiple clients seeking details such as name, date of birth, PAN card/passport and contact details to register for the vaccine. Hospital volunteers will upload and register names when the government portal opens, it said.

None except govt can register people

Chennai: “Charges, if any, will be based on the government’s direction as on the date vaccine is administered,” the message added. The health department has also received complaints that some healthcare providers were demanding a “fee” to put people on the “priority list.”

“The Union health ministry has approved two vaccines for emergency use. It gives every state the quota of vaccines and has released the operational guidelines. As of now, vaccinations can be done only for healthcare workers. We have allowed some private hospitals to vaccinate healthcare workers. The process of registering frontline workers is undertaken by the government. No one else is allowed to register names,” Radhakrishnan said.

Joint director (immunisation) Dr K Vinay Kumar said names of the healthcare workers were uploaded on the Cowin portal. “These people are given the vaccine. If names are not uploaded on the portal, the healthcare worker can prove the identity and take the vaccine. Their names will be uploaded into the portal later.”

After healthcare workers, frontline workers such as police and revenue officials will get the shot. “After them, priority will be for people above 50 years. We have written to the state election commission for the names of citizens above 50 as on January 1,” he said.

DVAC seizes 3.7L from 4 govt officials

DVAC seizes 3.7L from 4 govt officials

TIMES NEWS NETWORK

Nagapattinam:  26.01.2021m 

Sleuths from the directorate of vigilance and anti-corruption (DVAC) seized unaccounted money to the tune of Rs3.7 lakh from four people, including an assistant director of animal husbandry, on Sunday. The money was seized while the accused were distributing free milch cows to beneficiaries at Thirumarugal union in Nagapattinam district. The money was allegedly received as bribe by the accused from the beneficiaries.

Based on a tip, the DVAC authorities from Nagapattinam arrived at the old panchayat office building at Marungur where the cows were being distributed. The DVAC team conducted an inspection and recovered unaccounted cash from assistant director of animal husbandry, Sokkalingam, government veterinary doctor Muthukumaran, husband of Marungur panchayat president, Mahendran and panchayat secretary, Prakashkumar. The team recovered Rs1.5 lakh from Sokkalingam, Rs48,000 from Muthukumaran, Rs1.5 lakh from Mahendran and Rs25,000 from Prakashkumar. Further investigations are on, officials said.