India's political landscape is ablaze with activity! From the ongoing debates surrounding the new farm bills and their impact on rural India, to the upcoming state elections shaping the national narrative, the stakes couldn't be higher. Key political figures are maneuvering strategically, with alliances shifting and power dynamics constantly in flux. The opposition's challenge to the ruling party is intensifying, sparking vigorous debates on crucial policy matters including economic reforms and social justice initiatives. Parliamentary proceedings are filled with heated exchanges, reflecting the deep divisions within the nation. This evolving political climate directly impacts the lives of every Indian citizen, influencing everything from economic opportunities to social welfare programs. Stay informed about the latest developments in Indian politics, from crucial legislative decisions to grassroots movements, by exploring Abtak.com for in-depth analysis and breaking news updates. Understanding the intricacies of our political system is crucial; stay engaged, stay informed, and stay ahead.
NAGPUR: Saying "I love you" does not amount to sexual harassment unless accompanied by conduct suggesting sexual intent, Bombay high court's Nagpur bench ruled Monday while overturning a 2017 conviction under the Pocso Act.Justice Urmila JoshiPhalke acquitted a 25-yearold man from Katol in Nagpur district, nearly eight years after he was sentenced to three years' rigorous imprisonment for harassing a 17year-old girl. He appealed the session court verdict in HC and was out on bail."If somebody says that he is in love with another person or expresses his feelings that in itself would not amount to an intent showing some sort of sexual intention" the judge said in her order. "Words expressed as 'I love you' would not by themselves amount to 'sexual intent' as contemplated by the legislature," she added.The case dated back to Oct 2015, when a class 11 student accused the man of stopping her and her cousin , grabbing her hand and saying: "I love you". Based on her complaint, police charged him under sections 354A (sexual harassment) and 354D (stalking) of IPC, along with Section 8 of Pocso Act.Two years later, the sessions court convicted him. His counsel Sonali Khobragade said his actions did not meet the legal threshold for sexual assault or stalking as there was no repeated contact or physical act indicating sexual intent.Justice Joshi-Phalke agreed. "There should be something more that must suggest the real intention is to introduce the angle of sex...," she said. "The offence under Pocso Act is not made out as there is no allegation that the accused touched the girl with sexual intent."
Kolkata (West Bengal) [India], June 27 (ANI): A female student was allegedly gang-raped inside a law college in Kolkata's Kasba on Wednesday evening. The police have arrested all three accused within 24 hours. The three accused, named as Monojit Mishra (31), Zaib Ahmed (19), and Pramit Mukhopadhyay (20), were former students or staff members of the same law college. Also Read | Student Gang-Raped at South Kolkata Law College: Police Arrest 3 Youths for Sexually Assaulting Young Woman Inside Law College. According to the police, the accused named in the FIR will be produced before the A.C.J. ...Read More >
Kochi, July 3: The Kerala High Court has held that a married woman cannot allege that she was coerced into sex under the false promise of marriage. The court's ruling came while hearing the prosecution's statement against the petitioner (accused) that he sexually assaulted the woman after falsely promising to marry her. He was also accused of having threatened to publish her photos and videos after borrowing Rs 2.5 lakh from her. "It is observed that while considering the cases alleging rape on the basis of the promise of marriage, it is difficult for this court at this juncture to enter into ...Read More >
Hyderabad (Telangana) [India], July 5 (ANI): Telangana BJP president N Ramchander Rao on Saturday accused the Congress of misleading the country with its claim that the BJP-led government at the Centre wants to change the Constitution. He added that AICC has now become the 'All India Cheating Congress'. "The words 'secular' and 'socialist' were not there in the Constitution. It was added after the 42nd Amendment. The Amendment was brought during the Emergency. Emergency was a black day in the democratic history of our country. So, the original Constitution did not have the words 'secular' and ...Read More >
New Delhi [India], July 7 (ANI): Former Congress MP Sajjan Kumar denied the charges levelled against him in the 1984 anti-Sikh riots' case. He stated before a Rouse Avenue court that he was not present at the site of the riots and was falsely implicated. Special Judge Dig Vinay Singh recorded the statement of Sajjan Kumar, who is an accused in the case. The court recorded his statement in a case lodged in Janak Puri and Vikas Puri and investigated by the SIT. The Janakpuri case pertains to the killing of two Sikhs, Sohan Singh and his son-in-law Avtar Singh, on November 1, 1984. And second ...Read More >
New Delhi, July 9 (SocialNews.XYZ) The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has taken the custody of Monika Kapoor, an alleged economic offender, in the US and will bring her back to India, ending an over two-decade-long run from the law, officials said on Wednesday. The development comes after Kapoor's extradition from the US. The CBI in a press release said the chase has ended after two decades "with the successful extradition of Fugitive Ms. Monika Kapoor, who is accused in a 2002 Import-Export fraud and was on run since then, from USA." According to the information provided by the Cent ...Read More >
Mysuru (Karnataka), Jul 12 (PTI) A 38-year-old man who is booked under sections of the POCSO Act has been attacked along with his family members, allegedly by the victim's family in Mysuru while they were riding an auto rickshaw, police said on Saturday. The incident occurred on Thursday night on Ramanuja Road when the accused, along with his wife, sister and mother, were returning home after visiting a police station in connection with the case, they said. The attack was purportedly captured on CCTV cameras and mobile phones, and the visuals soon went viral. The videos show that people who ...Read More >
NEW DELHI: The government on Saturday extended the term of the chairman of the Central Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT) Ravi Agrawal by one year, an official notification said.The Appointments Committee of the Cabinet approved the re-appointment of Agrawal, an IRS officer of the 1988 batch, as CBDT chairman for one year from July 1 this year to June 30, 2026, on contract basis.Agrawal took over as the CBDT chairman from Nitin Gupta in June 2024 after Gupta's extended tenure ended. Agrawal has been a member of CBDT. He was member administration and had served as DG investigation in Delhi. The gover ...Read More >
New Delhi [India], July 4 (ANI): Delhi's Tis Hazari court has ordered to file a complaint against the woman who lodged a false rape case to extort the money from the accused. While acquitting the accused, the court noted that the woman met the man on a matrimonial website. She framed the accused on the pretext of a marital alliance. The court referred to the lines of American criminal defense attorney F. Lee Bailey, 'In court, the truth is often lost in the process. The oath is meant to protect it, but men lie, even under God.' 'The above adage squarely applies to the case herein, as we woul ...Read More >
New Delhi: Three Indian citizens vanished mysteriously in Tehran. Darkness closed in as hope seemed lost. A ruthless Pakistani gang with potential links to ISI snatched them away, casting a shadow of fear. But relentless Indian diplomats refused to back down. Against all odds, a daring rescue mission ignited. Now, the captives are free, and a chilling game of espionage comes to light. The Punjab-based trio - Amritpal Singh from Hoshiarpur, Jaspal Singh from SBS Nagar and Hushnapreet Singh from Sangrur - had landed in Iran on May 1. Promised a clandestine route to Australia via Dubai and Tehra ...Read More >
New Delhi [India], June 8 (ANI): A minor girl died due to injuries on her face at a hospital after she was allegedly sexaully assaulted in the National Capital, Delhi police said in a statement. Police said that a call regarding the sexual assault of a minor girl was received at Dayalpur police station on June 7 at 8: 41 pm. Upon reaching the location, the police team found that a minor girl in an unconscious state had been taken to JPC Hospital by her father, where she was declared dead on arrival, police added. Prima facie, the attending doctors at the hospital observed visible injuries o ...Read More >
Prayagraj (UP), Jul 11 (PTI) The Allahabad High Court has observed that merely expressing support for Pakistan, without referring to any specific incident or mentioning India by name, does not prima facie constitute an offence under section 152 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS). The said penal provision deals with acts endangering the sovereignty or unity and integrity of India. Also Read | Thane Horror: Man Abducts 16-Year-Old Girl From Kalyan Railway Station, Rapes Her on Akola-Bound Train; Arrested. "Considering the submissions of the learned counsel for the parties and after a perusa ...Read More >
Nagpur (Maharashtra) [India], July 2 (ANI): The Nagpur bench of the Bombay High Court acquitted a 25-year-old man who was earlier convicted for allegedly teasing a minor girl by saying 'I love you' back in 2015, overturning the verdict of a lower court. According to the judgment, the man had been sentenced to three years' imprisonment by a Nagpur sessions court under sections 354-A (sexual harassment) and 354D (stalking) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) and section 8 of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POSCO) Act. The lower court had viewed his words as stemming from sexual int ...Read More >
MUMBAI - Police have arrested a 40-year-old female English teacher at a well-known Mumbai school, accusing her of sexually abusing a 16-year-old male student several times over the past year. The teacher, who is married and has children, faces charges under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act, the Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Act, and relevant sections of the Indian Penal Code. The school has not released a statement about the incident as of this report. Investigators said the woman worked as an English teacher and taught the boy during his time ...Read More >
New Delhi [India], July 5 (ANI) Nehal Modi, the brother of fugitive diamond merchant Nirav Modi, has been arrested in the United States on the basis of an extradition request made by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) and the Enforcement Directorate (ED), officials confirmed on Friday. The arrest marks a significant development in India's efforts to bring to justice individuals involved in the Rs 13,000 crore Punjab National Bank (PNB) fraud case. The United States Department of Justice has informed Indian authorities that Nehal Modi, brother of fugitive economic offender Nirav Modi, ...Read More >
New Delhi, Jul 9 (PTI) Delhi Police on Wednesday argued in the Delhi High Court that the intention behind February 2020 riots in the capital was to globally defame the nation by way of a well-planned and orchestrated criminal conspiracy by the accused persons including Sharjeel Imam and Umar Khalid. Delhi Police was opposing the bail pleas of the accused persons when it argued before a bench of Justices Navin Chawla and Shalinder Kaur that it was not a spontaneous riot but a well-organised act planned in advance in the capital of the country, aimed at a particular day and time. The bench res ...Read More >
New Delhi: In its final bid to oppose the bail petitions of northeast Delhi riot accused, including Sharjeel Imam and Umar Khalid, Delhi Police on Wednesday alleged that the intention behind the Feb 2020 riots in the national capital was to globally defame the nation through a well-planned and orchestrated criminal conspiracy.Arguing before a special bench of Justices Navin Chawla and Shalinder Kaur in the conspiracy case related to the riots, solicitor general Tushar Mehta said, "If you are doing something against your nation, then you better be in jail till you are acquitted or convicted. Th ...Read More >
Kuldeep Singh Sengar is also serving a 10-year jail term in connection with the custodial death of the Unnao rape victim's father. Kuldeep Singh Sengar sought interim bail on the grounds that he was suffering from various ailments The Delhi High Court on Thursday granted a two-week interim bail on medical grounds to expelled BJP leader Kuldeep Singh Sengar who is serving life term for raping a minor in Uttar Pradesh's Unnao in 2017. A bench headed by Justice Prathiba M Singh suspended the sent ...Read More >
The Supreme Court on Friday granted bail to eight convicts in the infamous 1987 Hashimpura massacre case of 38 persons by the personnel of the Provincial Armed Constabulary. IMAGE: File photograph of Muslims in Meerut staging a protest demanding justice in the 1987 Hashimpura massacre case. Photograph: PTI Photo/Rediff archives A bench comprising Justices Abhay S Oka and Augustine George Masih took note of the submissions of senior advocate Amit Anand Tiwari, appearing for four convicts, that t ...Read More >
Kochi: The Kerala High Court on Friday postponed the hearing for businessman Boby Chemmanur's bail application in the sexual harassment case brought by actress Honey Rose to January 14, highlighting the necessity for the state government to submit its response. The court also expressed concerns regarding the urgency of this case and underscored the importance of resolving other outstanding cases. Chemmanur was taken into custody by the Ernakulam Central Police in Wayanad on Wednesday. The Ernakulam First Class Judicial Magistrate Court subsequently remanded him to 14 days of judicial custody ...Read More >
Gurgaon: Two days after a law student died and his friend suffered critical injuries when a car knocked them down as they stood near railing on the service lane of Delhi-Jaipur highway in the early hours of Tuesday, a civil engineer was arrested on Thursday.Mohit (31), an employee of a private company in the city, told police that he got drowsy while driving. He is staying at a PG facility in Sector 14.The student who died, Harsh Singhal (25), was a resident of Om Nagar colony. His friend Abhishek Kumar (23), who is from Shanti Nagar in Sector 11, is undergoing treatment at a private hospital ...Read More >
Hyderabad (Telangana) [India], July 4 (ANI): Congress chief Mallikarjun Kharge on Friday came down heavily on the Rashtriya Swayamsewak Sangh (RSS) over its pitch to reconsider the words 'secular and socialist' from the Preamble of the Indian Constitution while saying that it was 'all talk'. He dared and challenged RSS General Secretary Dattatreya Hosabale and top leaders of the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in the centre to remove the words 'secular and socialist' from the Preamble. 'Days before, I heard that some RSS person said that we should remove Secular and Socialist words from ...Read More >
New Delhi, Jul 5 (PTI) US authorities have arrested fugitive diamantaire Nirav Modi's younger brother, Nehal Modi, following extradition requests from the Enforcement Directorate (ED) and the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), officials said on Saturday. Nehal Modi, who is the subject of a Red Notice issued by the Interpol, was taken into custody on Friday, US officials told Indian authorities. The next hearing in the matter is scheduled for July 17, during which Nehal Modi may seek bail -- a move expected to be contested by US prosecutors, the officials said. The arrest stems from a jo ...Read More >
New Delhi [India], July 7 (ANI): Union Minister of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare & Rural Development, Shivraj Singh Chouhan on Monday inaugurated the 11th edition of the India Maize Summit, organized by the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI) in association with (IIMR) Indian Institute of Maize Research. Speaking at event, Chouhan emphasized that 'Farmers' sewa is our mool mantra,' reaffirming the government's commitment to farmer-centric policies. He outlined a multi-pronged strategy to boost maize production, and increase farmer incomes, while ensuring environme ...Read More >
Kolkata: Probing the murder and rape of the class VIII student in New Town, cops have found that accused Soumitra Roy (22) is an undertrial accused in a four-year-old dowry death case at his hometown in Nadia's Dhantala. He was accused of torturing and killing his former wife for dowry. Cops said in a case dated Aug 2, 2021, Roy was arrested by officers of Dhantala PS. "He got bail in 2022 and then left Nadia with his family and remarried 13 months ago. He still has to appear in a Nadia court in connection with the case on a regular basis," an officer said. TOI on Monday quoted his wife Mous ...Read More >
New Delhi [India], June 6 (ANI): Delhi's Dwarka Court recently acquitted an army colonel and his friend accused of raping an advocate noting the delay in FIR and contradications in the testimony of victim and absence of corroborative forensic or medical evidence to prove the allegations. While acquitting the accused persons, the Additional Sessions Judge (ASJ) Gagandeep Jindal noted the contradictions and inconsistencies in the complainant's testimony. An FIR was lodged at Dwarka 23 Police Station against army officer under Sections 376 (2) (n) (repeated rape) by administering sedative laced ...Read More >
Prayagraj (UP), Jul 11 (PTI) The Allahabad High Court has observed that merely expressing support for Pakistan, without referring to any specific incident or mentioning India by name, does not prima facie constitute an offence under section 152 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS). The said penal provision deals with acts endangering the sovereignty or unity and integrity of India. "Considering the submissions of the learned counsel for the parties and after a perusal of the records, it is not in dispute that while posting the aforesaid post through his Instagram ID, the applicant had not me ...Read More >
Thrissur, June 6 (SocialNews.XYZ) Malayalam actor Shine Tom Chacko's father died when a car, in which he was on the way to Bengaluru, crashed with a lorry at Dharmapuri near Salem on Friday. The car occupants included the actor, his father, mother, brother and driver. Chacko's father breathed his last while he was taken to the hospital. Chacko suffered injuries to his hands. The rest of the family and the driver are now reported to be out of danger. The family which left from here in the wee hours was on its way to Bengaluru for the treatment of the actor, who is presently undergoing de-ad ...Read More >
Ahmedabad, Jun 27 (PTI) The Gujarat High Court on Friday extended the temporary bail granted to self-styled godman Asaram till July 7 in the 2013 rape case for which he is serving a life sentence. The division bench of Justices Ilesh Vora and Sandeep Bhatt extended Asaram's temporary bail, granted on March 28 initially for three months, during the hearing of the plea. Asaram (86) is on bail on medical grounds. The extension was granted so that his lawyer could submit the necessary documents in his plea, and the matter has been kept for further hearing on July 2. Notably, the temporary bail ...Read More >
Mumbai: The Vinobha Bhave Nagar Police have arrested a 22-year-old man who had been on the run for three years in connection with the sexual assault of a minor girl. The accused, Naushad Israr Ahmed, had been evading arrest since July 18, 2022, when a case was registered against him under IPC Sections 363 (kidnapping), 376 (rape), 354 (assault on woman), and Sections 4, 8, and 12 of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act.According to police, Naushad had changed his identity several times and moved across Gujarat, Rajasthan, Delhi, and Uttar Pradesh, frequently altering his ...Read More >
Nagpur: The Bombay High Court on Monday acquitted a 25-year-old youth, who faced allegation for teasing a minor girl. Earlier, the accused was handed out a three-year sentence by the Nagpur Sessions court for uttering, "I love you" to her in 2015, a gesture, which was viewed as the outcome of his 'sexual intent.' "Saying I love you is only an expression of feelings and does not in itself amount to sexual harassment, the bench said. Any sexual act includes inappropriate touching, forcible disrobing, indecent gestures or remarks made with an intent to insult the modesty of a woman, a bench of J ...Read More >