Karnataka HC declines to intervene in graft case against KIADB official
The petitioner, at present working as Joint Director of Municipal Administration, had moved the high court challenging the proceedings under sections 7 (a) and 7A of the Prevention of Corruption (PC) Act.
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Time of India
an hour ago
- Time of India
Unions a constant presence despite no union election
Kolkata: The campus where the law student was raped was not the only college where unions play a larger-than-life role despite the absence of a formal union. Across Kolkata, there are several colleges where no union exists on paper since union elections have not been held since 2017. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now But the stranglehold of unions remain in these institutions as youths owing allegiance to politicians control different aspects of students' lives. At the law college under the scanner now, Monojit Mishra who had passed out in 2022, held sway over the students affairs though he had passed out in 2022. Though no union election had been held in the college for over eight years, it still had a union with various functionaries. The rape survivor had in her account to the police stated that she was offered the union general secretary's post by Monojit on Wednesday. As it turned out, he had in turn demanded sexual gratification. When she had turned down his advances, he resorted to rape. "In the absence of an elected union, several colleges are in the vice of the likes of Monojit who use their dadagiri to control the lives of students. Since there is on election, these men cannot be dethroned. The education should either do away with the unions completely and replace them with student councils or they should hold union elections," said a student of the law college. Around eight years ago, the state government had framed rules under the West Bengal Universities and Colleges (Administration and Regulation) Act, 2017, which stated that there would be students' councils instead of students' unions, but this hasn't been implemented since student elections were suspended in 2017. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now "The students' union was established to look after students' interests on college campuses. The fund, which was formed by collecting money from each student of colleges, could be utilised by the college union for conducting programmes like freshers' welcome, farewell programme, Saraswati Puja, and other celebrations. Gradually, the focus shifted from serving students' interests to personal interests. Local political leaders also got involved in it," said an academic. College principals highlighted that they have no authority to question the utilisation of student funds. One principal said, "The union was defunct for many years. Now, who will utilise this fund and who should be given authority? Principals are in the most vulnerable position dealing with all these troubles while ensuring safety and security." Purna Chandra Maity, a former principal, said, "In every college, a section of students enjoy enormous power due to their political backing. They collect huge amounts of money during admissions even after the online admission system has been implemented. Who will stop them? Students' money should be utilised by union leaders through a teacher appointed by the college, but this was never followed. Now, in the absence of an elected body, who will manage this money? Most college principals are facing trouble due to these sections, as everybody knows. " In the recent past, several complaints were raised against pass-out students trying to acquire power to access this fund. Jogesh Chandra Chaudhuri Law College's student Deshma Ghosh moved to court regarding unwanted interference from Sabbir Ali, who was a former student of Day College. Ghosh said, "Sabbir Ali, who passed out from Day College, and his associates tried to maintain control over the campus. We faced problems as both colleges share the same campus. " A north Kolkata college student said, "Union rooms inside the colleges are dominated by political dadas who may have passed college years ago. Their presence and the power they enjoy inside the campus because of political connections often intimidate other students. I personally never visited the union room because I hardly see any student there. Various antisocial activities happen inside." A source said, "The rape incident at the law college has come to light and the accused have been arrested. But unfortunately, most colleges of the city are controlled by such 'dadas' who are close to power. There are many colleges where girls have been harassed or molested and boys have been physically assaulted on the campus, but unfortunately, complaints were not lodged out of fear." A student of the law college said, "Monojit controlled the college. He decided what cultural activities will take place, if an exam should be postponed or not, and would sort out attendance issues with authority." An insider said, "From North to South, most colleges in the city are controlled by dadas, who passed out several years ago or belong to the neighbourhood. This is because of their political connections and to retain power and control over the college. The union rooms are their free ground and they have free access to every corner of the college and are also part of the decision-making process. The unlimited power that they enjoy often leads them to threaten people, extort money, and intimidate teachers and students. "
The Hindu
3 hours ago
- The Hindu
Anchor Swetcha death case: Man arrested for abetment, POCSO charges invoked
The Chikkadpally police of Hyderabad arrested Purnachander Rao in the television journalist Swetcha Votarkar death case on Sunday. Rao was detained and taken into custody in the early hours of Sunday after he appeared before them with his lawyer. Police have altered the case from a suspicious death to one of abetment to suicide and have also invoked relevant sections of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act. Officials declined to reveal the specific nature of the POCSO charges, citing Supreme Court guidelines. Swetcha Votarkar, 40, was found dead at her residence in Jawahar Nagar on Friday. She is survived by her 13-year-old daughter. Her body was discovered hanging in her home, and the initial case was registered as a suspicious death pending the post-mortem report from Gandhi Hospital. The case took a turn after Swetcha's father, Shankar Votarkar, alleged that Purnachander Rao had been harassing his daughter for the past three years under the pretext of marriage. Following the family's formal complaint naming Purnachander Rao as responsible for Swetcha's death, police took up the investigation, which has now led to his arrest. The probe is ongoing. Meanwhile, Rao's advocate in this case, Sravan Kumar, addressed the media outside the Chikkadpally police station on Sunday and said that he was booked under sections 69 (sexual intercourse with false promise of marriage) and 109 (abetment of suicide) of the BNS Act. 'Another FIR was booked under sections of POCSO Act based on a statement by Swetcha's daughter. Rao's statement on this is that he looked after the child as his own daughter and that there is proof of him admitting her to school and paying for her birthday celebrations etc. He said that he was warned not to come to her funeral by people,' said the advocate. (Roshini suicide prevention helpline numbers are: 8142020033/44 and 040 66202000/2001.)
Hindustan Times
4 hours ago
- Hindustan Times
Ahmedabad: Video of man beating elephant sparks outrage; forest dept starts inquiry
Ahmedabad: The Gujarat forest department started an inquiry on Saturday after a video of a man repeatedly beating a female elephant in Ahmedabad was widely shared on social media platforms, including X. The 43-second footage of the person, reportedly a mahout (handler), striking the elephant around 19 times with a stick has sparked widespread outrage (Video grab) The 43-second footage of the person, reportedly a mahout (handler), striking the elephant around 19 times with a stick has sparked widespread outrage among citizens, including animal welfare advocates. The forest department has begun an inquiry into the alleged animal abuse case, an official said. This incident comes two days after a single male elephant, Babulal—startled by loud DJ music and shrill noises—ran amok near Desai ni Pol in Khadia, causing panic during the 148th Jagannath Rath Yatra in Ahmedabad on Friday. With 17 elephants, 101 trucks, 30 akhadas, 18 bhajan groups, and three bands, the annual procession—drawing thousands to pull the chariots of Lord Jagannath, Balabhadra, and Subhadra from the Jagannath Temple in Jamalpur along a 16-kilometer route—began around 7 am and was proceeding smoothly until 10.15 am, when the elephant bolted, scattering devotees. Two people, including a woman police officer, were injured while trying to flee. Police, mahouts, and forest staff tranquilized the elephant within 15 minutes and removed it, along with two female elephants, Janaki and Rani, who also showed signs of distress during the procession. The remaining 14 elephants continued the 16km journey. An official, requesting anonymity, said that the person seen beating the elephant in the recent video was present at the Rathyatra procession on June 27 alongside the elephants. 'We have initiated an inquiry to verify the authenticity of the video, which began circulating on the evening of June 27. The person beating the female elephant appears to be a mahout, though we are confirming this. During the Yatra, the female elephants gave a distress call, prompting Babulal to respond due to their strong bond. The elephants were disturbed by loud music, whistles, or colorful balloons. These three elephants are relatively new to large public events. In the footage, Babulal appears to be trying to escape, with the female elephants showing similar discomfort,' chief conservator of forests in Ahmedabad K. Ramesh said. Condemning the cruelty captured in the video and calling for systemic change, animal activists have raised concerns about the welfare of captive elephants. Many suspect that the harsh conditions during the Yatra—30°C temperatures, tar-covered roads, heavy decorations, and loud sounds—may have caused stress among the elephants, potentially triggering the handler's mistreatment. The elephant is listed as a Schedule I animal under the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972, which grants it the highest level of legal protection. Any harm caused to it is a serious offence, punishable with 3 to 7 years of imprisonment and a minimum fine of ₹ 25,000, a forest official said.
