Crime file: MBA student sent to jail for 7 years for raping live-in partner; father to marry off minor daughter after losing in gambling, and more

New Delhi: An MBA student convicted of raping his live-in partner several times after promising to marry her was on Friday sentenced to seven years in jail by a Delhi court.

Additional Sessions Judge Yogesh Khanna handed down the jail term to 31-year-old Hari Mohan Sharma after holding the him guilty of ravishing an LL.B student.

"Considering the fact and circumstances, the nature of offence involved, I sentence convict Hari Mohan Sharma for the offence punishable under section 376 (rape) of IPC to rigorous imprisonment for seven years..," the court said and imposed Rs 5,000 as costs on the convict.

The judge recommended that "appropriate compensation, under section 357-A CrPC, be awarded to the prosecutrix and hence, a copy of this order be sent to the Secretary, Delhi Legal Service Authority, New Delhi, for deciding the quantum of compensation to be awarded to her under the scheme referred to in sub section 1 of section 357-A CrPC."

CrPC was amended in 2008 on the recommendations of the Law Commission and Section 357A was introduced under which the court is empowered to direct the State to pay compensation to the victim.

Sharma, a resident of Uttar Pradesh, was arrested and later faced trial in the case lodged by his partner in which she alleged he had raped her several times between December 2010 and January 2011 on the pretext of marrying her.

The police said the girl had lodged a complaint in August 2011 when she became pregnant and Sharma had refused to marry her, saying his parents are against their affair. Sharma had denied the rape allegation against him during the trial and said he has been falsely implicated.

The court, however, had brushed aside Sharma's plea and said a live-in relationship is not merely residing together, but it is about the commitment to be with the loved one in future as well.

Observing that the girl was forced to abort the foetus, the court had said while convicting the man that "concept of live–in relationship does not mean merely residing together, rather, it means to live in a commitment or in a relation of being together in future.

"In our society, when a woman enters into this kind of relationship, she has in her mind only a marriage in future. However, when such relationship ends abruptly, it means a lot to the woman," it had said.

The court had said, "The intention of the accused, right from the beginning, was never honest and he kept on promising her that he would marry her." It had also said the accused very well knew that his father would be against the love marriage and would not pay his fee for education but even then he continued 'misusing' the girl till she became pregnant.

The attack was a retaliation to a similar incident a couple of weeks ago when Pachaiyappa’s College students were attacked near the New Mint bus stop, police said.

Eyewitnesses said at around 9 am, the bus (route no. 6D) was on the Thiruvottiyur High Road, when a group of 30 boys boarded it at the Maharani Theatre bus stop.

They started assaulting the Presidency College students, using knives and sharp weapons, injuring the two women passengers in the cross-fire.

Hearing the cries of the passengers, the driver halted the bus at the Tiruvottiyur High Road-Cemetery Road junction, whereupon the mob fled.

Next: Chain snatching cases hit 1k in Hyderabad

Chain snatching cases hit 1k in Hyderabad

DC/K.K. Abdul Rahoof

Hyderabad: Chain snatching continues to be the most prolific crime in the city and its outskirts with more than 1,000 incidents reported till November this year.

Crime Records Bureau data of Cyberabad and Hyderabad commissionerates shows a steep increase in snatching cases compared to previous years and special teams of city cops and their new methods to curb the crime seem to be ineffective.

When the police start rounding up chain snatching gangs, fresh criminals step into the scene and continue to target women wearing gold ornaments, said sources.

Cyberabad Detective department officials said that many notorious house burglars were now switching to chain snatching as it was easier and more lucrative.

According to the city police, nearly 200 chain snatchers were currently in the business with their small gangs. Since the offenders are not organised, they do not maintain big gangs, added cops.

As per police data, there were more “freshers” involved in chain snatching offences as compared to other crimes. West Zone DCP Satyanarayana said that most offenders are youngsters between 18 to 27 years. The gangs, which were usually small, comprise unemployed youths. Few students were also part of the gangs, he said.

In Cyberabad, following a police crackdown on house burglars, the offenders have started switching to chain snatching. “Now housebreaking offenders get bikes and roam deserted areas looking for lone women wearing gold ornaments. This is a new trend in the Cyberabad crime scene,” said a senior police official adding that at least 20 such offenders had changed their modus operandi.

Cyberabad cops had even deployed women police officials in plain clothes wearing gold ornaments in areas prone to snatchings. The police had also started opening suspect sheets on usual offenders to keep a strict vigil on them.

“They study the area where they commit the offence and observe the victims by following them. They learn the different routes and prepare a good escape plan before they confront the victim,” said a police officer from Cyberabad. Adding that it was almost impossible for cops to catch the snatchers red-handed because of these reasons.

The police also tries to catch snatchers while they are selling the stolen gold. However, many offenders are now selling the gold in other states or are pledging them with pawnbrokers.

The police is also keeping a close watch on chain snatchers who had been arrested after they come out of prison. However, the criminals give a slip to the police by switching their residences.

“The offenders, if they know they are under the police radar, keep changing their residences and ‘snatching spots’. Many of them keep changing their houses, sometimes to the Old City, sometimes to the city’s outskirts and sometimes to posh areas,” said a senior police official.

Next: Bikers snatch gold from four women

Bikers snatch gold from four women

Hyderabad: Bike-borne chain snatchers struck at four places in the city on Thursday. The criminals snatched gold chains of four women at Nacharam, Kukat-pally Housing Board, and LB Nagar in the afternoon.

In the first case, two bikers, with their faces covered, snatched a gold chain weighing 4 tola from former BSNL employee K. Kalavati, 52, a resident of BSNL quarters at KPHB.

The incident occurred in KPHB?phase III when the victim was going home. In less than an hour, the same men snatched a 3-tola gold chain from R. Pushpam in the same area. Both women lodged complaints.

The third incident occurred at Nagole. The victim, P. Latha, 28, lost her 3.5-tola gold chain.

In the fourth case, two men targeted 50-year-old D. Swarnima, who had gone to bring back her grandson from play school.

Next: Constable’s son shoots himself

Constable’s son shoots himself

Hyderabad: In a shocking incident, a 20-year-old engineering student allegedly committed suicide at the CRPF quarters in Hakimpet on Thursday evening.

The student, Rishi Singh, son of CRPF constable Ravinder Singh, died on the spot after he shot himself in the head using his father’s gun.

Bangalore M. Tech student commits a ‘selfie’ suicide

Alwal cops suspect that Rishi Singh, a student of CMR Engin-eering College at Medchal, ended his life due to examination pressure. However, the police has not ascertained the reason for the suicide yet.

The incident occurred at Ravinder Singh’s residence at the CRPF quarters after Rishi returned home.

“At 4 pm, he came home after his examination. He locked himself in the room and shot himself,” said Alwal police inspector S.V. Hari Krishna.

His parents and neighbours broke open the door of the room and found a grievously injured Rishi who succumbed to his injuries before any medical help could be given.

Rishi shot himself with his father’s .32 pistol. A third year student at CMR college, Rishi, was reportedly depressed about his exam. Police has not recovered any suicide note from his room.

“We are yet to find out the reason for his suicide. We are checking his mobile phone, laptop and other belongings for clues,” said the Alwal inspector.

Police has booked a case under CrPc Section 174 (for suspicious death), and is investigating. His body was shifted to the mortuary for post-mortem.

Next: Blogger nabbed for abusing journo

Blogger nabbed for abusing journo

Chennai: Seven months after a woman jo­u­rnalist, Kavin Malar, lo­dged a complaint with the Chennai police about online ha­rassment, the city po­lice registered a case ag­ai­nst Kishore K. Swamy, a bl­ogger from Bengaluru, for alleged social network abuse.

Kavin had lodged a complaint in May with the ci­ty police. The Network for Women in Media had also written to the chief minister to draw her attention to the online harassment th­at the journalist had fa­ced.

The blogger, Kishore K. Swamy, had allegedly su­bjected her to character assassination and abusive messages on Facebook for over a month, targeting her work and personal ch­aracter and attempted to malign her in society as well as in the media.

Next: Woman ends life due to illness

Woman ends life due to illness

Hyderabad: A 35-year-old woman hanged herself to death at her house early on Thursday. She was depressed about her illness. According to Prabhakar Reddy, sub-inspector, Malkajgiri, the victim B. Anjamma was married to Laxmaiah and used to work at construction sites. On Wednesday she once again complained of being unwell.

“She told her husband that she was feeling unwell and went to take rest. It was when her husband, mother and children fell asleep that she went into the kitchen and hanged herself from the ceiling,” the inspector said.

The family members rushed her to the hospital, but was declared brought dead. According to the victim’s family, she had no disputes with the family which could be a reason for her suicide. A case of suspicious death was registered and is being investigated.

Next: Rs 2 lakh cash bag stolen

Rs 2 lakh cash bag stolen

Hyderabad: A commission agent’s cash bag containing Rs 2 lakh was snatched at the crowded Mada-nnpet Mandi on Thursday. The agent was returning after collecting money.

The victim, Anji Reddy, 59, is a resident of Almasguda. Every day he collects cash from vendors in the market and takes it home. Anji Reddy collected cash as usual and kept it in his bag and was going to his car to keep the bag, when it was snatched.

Madannapet inspector S. Vinod Kumar said that there were no suspects now and efforts are on to trace the accused.

Anji Reddy had kept the money in his bag and had walked towards his car parked a few metres away. He was holding the cash bag in his left hand, while trying to open the car door with his right hand, the inspector said.

A man who had followed him on foot came close to him, snatched the bag and fled.
Based on a complaint lodged by the victim, a case has been registered. Police said that as of now there are no suspects, and that efforts are one to trace the accused.

Next: Police arrest ‘psycho’

Police arrest ‘psycho’

Kadapa: In a major breakthrough, special party police teams nabbed psycho Tota Venkataramana of G.V. Puram village under Obulavaripalle police station limits in the district on Thursday, who has been escaping from police since 5 years and also involved in murder of three elders in the village.

Police had sleepless nights since 2008 as Venkataramana was attacking his rivals with various lethal weapons despite providing police protection to them.

Sources said, Tota Venkataramana was hurt with the verdict given by the elders Tota Subramanyam, Gabbi Venkataswamy and K. Venkata Ramana in the village as they had expelled his parents in connection with the issue of Venkataramana’s quarrel. Later, he developed a grudge against the elders of the village.

He killed Tota Narayana, Tota Subramanyam and Gabbi Ramakrishna at the village five years ago. Though police posted outpost at the village to nab the assailant, they failed to locate his whereabouts.

Special team nabbed the assailant Venkatara-mana at a lodge in Rajampeta in Kadapa district along with lethal weapons.Police trapped his mobile phone after a villager received threatening call.

Villagers of G.V.Puram in Obulavaripalle said they had sleep less nights due to sudden attack by Totha Venkataramana since five years. Sources said, police also seized weapons from the assailants.

Next: Two inter-district burglars arrested

Two inter-district burglars arrested

Vijayawada: Patamata police on Thursday arrested two inter-district burglars involved in over 11 burglaries at Vijayawada and Guntur. Booty worth Rs 5 lakh was seized from them.

Central zone ACP D.V. Nageswara Rao said, old criminal P. Suresh, 32, alias Peter of Palako-deru mandal, West Godavari, and S. Yesu, 26, of Nandivada mandal, Krishna district, stole motorcycles and burgled five houses under Patamata and Vuyyuru police stations.

They also burgled six houses in Guntur district. Police said, Suresh was jailed for three years between 2007 and 2013 for burglaries at various places in the state. He made friends with other prisoners in jail and made them partners in his offences.

Next: Fake certificate racket busted,seller taken into custody

Fake certificate racket busted,seller taken into custody

Vijayawada: Satyanara-yanapuram police reportedly busted a fake certificate-selling institute in the city on Thursday. Police have taken into custody Md Basha, organiser of MK Gandhi Institute of Dista-nce Education at Gandhinagar for selling fake mark lists and passing certificates. The institute is allegedly selling fake certificates starting from SSC to PG courses.

While the duplicates of Class X and Intermediate certificates are of state intermediate and school board, degree and post-graduation certificates are of CMJ University, Meghalaya and other colleges in other states, according to sources.

Class X certificate was sold for Rs 12,000 while intermediate certificate was sold for Rs 18,000, under-graduate course certificates for rs 35,0 00 and certificates of post-graduation courses including MBA, MSc for Rs 40,000 to 50,000 depending on the course. Basha, who promised issuance of original certificates was giving fake certificates.

After conducting examinations for namesake. Also, there are candidates who intentionally buy fake certificates, a source said. Police are questioning six others working with Basha in the institute.
A victim S. Ramesh of the city lodged a complaint with police on Thursday morning after the scam came to light. Police appealed to the victims to complaint if the institute cheated them.

Next: Forest officer accused of sexual harassment

Forest officer accused of sexual harassment

Hubli: Deputy Conservator of Forests (social forest), Bagalkot, Honnappayya B Nayak is being investigated by the police for allegedly sexually harassing a widow employed as a second division clerk in his department.

The officer is alleged to have called the woman several times a day demanding sexual favours - conversations the woman claims to have recorded on her mobile phone.

The harassment allegedly began on October 16 when she was deputed to the forest office in Bagalkot.

To begin with Nayak who lives alone in the forest residential quarters, while his family stays in Belgaum, appears to have called the woman to discuss various action plans of the developmental projects undertaken by the department going by the telephonic conversation recorded on her phone. In later conversations the officer is heard inviting the woman to his home at night and offering to pay half his income and other facilities to her in return for sexual favours.

“The forest officer called me five or six times on his mobile phone every day and sought sexual favours from me although I am his daughter’s age. He continued to offer me several facilities besides a part of his income although I refused every time. I am tired of his sexual harassment and have filed a case against him as I want to see him punished,” the woman asserted.

Nayak, who is due to retire next year, was not available for comment.

Bagalkot superintendant of police Ida Martin Marbaniang said that the audio tape given by the woman had been sent to a forensic laboratory for verification and a team of police officials would interrogate Nayak after collecting a sample of his voice recording. “We have started the inquiry into the sexual harassment case. The officer could be arrested after interrogation,” he added.