Six AP policemen transferred on allegations of torture, sexual abuse of accused women
Chittoor, June 21: Chittoor district police in Andhra Pradesh have transferred six policemen and registered a case to investigate allegations of torture and sexual harassment levelled against them by five women from Tamil Nadu who were part of a gang of eight people booked for crimes related to property offences, police said on Wednesday. On June 15, police arrested the eight accused but released six of them, including the five women, on humanitarian grounds, as they were involved in only one case earlier, invoking 41 A CrPc (appearance before a police officer). Property offences may include theft, extortion, robbery and dacoity, criminal misappropriation of property, criminal breach of trust, receiving stolen property, cheating, and fraudulent deed and disposition of property.
"The other two, who are repeat offenders, with one of them having 30-odd cases against him, have been arrested in lieu of three grave property offences in the district under Chittoor One Town Puthalapattu police station," Chittoor district Superintendent of Police Y Rishant Reddy told PTI on Wednesday. According to Reddy, the six persons who were let off in the presence of their lawyers did not make any allegations of torture or sexual harassment against the police and their statements were also videographed. Meanwhile, during the time they were apprehended and released by AP police, a case was filed in Tamil Nadu's Krishnagiri district that these women were missing.
To clarify about this missing case, the five women appeared at that women's police station and said that they were let off after being served with 41 A CrPc notice. At the time too, they complained of no torture or sexual abuse, said Reddy.
They also appeared before police and revenue officials in Krishnagiri district on June 16, gave their statements and went back home to Puliandipatti located within the limits of Mathur police station in the district.
However, on June 17, the five women travelled to Krishnagiri district headquarters, admitted themselves in a hospital and alleged that they were tortured and sexually abused, said Reddy.
Basing on these allegations, the Chittoor SP said, a case has been registered and the six accused policemen have been transferred to enable an unbiased probe. A case has been registered under IPC Section 376 (punishment for sexual assault) to investigate the allegations, which will be supervised by an additional SP (ASP) rank officer, he added.
Police have also invoked the SC/ST Atrocities Act as the eight persons belong to the Kuruba tribe. Speaking about one of the two arrested persons, Reddy said he had been absconding from the Tamil Nadu police for the past four years and has nine non-bailable warrants and several property offences cases against him.
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Ordinance issued to increase number of Supreme Court judges from 34 to 38
New Delhi (PTI): The government has promulgated an ordinance to increase the strength of the Supreme Court from the present 34 judges to 38, including the Chief Justice of India.
The law ministry notified the ordinance on Saturday, which amended the Supreme Court (Number of Judges) Act, 1956, to increase the sanctioned strength of the top court.
So far, the sanctioned strength of the top court was 34, including the Chief Justice of India (CJI). Now, the number of judges has been increased by four, taking the sanctioned strength to 38.
The top court will now have 37 judges, other than the CJI.
With the apex court having two vacancies at present, and the ordinance coming into force immediately, the Supreme Court Collegium will now have to recommend six names for appointment as judges in the top court.
A bill will be brought in the Monsoon Session of Parliament to convert the ordinance – an executive order – into a law passed by Parliament.
The Union Cabinet had cleared a draft bill on May 5 to increase the number of apex court judges.
The strength of the Supreme Court was last increased from 30 to 33 (excluding the CJI) in 2019.
The Supreme Court (Number of Judges) Act, as originally enacted in 1956, put the maximum number of judges (excluding the CJI) at 10.
This number was increased to 13 by the Supreme Court (Number of Judges), Amendment Act, 1960, and to 17 by another amendment to the law.
The Supreme Court (Number of Judges) Amendment Act, 1986, augmented the strength of judges from 17 to 25, excluding the CJI.
A fresh amendment in 2009 further increased the strength from 25 to 30.
Article 124(3) of the Constitution lists the qualifications required to become a Supreme Court judge.
An Indian citizen who has either served as a high court judge for at least five years, or as an advocate for 10 years, or is a distinguished jurist, can be appointed to the top court.
The strength of the Supreme Court is increased based on the recommendations of the CJI, who writes to the Union law minister. After consulting the finance ministry, the Department of Justice under the law ministry moves the Cabinet with a draft bill.
