Belthangady: CPM leader seeks revocation of house seizure against woman accused of selling cattle
Belthangady: A controversy has erupted after police in Dharmasthala sealed the house of a poor woman accused of selling cattle to alleged illegal transporters. CPM leader B.M. Bhat has submitted a memorandum to the Belthangady Tahsildar demanding that the police revoke the house seizure order and allow the woman and her three children to continue living there, calling the action “illegal and against social justice.”
According to reports, on November 4, Dharmasthala police intercepted a vehicle transporting cattle to a slaughterhouse. A case was registered against Johara, a resident of Patturu village in Patrame, for allegedly selling cattle to the accused. Subsequently, on November 6, police sealed Johara’s house, leaving her and her three school-going children homeless.
B.M. Bhat argued that selling livestock is a routine part of agricultural life and that farmers or milk producers cannot be held responsible for how buyers use the animals. “The house was seized without issuing a proper notice or providing an opportunity to respond, which is unlawful,” Bhat stated in his memorandum.
He further pointed out that the FIR does not mention any illegal slaughter taking place on Johara’s property. “If merely selling cattle is treated as a crime deserving property seizure, then every farmer’s land would have to be confiscated,” he added.
Bhat urged the authorities to act on humanitarian grounds and withdraw the seizure order, noting that no illegal activity had been carried out from Johara’s home. He requested that the family be allowed to return to their residence immediately.
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RSS man's defamation case against Rahul: Key witness unavailable, hearing adjourned to Dec 20
Thane (PTI): A court in Bhiwandi in Thane district on Saturday adjourned the hearing in the criminal defamation case filed against Congress leader Rahul Gandhi by a Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) worker to December 20 due to non-availability of a crucial prosecution witness.
Advocate Narayan Iyer, counsel for Rahul Gandhi, confirmed the adjournment, stating that the witness, Ashok Saykar, currently Deputy Superintendent of Police in Barshi in Solapur, could not remain present due to personal reasons.
Saykar's evidence is now likely to be recorded on December 29.
His testimony is considered key because he, as police sub inspector in 2014, conducted the preliminary inquiry into the private defamation matter under Section 202 of the Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPC).
It was on the basis of Saykar's submitted report that the court subsequently issued process (summons) against Rahul Gandhi under Section 500 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC).
The criminal defamation case was filed by local RSS worker Rajesh Kunte following a speech given by Rahul Gandhi at an election rally near Bhiwandi on March 6, 2014.
The case stems from the Congress leader's alleged statement that "the RSS people killed (Mahatma) Gandhi."
The matter is being heard by Bhiwandi Joint Civil Judge, Junior Division, P M Kolse.
The hearing had previously been adjourned on November 15 after the complainant's counsel, Advocate Prabodh Jaywant, moved an application seeking permission to examine Saykar, who had submitted the probe report to the court.
The matter was originally scheduled for November 29 but was deferred to December 6 after Rahul Gandhi's legal team sought an adjournment citing their non-availability. The proceedings will now resume on December 20.
