Mangaluru: Sexual harassment accused gets 10 yrs RI
Mangaluru, Dec 15: The Second Additional Principal District and Sessions Court and POCSO Special Court on Saturday convicted a person to 10 years rigorous imprisonment on charges of sexually harassing a four-year-old girl and slapped a fine of Rs 10,000.
The convicted has been identified as Chandrashekar alias Rajesh (49) of Kankanady. If he failed to pay the fine amount, he has to undergo six months more rigorous imprisonment. Out of the total penalty amount, Rs 7,500 has to be given to the victim as compensation, the court said.
About the incident
The convicted was working as a painter and living with his wife and children at a village near Asaigoli in the city. The family members of the victim were residing in the adjacent house and the girl used to go to the house of Chandrashekhar to watch television. On July 23, 2016, when the girl came to his home, Chandrashekar sexually harassed the girl.
After knowing the incident, mother of the girl lodged a complaint against Chandrashekar at Konaje police station. Police registered a case under POCSO Act and when conducted medical examination on the girl, it was found that the girl was sexually abused.
After investigation, then Konaje police station inspector Ashok submitted a charge sheet to the court. Judge BR Pallavi announced the verdict on Saturday. Special public prosecutor C Venkataramana Swamy argued in favour of the victim.
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China hits out at Pentagon report alleging bid to weaken US-India ties
Beijing (PTI): China on Thursday denounced a Pentagon report, which accused Beijing of leveraging reduced border tensions with India to undermine US-India ties while deepening defence ties with Pakistan as an attempt to sow discord with false narratives.
"The Pentagon's report distorts China's defence policy, sows discord between China and other countries, and aims at finding a pretext for the US to maintain its military supremacy," Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lin Jian told a media briefing here when asked about the US Department of War report submitted to the American Congress.
China firmly opposes the report, Lin said.
Separately, Chinese Defence Ministry spokesman Zhang Xiaogang denounced the Pentagon report, which also highlighted the cooperation between China and Pakistan in sectors such as defence and space, with plans to set up a military base.
The US releases such reports year after year, grossly interfering in China's internal affairs, Zhang told a separate media briefing.
The US report maliciously misinterpreted China's national defence policy, made unfounded speculations about China's military development, slandering and smearing the normal actions of the Chinese military, he said, declining to directly respond to a question on the report alleging China’s expanding defence and cooperation with Pakistan.
The report is full of erroneous understandings of China and geopolitical biases, exaggerating the so-called "Chinese military threat" to mislead the international community, Zhang said.
"We express our strong dissatisfaction and firm opposition to this,” he said and urged the US to stop fabricating false narratives and provoking confrontation and antagonism.
In his response to the Pentagon report on India-China ties, Lin stated that Beijing views and handles its relations with New Delhi from a strategic height and a long-term perspective.
"We stand ready to strengthen communication, enhance mutual trust, promote cooperation, and properly handle differences with India, and advance a sound and stable bilateral relationship,” he said.
On the references to the Line of Actual Control in the US report, Lin said, “the boundary question is a matter between China and India, and the current border situation between the two countries is generally stable with smooth communication channels”.
“China opposes relevant country’s groundless and irresponsible comments,” he said.
In its annual report to Congress on Tuesday on 'Military and Security Developments Involving the People's Republic of China 2025', the US Department of War said China probably seeks to capitalise from the deescalating tensions along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) with India to stabilise bilateral relations and to prevent the deepening of US-India ties.
The report referred to a meeting between Chinese President Xi Jinping and Prime Minister Narendra Modi on the sidelines of the BRICS Summit in October 2024.
Two days before their meeting, the agreement was to disengage from the remaining standoff sites along the LAC.
The Xi-Modi meeting marked the onset of monthly high-level engagements between the two countries, where parties discussed border management and next steps for the bilateral relationship, including direct flights, visa facilitation, and the exchange of academics and journalists, it said.
"China's leadership has extended the term 'core interest' to cover Taiwan and China's sovereignty claims amid territorial disputes in the South China Sea, the Senkaku Islands, and the northeastern Indian state of Arunachal Pradesh,” the report said.
It also highlighted the cooperation between China and Pakistan in sectors such as defence and space, adding that Beijing "likely also considered" setting up a base in Pakistan.
It said China is actively considering and planning for additional military facilities. Pakistan is one of the countries where China has likely considered setting up a base, it said.
