Karnataka HC quashes POCSO case against a man after marriage to victim
Bengaluru: The Karnataka High Court has quashed criminal proceedings against a 23-year-old man from Mysuru, who had allegedly sexually assaulted a 18-year-old when she was a minor, following their marriage and production of their marriage certificate.
Justice M Nagaprasanna emphasised that the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) case could be revived if the accused abandons the girl and their child after the case's closure.
The court had earlier granted interim bail to the accused to facilitate the marriage with the victim (after she attained the age of 18), requiring him to return to jail with the marriage certificate. The accused complied with it.
The court has ruled that continuing the proceedings would negatively impact the mother and child, leading to societal stigma.
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The incident occurred on February 2, 2023, when the accused took the school-going girl to an isolated location and allegedly sexually assaulted her.
The girl subsequently gave birth to their child. Both parties' -- accused and the victim -- through their legal representatives submitted that they were in love, but faced parental opposition.
They had sought closure of the proceedings, considering the accused's wish to marry the victim.
The court's decision was also influenced by a DNA report confirming the biological parentage of the child.
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AIITA welcomes Karnataka’s ban on obscene songs in school events
Bhatkal: The Karnataka unit of the All India Ideal Teachers Association (AIITA) has welcomed the Karnataka government’s decision to strictly ban school children from dancing to obscene songs during educational and cultural programmes in government, aided, and private schools across the state.
AIITA Karnataka State President M. R. Manvi congratulated the government for taking what he termed an important step to preserve the sanctity of education.
“Such decisions to safeguard the dignity of school children and uphold the values of education are the need of the hour. This rule should not be limited to government schools alone but must be strictly implemented in all private educational institutions as well,” he said.
He further urged the government to address other concerns within school programmes.
“The government should not only prohibit obscene dances in the name of school anniversaries, but also ensure that plays and dialogues that incite religious hatred are avoided. Schools should be centres of harmony, not platforms for spreading hatred,” he added.
According to a recent circular issued by the Department of School Education and Literacy, obscene dances are adversely affecting the mental health and moral values of students.
In this regard, schools have been advised to use songs that promote nationalism, positive thinking, the greatness of Kannada culture, and value-based traditions instead of inappropriate content during programmes.
The circular also emphasises that students should be dressed in decent attire.
AIITA also backed the department’s warning that disciplinary action would be taken against head teachers if such guidelines are violated. The association has further demanded that district Deputy Directors of Public Instruction strictly monitor the implementation of these rules.
