POCSO case against Bishop quashed by Karnataka HC
Bengaluru, June 15: The Karnataka High Court has quashed the criminal proceedings against Reverend Prasanna Kumar Samuel in a case under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act.
Prasanna Kumar Samuel is a Bishop of Church of South India (CSI) Karnataka Central Diocese, Bengaluru.
The case was registered against five people, including Prasanna Kumar Samuel under the Indian Penal Code (IPC) and POCSO in 2015 in relation to alleged sexual assault on some girls at the premises of a school in the city.
Though the police had dropped the charges against Prasanna Kumar, during the trial, he was summoned on an application filed by the public prosecutor in December 2017. This was challenged before the HC.
Justice Hemant Chandanagoudar, while quashing the proceedings against Kumar on May 25, said, The charge sheet material does not disclose that the petitioner has committed the aforesaid offences and also the investigating officer has specifically stated before this Court on November 19, 2019 there are no material available against the petitioner.
However, the Magistrate without perusing the charge sheet material, without application of mind, has issued the summons and the same is impermissible and is an abuse of process of law."
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Bihar: Over 150 children fall ill after consuming 'mid-day meal' in Saharsa
Saharsa (PTI): More than 150 children were taken ill after allegedly consuming food that was part of the mid-day meal in a school in Bihar’s Saharsa district, a senior official said on Thursday.
The incident occurred at a middle school in Baluaha village of the district.
The official said that 115 children were undergoing treatment at the Sadar Hospital, while around 50 students were admitted to Mahishi Public Health Centre.
“We received information that several children fell ill after consuming the mid-day meal in Baluaha. The children were initially treated at the primary health centre, but later, many were referred to the Sadar Hospital,” Saharsa District Magistrate Deepesh Kumar told reporters.
“According to doctors, the health condition of the children has improved, but they will be kept under observation for some time. There is no need to panic. Some kids are having mild fever. They are being treated accordingly,” Kumar said.
Meanwhile, family members of some children claimed that a snake was found in the container in which cooked pulses was stored at the school.
Of the 545 students present in the school, 200 had already eaten their meals by the time the snake was spotted, and later complained of stomach ache and vomiting, they said.
Regarding the claims, the DM said food samples have been collected from the school.
“We will be able to comment on this only after the results of the tested samples arrive,” he said.
