Proceedings in offence of bigamy cannot be obliterated on grounds of delay: K'taka HC
Bengaluru, Jun 4: The Karnataka High Court has refused a petition seeking to quash the case of bigamy filed against a 76-year-old man who admitted that he is still married to three women.
The HC said his admission makes it a "continuing offence".
"In the teeth of the admitted facts of the petitioner marrying thrice and its subsistence even as on day, the plea of delay in registration of the crime would pale into insignificance, as bigamy in the case at hand is a continuing offence," it said.
Anand C alias Anku Gowda's first wife, Chandramma, had filed the case of bigamy and abetment against him, his third wife Varalakshmi, 49, and four of his close friends and relatives.
Anand had married Chandramma in 1968. He married her sister Savitramma in 1972. Anand claimed Chandramma had consented to the second marriage.
Anand married Varalakshmi in 1993 and claimed before the HC that both his first two wives consented to the third marriage.
Chandramma's complaint of bigamy was filed in 2018. She alleged that Anand had suppressed the fact of his earlier marriages while marrying Varalakshmi.
Anand, his third wife and other accused challenged it in the High Court on the ground that the complaint was filed nearly 25 years after the wedding. The second contention was that the third marriage had the consent of his other two wives.
The septuagenarian claimed that the bigamy case was filed after a property dispute involving his three wives. He had gifted a property to his third wife which was dissented by the other two leading to the bigamy case being filed. The children from the first wife have also initiated suits for partition against Anand.
Justice M Nagaprasanna, who heard Anand's petition, held in his May 25 judgement that the case against Anand and his third wife cannot be quashed as they were aware of the preceding marriages.
However the case against Anand's friends for abetting bigamy was quashed.
"Other family members or friends of 1st petitioner (Anand) cannot be hauled into these proceedings unless there are instances to demonstrate that they were responsible for the commission of second marriage or even the third marriage," the HC said.
"The act of bigamy generally is a triangle involving the husband, wife and second wife. This is a peculiar case where it is a quadrangle. Therefore, the first petitioner, second petitioner and the complainant will have to resolve the issue amongst themselves," the HC said absolving the other accused.
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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.
