Shivamogga: BJP leader arrested for alleged rape, fraud
Shivamogga: Sharath Kalyani, local BJP media department leader, has been taken into custody by the Shivamogga Women's Police Station following allegations of rape and fraud. The arrest came after a 43-year-old divorced woman, who works in a private company, lodged a complaint against Kalyani, accusing him of deceiving her into a relationship under the pretense of marriage.
According to the complaint filed on July 26, 2024, the woman had known Kalyani since August 31, 2023. She claimed that Kalyani had concealed his marital status and engaged in a physical relationship with her, promising marriage. The woman also alleged that Kalyani convinced her to provide financial assistance, amounting to four lakhs, citing personal financial problems.
The situation escalated when the woman insisted on marriage, and Kalyani began avoiding her. When she visited his residence, Kalyani allegedly verbally abused her, physically assaulted her, and threatened to kill her if she came near his house again.
The police have registered a case under various sections of the Indian Penal Code, including Section 376(2)(n) (rape), 420 (cheating), 354 (assault or criminal force to woman with intent to outrage her modesty), 504 (intentional insult with intent to provoke breach of the peace), 323 (voluntarily causing hurt), and 506 (criminal intimidation).
A team led by a female inspector arrested Kalyani in Vijayapura taluk and brought him in for questioning.
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Anbumani asks PM Modi to ban sale of cigarettes for those born after 2009
Chennai (PTI): PMK leader Anbumani Ramadoss on Saturday urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi to take legislative measures to prohibit smoking and the sale of cigarettes to individuals born on or after January 1, 2009, thereby creating a smoke-free generation.
Anbumani, former Union minister for health and family welfare, said, "Once implemented, it (ban on cigarettes) will ensure that future generations are legally prevented from ever accessing tobacco products", he said in a letter to Modi.
"I write to you with a deep sense of urgency and responsibility, drawing your kind attention to a critical public health issue that continues to endanger the lives of millions of Indians, particularly among the younger generation who are affected by cigarette smoking", he claimed.
Stating that India unfortunately bears a disproportionately high burden of tobacco-related morbidity and mortality, he said, adding that, according to global health estimates, nearly 267 million Indians, approximately one in five citizens, use tobacco.
"Each year, tobacco consumption directly accounts for over 1.35 million deaths, while exposure to second-hand smoke contributes to a total of approximately 2.3 million deaths annually", he said, adding, "these figures are alarming and reflect a public health crisis of immense magnitude".
He pointed out that Scientific evidence unequivocally establishes tobacco use as a leading cause of cancer and numerous non-communicable diseases, including cardiovascular ailments, chronic respiratory diseases such as COPD, and multiple forms of malignancies. "In India alone, tobacco is responsible for nearly 40–50 per cent of all cancer cases, with over 4.7 lakh deaths annually attributed to tobacco-induced cancers", he added.
"In this context, I strongly urge the Union government to consider enacting a transformative law similar to that of the United Kingdom, that permanently prohibits the sale and consumption of tobacco products for individuals born on or after a specified year (such as 2009). Such a generational ban would mark a decisive step towards eliminating tobacco use in India over time", he said.
