Twist in Raichur case of woman pushing husband from bridge; probe raises suspicion of child marriage
Raichur: In a major turn to the recent case of a newly-wed woman pushing her husband off a bridge into the waters of the Gurjapur barrage here while taking photographs, the man is now facing allegations of child marriage.
Thathappa and his wife Gaddemma, who are residents of Devasugooru village in Raichur taluk, had recently visited Gurjapur and were clicking photographs, including selfies, while on the bridge across River Krishna, when Thathappa allegedly fell off the bridge. Thathappa, who was rescued by the locals on hearing his shouts for help, had accused Gaddemma of pushing him into the waters and had also decided to divorce her.
Officers who probed the matter, however, have found that Gaddemma is a minor. In the backdrop of the relationship being a case of child marriage, police officers have reportedly asked Thathappa to produce documents confirming his wife’s age.
Further, the officers of Yadgir District Women Protection Unit are learned to have inspected school records and found that Gaddemma was only 15 years and eight months old when she was married to Thathappa, confirming the child marriage. They added that they have written to the Raichur District Child Welfare Officer asking that suitable legal action be taken against Thathappa in the matter.
The Raichur District Child Welfare officers have also visited Thathappa’s residence and inquired his family members about Thathappa and Gaddemma’s wedding. The officers have said that the family members gave them information about the matter only orally instead of producing documents.
Thathappa reportedly has asked for two days to produce documents regarding his wife’s age and is expected to hand them to the concerned officers on Monday. Sources have said that he has been warned that an FIR over child marriage will be filed against him and his family members if he failed to do so.
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Bangladesh court sentences Sheikh Hasina to 10 years in jail in corruption cases
Dhaka (PTI): A Bangladesh court on Monday sentenced deposed Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina to 10 years in jail in two separate corruption cases related to alleged irregularities in allocations of land in a government housing project.
Dhaka Special Judge’s Court-4 Judge Rabiul Alam handed down the verdicts, sentencing Hasina to a total of 10 years’ imprisonment — five years in each case, state-run BSS news agency reported.
The court sentenced 78-year-old Hasina, her nephew Radwan Mujib Siddiq, and her nieces, Tulip Rizwana Siddiq and Azmina Siddiq, and others in the cases over alleged irregularities in the allocation of plots under the Rajuk New Town Project in Purbachol.
The judgment was pronounced at around 12.30 pm.
Tulip Siddiq was sentenced to four years’ imprisonment — two years in each case — while Radwan Mujib Siddiq and Azmina Siddiq were each sentenced to seven years’ imprisonment in both cases.
Rajuk member Mohammad Khurshid Alam, the only accused to surrender before the court, was sentenced to one year’s imprisonment in each case, totalling two years.
The court also fined all convicted persons Tk1 lakh each and ordered them to serve an additional six months in prison in default of payment.
Hasina has been living in India since she fled Bangladesh on August 5 last year in the face of the massive protests. She was earlier declared a fugitive by the court.
The cases were filed by the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) over alleged abuse of power in the allocation of two 10-katha plots.
According to the prosecution, the accused manipulated the allocation process and violated existing rules and regulations of the Rajdhani Unnayan Kartripakkha (Rajuk).
