Shivam double blow restricts Pakistan to 171 for 5
Dubai (PTI): Shivam Dube turned out to be an unlikely bowling hero as India bowlers were better at the back-10 after a listless front-10 even as Pakistan managed a competitive 171 for 5 in a Super 4s game of the Asia Cup here on Sunday. Stylish right-handed opener Sahibzada Farhan headlined the Pakistan innings with an attractive 58 off 45 balls as Kuldeep Yadav's dropped catch off Varun Chakravarthy's bowling turned out to be costly.
However, Pakistan after a brilliant front-10 in which they scored 91 for 1 riding on a 72-run stand between Sahibzada and Saim Ayub (21 off 17 balls), tapered off during back-10 managing 80 runs for the loss of four wickets.
Once the back-10 started after the drinks break, Indian bowlers had a better control rate as Dube (2/33 in 4 overs) struck a couple of crucial blows which could prove to be game changer in the final context of the match.
First was a heavy ball that forced Ayub to go for a 'Nataraja' (one-legged) pull-shot but was brilliantly snaffled by Abhishek Sharma, who sprinted from the deep and took a superb diving catch inches off the ground.
While Hussain Talat, the new entrant, failed to read Kuldeep and was out cheaply, Farhan, who after a 34-ball-50, couldn't get big shots going as Dube cleverly used the change of pace to deceive and the result was an easy skier for Chakravarthy.
Credit should also go to Chakravarthy (0/25 in 4 overs), who might have gone wicketless but his overs did put brakes on Pakistan and enabled Dube to buy wickets just when the opposition wanted to go on the offensive.
Towards the end, skipper Salman Ali Agha (17 not out off 13 balls) and Mohammed Nawaz (21 off 19 balls) got a few runs but couldn't consistently hit big shots save in the last over from Dube which cost him 17 runs.
However, what would worry India is Jasprit Bumrah (0/45 in 4 overs), who again bowled three of his four overs inside the Power Play and conceded six boundaries -- something Indian cricket followers mustn't have witnessed for ages.
In the penultimate over, Faheem Ashraf (20 not out off 8 balls), hit him for a monstrous six as the total crossed the 170-run mark.
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Acts preceding actual partial penetration without ejaculation is attempt to rape: Chhattisgarh HC
Bilaspur (PTI): Noting that the act of the convict preceded the actual partial penetration but without ejaculation, the Chhattisgarh High Court has reduced the seven-year sentence awarded by a trial court to a man in a 2004 rape case and convicted him for attempted rape instead.
Partially accepting the accused's appeal, the High Court has reduced the convict's sentence to three years and six months' rigorous imprisonment. A fine of Rs 200 was imposed.
"The proof of penetration, even if partial, is necessary to prove rape. The evidence available in the present case does not prove complete rape, but it does prove that the accused attempted rape. The evidence available in the present case does not prove complete rape, but it does prove that the accused attempted rape," Justice Narendra Kumar Vyas stated in the order on February 16.
Additional Sessions Judge, Dhamtari (Camp-Raipur), had convicted Vasudeo Gond on April 6, 2005, under section 376(1) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) and sentenced him to seven years’ rigorous imprisonment.
He was also sentenced to six months’ rigorous imprisonment under Section 342 IPC. Both sentences were to run concurrently.
Gond had lured the victim, a resident of Dhamtari district, to his house on May 21, 2004, under some pretext, and raped her.
He locked her in a room and tied her hands and feet. A case was registered at the Arjuni police station.
The prosecution examined 19 witnesses during the trial.
In her statement, the victim had claimed forced sexual intercourse by the accused. However, during cross-examination, she gave contradictory statements regarding penetration.
Medical examination revealed an intact hymen, but the possibility of partial penetration was raised. The FSL report also found human sperm in some samples.
The High Court noted that the victim's statement lacked clarity regarding penetration. The medical evidence also failed to establish complete penetration. Citing various Supreme Court decisions, the single-judge bench stated that proof of penetration, even if partial, is necessary to prove rape.
"The evidence of the victim is corroborated with the medical evidence brought on record by the prosecution and law on the subject. It is quite vivid that an offence of attempt to commit rape is made out against the appellant, as there is partial penetration by the appellant.
"As such, the act of the appellant forcibly taking the victim inside the room, closing the doors with the motive of carnal knowledge, was the end of ‘preparation’ to commit the offence. His following action of stripping the victim and himself, and rubbing his genitals against those of the victims and partial penetration, which was indeed an endeavour to commit sexual intercourse," the HC stated.
It said the acts of the appellant were deliberately done with manifest intention to commit the offence aimed at and were reasonably proximate to the consummation of the offence.
"Since the acts of the appellant exceeded the stage beyond preparation and preceded the actual partial penetration but without ejaculation, the appellant is guilty of attempting to commit rape as punishable within the ambit and scope of Section 511 read with Section 375 IPC as it stood in force at the time of occurrence," the HC stated.
The HC convicted Gond under sections 376 (1) and 511 of the IPC, instead of section 376, and sentenced him to three years and six months' rigorous imprisonment. The six-month sentence under Section 342 was upheld. Both sentences will run concurrently.
The bench ordered that the sentence already undergone by the accused be set off.
It cancelled the bail of the accused and directed him to surrender before the trial court within two months, failing which action for his arrest would be initiated.
