Defamation case: Delhi court imposes Rs 5000 cost on Tharoor for not appearing before it
New Delhi: A Delhi court on Saturday imposed a cost of Rs 5,000 on Congress leader Shashi Tharoor for not appearing in hearing on a criminal defamation complaint filed against him for his alleged "scorpion" remark against Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Vishal Pahuja imposed the cost on the Lok Sabha member from Thiruvananthapuram noting that he had failed to appear before him despite the court's earlier direction.
The court was hearing the complaint filed by Delhi BJP leader Rajeev Babbar, who claimed that his religious sentiments were hurt.
"I am a devotee of Lord Shiva... However, the accused (Tharoor) completely disregarded the sentiments of crores of Shiva devotees, made the statement which hurt the sentiments of all the Lord Shiva devotees, both in India and outside the country," the complaint said.
"The complainant's religious sentiments were hurt and accused deliberately did this malicious act, intending to outrage religious feeling of Lord Shiva devotees by insulting their religious believes," it said.
The complaint, filed through advocate Neeraj, termed the statement as an "intolerable abuse" and "absolute vilification" of the faith of millions of people.
The complaint was filed under sections 499 and 500 of the Indian Penal Code relating to defamation. Tharoor had claimed that an unnamed RSS leader had compared Modi to "a scorpion sitting on a Shivling".
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New safety wristbands launched for children at Makkah’s Grand Mosque
Riyadh: Authorities in Saudi Arabia have introduced a new safety measure to protect the youngest visitors at the Grand Mosque in Makkah by distributing free identification wristbands to families.
This initiative, led by the General Authority for the Care of the Affairs of the Grand Mosque and the Prophet's Mosque, aims to prevent children from getting lost in the massive crowds and ensures they can be quickly reunited with their guardians if they wander off. By providing a simple way for staff to contact parents immediately, the program offers peace of mind to pilgrims during the busy Umrah and Hajj seasons.
The process for obtaining a bracelet is straightforward and designed for convenience, as families can pick them up directly upon arrival at the mosque’s main entrances. There is no need for online registration or any advance payment, as the service is completely free.
According to reports, dedicated desks have been set up at major entry points, such as the King Abdulaziz Gate and King Fahd Gate, where staff members help parents fill out the necessary details.
The child’s name and a guardian’s mobile phone number are recorded on the band, which is then securely fastened to the child’s wrist before they enter the prayer areas.
While the system is available for all visitors, officials especially urge parents to use it during peak times like Ramadan or the annual Hajj pilgrimage when the crowds are most dense.
