Gujarat HC orders production of rape accused to explore possibility of 'compromise'
Ahmedabad, Jun 15: Hearing the plea of a 16-year-old rape survivor seeking permission for abortion, the Gujarat High Court on Thursday asked the authorities to produce the accused so that the possibility of a "compromise" between him and the girl could be explored.
Earlier, the court had ordered the rape survivor's medical examination.
After taking on record the submissions made by her lawyer and medical reports submitted by a panel of doctors, Justice Samir Dave on Thursday directed the authorities to produce the 23-year-old accused, who is lodged in judicial custody in Morbi jail, on Friday evening.
"Where is the accused? Any chance of compromise?" the judge asked the survivor's lawyer Sikandar Saiyad before passing the order.
The lawyer had argued earlier that the girl may end her life if she was forced to give birth.
Advocate Saiyad told the court that he had tried his best to explore the possibility of compromise, but "the accused was not ready".
To this, Justice Dave said, "OK, I will call him. If he is behind bars, I may call him. Let me ask him....Let me ascertain from the boy....I have thought of some solutions. But I am not disclosing them. Will consider tomorrow."
Advocate Saiyad replied that if the accused was ready, "the chapter ends". "That will save three lives," he added.
But Assistant Public Prosecutor Jaswant Shah intervened, saying that earlier "something said in good faith by the court was unnecessarily taken otherwise.. I am worried about misquotation."
Shah was referring to Justice Dave's remark last week during the hearing of the same case where he cited the Manusmriti to note that in the past girls would get married early and give birth to their first child before turning 17.
Responding to Shah, Justice Dave said a judge should remain 'sthita-prajna' (stoic).
"Learned APP is saying that if something comes from the court, people will criticise you. But one thing I may say is that a judge should be like sthita-prjana as mentioned in the Bhagavad Gita. Judge has to be like that. Praise or criticising, one should ignore both the things," the judge said.
During an earlier hearing, Justice Dave had made it clear that the court may not permit the termination of pregnancy if the survivor and the foetus were in good condition.
The rape survivor is 16 years and 11 months old and carrying a seven-month-old foetus. Her father moved the HC seeking permission for abortion as the pregnancy had crossed the 24-week threshold up to which abortion can be performed without a court's leave.
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T'gana RTC strike: Talks between govt, employees successful
Hyderabad (PTI): Talks between employees of Telangana State Road Transport Corporation (RTC) who were on strike and the state government concluded successfully on Friday as the government agreed to the key demands of the workmen.
Following a day-long marathon of talks between the leaders of the employees' Joint Action Committee (JAC) and the cabinet sub-committee, the government announced after midnight that it acceded to the demands, including a merger of RTC with the government, 11 per cent pay revision and elections to the employees' unions.
A committee comprising officials and employee leaders would be appointed over the merger of RTC with the government, it said.
The RTC management has also agreed to address the remaining issues as well, an official release said.
The employees would call off their strike and the RTC buses would hit the roads shortly, it said.
The employees had been on an indefinite strike since April 22 over a series of demands, including the merger of RTC with the government.
Earlier in the day, a driver of the RTC, who attempted suicide on April 23 during the strike, died at a hospital here in the early hours of Friday.
Shankar Goud, a 55-year-old driver, set himself ablaze by pouring petrol at Narsampet in Warangal district when the employees were staging a protest on Thursday in support of their demands.
Goud suffered serious burns, was initially admitted to a state-run hospital in Warangal, and later shifted to a super-speciality hospital in Hyderabad for advanced treatment.
"He succumbed (to injuries) at about 1.30 am on Friday," a senior official said.
The driver’s body was taken to his relative’s village, Muttojipet in Warangal district, for funeral rites.
Tension prevailed in Muttojipet as his family members and RTC employees attempted to take the body to the Narsampet bus station, where he worked, to enable his colleagues to pay their last respects. However, police did not permit this, citing law-and-order concerns.
This led to a deadlock before the funeral could proceed.
Union Minister Bandi Sanjay Kumar criticised the Telangana government for not allowing the body to be taken to the Narsampet bus station.
Kumar, Minister of State (Home), visited Muttojipet village in Warangal district, where the funeral was held, and paid homage to Goud.
“They (family members) want to take the body to the bus depot for five minutes. Is the RTC bus depot in Pakistan or Bangladesh? They are emotionally attached to taking the body there. The government is hurting sentiments and creating fear among RTC employees,” Kumar told reporters.
He also expressed anger at the police for not allowing the body to be taken to the bus station and staged a protest, according to a release from his office.
RTC employees and BJP workers attempted to take the mortal remains in an ambulance to Narsampet, but were stopped by the police.
Later, after discussions with the police, the family members and RTC employees agreed to conduct the funeral in the village.
Sanjay Kumar, stating he would abide by the family’s decision, left the village after the funeral was conducted there.
Transport Minister Ponnam Prabhakar said an ex gratia of Rs 10 lakh, a house, and a government job would be provided to the kin of Goud.
Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy expressed shock over the employee’s death and conveyed deep condolences to the grieving family, according to the release.
The RTC employees’ JAC had earlier announced an agitation programme from April 24 to 29, including silent marches and submission of memorandums to MLAs and other leaders.
