HC quashes case against man for allegedly posting rape threats against Kohli, Anushka's daughter
Mumbai (PTI): The Bombay High Court has quashed a case registered against a Hyderabad resident for allegedly posting rape threats on social media against the minor daughter of cricketer Virat Kohli and actor Anushka Sharma.
A division bench of Justices A S Gadkari and P D Naik on Monday quashed the case after the complainant, Kohli's manager Aquilia DSouza, granted consent to drop the charges against Ramnagesh Akubathini.
Akubathini, a graduate from the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Hyderabad, was accused of posting objectionable tweets against the daughter of Kohli and Sharma after India lost the T20 world cup match against Pakistan on October 24, 2021.
A First Information Report was registered on November 8, 2021, against him under sections 354 (outraging modesty/sexual harassment), 506 (criminal intimidation), 500 (defamation) and 201 (disappearance of evidence) of the Indian Penal Code along with offences under the Information Technology Act.
Akubathini was arrested by Mumbai police's cyber crime cell on November 11, 2021. A local court granted him bail nine days later.
He moved the HC seeking to quash the FIR in February 2022. He was a meritorious student and rank-holder in the JEE (Advanced) Exam and wished to go abroad for a job but the case was causing hindrance to his career, he pleaded.
On Monday, the complainant filed an affidavit granting consent for the case to be quashed. Accordingly, the HC quashed the FIR.
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FIR against five students of Pune law college for ‘ragging’ junior
Pune (PTI): Police have registered a case against five students of a reputed law college in Pune for allegedly ragging a junior, more than a year after he first approached the institution authorities with a complaint.
A first information report (FIR) was registered on Saturday against the students under the Maharashtra Prohibition of Ragging Act at Deccan police station, officials said on Sunday.
While the college initially investigated the matter, the complainant was not satisfied. He escalated it through the University Grants Commission's (UGC) anti-ragging mechanism and made repeated follow-ups, as per the FIR.
The complainant, then a first-year LLB student, alleged sustained mental harassment, intimidation and ragging inside the hostel. The accused were a year senior to him.
According to the FIR, the harassment began after he objected to smoking on the premises. He alleged repeated verbal abuse and psychological harassment, including being locked in his room, eggs being thrown at his door and gutka being spat outside.
He also claimed loud music was played at night to disturb him and that he was at times restricted from moving freely in the hostel, including accessing the washrooms. The student said the incidents led to social isolation, severe mental distress and affected his academic performance.
College authorities said the matter dates back to 2024 and arose from disputes among hostel residents. They said the institute acted in accordance with UGC anti-ragging guidelines after receiving the complaint. A detailed report was also submitted to the UGC, they said.
“The institute’s anti-ragging committee conducted a probe, but prima facie, no evidence of ragging was established. Since the allegations were not substantiated, no action was warranted. Had any instance of ragging been proved, immediate disciplinary action would have been taken,” the authorities said.
The student first approached the college in October 2024 and later contacted the UGC anti-ragging helpline. Since he was not satisfied with the internal inquiry, he pursued the matter with supporting documents, following which the case was registered, according to the police.
A senior police official said the case was registered after taking cognisance of the facts placed before them.
“The investigation is in progress, and due legal procedure will be followed. Further action will be taken based on the findings,” he said.
