High Court quashes FIR against couple for child labour, asks to plant 100 trees
New Delhi : The Delhi High Court has agreed to quash an FIR against a couple, who had employed a minor for household work, and directed them to plant 100 trees and pay Rs 1.5 lakh to the victim.
Justice Najmi Waziri also directed two other persons, who were agents and through whom the minor girl was employed at the couple's house, to offer manual labour for plantation and care of the trees.
The court imposed a fine of Rs 1.5 lakh on the couple and Rs 10,000 each on the two agents and directed that the amount be paid to the minor.
"In the circumstances, the FIR and all proceedings emanating from there are quashed subject to costs of Rs 1.5 lakh to be paid by petitioners No. 1 and 2 (couple) to respondent No.2 (victim)...," the court said.
The court noted that as an expression of contrition for causing unnecessary burden upon the administrative machinery engaged in the maintenance of law and order, the couple submitted they wanted to do some social work.
It directed them to plant 50 trees each in Delhi and were asked to report to the deputy conservator of forests (south) here who shall assign them duties of planting the trees in the Central Ridge for 10 working days in compensatory afforestation or other schemes.
The court said the trees shall be of deciduous indigenous variety with a nursery age of three-and-a-half years and a height of at least six feet.
Depending upon the soil type and topography, the court said the forest officer may consider plantation of Gular (Cluster Fig), Kadamba (Burflower Tree), Pilkhan (White Fig), Jaamun (Black Plum), Bargad (Banyan Tree), Mango, Amaltas (Golden Shower), Mahua (Butter Tree).
Putranjiva, Badh, Sagwan (Teak Wood), Safed Siris (Albizia Procera), Kala Siris, Anjeer, Kathal (Jackfruit), Palash, Arni, Bistendu, Rohida and Medshingi.
Regarding the two agents, the court said as an expression of their contrition and remorse for having put the child through gravity and pain, they undertake to offer manual labour for the plantation and care of the trees.
The deputy conservator of forest (south) would file an affidavit of compliance along with pictures of plantation on or before March 25 before the court.
An FIR was lodged at the Rajouri Garden police station here for the offences of voluntarily causing hurt, unlawful compulsory labour under the Indian Penal Code and the Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Act.
It was alleged that the minor was kept in illegal confinement for about three months for household labour and she was brought to Delhi by these two agents, apparently with the consent of the victim's father.
She was employed by the couple for household work and was allegedly physically assaulted whenever she made a mistake and was never paid any money for the period of her work, it was alleged.
The matter was also reported to the Child Welfare Committee here, which had directed the employers to pay wages and compensation to the victim.
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Another North Goa nightclub sealed; Kejriwal says corruption led to fire tragedy
Panaji (PTI): As part of a crackdown against tourist establishments violating laws and safety norms in the aftermath of the Arpora fire tragedy, Goa authorities on Saturday sealed a renowned club at Vagator and revoked the fire department NOC of another club.
Cafe CO2 Goa, located on a cliff overlooking the Arabian Sea at Vagator beach in North Goa, was sealed. The move came two days after Goya Club, also in Vagator, was shut down for alleged violations of rules.
Elsewhere, campaigning for local body polls, AAP leader Arvind Kejriwal said the fire incident at Birch by Romeo Lane nightclub at Arpora, which claimed 25 lives on December 6, happened because the BJP government in the state was corrupt.
An inspection of Cafe CO2 Goa by a state government-appointed team revealed that the establishment, with a seating capacity of 250, did not possess a no-objection certificate (NOC) of the Fire and Emergency Services Department. The club, which sits atop Ozrant Cliff, also did not have structural stability, the team found.
The Fire and Emergency Services on Saturday also revoked the NOC issued to Diaz Pool Club and Bar at Anjuna as the fire extinguishers installed in the establishment were found to be inadequate, said divisional fire officer Shripad Gawas.
A notice was issued to Nitin Wadhwa, the partner of the club, he said in the order.
Campaigning at Chimbel village near Panaji in support of his party's Zilla Panchayat election candidate, Aam Aadmi Party leader Kejriwal said the nightclub fire at Arpora happened because of the "corruption of the Pramod Sawant-led state government."
"Why this fire incident happened? I read in the newspapers that the nightclub had no occupancy certificate, no building licence, no excise licence, no construction licence or trade licence. The entire club was illegal but still it was going on," he said.
"How could it go on? Couldn't Pramod Sawant or anyone else see it? I was told that hafta (bribe) was being paid," the former Delhi chief minister said.
A person can not work without bribing officials in the coastal state, Kejriwal said, alleging that officers, MLAs and even ministers are accepting bribes.
