TN: Senior BJP leader sentenced to one month Jail for offensive post against women journos
Chennai: A Chennai court has handed down a one-month prison sentence and imposed a fine of Rs 15,000 on senior Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader and former MLA S Ve Shekher. The case pertains to an offensive social media post targeting women journalists that Shekher had shared in April 2018.
Chennai Special Court judge G Jayavel, while delivering the verdict, emphasized that the crime had been proven beyond a reasonable doubt. The court observed that the post, which included derogatory and abusive comments about women journalists, warranted legal consequences.
In April 2018, the then Tamil Nadu Governor Banwarilal Purohit patted the cheek of a woman journalist and subsequently apologized for it. However, Shekar had shared a post on Facebook with derogatory and abusive comments about women journalists, for which he was booked by the police based on a complaint by the Tamil Nadu Journalist Protection Welfare Association.
Shekher, in an attempt to challenge the case, had approached the Madurai bench of the Madras High Court seeking its quashing. However, the High Court declined to do so, affirming the legal standing of the charges against him.
The offensive post, initially shared by Shekher's friend Thirumalai Sa, accused women journalists in Tamil Nadu of engaging in inappropriate behavior to advance their careers. Shekher, by forwarding the post, faced charges under various sections of the Indian Penal Code, including intentional insult, statements conducing to public mischief, and insulting the modesty of a woman.
The post by Thirumalai Sa, Shekher’s friend, without naming the woman journalist in the incident said that her intention was to ‘target the Governor and Modi’. “It is actually the governor who has to wash his hands with Phenol after touching her. These (TN media persons) are cheap and disgusting creatures. Most people who work in the media in TN are usually Illiterate, cheap and don't have any general knowledge. This woman is not any different." The post also went on to accuse all women journalists in Tamil Nadu of sleeping around. "Recently this disgusting fact has come out through complaints that women cannot become reporters or anchors unless they sleep with top bosses. And with these faces, they come out to ask questions to the governor," it had stated.
Despite paying the imposed fine, Shekher submitted a petition in court, expressing his intention to appeal in the High Court. Consequently, the sentence has been stayed pending the outcome of the appeal.
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Bengaluru resident booked for obstructing, verbally abusing female officials engaged in census work
Bengaluru (PTI): An FIR was registered on Saturday against a resident here for allegedly obstructing and verbally abusing female officials engaged in the National Census-2027 work, police said.
The incident took place between April 20 and April 25 within Ward No 43 in R T Nagar area, they said.
According to the complaint lodged by Lokesh S P, Census Charge Officer for Bengaluru North City Corporation, on April 20, Veena, an enumerator assigned to Ward No 43, visited an apartment within the Corporation limits to collect census information. However, the concerned resident refused to provide the required details.
Subsequently, on April 25, during verification, Rashmi R, Supervisor (Circle-2), visited the location and sought the necessary census information.
The resident not only refused to cooperate but also obstructed the census work and verbally abused the female staff using inappropriate language, the complaint alleged.
Based on the complaint by Lokesh, a case was registered against the resident concerned under sections 132 (assault or criminal force to deter a public servant from discharge of duty), 223 (obstructing a public servant in discharge of public functions), and 79 (word, gesture or act intended to insult the modesty of a woman) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, police said, adding that further investigation is ongoing.
Meanwhile, in a statement, Bengaluru North City Corporation Commissioner Pommala Sunil Kumar emphasised that Census work is a matter of national importance, and obstructing officials in the discharge of their duties is a punishable offence.
He warned that strict legal action will be taken against such acts and appealed to the public to cooperate with enumerators and provide accurate information, as it is the legal duty of every citizen.
