POCSO case: Accused journalist remanded to judicial custody
Udupi, Dec 3: The principal district and sessions court remanded journalist Chandra K Hemmadi who was arrested on charges of sexually abusing 21 minor boys under POCSO Act, to 14 days judicial custody.
He was in police custody for three days from November 29 and as his interrogation was completed and his custody was ended on December 2, investigating officer Byndoor circle inspector Parameshwar R. Gunaga produced him before the court on Monday. Judge Venkatesh Naik remanded the accused to 14 days judicial custody and later, he was taken to district jail situated at Hiriyadka.
Following complaints from 21 boys, 16 cases were filed in Byndoor police station, three cases in Gangolli police station and one case each was filed in Kundapura rural and Kollur police stations under the POCSO Act. It is said that few more boys are likely to give complaints against the accused.
Being a singer, Chandra Hemmadi used to visit schools and colleges for giving programmes and later, he used to publish the news of those programmes in newspapers and thus gained the confidence of the teachers, parents and students. Under the guise of journalist, he used to take the students on motorbikes to show him the places of news and sexually exploit them. If any students oppose his act, he was threatening them with knife points and it was disclosed in the interrogation, said SP Lakshman Nimbargi.
First case in state
It is the first case in the history of the state that 21 cases were filed against an accused under the POCSO Act. Now, the investigating officers have been investigating the case in different angles and there are chances of filing few more cases against him. If the charges are proved against the accused, there is an option to impose life imprisonment to the accused, district special public prosecutor Vijaya Vasu Poojary said.
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Delhi: Boy stabbed to death over 'controversial' social media comments, 2 juveniles held
New Delhi (PTI): A 16-year-old boy was stabbed to death at Ramleela ground in northwest Delhi for allegedly making social media comments that police described as "controversial", an official said on Wednesday.
According to the police, the assailants, also minors, attacked him with a knife, inflicting multiple stab wounds.
"A PCR call was received in the Shalimar Bagh Police Station regarding an injured boy lying in Ramleela ground. The police team reached the spot and found him with multiple stab wounds," a police officer said.
He was working as a labourer in a banquet hall for the last two days, the officer said. An FIR was registered and the police apprehended two juveniles in the case.
Preliminary investigation reveals that the deceased was stabbed due to an ongoing enmity, the officer said.
During questioning, the accused told the police that the victim had made "controversial comments" against them on social media. Following which, they intercepted him at Ramleela ground and stabbed him. He died on the spot, officer said.
"We have recovered a dagger and the victim's mobile phone. Further investigation in the case is underway," he added.
