HC dismisses Vinay Kulkarni’s plea against pardoned witness' admission in Yogesh Gowda murder case
Bengaluru: The Karnataka High Court has dismissed the plea filed by legislator Vinay Kulkarni challenging the admission of a pardoned witness in the case related to the murder of BJP leader from Dharwad Yogesh Gowda.
Kulkarni, who is also an accused in the murder case, had challenged the move making Basavaraj Muttagi, another accused, a pardoned witness.
Justice M Nagaprasanna, who heard the petition, directed the Special Court to complete the trial within four weeks before dismissing the petition.
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Rajasthan: Officials rescue 2 girls from child marriage; teen stops own wedding
Kota (PTI): The Bundi district administration took swift action on Tuesday following a report of child marriage, rescuing two minor girls who were to be married on April 20.
The parents of one of the would-be grooms, who was also underage, were prevented from proceeding with the wedding until he reached the legal age for marriage.
The Bundi district administration is currently on high alert ahead of Akshaya Tritiya on April 19, a day when a significant number of child marriages are believed to take place among the Gurjar, Saini, Meena, Bairwa, and Kahar communities in the rural belt of the district.
Acting on a tip-off regarding the planned child marriages, a joint team comprising Tehsildar Narottam, Harlal, officer in charge of the Raithal police station, and members of the Childline unit arrived at the scene. They gathered evidence and halted the matrimonial ceremonies at both venues.
An inquiry revealed that the girls were aged 17 and 15 and were enrolled in Classes 10 and 12, respectively. The two girls were then presented to the Child Welfare Committee (CWC), which ordered their transfer to a shelter home for protection until further legal directives are issued.
Legal proceedings are currently underway, according to CWC Chairperson Seema Poddhar, who added that the court has initiated proceedings for an injunction order to prevent the parents of both girls from arranging their weddings until they reach the legal age.
In another notable case, a 16-year-old Class 12 student from a village under the Bundi Sadar police station limits exhibited remarkable courage by stopping her own wedding.
On Tuesday morning, she contacted the CWC chairperson, requesting an intervention to halt her wedding, which was scheduled for May 1, as she wished to continue her education.
The girl explained that her parents had arranged her marriage as part of a mass wedding event in Khankheda village on May 1. Responding swiftly, a Childline team and local police reached the location and rescued her.
Despite aggressive opposition from the girl's parents and relatives, the team successfully ensured the minor's safety. After counselling, the CWC directed that she be placed in a shelter home, Poddhar said.
Officials noted that this incident marks the fourth occurrence in recent days in the Bundi district where a minor girl has taken action to prevent her wedding. This trend is being perceived as a positive sign of growing awareness, confidence, and assertion of rights among young girls.
The administration has reiterated that preventing child marriage is a collective societal responsibility, urging citizens to report such cases through the 1098 Child Helpline or the nearest authorities to help safeguard the future of children.
