Man arrested for allegedly murdering wife over suspicion of affair in Bengaluru
Bengaluru: A 31-year-old man named Siddarama has been arrested by the Madanayakanahalli Police on charges of murdering his wife, Kokila, after an alleged domestic dispute rooted in suspicions of infidelity. The incident took place in Gangondanahalli, located on the outskirts of Bengaluru.
The police arrested Siddarama at Soladevanahalli Railway Station while he was reportedly on a religious pilgrimage following the murder. Married for seven years, Siddarama and Kokila have a six-year-old son.
The crime came to light on October 29, when Kokila’s father, who resides nearby, discovered her lifeless body at the couple’s residence. He subsequently lodged a complaint, and the Madanayakanahalli Police initiated an investigation.
During the inquiry, police found Siddarama missing from the scene. The post-mortem report confirmed that Kokila had died due to strangulation, leading investigators to search for Siddarama. Authorities tracked him down after he took Kokila’s phone with him, using it to trace his location to Soladevanahalli.
Under police questioning, Siddarama reportedly confessed to the crime, stating that he had visited Dharmasthala, a well-known pilgrimage site in Dakshina Kannada, before committing the act. To avoid detection, he had shaved his head after the murder. According to police sources, Siddarama admitted to using a veil to strangle his wife, which he later disposed of.
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PIL in SC seeks abolition of TDS system, cites constitutional violations
New Delhi (PTI): A PIL filed in the Supreme Court on Thursday sought to scrap the TDS system calling it "arbitrary and irrational" and violative of various fundamental rights, including equality.
The PIL challenged the tax deducted at source or TDS framework under the Income Tax Act, which mandates the deduction of tax at the time of payment by the payer and its deposit with the income tax department. The deducted amount is adjusted against the payee's tax liability.
The plea filed by lawyer Ashwini Upadhyay through advocate Ashwani Dubey, made the Centre, ministry of law and justice, law commission, and NITI Aayog as parties.
It sought a direction to "declare the TDS system manifestly arbitrary, irrational and against Articles 14 (right to equality), 19 (right to practice profession) and 21 (right to life and personal liberty) of the Constitution, hence void and inoperative".
The plea further sought directions to the NITI Ayog to consider contentions raised in the plea and suggest necessary changes in TDS system.
It said the law commission should examine the legality of the TDS system and prepare a report within three months.
The TDS system imposes significant administrative and financial burdens on taxpayers tasked with compliance which include managing complex rules, issuing TDS certificates, filing returns, and defending against penalties for inadvertent errors, argued the plea.
Assessees often incur substantial expenses, ranging from salaries of compliance staff to professional fees for tax consultants, without receiving compensation, it said.
The plea said the system violated Article 14 (equality before the law) by disproportionately burdening economically weaker sections and small earners who lack the capacity to navigate its technical requirements.
Referring to Article 23, it said the imposition of tax collection duties on private citizens amounted to forced labour.
The TDS system was stated to adversely affect individuals below the taxable income threshold, as tax was deducted at source irrespective of their liability.
"The regulatory and procedural framework surrounding TDS is excessively technical, often requiring specialised legal and financial expertise, which most assessees lack. The result is an unjust shifting of sovereign responsibilities from the government to private citizens without adequate compensation, resources, or legal safeguards," it said.
