Row over Bengaluru orphanage: NCPCR chief booked for trespassing and passing derogatory remark
Bengaluru, Nov 24: Bengaluru Police have registered an FIR against National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR) Chairman Priyank Kanoongo over alleged trespassing into an orphanage and stating that the children there are living a "medieval Taliban life", officials said on Friday.
Darul Uloom Sayideeya Yateemkhana came into the spotlight after an NCPCR team headed by its chief conducted a surprise inspection at the orphanage on November 19 in the presence of the District Child Protection Officer (East) along with other officials.
Following the visit, the orphanage’s secretary, Ashraf Khan filed a complaint at DJ Halli police alleged that Kanoongo trespassed into the premises claiming to be from the Human Rights Commission and without permission on November 19
Kanoongo also recorded a video on his phone and shared it on social media, the complaint alleged.
Khan also accused the NCPCR chairman of comparing the lives of children living in the orphanage to that under Taliban rule.
"Based on the complaint received, an FIR was registered against the NCPCR chairman on November 21 under sections 34 (acts done by several persons in furtherance of common intention), 447 (criminal trespass), 448 (house trespass), and 295A (deliberate and malicious acts, intended to outrage religious feelings of any class by insulting its religion or religious beliefs) of the Indian Penal Code,” a senior police officer said.
"I was also accompanied by other state government officials of Karnataka. Despite that, they have registered a case of criminal trespass… If you keep children illegally in your house and do not follow the rules of the government, we will keep going again…," he said.
The NCPCR chairman had also asked the chief secretary of the Karnataka government to ensure that an FIR be registered against the Bengaluru-based orphanage for alleged non-compliance with the Juvenile Justice Act.
In a letter to the chief secretary, the NCPCR said the orphanage is not registered under the Juvenile Justice Act, 2015 and that it does not fulfill the infrastructural requirements for accommodating such a large number of children.
There were five rooms of approximately 100 square feet and each room had four bunk beds for eight children and 16 children slept on four bunk beds placed in the corridor. Around 150 children sleep in two big halls used for prayer, it said.
"None of these children are sent to school, violating their fundamental right to education. No recreational facility such as play material or TV is available in the orphanage. The condition in which children are kept in the orphanage amounts to violation of Section 75 of the JJ Act, 2015," the NCPCR said in its letter.
The Commission has also sought an action taken report within seven days of issuance of the letter.
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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.
