M A I N   N E W S

Even God cannot save this country: SC

New Delhi, August 5
"Even God will not be able to save this country," a fuming Supreme Court on Tuesday said while slamming the government for its refusal to amend the law for launching criminal prosecution against those who illegally occupy official houses.

“We are fed up with this government,” the apex court said, adding “They don't have the guts to differ with the opinion of the clerks.”

“Even God will not be able to save this country. In India even if God comes down he cannot change our country. Our country's character has gone. We are helpless,” a bench of Justices B N Aggrawal and G S Singhvi observed.

The apex court said PILs are being filed before it by people who are vexed with the approach of the government on various issues.

“You complain about judicial activism when you are in power. When you are not in power you come to us for remedy,” the bench remarked.

The bench gave vent to its anger as the Additional Solicitor General Amarender Saran bluntly told the court that the Union government has decided not to amend Section 441 IPC (criminal trespass) for prosecuting squatters of government accommodation in the country.

The government took the stance that the existing provisions provided under the Public Premises Act was sufficient to evict those illegally occupying government accommodation. Moreover, it claimed that out of 99,100 government houses only 300-odd dwellings were under unauthorised occupation for which had been made to evict them.

But this did not satisfy the apex court which said the government does not have the guts to take on the offenders. — PTI

Court jails rapist, says minor girls are like Goddesses

New Delhi, August 5
"Girls aged around three years are treated as Goddesses in Indian society," a Delhi court said while condemning a minor's rapist to 12 years rigorous imprisonment for an incident which it described as "inhuman" and "unfortunate".

Rejecting leniency plea of convict Daya Shankar, 28, the court said, "In Indian society, where girls of such an age of three years are treated as Goddesses, occurrences as in the present case are very unfortunate and inhuman at the hands of the lusty people."

"In the instant case, the convict has raped a young female child who is unable to express herself to outsiders except her mother," additional sessions judge S C Malik said. Besides the jail term, the court also imposed a fine of Rs 10,000 on Shankar, after holding him guilty of raping a girl who is below 12 years of age under Section 376(2)(f) of the IPC.

During the arguments, the convict challenged the prosecution case contending that the child was not examined and that it was unbelievable that she would have narrated the incident to her mother as deposed by her in the court.

“The child is too young to express herself to outsiders and in such circumstances, there is no other option but to believe the testimony of the victim’s mother as there was no special reason for not believing her,” the court said.

In its judgment, the court also lent credence to deposition of witness Hira Lal — who said that the convict had admitted his guilt after being apprehended on October 4, 2005 — saying that it was an extra-judicial confession.

The police had arrested him after he brought the girl, residing in his neighbourhood at Nand Nagri in north east Delhi, in an injured condition. Her medical report confirmed rape. — Agencies