NEWS

The Goa government on Tuesday challenged the acquittal by a sessions court of Tehelka magazine founder editor Tarun Tejpal in the sexual assault case in the Bombay High Court. On May 21, a sessions court in Goa had acquitted Tejpal of the charge of sexually assaulting a former woman colleague inside the elevator of a luxury hotel in the state in 2013.

Goa Advocate General Devidas Pangam said the state government has challenged the order before the Goa bench of the Bombay High Court. He said the HC is yet to assign the date for hearing the appeal. Tejpal had faced the trial under sections 341 (wrongful restraint), 342 (wrongful confinement), 354 (assault or criminal force with intent to outrage modesty), 354-A (sexual harassment), 354-B (assault or use of criminal force to woman with intent to disrobe), 376(2)(f) (person in a position of authority over women, committing rape) and 376(2)k) (rape by a person in a position of control) of the Indian Penal Code. He was acquitted of all the charges by Additional sessions judge Kshama Joshi.

Deputy Commissioner, Srinagar, Aijaz Asad on Tuesday ruled out any relaxation in the curfew in the city even though there was a decline in the daily Covid-19 cases. The official said that the Covid-19 situation in the district was in a decisive phase during which they can’t take any chances.

“The Covid cases are coming down daily. The caseload is reducing but now we need to remain more alert. It can turn much better or even worsen. We still have 6,000 active cases in Srinagar. So there is no option of relaxation (in Covid-19 curfew) for now,” he said while talking to the media during a vaccination drive.

“All decisions are taken by the state executive committee keeping in view the emerging situation and analysing the load of positive cases district wise,” he said.

The Bombay High Court has asked the Maharashtra government to widely publicise its policy to treat fungal ailment mucormycosis for free at pre-identified hospitals and nursing homes. The Aurangabad bench of the high court passed the order after the Maharashtra government said that mucormycosis or black fungus was now covered under the Mahatma Jotiba Phule Jan Aarogya Yojana and the Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana and citizens can avail free treatment at pre-identified facilities under the above schemes.

The court directed such hospitals to display instructions for the public about the availability of beds and medicines. "It is thus, apparent that the state of Maharashtra has come up with a specific policy to treat mucormycosis. Private hospitals too will be restrained from raising astronomical bills. We therefore, expect the state government to accord wide publicity to this policy so that the poorest of poor, the illiterate and semi literate and persons in remote and tribal areas become aware of the same."

In an effort to minimise casualties from severe cyclone ‘Yaas’, expected to make landfall on Wednesday, the West Bengal government on Tuesday said it has relocated more than 9 lakh people to different cyclone centres, schools, colleges, and other government places in the last 24 hours.

Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee said that the state government has created a master plan with three lakh people working directly in relief and rescue work during and after the storm.

Addressing a press conference in state Secretariat ‘Nabanna’, she said: “After coming to power, we have developed 4,000 flood centres. People particularly in the areas of Digha, Sundarbans, Kakdwip, Sagar island and other low-lying areas have been shifted to flood centres and different schools. More than 9 lakh people have been evacuated and the process of shifting is still on. Last year we evacuated 10 lakh people.”