BENGALURU, Aug 16 (PTI): Dismissing a petition challenging the filing of a criminal case for alleged
abetment to suicide of a person of the LGBT community, the High Court of Karnataka said that
everyone, including the LGBT (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and other sexual orientations and
genders), should be treated with love and care so that lives are not lost.
“The deceased in the case at hand is the one belonging to the LGBT community. The sensitivity of
them being ostracised pervades their psyche. Therefore, such people must be treated with all love
and affection… If every citizen would treat such citizens with all love and care, as is done to a normal
human, precious lives would not be lost,” Justice M Nagaprasanna said in his judgment.
Three colleagues of the deceased had approached the high court after the Whitefield police
registered a case of abetment to suicide against them.
The father of the deceased, who is from Uttar Pradesh, had complained that the three had
constantly harassed his son for his sexual orientation, leading him to commit suicide. Among the
accused, one is from Bengaluru, while the second and third accused are from Uttar Pradesh. All of
them were colleagues in a company in Bengaluru.
The deceased person had worked in the company from 2014 to 2016. He rejoined the same
company in 2022 as manager of visual merchandising.
It is alleged that his colleagues were “putting him down by cracking unsavoury jokes. All the team
members are said to have teased the deceased on his sexual orientation.” He resigned on February
28 but later withdrew his resignation. Allegedly he was given a position that he was not comfortable
with.
He then complained to the Internal Complaints Committee constituted under the Sexual Harassment
of Women at the Workplace Act. He also registered a complaint under the Scheduled Castes and
Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act. He also approached the Assistant Commissioner of
Police alleging harassment by the three colleagues.
The victim committed suicide on June 3, 2023.
His father registered a complaint the following day after which the accused filed a petition in the
high court.
The Court in its judgment said, “Unfortunately, the precious life of a youth is lost in the case at hand,
all for the prima facie allegations of pointing at sexual orientation of the deceased. Therefore, it is
for every citizen to bear this in mind while interacting with sensitive people. It is necessary that
every one of us introspects on this issue. After all, everyone of them is a human being and all are
worthy of equality.”
The HC also noted that the investigation is still in progress. “It is barely three days after registration
of the FIR that the present petition is filed and, today, it is barely 49 days of registration of the FIR.
The investigation is still in progress. It is not a case where there is no prima facie material or the
allegations are made out of thin air,” the HC said in its recent judgment.
Refusing to interfere in the criminal proceedings, the HC dismissed the petition saying, “Cases which
involve death of a person and the accused are guilty of abetment to suicide of the said victim will
have to be considered owing to the facts of each case. There cannot be any particular parameter,
yardstick, or theorem for interference, particularly in cases of abetment to suicide.”
About 5 tonne tomatoes imported from Nepal in transit; to be sold
in UP tomorrow at subsidised rate: NCCF
NEW DELHI, Aug 16 (PTI): Cooperative NCCF on Wednesday said about 5 tonne tomatoes imported
from neighbouring country Nepal are in transit and will be retailed at a subsidised rate of Rs
50/kilogram in Uttar Pradesh on Thursday.
The National Cooperative Consumers’ Federation of India Ltd (NCCF) has contracted for import of 10
tonne of tomatoes from Nepal.
NCCF is undertaking imports as well as domestic procurement of tomatoes on behalf of the central
government and retailing them at a subsidised rate to give relief to consumers from high prices of
the kitchen staple.
The retail intervention is being undertaken on direction from the Union consumer affairs ministry.
Speaking to PTI, NCCF Managing Director Anice Joseph Chandra said, “We have contracted 10 tonne
of tomato imports from Nepal. Out of this, 3-4 tonne was distributed yesterday in Uttar Pradesh.
About 5 tonne…is in transit and will be retailed tomorrow in UP at subsidised rates.”
The imported tomatoes cannot be sold in other parts of India because of the short shelf life, she
said.
In Uttar Pradesh, both imported and locally-procured tomatoes are being sold through static outlets
as well as mobile vans at select locations.
In Delhi-NCR and Rajasthan, tomatoes procured from key producing states in the country are being
sold at a subsidised rate of Rs 50 per kg, she added.
Asked about further import of tomatoes from Nepal, Joseph Chandra said, “The imports will be
undertaken from Nepal in a calibrated manner as domestic arrivals have started hitting to mandis in
some states.”
Arrival of the new tomato crop in Madhya Pradesh and Andhra Pradesh has started in wholesale
mandis and prices are also cooling down, she said.
As per the government data, all-India average wholesale price of tomatoes came down to Rs 88.22
per kg on August 15, when compared with Rs 97.56 per kg a month ago.
Similarly, all-India average retail price of tomatoes came down to Rs 107.87 per kg now from Rs
118.7 per kg a month ago, the data showed.
Tomato prices have come under pressure due to heavy rainfall in key procuring centres.
