Iranian-origin charity worker acquitted in drowning case

An Odisha court has acquitted an Iranian-origin British charity worker who was awarded one-year imprisonment and Rs 3 lakh fine by a lower court in connection with the death of a six-year-old tribal boy.
After the acquittal of 28-year-old Narges K Asthari, External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj tweeted, "I am happy Ms. Narges Ashtari is acquitted by Court. My friend @JZarif Foreign Minister and people of Iran should be happy and relieved.(sic)"
Additional district judge (ADJ) of Rayagada Debdutta Dasmohapatra, while acquitting Asthari yesterday, also allowed her to seek compensation from the state government for being dragged into the case.

The court of sub-divisional judicial magistrate of Rayagada had on December 5 last year convicted Asthari holding that owing to her negligence, a tribal boy had drowned in Nagabali river in the district on November 2, 2014. It had also ordered that the fine of Rs 3 lakh to be paid as compensation to the bereaved family.
After examining all evidence, the ADJ's court acquitted Asthari and allowed her to seek compensation from the state government if she wished as she was dragged for two years in a case.
The social worker used to run an orphanage, called Prishan Foundation, at Mukundapur in Rayagada district.

On November 2, 2014, she had taken the children of the orphanage to Rayagada town to watch a cinema and the next day she took them to a picnic at a place located on the outskirts of Rayagada town.

When the children were crossing a hanging bridge on Nagabali river, six-year-old Asim Jilakar, son of the watchman of the foundation, fell off and died.
Following the incident, Asim's father Peter Jilakar had filed a case against Asthari and the foundation's secretary Jwel Raju Gupta alleging that he had lost his son due to their negligence.
Last year, the lower court had acquitted Gupta for lack of evidence against him.

Asthari, who now stays in Hyderabad, is expected to reach Rayagada soon to collect her passport from the court and to complete other official formalities.
External Affairs Minister Swaraj had sought a detail report on the case from the state government on December 30 last year.