Crimes Against Women

Two jurors say they were bullied into convicting Weinstein, claim lawyers

Two jurors who voted in June to convict Harvey Weinstein of sexual assault said they regret the decision and only did so because others on the panel bullied them, the former movie mogul's lawyers said in a newly public court filing. Weinstein's lawyers are seeking to overturn his conviction for first-degree criminal sex act, arguing in papers unsealed Thursday that the guilty verdict was marred by threats, intimidation, and extraneous bias, and that the judge failed to properly deal with it at the time. In sworn affidavits included with the filing, two jurors said they felt overwhelmed and intimidated by jurors who wanted to convict Weinstein on the charge, which accused him of forcing oral sex on a TV and film production assistant and producer Miriam Haley in 2006. One juror said she was screamed at in the jury room and told, we have to get rid of you. The other juror said anyone who doubted Weinstein's guilt was grilled by other jurors and that if he could have voted by secret ...

450K crimes against women recorded in 2023, UP saw highest cases: NCRB

Close to 4.5 lakh crimes against women were reported in 2023, up marginally from the previous two years, according to the latest National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) data. A total of 4,48,211 crimes against women were reported in 2023, an increase from 4,45,256 cases in 2022 and 4,28,278 in 2021 The figures, compiled from police records in states and union territories, indicate a national crime rate of 66.2 incidents per lakh female population, based on mid-year projected female population estimates of 6,770 lakh. The overall chargesheeting rate for these cases stood at 77.6 per cent in 2023. Among states, Uttar Pradesh reported the highest number of cases at 66,381, followed by Maharashtra at 47,101, Rajasthan at 45,450, West Bengal at 34,691 and Madhya Pradesh at 32,342. Telangana led in crime rate at 124.9 per lakh female population, ahead of Rajasthan at 114.8, Odisha at 112.4, Haryana at 110.3, and Kerala at 86.1. Cruelty by husband or relatives under Section 498A of the Ind

Greater Noida dowry death: Inflammable liquid, new videos open fresh angles

The investigation into the suspected dowry death of Nikki Bhati has taken a new turn after the recovery of an inflammable substance from her room and the emergence of fresh video clips, prompting police to revisit the timeline of the August 21 incident, a senior officer said on Wednesday. The officer, who is part of the probe, said the inflammable solution found in Nikki's room has been sent for forensic analysis. Police are also collating and examining multiple short video clips, which are surfacing in the public domain in connection with the August 21 incident. The new findings seem to mark a shift from earlier allegations that Nikki (26) was set on fire with a flammable liquid by her husband Vipin Bhati and his family. Police will also re-examine the statement of Nikki's sister Kanchan, who shot a video of the alleged incident, lodged the FIR and claimed to have tried to intervene in the matter. Kanchan is married to Nikki's brother-in-law, Rohit Bhati. Vipin, Rohit, Nikki's ..

Domestic violence survivors may soon get 10-day stay at govt-run centres

The Centre is planning to double the duration for which domestic violence survivors can seek temporary shelter at One-Stop Centres from five to 10 days, Women and Child Development Minister Annapurna Devi said. Speaking to reporters on the sidelines of an event on Wednesday night, Devi said under special circumstances the survivors can stay in such centres for up to 15 days. One Stop Centres (OSC) are intended to support women affected by violence, in private and public spaces, within the family, community and at the workplace. According to the present legislation, women affected by violence along with their children (girls of all ages and boys up to 8 years of age) can avail themselves of a temporary shelter at the OSC for a maximum period of 5 days. Devi said the Women and Child Development Ministry is planning to increase the number of days for which domestic violence survivors can seek temporary shelter at one stop centres from five to 10 days and the government is finalising .

WB courts gave 6 death sentences in last 6 months for crimes against girls

While the last judicial execution in West Bengal for the rape and murder of a minor in Kolkata took place over two decades ago, courts across the state have awarded death penalties to six convicts in the last six months for perpetrating sexual assaults on girls. Another convict was also awarded capital punishment for murdering his family members, taking the total number of death penalties in the state in the last half-year to seven. In six of the seven cases, death by hanging sentences were given for the savage nature of rapes and murders perpetrated on girls, qualifying them under the 'rarest of the rare' category, where convicts were booked under the POCSO Act, besides sections of the IPC and, later, of the BNS. The list excludes the sentence for the RG Kar Hospital rape and murder convict Sanjoy Roy who was spared the capital punishment by a Kolkata court, after the gruesome death of the on-duty trainee medic on August 9 last year, and was sentenced to life imprisonment till ...

Shraddananda virtually seeks direction to Prez for mercy plea: Centre to SC

The Centre on Friday informed the Supreme Court that the plea of Swamy Shraddananda, jailed for over 30 years for the murder of his wife, has virtually sought a direction to the President to decide his mercy petition. A bench of Justices B R Gavai and Augustine George Masih was hearing a petition filed by 84-year-old Shraddananda alias Murali Manohar Mishra seeking a direction to the authorities to decide his mercy plea filed before the President in December, 2023. Additional solicitor general K M Nataraj, appearing for the Centre, sought to get instructions on the plea and said, "However, the prayer is virtually seeking a direction to the President to do it. Whether such a prayer could be considered at all? Kindly see the prayer." Advocate Varun Thakur, appearing for Shraddananda, said the petitioner was in jail for over 30 years and was suffering from ailments. "You (Shraddananda) must thank this court that you were saved that time," the bench said and posted the hearing after tw

RG Kar rape-murder case: CBI files chargesheet, Sanjoy Roy sole accused

The CBI chargesheet says that accused Sanjoy Roy, a civic volunteer with the local police, allegedly committed the crime on August 9 at the premises of the RG Kar College and Hospital in Kolkata

RG Kar rape case: 'Mamata didn't do any work' - Victim's father breaks down

The father of the RG Kar Hospital rape-murder victim criticised West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee's handling of the case. The protesting doctors have also rejected CM's invitation to talks

'Enough is enough': Prez asks nation to wake up, end crimes against women

Murmu said that it is this objectification of women by a few that is behind the crimes against women", which is "ingrained deeply"

WCD minister slams WB govt over delay in enacting women's safety measures

Lambasting the West Bengal government for its alleged failure to implement crucial safety measures for women and girls, Women and Child Development Minister Annapurna Devi has said the state has not taken any step to start the remaining 11 fast track special courts in spite of a pendency of 48,600 rape and POCSO cases. In a letter to Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, Devi criticized the West Bengal government for failing to implement key emergency helplines such as the Women Helpline (WHL), Emergency Response Support System (ERSS) and Child Helpline. Asserting these services are essential for providing immediate assistance to victims of violence, she said the state has yet not integrated them despite multiple reminders from the Central government. This lapse, Devi argued, deprives the women and children in West Bengal of critical support in times of distress. In a pointed rebuke, she highlighted the state's inability to operationalize the Fast Track Special Courts (FTSCs) allocated t

Kolkata medic rape-murder: AIIMS, Safdarjung doctors to continue strike

Several city hospitals, including the AIIMS and Safdarjung, continued their strike on Wednesday in protest against the alleged rape and murder of a trainee doctor in Kolkata. The Resident Doctors' Associations of AIIMS, VMMC and Safdarjung Hospital, Ram Manohar Lohia, and Indira Gandhi Hospital continued the strike for a third day on the trot, shutting down OPDs, OTs, and wards. The Federation of All India Medical Association (FAIMA), after a meeting with Resident Doctor Associations (RDAs) from across states and Institutes of National Importance, in a statement said it will stand with its peers nationwide in denouncing the murder and continue its strike. The Federation of Resident Doctors' Association (FORDA), however, called off its strike after a meeting with Union Health Minister J P Nadda at his residence on Tuesday night. The association said the decision to end the strike was taken in the interest of the welfare of patients. FORDA said, "A key outcome of the meeting was the

Calcutta High Court orders CBI probe into Kolkata doctor's rape-murder case

Protests broke out across India as junior doctors called for justice following the rape and murder of a female post-graduate trainee doctor at RG Kar Medical College and Hospital in Kolkata on Friday

Jeffrey Epstein documents allege 'sex tapes' of Prince Andrew, Bill Clinton

Unsealed documents from the Jeffrey Epstein case suggest the late financier recorded 'sex tapes' of former US President Bill Clinton, Richard Branson, and Britain's Prince Andrew, among others

Jeffrey Epstein list: Second batch of court documents release more names

Newly released court records in Virginia Giuffre's lawsuit against Ghislaine Maxwell reveal additional names connected to Jeffrey Epstein's network

'Over 28k complaints of crimes against women received in 2023, 50% from UP'

The National Commission for Women (NCW) registered 28,811 complaints of crime against women last year and about 55 per cent were from Uttar Pradesh. The highest number of complaints were received in the right to dignity category that involves harassment other than domestic violence and it stood at 8,540, according to NCW data. This was followed by 6,274 complaints of domestic violence. Dowry harassment complaints stood at 4,797, molestation complaints at 2,349, police apathy against women complaints at 1,618, and rape and attempt to rape complaints at 1,537, the data showed. There were 805 complaints of sexual harassment, 605 of cyber crime, 472 of stalking and 409 of honour crimes, it stated. Uttar Pradesh recorded the highest number of complaints at 16,109 followed by Delhi 2,411, Maharashtra at 1,343, according to the data. Bihar recorded 1,312 complaints, Madhya Pradesh 1,165, Haryana 1,115, Rajasthan 1,011, Tamil Nadu 608, West Bengal 569 and Karnataka 501. The number of ...

BJP's Vasundhara Raje targets Rajasthan govt over crime against women

'There is a limit to tolerance,' says former chief minister Vasundhara Raje while addressing a rally that saw a huge participation from women

Every 11 minutes, a woman killed by an intimate partner or family: UN chief

Ahead of International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women on November 25, the UN chief emphasised the need to address the increasing violence against women across the world

Shraddha Murder case: Police records housing society secretary's statement

As part of its ongoing probe in Shraddha Murder case, the Delhi police recorded the statement of the secretary of a housing society where the accused Aftab Amin Poonawalla lived with his family

'Marriage not licence to unleash brutal beast', says Karnataka HC

The charge framed against the husband under Section 376 of the IPC for alleged rape of his wife does not warrant any interference.

Review all pending cases of crime against women: Delhi Police chief to DCPs

Delhi Police Commissioner Rakesh Asthana on Wednesday instructed all the deputy commissioners of police (DCPs) to review the pending cases of crime against women