26 August, 2013

Consensual sex with minor not a crime, Delhi court says

A city court has observed that consensual sex with a girl aged below 18 years does not constitute an offence under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act.

The court said the provisions of POCSO Act suggest that where a physical relationship — which is not in the nature of an assault — takes place with the minor girl's consent and where the consent has not been obtained unlawfully, no offence can be said to have been committed.

Rejecting the plea of the police and Delhi Commission for Women that POCSO Act prohibits minors from having any kind sexual relationship, additional sessions judge Dharmesh Sharma said, "I am afraid if that interpretation is allowed, it would mean that the human body of every individual under 18 years is the property of the state and no individual below 18 years can be allowed to have pleasures associated with one's body."

LTC scam: MPs may also be inflating air travel bills

The stink of forged airline tickets being used to defraud the government is spreading to Parliament.

Ever since TOI on Thursday exposed the widespread scandal in LTC (leave travel concession) claims, where officials of the central government and public sector units have been submitting forged or inflated airline travel bills, information has been emerging of the scam being far more widespread than known, and quite efficiently organized.

Here comes the latest shocker: It may not be just government officials who have been submitting forged airline tickets in connivance with travel agents to defraud the government. According to multiple sources, there seems to be a well-oiled network of travel agents supplying members of Parliament with similarly inflated flight tickets.

Infosys: Narayana Murthy overturns CEO SD Shibulal's move

Infosys Technologies under chairman NR Narayana Murthy is centralising decision making, several senior executives said, in a development that has implications for the time the company takes to respond to client needs or market changes.

The chairman's office — the new power centre created after the return of retired cofounder Murthy — has to sign off on key decisions related to large technology contracts, such as pricing or the way a deal is structured that might expose Infosys to future risks, at least three senior executives told ET on the condition of anonymity.

"For all practical purposes, Murthy is the chairman, CEO, COO all rolled into one," said one of the executives.

Centralisation drive

Before Murthy's return, chief executive officer SD Shibulal was in the process of decentralising decision-making, especially those related to negotiating and signing contracts.

Australia's Haddin sets new wicketkeeping record

Australia's Brad Haddin set a new world record for most dismissals by a wicketkeeper in a Test series when he caught England's Joe Root on the final day of the fifth Ashes match at The Oval on Sunday.

Root's exit saw Haddin complete his 29th dismissal of the five-match series, surpassing the mark of 28 set by Australia wicketkeeping great Rodney Marsh, now a selector, against England during the 1982/83 Ashes in Australia.

In both cases, all the dismissals were caught.

England players celebrate Ashes win by urinating on Oval pitch

In an embarrassing display about five hours after the last Ashes Test was stopped due to bad light with England close to victory, the players gathered near the Oval pitch and urinated on it in turns to the cheers of their teammates.

According to news.com.au, while the centre of the ground was quite dark, lights were on in the grandstands with dozens of people still cleaning up after a late finish, which saw the game go beyond usual time.

A number of players including Stuart Broad, Kevin Pietersen and James Anderson are said to be involved in the act, the report said.

Curator Cam Sutherland said that it was not a good look and called it unfortunate.

Gopichand Academy bags award

The Pullela Gopichand Badminton Academy (PGBA), which has been producing world class shuttlers like Saina Nehwal, PV Sindhu and P Kashyap, has been honoured by the union government on Thursday.

The sports ministry has recommended the Rashtriya Khel Protsahan Puruskar for the PGBA. The other entities recommended for this honour are Services Sports Control Board (for financial support ), Petroleum Sports Promotion Board (Employment for sportspersons and welfare measures) and UK Mishra, National Sports Academy , Allahabad (Community Sports Identification and Nurturing of Budding Young Talent).