AHMEDABAD: Gujarat high court on Monday denied bail to Asaram in a rape case on the ground that "there are all chances that he may tamper with the evidence in the nature of witnesses".

Justice Ashish Desai turned down Asaram's bail plea and observed that since a number of witnesses have approached the trial court with different types of allegations against the prosecution, there is a likelihood that witnesses may be influenced if he is granted bail.

Justice Desai said, "Prima facie, what I found is that, how a downtrodden girl was initially influenced with the behaviour of the applicant (Asaram) who has numerous followers appearing in the public posing himself as a 'god'. A teenager girl from a family of labourers is bound to be influenced if certain special treatment is given to her though unaware about the dirty intention of the so-called guru."

The order further reads, "Witnesses who had actually stayed in the ashram reveal that Asaram was interested in young girls to satisfy his desires. Initially, he used to pamper a girl and shall provide such facilities which would not have been thought of by a girl who comes from a lower strata of society."

The court also said that Asaram had dominion as well as control over the girls who were residing in the Ashram and, therefore, those girls might not have come forward about the crime at that time. When Asaram had crossed all limits and tried to indulge in similar activities at Jodhpur, the victim thought it fit and rightly so to lodge an FIR against him.

Asaram and his son Narayan Sai were accused of rape on October 6, 2013 by two sisters from Surat. As the offence alleged against Asaram happened in his ashram in Motera, the FIR was transferred to Chandkheda police, who filed a chargesheet last year.

Mulky: Members of animal welfare board of India have registered 17 cases against the organizers of Mulky Arasu Kambala.

The two thick ropes have been inserted in the nose in the same hole. The organizers have not sought permission for this and they didn’t even seek permission to transport the animal, they complained. No FIR has been filed in the police station, the police sources clarified.  

Meanwhile locals and organisers of Kambala argued that the activists of animal welfare board are purposefully filing complaints against the kambala organizers to stop the kambala. The kambala has been organised as per the guidance of the high court. But animal welfare board is not satisfied with the arrangements and it is keen to somehow stop the traditional sports of coastal region, locals lamented.

Karkala: President of SCDCC bank, N.M Rajendra Prasad inaugurated the Suryachandra Kambla organised by Baradibeedu.

Speaking to the media he said, Baradibeedu kambla has religious importance. It has been organised by Jain family which believes in non-violence.  The Kambla has been organised as per the guidelines of high court and no canes has been used, he said.

Tahashildra Raghavendra gathered information about the kambla to make it sure that it does not violates court regulations. ASP Annamalai provided the required security for the event. Vedeographs of the event was taken. Many CC cameras were installed in various places of the event.

Members of Animal welfare organisation also witnessed the Kambla. Later they questioned some of the rituals before the beginning of the kambla like giving holy water to the bullocks. Objecting their attitude towards the religious rituals state awardee Payyottu Sadashiv Salian said, people will not tolerate these kinds of needless objections from the organisation.

Finally the members of animal welfare organisation left the event place straight to Baradibeedu in the vehicle provide by animal husbandry department.

 

The decision of the Karnataka High Court to permit Kambala (buffalo slush race) with some conditions, was greeted with distribution of sweets and celebrations in the two coastal districts.

The District Kambala Samiti, Mangaluru, which has been fighting for the continuation of folk sport after the districts of Dakshina Kannada and Udupi banned it claiming it amounted to cruelty to animals, will meet in Moodbidri on Tuesday to discuss the ways to bring the conditions imposed into practice.

The ban followed the letters written to the two Deputy Commissioners by the Animal Welfare Board noting a Supreme Court order banning Jallikattu in Tamil Nadu was applicable to Kambalas too.

Conditions in practiceGunapal Kadamba, secretary of the samiti, said Kambala organisers were bound to put into practice the conditions laid down by the High Court and ensure that the sport was free of cruelty to buffaloes. “If we do not ensure that, then we have to lose out on this rural sport that has a good following in Udupi and Dakshina Kannada,” he said. Onus lies more on the owners of buffaloes and on Kambala riders, he said.

Sitaram Shetty, who owns a few Kambala-running buffaloes, said the conditions — taking good care of buffaloes and not hitting them — had already been put into practice. The samiti organised a Kambala on November 2 as a model “cruelty-free” race.

“We have been following many of the suggestions. These conditions will be rigorously enforced,” Mr. Shetty said.

The High Court has asked tahsildars to oversee Kambala and ensure the enforcement of conditions, he said. Ashok Rai, who organises the folk sport in Uppinangady, said some of the Kambalas — other than the traditional ones done to please a local deity — that could not be held following the ban by the State Animal Husbandary Department on November 13, were likely to be held in the coming weeks.

Mr. Rai said the samiti would discuss in Moodbidiri, among other things, on whether the organisers of Veera Vikrama Kambala in Hokkadigodi near Bantwal would go ahead with the event on December 20 or not.

Meanwhile, Deputy Director of Animal Husbandry Thippeswamy and Animal Care Trust’s trustee Suma Nayak, who had favoured the ban, said they were yet to receive the High Court orders. Mr. Thippeswamy said the High Court directions would be discussed with other district authorities and instructions issued accordingly.

Buffalo processionIn Udupi, a victory procession was organised on Monday by the Udupi Zilla Nagarika Samiti to celebrate the High Court order.

Members of the Zilla Nagarika Samiti took out a pair of buffaloes in a short procession accompanied with the beating of drums at Beedinagudde.

They danced on the streets at the Beedinagudde Circle and hailed the High Court order. They also burst crackers on the occasion.

Nityananda Volakadu, general secretary of the samiti, said Kambala, which was in practice for centuries and generations, represented the culture of Tulunadu.

“We are all delighted that the High Court has issued a stay on the ban on Kambala. The two buffaloes which we have taken in procession today are those which participate in the Chitpady Kambala,” he said.

Bengaluru: High court on Monday December 15 green signallled for Kambla. But the one member bench has strictly ordered that cruelty on animals will not be tolerated during the event.

The kambla committee of South Kanara and Udupi had filed an appeal in the high court questioning the order of the Dty Commissioner banning kambla.

The uncertainty on kambla remained as the Apex court had passed an order to ban the sports as, but the state government and the local representatives were giving different statements. Earlier the ban was imposed as per the appeal made by animal welfare board.