Woman Can't Be Forced To Take Virginity Test, Violates Right To Dignity: Court

The Chhattisgarh High Court has said that a woman cannot be forced to undergo a virginity test which violates Article 21 of the Constitution that guarantees her fundamental right to protection of life and liberty, including the right to dignity.

The high court said granting permission for a virginity test would be against the fundamental rights, cardinal principles of natural justice and secret modesty of a female, emphasising that Article 21 is the "heart of fundamental rights".

The observation by high court judge Justice Arvind Kumar Verma came in response to a criminal petition filed by a man who demanded his wife's virginity test alleging she was in an illicit relationship with another man, challenging a family court's order dated October 15, 2024, which rejected the interim application.

The wife had alleged that her husband was impotent and refused to cohabit.

The HC said if the petitioner wants to prove that the allegations of impotency are baseless, he can undergo the concerned medical test or produce any other evidence.

"He cannot possibly be permitted to subject the wife to undergo her virginity test and fill up the lacuna in his evidence".

The order passed on January 9 was made available recently.

The high court noted that the contention of the petitioner demanding a virginity test of his wife is unconstitutional as it violates Article 21 of the Constitution which includes the right to dignity of women.

"Article 21 of the Constitution of India not only guarantees the right to life and personal liberty but also the right to live with dignity, which is crucial for women.

"No woman can be forced to conduct her virginity test. It is a violation of fundamental rights guaranteed under Article 21. It has to be borne in mind that Article 21 is the 'heart of fundamental rights'," the high court stated.

Justice Verma further said that the virginity test is a violation of the basic right of women to be treated with decency and proper dignity.

"The right to personal liberty enshrined under Article 21 is non-derogable and cannot be tinkered with in any manner. The petitioner cannot possibly be permitted to subject the wife to undergo her virginity test and fill up the lacuna in his evidence in this regard.

"Be that as it may, but in any case, granting the permission for virginity test of the respondent would be against her fundamental rights, the cardinal principles of natural justice and secret modesty of a female," the high court noted.

Non-derogable human rights refer to rights that are absolute and may not be subject to any derogation, even in times of war or emergency.

The bench further observed that the allegations made by both parties against each other are the subject matter of evidence and a conclusion can be drawn only after evidence.

"The High Court is of the considered opinion that the order impugned is neither illegal nor perverse and there is no judicial error committed by the trial court," it said.

The couple got married on April 30, 2023, as per Hindu rites. They lived together at the husband's family residence in Korba district.

The wife allegedly told her family members that her husband is impotent and she refused to establish a marital relationship or cohabit with her husband, the petitioner's counsel said.

She filed an interim application on July 2, 2024, under section 144 of the Bharatiya Nagrik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS) before the family court in Raigarh district seeking maintenance of Rs 20,000 from her husband.

In response to the maintenance claim interim application, the petitioner sought a virginity test of his wife alleging that she was in an illicit relationship with her brother-in-law. He claimed the marriage was never consummated.

On October 15, 2024, the family court in Raigarh rejected the husband's request following which he filed a criminal petition in the High Court.

The case is currently at evidence stage in the family court. 

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Punjab Board Class 5, 8 Result 2025: Expected Release Date, How To Check

PSEB Class 5th, 8th Result 2025: The Punjab School Education Board (PSEB) is expected to declare the Class 5 and Class 8 results for the academic year 2025 in April. The Class 5 exams were conducted from March 7 to 13 while the Class 8 exams took place between February 19 and March 7.

In previous years, the Class 5 results were usually announced in the first week of April, whereas Class 8 results were released in the last week of April. However, the board has not yet announced the exact dates for the 2025 results. Students are advised to regularly check the PSEB's official website for the latest updates.

PSEB Class 5th, 8th Result 2025: How To Check

Once the results are announced, students can visit the official PSEB website, pseb.ac.in, to check their scorecards.

They will need to enter their roll number and date of birth in the designated login window.

PSEB Class 5th, 8th Results: Steps To Check 

• Go to the official PSEB website: pseb.ac.in
• On the homepage, click on the 'Results' tab.
• Select the link for Punjab Board Class 5th Result 2025 or Punjab Board Class 8th Result 2025.
• Enter your roll number and date of birth in the required fields.
• Your result will be displayed on the screen.
• Download and print a copy for future reference.

Steps To Check PSEB Class 5th, 8th Results via SMS

In case of high traffic on the official website, students can check their results via SMS.

• For Class 5th Result: Type 'PB05' and send it to 5676750.
• For Class 8th Result: Type 'PB8' and send it to 5676750.

Details On Scorecards

The PSEB Class 5th and Class 8th scorecards will include:

• Student's full name
• Roll number
• School name
• Parent's name
• Marks obtained in each subject
• Total score

PSEB Class 5th, 8th Results: Pass Rate In 2024

• Class 5th Results 2024: Declared on April 1, with a 99.8% pass percentage.
• Class 8th Results 2024: Announced on April 30, with a 98.31% pass percentage.

Girls outperformed boys, with a 98.82% pass rate compared to 97.84% for boys.

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Disha Salian Was Depressed Over Father's Misuse Of Money: Cops' Closure Report

The Mumbai police's closure report in the Disha Salian death case had termed it a suicide and asserted she was battling depression due to various reasons, including misuse of her money by her father, an official said on Friday.

Disha Salian was a former manager of actor Sushant Singh Rajput. She allegedly committed suicide by jumping off the 12th floor of her building in Jankalyan Nagar in north Mumbai's Malad area on June 8, 2020, as per police.

The closure report by Malvani police, which probed the incident, was submitted to a superior officer (as per rules for accidental death report) on February 4, 2021.

As part of the probe, Malvani police recorded statements of her friends and some witnesses, during which it came to light that she was depressed due to some failed projects, misunderstanding with friends and misuse of her money by her father, the official said.

The police had also recorded statements of actors with whom Disha Salian was communicating on behalf of her company, he added.

After the case got entangled in an acrimonious tussle between political parties, the Mumbai police set up a Special Investigation Team, though its report is still awaited.

Last week, her father Satish Salian moved Bombay High Court seeking a fresh probe into the mysterious circumstances under which she was found dead in June 2020.

He also urged the HC to order the registration of a First Information Report against Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Aaditya Thackeray, and transfer of the probe to the Central Bureau of Investigation. 

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Woman Can Be Held Guilty Of Instigating Rape: Madhya Pradesh High Court

A woman can be held guilty of instigating rape, even if she is not the prime accused in the case, the Madhya Pradesh High Court said on Thursday. 

The court said that under section 109 of Indian Penal Code (IPC), a person who abets or encourages a crime is equally responsible in the eyes of the law. It referred to the IPC as the crime took place on August 21, 2022, nearly two years before the new criminal laws came into effect.

Justices Pramod Agarwal and Prashant Gupta were hearing a case pertaining to the rape of a woman in Bhopal's Chhola Mandir police station area. According to the prosecution, the accused's mother and brother encouraged the survivor to get into a physical relationship with him, leading to the crime. 

The court upheld that the mother's act of instigation made her an accomplice in the crime. It held the man guilty of rape. 

In her complaint, the survivor alleged that her neighbour had initially proposed to marry her. When she went to his house, his mother and brother sent her to a room, where he locked the door and raped her. Later, he refused to marry her. 

The neighbour was charged under sections 376 and 376(2) - both dealing with rape, 506 (criminal intimidation) and 34 (common intention) of IPC. His mother was charged under section 109 (abetment to rape). 

Explaining the rationale behind the court's remarks, government advocate CM Tiwari said: "Since the mother encouraged the survivor to get into a relationship, the court found her equally responsible. The accused was convicted of rape and the woman was considered an equal participant in the crime." 

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Bangladesh's Yunus Meets Xi, Calls For China To Play "Greater Role" In Ensuring Peace

China and Bangladesh on Friday signed nine agreements after Muhammad Yunus' meeting with President Xi Jinping during which the Bangladesh Chief Adviser highlighted student protests that led to regime change in Dhaka and urged Beijing to play a "greater role" in establishing peace and stability.

Additionally, Bangladesh secured a commitment of USD 2.1 billion in investments, loans and grants from the Chinese government and its companies, Bangladesh's official news agency BSS reported.

Bangladesh welcomed Chinese companies to participate in the Teesta River Comprehensive Management and Restoration Project (TRCMRP), according to a joint statement issued after the meeting between Yunus and Xi.

The previous Hasina government wanted India to do the Teesta river basin project.

Bangladesh welcomed Chinese companies to also participate in the Mongla Port Facilities Modernisation and Expansion Project, the joint statement said.

After his talks with Xi, the two countries signed nine agreements enhancing economic and technical cooperation between the two governments and cooperation in the areas of development, translation and publication of classical literary work, exchange and cooperation on cultural heritage, news exchange and media, and health sector, state-run news agency Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha (BSS) said.

As the two leaders discussed issues related to bilateral interest, Yunus urged China to play a greater role in establishing peace, prosperity and stability for both nations, the BSS report said.

Yunus' China visit is keenly watched as he is scheduled next week to attend the BIMSTEC Summit in Bangkok, where he has sought a meeting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi. India is yet to confirm the meeting.

Highlighting the last year's July-August students' mass protests in Bangladesh leading to the ouster of Sheikh Hasina government, Yunus told Xi that the movement paved a way to build a "New Bangladesh".

Weeks before her ouster last year, Hasina too had made a high-profile visit to Beijing during which she held talks with Xi.

The Interim government headed by Yunus took charge days after she fled to India on August 5.

Xi, on his part, spoke about the long-standing history of "friendly exchanges" between the two countries and said China maintained a high degree of stability and continuity in ties with Bangladesh and Beijing continues to be a trustworthy neighbour, friend and partner of Dhaka, state-run Xinhua news agency reported.

The Chinese president said China would continue to grant zero-tariff facilities to Bangladeshi goods and extend the status until the end of 2028 - two years after Bangladesh's scheduled graduation from a least developed country, a statement from Yunus' office said in Dhaka.

He said Beijing would like to start negotiations for a Free Trade Agreement and Investment Agreement with Dhaka to pave the way for more Chinese investment in the South Asian nation This year marks the 50th anniversary of China-Bangladesh diplomatic ties, and 2025 is also the year of people-to-people exchanges between the two countries, Xi said, expressing his willingness to take the ties to a new level.

Yunus sought a 50-year master plan from Beijing for its river water management, calling China the "master of water management".

During a meeting with Chinese water resources minister Li Guoying, Bangladesh's Chief Adviser, effectively the prime minister, praised Chinese water and flood management system, saying the country did wonders in managing some of the intractable water issues, the BSS said.

Since the Yunus government took over, China has been hosting a number of Bangladesh delegations including Bangladesh's Adviser for Foreign Affairs Touhid Hossain and hardline Islamic parties such as the Jamaat-e-Islami and opposition Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP).

Analysts here say that Beijing at the same is carefully watching the unfolding chaotic situation in Dhaka and the pressure mounting on 84-year-old Yunus to hold elections without making any major commitments.

Besides the nine agreements, Bangladesh and China have agreed to strengthen cooperation in such areas as hydrological forecasting, flood prevention and disaster reduction, river dredging, integrated management of water resources, water resources development and related technology sharing, BSS reported.

The two sides spoke positively about the signing of the Implementation Plan of the MoU on Exchange of Hydrological Information of the Yarlung Zangbo and Jamuna River. The Brahmaputra river is called Yarlung Zangbo in Tibet and Jamuna in Bangladesh.

India and China had a similar MOU to exchange river data.

Bangladesh and China also agreed to strengthen exchanges on maritime affairs and hold a new round of Dialogue on Maritime Cooperation at an appropriate time, Bangladesh media reports said.

Yunus, who is on a four-day visit, took part in China's Boao Forum for Asia annual conference in Hainan after his arrival on Wednesday.

He arrived in Beijing on Thursday night and was received at the airport by Chinese Vice Foreign Minister Sun Weidong.

Ahead of his meeting with Xi, Yunus on Thursday called for a reduction of interest rates for Chinese loans from three per cent to 1-2 per cent to Bangladesh and sought a waiver of commitment fees on the Chinese-funded projects in Bangladesh.

In his meeting with the Chinese Executive Vice Premier Ding Xuexiang on the sidelines of the Boao Forum for Asia annual conference, Yunus sought Chinese support for an array of development projects.

China is Bangladesh's fourth-largest lender after Japan, the World Bank and the Asian Development Bank, with total loans disbursed since 1975 coming to USD 7.5 billion, according to a report in the Daily Star newspaper of Bangladesh.

Yunus' Press Secretary Shafiqul Alam said that Xi reiterated China's support to the Chief Adviser and his interim government and considered his request about the loans.

Xi has assured Yunus that his country would encourage Chinese investment and relocation of Chinese manufacturing enterprises to Bangladesh, Alam said.

The Yunus government is pitching for a shift of industries from China to ward off heavy tariffs being imposed by US President Donald Trump on Chinese goods.

Later, addressing a meeting of Chinese investors, Yunus urged them to increase their investments in Bangladesh highlighting it could be a transport destination in the region.

Both sides discussed various strategic bilateral issues, trade and investment growth, agriculture, infrastructure, support for renewable energy sectors, and resolving the Rohingya issue, as well as overall issues of mutual interest between the two countries, eyeing a new chapter in relations, according to Bangladesh media reports.

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Elderly Couple Loses Rs 50 Lakh To Cyber Fraud In Karnataka, Dies By Suicide

An elderly couple in Khanapur taluk, Belagavi district, died by suicide after falling victim to cyber fraud and alleged harassment, police said on Friday.

Diogjeron Santan Nazareth (82) and his wife Flaviana (79), residents of Beedi village in Khanapur, had no children, police added.

A two-page handwritten death note left behind by Diogjeron stated their decision to end their lives and requested that no one be blamed, as they did not want to live at the mercy of anyone, police said.

The incident came to light on Thursday when neighbours found Flaviana lifeless on the bed, while Diogjeron's body was discovered in the underground water tank of their house, they added.

Diogjeron, a retired Maharashtra government secretariat employee, died by stabbing himself in the neck. Injuries were also found on his wrist, police said.

Flaviana is suspected to have consumed poison, though confirmation awaits the autopsy report, they added.

In the death note, Diogjeron named two individuals-Sumit Birra and Anil Yadav. He wrote that Birra, who claimed to be a telecom department official from New Delhi, informed him that a SIM card had been fraudulently purchased in his name and was being used for harassment and illegal advertisements. Birra later transferred the call to Yadav, who claimed to be from the Crime Branch.

Yadav demanded details of Diogjeron's property and finances, threatening legal consequences over the alleged SIM card misuse, according to the death note, police said.

Falling prey to the scam, Diogjeron transferred over Rs 50 lakh to them, but they continued to demand more, police added, citing digital transaction records.

He also mentioned taking a gold loan of Rs 7.15 lakh, with interest due on June 4.

"The amount should be paid, and the gold should be sold. The amount received after adjusting the principal and interest should be paid to the named persons," the note read.

Diogjeron further stated that he had borrowed money from friends and requested that the loans be repaid by selling his wife's gold bangles and earrings.

"Now I am 82 years old, and my wife is 79. We have no one to support us. We do not want to live at the mercy of anyone, so we have taken this decision," the note said.

He also expressed a wish for their bodies to be donated to a medical institution for students to study.

Police have taken his mobile phone, the knife, and the suicide note into custody as part of the investigation.

"Based on the death note and preliminary inquiry, we have registered a case of abetment to suicide and cyber fraud against the two accused named in the note. Further investigation is underway," said Belagavi Superintendent of Police Bhimashankar Guled.

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"We'll Be Ruined In 3-6 Months If...": P Chidambaram's Warning On US Tariffs

Congress leader P Chidambaram asked the government to spell out India's response to US President Donald Trump's threat of tariff war, alleging that no discussion in parliament or consultation with Opposition parties has been held over the matter.

He called for finding common ground with other nations that share the same interests in pushing back against Mr Trump, and warned that if Mr Trump starts picking out individual countries and applying different tariffs, the affected nations could be left to fend on their own. 

In an interview to NDTV, Mr Chidambaram said if the Indian government's perception is that America is taking one step forward and two steps backwards, it must have a policy to counteract that.

"I mean, it can't be in uncertainty. Of course, Americans are uncertain, let's assume so. But you must have alternative scenarios. What if they take one step forward? What is our response? What if they take two steps backward? What is our response? And that response need not be made public to the whole world, but at least there must be a statement in parliament, or there must be a consultation with opposition parties. We are completely in the dark," Mr Chidambaram, who was Union finance minister under the United Progressive Alliance (UPA) government, told NDTV.

"In fact, my information is, most ministers are in the dark. Who is involved in making this reactive policy to America's uncertain policy? I don't know. Nobody seems to know," he said.

Mr Trump's decision to slap a 25 per cent tariff on all auto imports has cast uncertainty over India's nearly $7 billion of exports to the US, which industry fears could squeeze margins. Automobiles and car parts imported to the US would face a 25 per cent tariff starting April 2.

While India is not a big exporter of cars to the US, Tata Motors' luxury car subsidiary Jaguar Land Rover (JLR) is deeply entrenched in the American market. Indian auto ancillary firms will see the biggest hit as they export a lot of components to the US.

About a fifth of the revenue of India's auto component sector is derived from exports. Of this, 27 per cent is to the US market alone.

"I think the government is making sort of impromptu, unilateral, knee-jerk decisions. For example, in the Budget speech, they got rid of the 2 per cent tax. Day before yesterday, the finance minister announced that the 6 per cent digital service tax, popularly known as the Google tax, will go. Now, what more are they going to concede to Mr Trump?" Mr Chidambaram said.

"If you don't wish to have a public discussion in parliament, then you should at least invite the principal opposition parties which are represented in parliament and take leaders into confidence of what alternative scenarios are being worked out," he added.

Mr Chidambaram defended his comment that most ministers are in the dark on this matter.

"I think at the moment, only the external affairs minister and perhaps the commerce minister who went on a delegation to the US are privy to what is going on. I don't think other ministers know. I'm sure the agriculture minister does not know. I'm sure the industries minister does not know. But they are making concessions? I don't know. Are you making concessions on agriculture? Are you making concessions on industrial goods? Are you making concessions on intellectual property? I don't think anybody knows," the former Union finance minister said.

He said India should put its interest first, but many countries are finding common ground in acknowledging that unilateral tariffs imposed by the US are unacceptable.

"There are WTO rules; there are multilateral and bilateral trade agreements; there are international laws and conventions. So if you want to rewrite the tariffs of several countries, you must hold a discussion. This is what Prime Minister Mark Carney of Canada is doing. He has taken his parliament into confidence, at least the leaders into confidence. And he says we will coordinate with the European countries and respond to Mr Trump's unilateral tariffs," Mr Chidambaram said.

"Now, I'm sure the oil producing countries are also coordinating among themselves. We are a major agricultural exporter. We are a major textile exporter. We also export a lot of industrial goods. So we must band together with countries which are in the world market for agricultural exports, textile exports, and industrial goods exports, and evolve a common approach. You see, if he [Mr Trump] picks one country at a time, and imposes tariffs, it will ruin the economy of that country.

"Suppose he picks India, and he leaves other countries out. Suppose President Trump picks India and says, 'these are the tariffs from goods exported from India', we'll be ruined. In a matter of three to six months, our economy will be ruined.

"I'm afraid Mr Trump is not going to group all the countries together and impose universal tariffs. He's giving a number for each country, what they have calculated, I'm told, calculated as the average weighted trade tariff. And he's going to pick one by one and force them to surrender. If he does that, and if he picks India, other countries will say, 'we have not been picked up'. So unless you take action to forestall such picking out countries, and imposing tariffs, you'll be left high and dry after the first attack," Mr Chidambaram said.

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