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Grey areas in Anti-Ragging Act drag probeThe investigations into the College of Engineering CoEP ragging case have been hampered as the...

Grey areas in Anti-Ragging Act drag probe
The investigations into the College of Engineering CoEP ragging case have been hampered as the Maharashtra Prohibition of Ragging Act, 1999 is silent on whether the offence is cognisable or not. According to Deputy Commissioner of Police Zone I Ajit Patil, 8220;We have written to our legal department in Mantralaya and are waiting for instructions to this effect.8221;

According to Patil, if the offences are deemed to be non-cognisable then the police cannot conduct any investigations or make any arrests. Meanwhile, the nine students who have been accused in the case, were called to Shivajinagar police chowkey to record their statements.

8220;We are going ahead with our investigations and recording their statements and also the findings of the committee set up by the college principal,8221; said Patil. According to Assistant Commissioner of Police Deccan division, Dnyaneshwar Chavan, they police had also recorded the statements of the occupants of the neighbouring rooms where the First Year student had been allegedly ragged.

8220;Once the statements have been recorded as evidence, we will file the chargesheets. We are not sure whether the offence is bailable as this is the first case registered under this Act. But since the offence is punishable with imprisonment only up to two years, then the offence should be bailable.8221;

Earlier, the police had to get a copy of the Act through private channels as it was not available with the legal department here. The case which was earlier assigned to Assistant Police Inspector S.B. Inamdar has been transferred to Deccan police station inspector in-charge Ram Kondhalkar.

Rape accused murdered
The Shikrapur police have registered a case of murder when a man accused of raping a minor, was allegedly killed by the girl8217;s relatives in Dhanori village, taluka Shirur, on Monday evening. Meanwhile, the police have also registered a case of rape against the dead man. According to the complaints lodged with the Shikrapur police, Ramdas Kamthe, a resident of Dhanori, allegedly raped a 15-year-old girl on Monday afternoon. As per the FIR lodged by the girl, Kamthe took her out to a lonely spot near the village market and raped her.

When the girl went back home she told her relatives about the incident. According to the second FIR lodged with the police the relatives cornered Kamthe in the evening and allegedly killed him.

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The police have charged Gangaram Baburao Kamthe, the father of the girl, along with other relatives, Sanjay Kamthe, Babaji Kamthe, Sambhaji Bhosure and Dattoba Bhasure with murder and are conducting further investigations.