Indian man to serve 14 years jail term in Singapore for sexually assaulting minor: ‘Punishment includes caning but…'
Ramalingam, who owns a provision shop, gave a free drink to an 11-year-old girl who visited his store, and when she returned later that day to buy ice cream, he sexually assaulted her.
The incident happened on October 28, 2021, at his store in Jurong West between 4.50pm and about 5.05pm. Ramalingam allegedly led the girl to the inner confines of his shop to touch her and make her perform oral sex on him.
Following the assaults, the girl sought help from a passer-by, who called the police.
Noting that he is innocent, Ramalingam said he would be appealing against his conviction.
Straits Times report also said, Ramalingam argued that the girl's account was unreliable. He questioned why she would seek help from a stranger instead of someone familiar and also said that it was suspicious that there was no police camera footage of her returning to her home after the incident.
He also claimed he was physically incapable of committing the assault due to erectile dysfunction and pointed that his DNA was not found on the victim.
However, Justice Aidan Xu ruled that the prosecution had proven its case beyond a reasonable doubt. The judge stated that the girl's testimony was consistent and credible, with no major flaws in her version of events.
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NDTV
14 minutes ago
- NDTV
Vivek Agnihotri Targets TMC Amid The Bengal Files Row: "FIRs Filed On Us By Ruling Party Members"
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The police the wire then I was told that the ruling party filed many FIRs as we stand here today, the FIRs are filed on us by the ruling party members and I have been told that ruling party has major objection on portrayal of the untold story of Hindu genocide. They have problem with that film about demographic change." Shantanu Mukherjee, grandson of Gopal Mukherjee, filed an FIR against the director. Speaking about the same, he added, "I just don't want to speak as it is a legal matter, but I just want to give you a hint that a lot of people you are mentioning are trying to blackmail us for a long time. They are members of TMC, and that is why they are trying to put pressure on us, but we will take a legal course and solve it all." On August 16, during the event at ITC Royal Bengal, the trailer was suddenly stopped, the director blamed the authorities, saying, "If this is not dictatorship/fascism, then what is? Law and order in your state has failed, and this is the reason that everyone supports 'The Bengal Files'. I have just got to know that some people came here (event venue in a private hotel) and cut all the wires. I don't know on whose orders this is happening? You know who those people are behind us. After all tests and trials, this programme was being held. The hotel managers still can't tell us why we are not allowed to continue with our programme." While speaking to the media, he highlighted the issue and shared, "Police aur party workers ne milkar unconstitutionally hamare trailer ko radd kiya bharat ke ithihas mein kayi filmein ban huyi pehli baar bharat ke itihaas mein ek state government ne ek film ke trailer ko ban kiya hai. This is very scary and worrisome. Jinhone Indian constitution ki oath li hai, hamare judges, ministers, Chief Ministers, ye log Indian constitution ki oath lete aur Indian constitution mein ye likha gaya hai ki state officials jo hai inka ye dharm hai ye duty hai ki ye common logon ke rights ko protect karenge, especially their free speech and safety. Lekin agar rakshak hi bhakshak ban jaye to koi kya lad sakta hai?" He also shared that the film got a good response in the US, "aur hum ko waha ka Capitol Hill mein invite kiya gaya, The Bengal Files ko present karne ke liye." He said that after taking fresh permissions, the team shifted the launch to the hotel in Kolkata. "We called journalists to watch the trailer. As soon as it was played, the hotel manager suddenly came on stage and said it could not be screened," Agnihotri said, claiming that all the preparations were "done in front of the manager." "When the media asked the manager about the issue, we got information that the police and TMC members were on their way to stop the release," Agnihotri alleged. Pallavi Joshi elaborated on the entire incident that happened on August 16: "I was saying that day before yesterday we were trying to launch the trailer of our film in Kolkata, and it was forcibly stopped by the state government and the police. And since then, we've been getting a lot of calls from the media, but instead of talking to each one separately and giving the same answers, we thought that as responsible producers, as responsible filmmakers, we should all come in one place and speak in one voice. Because this is not just a film, this is, in our perception. Whatever happened the day before yesterday, we look at it as a threat to our democracy -- plain and simple." Agnihotri earlier opened up on the cancellation of the trailer launch event of 'The Bengal Files' by a leading movie theatre chain and why he decided to unveil the trailer on August 16. He said, "Mai America se aaya aur seedhe Kolkata pahucha kyunki trailer launch tha and movie trailers are generally launched in theatres; however, when I reached the airport, I came to know that one of the largest multiplex chains said that they can't do it because there is a lot of political pressure and if they do it, there will be a political turmoil. So we spoke to another multiplex, they also said 'sorry sir', there is a lot of political pressure, we can't do it'. If we had known this from the start, why would we have taken on so many teams and actors and spent so much money to come here?" The film explores the communal violence in undivided Bengal during the 1940s, including events like the 1946 Direct Action Day and the Noakhali riots of 1946, a Hindu genocide. He added, "Aur Direct Action Day, Hindu genocide, Murshidabad riots, film ka trailer kahan launch hona chahiye? Kolkata mein hi hona chahiye. Par mai bhi harne vaalon me se nahi hu, to aisa pehli baar ho raha hai mera ye andaaz hai ki film ka trailer theatre ki jagah hotel ke banquet hall mai janna chahta hu hamari awaaz dabane ki koshish kyu ho rahi hai.(And where should the trailer of the film dealing with Direct Action Day, Hindu genocide, Murshidabad riots, be launched? It should be launched in Kolkata only, but I'm not one of the losers, so this is happening for the first time. I guess the trailer of the film is being launched in the banquet hall of a hotel instead of a theatre. To hamari awaaz ko dabane ki koshish kyu ki ja rahi hai (but I want to know why efforts are being made to suppress our voice.)" The Bengal Files is slated to hit theatres on September 5, 2025.
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First Post
14 minutes ago
- First Post
How Indian truck driver, behind fatal Florida crash, has triggered a political row in US
Harjinder Singh, an Indian truck driver, caused a deadly crash in Florida, killing three. The 28-year-old Sikh driver, who had entered the US illegally years ago, had attempted an illegal U-turn when the high-speed car crashed into his vehicle. The mishap has led to fresh criticism from the Trump administration of California Governor Gavin Newsom Harjinder Singh was behind the wheel of a tractor-trailer on the Florida Turnpike near Fort Pierce when he made a sudden hard left turn, killing three people behind his vehicle. Image courtesy: X An Indian truck driver, Harjinder Singh, has found himself at the centre of a deadly crash in Florida that left three people dead. According to investigators, Singh, a 28-year-old Sikh driver who is in the US illegally, attempted an abrupt and illegal U-turn on the Florida Turnpike. His trailer jackknifed in the process and smashed into a minivan, resulting in the horrific accident. The crash has not only shocked the local community but has also stirred a political debate between the Donald Trump administration and California Governor Gavin Newsom. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD But why? And who exactly is Harjinder Singh? What happens next in the case against him? Here's a closer look. How the crash unfolded According to authorities, Singh was behind the wheel of a tractor-trailer on the Florida Turnpike near Fort Pierce when he made a sudden hard left turn. He attempted to cut across the median through an 'Official Use Only' pass, a move strictly prohibited for regular vehicles. The truck ended up blocking all lanes of oncoming traffic. Just seconds later, a minivan travelling at full speed crashed into the trailer, becoming wedged underneath. The impact was fatal. As reported by Treasure Coast Newspapers, three people were killed in the collision: a 37-year-old woman from Pompano Beach, a 30-year-old man from Florida City, and a 54-year-old man from Miami. 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(1) UPDATE: These are the alleged semi-truck drivers who k*lled three people while making a U-turn at an 'Official Use Only' turn on the Florida Turnpike The Florida Highway Patrol is describing the wreck as a homicide investigation — Unlimited L's (@unlimited_ls) August 15, 2025 STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD On Saturday, US Marshals arrested Singh in California on a warrant charging him with three counts of vehicular homicide, a second-degree felony, punishable by up to 15 years in prison. The arrest came just two days after the tragedy. 'The actions taken by the Defendant while operating a commercial tractor-trailer are both shocking and criminal, Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles (FLHSMV) Director Dave Kerner said. 'Three people lost their lives as a result of his recklessness, and countless friends and family members will experience the pain of their loss forever.' Who is Harjinder Singh? 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Years later, in June 2021, the Biden administration granted him work papers that had previously been denied during Trump's first term, the Department of Homeland Security said on Monday. 'How many more innocent people have to die before Gavin Newsom stops playing games with the safety of the American public?' it added. Three innocent people were killed in Florida because Gavin Newsom's California DMV issued an illegal alien a Commercial Driver's License—this state of governance is asinine. How many more innocent people have to die before Gavin Newsom stops playing games with the safety of the… — Homeland Security (@DHSgov) August 18, 2025 STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Once freed from detention, he returned to California and somehow managed to get a commercial driver's licence, though it remains unclear how he was able to do so. 'The illegal alien is an Indian national who was granted a commercial driver's license by the so-called 'sanctuary state' of California, whose reckless policies put the lives of American citizens at risk every single day,' said the White House in a statement in the wake of the deadly crash. However, California Governor Gavin Newsom's Press office hit back and claimed that when Singh entered the US, Trump was the president. Factshttps:// — Governor Newsom Press Office (@GovPressOffice) August 18, 2025 STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Critics also argued that Singh's victims would still be alive had his deportation gone through as initially planned. Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, posted sharply on X, 'He should have never been in our country in the first place!' What's next for Singh? As per a Newsweek report, federal immigration authorities have issued a detainer for Singh, indicating that potential deportation proceedings may follow once the criminal case concludes. His next court appearance is scheduled for Tuesday. With input from agencies
Time of India
an hour ago
- Time of India
Top mile runner Parvej Khan gets a six-year ban for doping
Parvej Khan NEW DELHI: Middle-distance runner Parvej Khan, who had lit up the American Collegiate circuit with some showstopping performances in the men's 800m and 1,500m events, and becoming the first Indian track athlete to compete at the NCAA championships in Boston, has been banned by the Nada's anti-doping disciplinary panel (ADDP) for a maximum period of six years on twin counts — failed dope test and whereabouts failure. TOI has obtained Parvej's ADDP order copy dated Aug 12, 2025, in which the threemember panel found the 19-year-old mile sensation from Mewat guilty of testing positive for a non-specified substance 'erythropoietin' (EPO) during his 'A' sample examination and returning a combination of three missed tests or filing failures on 12.05.2023; 10.07.2023 and 05.12.2023 within a 12-month period. Go Beyond The Boundary with our YouTube channel. SUBSCRIBE NOW! The ADDP panel comprising chairperson Charu Pragya and members Dr. Bikash Medhi and Archana Surve held Parvej liable for sanctions under two charges – under article 10.2.1.1 for an ineligibility period of four years for returning an adverse analytical finding (AAF) for 'EPO — peptide hormones, growth factors, related substance and mimetics' and another two years under article 10.9 for multiple violations (read whereabouts failure). 'In the present case, since the athlete had been provisionally suspended, the panel accordingly holds that the athlete's period of ineligibility for 6 years shall commence from the date on which the notification was sent, i.e., by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like 11 Foods That Help In Healing Knee Pain Naturally Undo 28.08.2024. 'All other competitive results obtained by the athlete from the date of sample collection, i.e., 27.06.2024, shall be disqualified with all resulting consequences, including forfeiture of medals, points and prizes,' the order read. Due to his retrospective ban, Parvej will forfeit his gold medal won in the 1,500m race clocking 3:42.95s at the 63rd National Inter State senior athletics meet in Panchkula last year. He was tested by Nada officers during the same championships on June 27 & 28. All his other results obtained during that period will be declared null and void. Parvej, who went to Florida on scholarship, had some standout performances in the USA's Collegiate system, becoming the first from the country to qualify for the final of a track event in the NCAA Championships. During the Portland Track festival last year, he clocked a personal best time of 3:36.21 in the 1500m, marking the second-fastest time by an Indian, following Jinson Johnson's national record of 3:35.24 set in 2019. Triple jumper Varkey provisionally suspended In another doping setback in athletics, triple jumper Sheena Varkey has been provisionally suspended by Nada after testing positive for a banned substance. The 32-year-old Kerala athlete had finished sixth in the triple jump event at the Hangzhou Asian Games in 2023. Catch Rani Rampal's inspiring story on Game On, Episode 4. Watch Here!
