Latest news with #Shaji
News18
10 hours ago
- News18
Sending Draft Divorce Proposal Doesn't Amount To Abetment Of Suicide: Kerala High Court
Last Updated: The woman's mother had accused her husband and others of cruelty and abetment to suicide after her daughter jumped into a well The Kerala High Court recently set aside a trial court's order that added charge of abetment of suicide (Section 306 IPC) against a man whose wife died killed herself shortly after receiving a draft divorce agreement. The bench of Justice Dr Kauser Edappagath, delivering the judgment on May 22, allowed a petition filed by one Puthiya Purayil Shaji, challenging the Magistrate's decision to frame an additional charge under Section 306 IPC in a case already proceeding under Section 498A IPC (cruelty by husband). The case pertained to the tragic death of Shaji's wife in 2005, just three months after their marriage. The woman's mother, MK Padmini, had accused Shaji and others of cruelty and abetment to suicide after her daughter jumped into a well. An FIR was initially registered for both 498A and 306 IPC, but the final police report only invoked Section 498A. Years into the trial, after 11 witnesses had been examined, the prosecution moved an application under Section 216 CrPC, seeking to add the charge of abetment of suicide. The trial court agreed, finding that evidence from family members showed the deceased was devastated upon receiving a draft divorce agreement from the accused's side. However, the high court took a stricter view. It emphasised that the law demands more than emotional distress to prove abetment. 'They did not state that the petitioner played any active role in either instigating or intentionally aiding the commission of suicide…The prosecution has no case that the petitioner, through accused No.3 in Annexure A1 complaint, handed over the Annexure A2 draft agreement with the intention to drive the deceased to commit suicide," the court held. Referring to multiple Supreme Court precedents, the court reiterated that for a charge under Section 306 to stand, there must be a clear and proximate act of instigation or aiding the suicide. 'A mere allegation of humiliation, harassment or threat unaccompanied by any incitement or instigation is not at all sufficient to attract the offence," the court noted. The judgment further clarified that while Section 216 CrPC grants courts wide powers to alter or add charges, such powers must be exercised based on substantive material evidence. Since the prosecution's own witnesses did not allege any instigation or intent on the part of the petitioner, the addition of Section 306 IPC was found unwarranted. The high court also pointed out that the initial investigating officer had rightly excluded the abetment charge after reviewing the case diary. Therefore, setting aside the Magistrate's order, the high court ruled that the criminal trial shall proceed only under Section 498A IPC. If you or someone you know needs help, call any of these helplines: Aasra (Mumbai) 022-27546669, Sneha (Chennai) 044-24640050, Sumaitri (Delhi) 011-23389090, Cooj (Goa) 0832- 2252525, Jeevan (Jamshedpur) 065-76453841, Pratheeksha (Kochi) 048-42448830, Maithri (Kochi) 0484-2540530, Roshni (Hyderabad) 040-66202000, Lifeline 033-64643267 (Kolkata) First Published:
Economic Times
17-05-2025
- Business
- Economic Times
Mind Over Money: From Mt. Everest Base Camp to boardroom - Shaji Varghese on fitness as a foundation for leadership
Q) Thanks for taking the time out. How many marathons have you completed and is this one of the way you keep yourself mentally fit day in and day out? Live Events Q) You even trekked to Everest Base Camp. What drives your commitment to physical fitness, and how has it shaped your leadership journey? Q) How do you prepare—physically and mentally—for endurance events like the TATA Mumbai Marathon or high-altitude treks? Q) What does your typical wellness or fitness routine look like during a busy work week? Q) You've implemented wellness-focused initiatives like the Muthoot Health Triangle and Diversity Club. What inspired you to make wellness a leadership priority? Q) You've curated a physical library in the office with impactful titles. Why is fostering a learning culture important to you? Q) Among the books you've recently read—such as Atomic Habits and Thinking in Systems—which one has had the biggest influence on your approach to leadership and why? (You can now subscribe to our (You can now subscribe to our ETMarkets WhatsApp channel In an era where boardroom stress and relentless schedules often sideline personal wellness, Shaji Varghese , CEO of Muthoot FinCorp , offers a refreshing perspective — one where fitness fuels focus, and discipline off the track drives decision-making at the over three dozen marathons under his belt and an unforgettable trek to the Everest Base Camp, Shaji isn't just running for physical health — he's running to stay grounded, self-aware, and sharp as a this candid conversation for our Mind Over Money segment, he shares how his journey through endurance sports, habit-building, and wellness initiatives has shaped not only his leadership style but also the culture he champions at Muthoot FinCorp. Edited Excerpts –Running has been a transformative experience for me, with over three dozen marathons under my belt in the past 3-4 years, including two full me, running is a form of meditation – a chance to connect with myself and reflect. While it's a group activity, marathons remind me that ultimately, I'm running my own my passion for running has been a catalyst for positive change, helping me develop healthier habits and a more organized lifestyle.I've started prioritizing early sleep and nutritious eating, and I've become more mindful of my overall well-being. Running has taught me discipline and self-awareness, and I'm grateful for the impact it's had on my to physical fitness taught me the power of habits. Small, consistent progress can have a profound impact over time. When I started running, completing a 42km marathon seemed by focusing on tiny, incremental gains – just 1% improvement each week – I achieved remarkable progress. Consistent training and dedication paid off on my Everest Base Camp trek, where I pushed my limits and achieved new principle applies beyond fitness: setting realistic goals and making gradual improvements can lead to significant a person, I've learned to prioritize my own growth and accountability. Health is a personal responsibility, while my job is a means to fulfil my larger life prioritizing my physical well-being, I've been able to prevent lifestyle diseases and maintain a balanced personal and professional discipline I've developed through running has been invaluable, allowing me to achieve more and live a more purposeful has become second nature to me. For long marathons, I make sure to log at least 35 km in the preceding days to prepare for the 42 km challenge. High-altitude treks are a testament to the endurance built over year was fulfilling, as I achieved three personal goals: participating in the Tata Mumbai Marathon, running kilometres equal to my age on my birthday, and completing the Everest Base Camp diving, para gliding, ice skating, wild life safari, hot air balloon ride, experiencing Northern Lights are few others I have crossed off my list.I'm excited to pursue more aspirations this year. I am thrilled to share that I look forward to running the full marathon at the Athens Marathon in November 2025 - crossing the historic Panathenaic Stadium of Athens will be an unforgettable I plan to explore deep sea water swimming this year along with a run at the Ladakh marathon if all goes well.I prioritize staying active every day. My weekly routine includes long-distance running on Tuesdays, Thursdays, and one weekend day, which helps me build endurance and challenge Wednesdays and Fridays, I focus on stretch exercises, mobility, or flexibility workouts to maintain flexibility and prevent injuries. Exercise isn't just about physical health; it's also a great way to clear my mind and boost making time for physical activity, I'm able to tackle my work responsibilities with more enthusiasm and efficiency, while also enjoying a better work-life balance.I firmly believe that life itself is the most precious thing we have, and good physical and mental health is crucial for overall happiness is intricately linked to personal happiness – it's challenging to compartmentalize joy and work-life balance means finding happiness in both your professional and personal life, effortlessly navigating between the two, and feeling eager to be in both places.I think organizations play a vital role in fostering a healthy work environment. When colleagues prioritize their health, it benefits not only themselves but also the organization and society as a whole.I must credit Muthoot Fincorp for the Muthoot Health Triangle (MHT) initiative - a significant milestone for Muthootians promoting physical, intellectual, and spiritual well-being for Muthootians; and I encourage my people to be part of the MHT initiatives ensuring their holistic promoting well-being, organizations can unlock their people's full potential, drive growth, and contribute to a healthier, more productive communityIn today's rapidly changing world, continuous learning is essential for survival and growth. By upgrading our skills and knowledge, we not only enhance our own productivity but also contribute to the organization's high-quality books is an excellent way to broaden our perspectives and improve our library is designed to support this pursuit of knowledge, with carefully curated books that will benefit our Muthootians, organization, and the wider prioritize knowledge acquisition, recognizing that it's a key driver of progress. We encourage Muthootians to utilize their time effectively by reading and learning, rather than getting caught up in non-productive activities. By putting knowledge first, we can stay ahead of the curve and achieve our both books are good, my recent favorite book is 'The Courage to Be Disliked' by Ichiro Kishimi and Fumitake Koga. This book has been a catalyst for self-discovery, helping me gain valuable insights into my own thoughts and has profoundly impacted my leadership journey, broadened my perspective and helped me in informed books, I've developed a more nuanced understanding of life and leadership, enabling me to approach challenges with greater clarity and me say that books and reading have had a profound impact on my life as a whole, and am sure it will continue to do so.: Recommendations, suggestions, views and opinions given by the experts are their own. These do not represent the views of Economic Times
Time of India
12-05-2025
- Business
- Time of India
Neo Wealth Management appoints Shajikumar Devakar as Co-Founder and CEO
Neo group has appointed Shajikumar Devakar , a seasoned leader in private banking and wealth management , as co-Founder and CEO of Neo Wealth Management . #Operation Sindoor India responds to Pak's ceasefire violation; All that happened India-Pakistan ceasefire reactions: Who said what Punjab's hopes for normalcy dimmed by fresh violations Shaji joins Neo from 360 ONE Wealth , where he served as executive director and MD, heading the South India business and overseeing the firm's international operations in the Middle East. He led a platform of senior private bankers and managed marquee client relationships during his tenure. His extensive experience also includes leadership roles at Barclays Wealth and Deutsche Wealth Management. Neo Group currently manages over Rs 40,000 crore in wealth and Rs 11,500 crore in alternative assets . Backed by an institutionalised leadership team comprising over 40 senior industry professionals—many of whom have built and scaled multi-billion-dollar businesses—the firm operates with a team of more than 600 high-calibre professionals, offering bespoke wealth management solutions to India's most discerning clients. Neo's long-term global investors include marquee names such as Peak XV Partners (formerly Sequoia India), Mitsubishi UFJ Financial Group, and Euclidean Capital LLC. Live Events
Hindustan Times
10-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Hindustan Times
Padakkalam movie review: A college supernatural flick that's not the fantasy comedy it wants to be
Whenever a movie is set on a college campus with a group of friends and some professors as the key players, you can expect that there will be a lot of laughs, some action and perhaps, mystery as well. Padakkalam, helmed by debutant director Manu Swaraj, aims to be just that except that it is meshed with a supernatural element, a la Indiana Jones and the desi 'parakaya pravesha' (body swapping). Jithin (Sandeep Pradeep) is in love with his engineering college classmate Jeevika (Niranjana Anoop) but she suddenly decides to break up with him citing personal differences. While a heartbroken Jithin is trying to brainstorm with his friends - Ramzad (Arun Pradeep), Kannan (Saaf) and Nakul (Arun Ajikumar) - on what do, a college strike is on with Jithin's department demanding that their HOD be replaced as he got the job with fake documents. Now, senior professor Shaji (Suraj Venjaramoodu) is eyeing the post as is a younger, student-friendly Renjith (Sharafudheen). Shaji gets elevated as HOD naturally as he is senior but Jithin and his friends discover something is amiss when Shaji starts behaving strangely and their suspicion falls on Renjith. They believe that Renjith has used some supernatural power and/or black magic to control Shaji and start to investigate this. They shockingly discover that he can control people through some means and are worried what his main objective is. And they get into a major issue. What has gone wrong? What does Renjith do? How does this situation get resolved? While the premise of the story - the supernatural and body swapping element - is interesting, the entire aspect of setting it in a college and using it in the context of a professor who eyes an HOD chair is extremely flimsy. The story is weak from the beginning and while the four students, Suraj Venjaramoodu and Sharafudheen have been used to elicit laughs using situations, mannerisms and dialogues, it's only partly effective. It is the performances of Suraj Venjaramoodu and Sharafudheen (especially after the body swap occurs) that stand out and it is thanks to them that the movie keeps the audiences engaged for the most part. However, this is just not enough to make the movie totally fun ride. The female characters in the movie - Jeevika and Shaji's wife (Pooja Mohanraj) - hardly have no major role to play and that's unfortunate. On the whole, Padakkalam is a decent attempt by director Manu Swaraj to give the audiences a clean campus supernatural fantasy comedy but it is the poor writing that lets down the film.
Indian Express
08-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Indian Express
Padakkalam movie review: Suraj Venjaramoodu, Sharaf U Dheen's fantasy comedy proves that an intriguing plot alone doesn't make a good film
Padakkalam movie review: Malayalees aren't alien to the concept of Parakaya Pravesha (the act of entering another person's body with one's consciousness) and other similar dark fantasy horror elements, thanks to cinematographer-director Santosh Sivan's acclaimed film Anandabhadram (2005). Hence, filmmakers who wish to explore such themes in Malayalam don't have to spend much time explaining the concepts and can immediately enter their narrative after a small and basic introduction that might help refresh people's memories. That means the makers of such a movie get almost 80-90 per cent of the film's runtime to tell their story without having to rack their brains over how to ensure clarity. Despite having such favourable conditions, if you are unable to craft a movie with at least intriguing moments, whose fault is it? The predicament debutant director Manu Swaraj's Padakkalam, starring Suraj Venjaramoodu, Sharaf U Dheen and Sandeep Pradeep, ends up in is pretty much the same. Don't Miss | Sarkeet movie review: Asif Ali, Orhan elevate Thamar KV film Although both Shaji (Suraj) and Ranjith (Sharaf) eye the chair of the HOD in their college, the students are all in support of the latter since he shares a 'warm' rapport with them. However, as Shaji is the eligible one, the position 'naturally' goes to him, but only for a few minutes, as the other staff members soon notice some abnormalities in his behaviour, and he is forced to go on leave. In the meantime, one of their students, Jithin (Sandeep Pradeep), finds out the real reason behind Shaji's peculiar behaviour and realises that Ranjith had a hand in it and that he is well-versed in black magic. Although he explains it to his friends Ramzad (Arun Pradeep), Kannan (Saaf) and Nakul (Arun Ajikumar), they are hesitant to believe at first, but soon they also start noticing Ranjith's idiosyncrasies and come to the conclusion that he knows Parakaya Niyantrana (the act of gaining control over another person's body). They also find out that the source of his black magic powers is his Pachisi set. Under the suspicion that he could be planning bigger things with it, the four students decide to steal and destroy the set. However, once they get hold of the set, their lives turn upside down as Ranjith takes control of Jithin's body too. Meanwhile, things escalate once Shaji returns to avenge the mishappenings in his life caused by Ranjith. At one crucial juncture, they all end up committing a massive blunder, which pushes them into bigger troubles. The remainder of the movie follows their attempts to unlock the tangle. Despite having a fascinating plot, Padakkalam is let down completely by aimless writing. Although the movie establishes its setting and central characters well in the first act and piques the interest of the audience with the introduction of fantasy elements, the script, penned jointly by Manu and Nithin C Babu, takes a massive nosedive after a point. Regardless of occasionally showing slight hints of a possible comeback, Padakkalam never truly rises to its potential. Barring a few jokes that mostly land due to the actors' delivery and their on-screen chemistry, which has worked out decently well, the movie ends up being a series of missed opportunities. And yes, the core idea and plot had potential, and there are at least a handful of moments where you can sense it, making you feel that it could have been something special if developed or executed well. Nevertheless, the writers never manage to leverage such instances, and most of the moments end up being undercooked. Although the character of Jeevika (Niranjana Anoop) appears occasionally, she never becomes more than Jithin's estranged girlfriend. Shaji's wife, Shobha (Pooja Mohanraj), on the other hand, showed promise to become a substantial character, but is largely ignored by the makers. Regardless, the movie is kept afloat by the decent performances of the actors, particularly Suraj Venjaramoodu and Sharaf U Dheen, who showcase their comedic strengths and strike silver (yes, only silver) now and then. Suraj's attempts at physical comedy, with particular focus on facial expressions, reminiscent of his iconic characters such as Dasamoolam Damu in Chattambinadu (2009), do amuse, but they never reach lofty heights owing to the inherent lack of humour in the writing. Sharaf's portrayal of the witty schemer Ranjith is also commendable. Bizarrely, in my opinion, Sandeep's performance as Ranjith (after the Parakaya Pravesha) came across as sharper than his portrayal of Jithin. Arun Pradeep, Saaf and Arun Ajikumar also do their parts well, adding some essence to an otherwise flavourless dish that is Padakkalam. The sudden entry of the iconic track 'Kalikkalam Ithu Kalikkalam' from the classic Malayalam comedy Ramji Rao Speaking (1989) as background score also offers some respite whenever it appears. Anu Moothedath's cinematography, Nidhin Raj Arol's editing and Rajesh Murugesan's music also help elevate the movie, compensating a bit for its many other shortcomings. Padakkalam movie cast: Suraj Venjaramoodu, Sharaf U Dheen, Sandeep Pradeep, Arun Pradeep, Saaf, Arun Ajikumar Padakkalam movie director: Manu Swaraj Padakkalam movie rating: 1.5 stars Anandu Suresh is a Senior sub-editor at Indian Express Online. He specialises in Malayalam cinema, but doesn't limit himself to it and explores various aspects of the art form. He also pens a column titled Cinema Anatomy, where he delves extensively into the diverse layers and dimensions of cinema, aiming to uncover deeper meanings and foster continuous discourse. Anandu previously worked with The New Indian Express' news desk in Hyderabad, Telangana. You can follow him on Twitter @anandu_suresh_ and write (or send movie recommendations) to him at ... Read More
