Housebreaking : Crime & Time.

While reading Indian Penal Code, 1860 (hereinafter referred to as IPC or the Code), I found something bit interesting. The whole Code is interesting, very carefully drafted and an example of exhaustive statute. IPC includes offences and punishments. It is so much inclusive that it lists not only common offences like theft, robbery, dacoity, rape, abduction, kidnapping but also some unthinkable offences like ‘Fouling water of public spring or reservoir’ (Sec. 277) and ‘Erasure of mark denoting that stamp has been used’ (Sec. 263) etc. For common readers I wish to provide these two offences from the Code.

277. Fouling water of public spring or reservoir.—Whoever voluntarily corrupts or fouls the water of any public spring or reservoir, so as to render it less fit for the purpose for which it is ordinarily used, shall be punished with imprisonment of either description for a term which may extend to three months, or with fine which may extend to five hundred rupees, or with both.

263. Erasure of mark denoting that stamp has been used.—Whoever fraudulently or with intent to cause loss to Government, erases or removes from a stamp issued by Government for the purpose of revenue, any mark, put or impressed upon such stamp for the purpose of denoting that the same has been used, or knowingly has in his possession or sells or disposes of any such stamp from which such mark has been erased or removed, or sells or disposes of any such stamp which he knows to have been used, shall be punished with imprisonment of either description for a term which may extend to three years, or with fine, or with both.

So the Code provides definitions of offences and punishments for it. Now coming to the interesting part for which I wished to write this piece.

Sec. 445 talks about ‘Housebreaking’.

445. Housebreaking.—A person is said to commit “housebreaking” who commits house-trespass if he effects his entrance into the house or any part of it in any of the six ways hereinafter described; or if, being in the house or any part of it for the purpose of committing an offence, or, having committed an offence therein, he quits the house or any part of it in any of such six ways, that is to say:—

Now let us not go into those six ways, as that will be out of context. After this, Sec. 446 speaks of the same offence but done ‘by night’.

446. Housebreaking by night.—Whoever commits housebreaking after sunset and before sunrise, is said to commit “housebreaking by night”.

We clearly see two different Sections viz. Sec. 445 and Sec. 446, bearing difference only of time. Punishments for these offences are provided in Sec. 453 and Sec. 456 respectively.

453. Punishment for lurking house-trespass or housebreaking.—Whoever commits lurking house-trespass or housebreaking, shall be punished with imprisonment of either description for a term which may extend to two years, and shall also be liable to fine.

456. Punishment for lurking house-trespass or housebreaking by night.—Whoever commits lurking house-trespass by night, or housebreaking by night, shall be punished with imprisonment of either description for a term which may extend to three years, and shall also be liable to fine.

So, it can be clearly seen that Sec. 453 demands punishment of imprisonment which may extend to two years and fine. But Sec. 456 demands punishment of imprisonment which may extend to three years and fine. For the same offence, done by night, imprisonment may be for 3 years. The question here is ‘can time magnitude only change the severity of punishment’? Or will the punishment depend upon the time when the crime is committed? Theft is theft, done in days’ time or by night. Equal punishment is there. Time cannot change the punishment. If you do ‘housebreaking’ by day you will be punished of imprisonment upto 2 years, but same if you do by night, you may be punished to 3 years. In other words, ‘housebreaking’ by day has smaller punishment. Housebreaking before night (before sunset and after sunrise) may save you one year in jail! Also, one can start the ‘procedure’ of housebreaking by evening and carry on it till the Sun sets. Then rests for the Sun to rise, and then again begins his ‘work’ to complete it. If at all he is caught, then what should be done?      He will need a good lawyer!

When I talked about it to a former Commissioner of Police (CP) of Mumbai, he told me that there are chances of other things and effects in the night. He also pointed out such Sections in The Police Act. Quantity of suspicion is more by night. Some lawyers also told me that circumstances at night are different and therefore the difference in punishment. But I still feel that punishment should be for crime/offence. And not be dependent on the time factor.  If he does something more at night owing to other things and circumstances, he may be very well punished for those additional things. But for equal offence, done in any quarter of the day (or night) he should be punished equally.

A probable reason, I think may be, person gets benefit of the darkness and unpeopled or lonely places. But again then other crimes also have benefit of such circumstances. Not much depends on it. Just found it to be interesting and worth sharing.

व्यथा धनगरवाडीची ...

गोष्ट आहे दूरदूरची. अगदी डोंगरापल्याडची. आपल्या महाराष्ट्राच्या नकाशावर आहे सिंधुदुर्ग जिल्हा. तिथे कुडाळ नावाचे शहर बनू पाहणारे विकसनशील केंद्र. आणि त्याच्यापासून सुमारे १२ किमी वर आहे ‘तेंडोली’ नावाचे गाव. त्यातली ‘कुमणोस’ नावाची वाडी.

‘तेंडोली’ गावच्या त्या कुमणोस वाडीपर्यंत एस.टी. ने जायचे. तिथून पुढे दुचाकीने डोंगराच्या पायथ्याशी. डोंगर पूर्ण चढून जायचा. मग लागतात काही प्लॉट्स आंबा-काजूची लागवड असलेले. तेही संपल्यावर पुढे पठारावर चालत जायचे साधारण किलोमीटरभर. त्या विस्तीर्ण माळावर आहे ‘धनगरवाडी’. धनगरांची घरं, गुरं आणि शेळ्या. सुमारे ११ घरं. आणि ५६ लोकसंख्या. त्यात शिक्षण घेत असलेली ८-१० जणं! 

प्रत्येक घरासमोर तुळशीवृंदावन. अंगावर कांबळ घेतलेले धडधाकट धनगर पुरुष आणि आतिथ्याचं लेणं ल्यालेला धनगर स्त्रिया तुमच्या स्वागताला सिद्ध असतात. लगेचच आसपासची १०-१५ कच्चीबच्ची जमा होतात. मग तुम्ही एखाद्या घरात बसल्यावर ती दरवाज्याआडून, भिंतींआडून पाहत असतात. तुम्ही थकला असणार हे धनगर जाणतो. मग प्रवासाचा शीण घालवण्यासाठी शीतल पाणी. सोबत चहाची विचारणा. तुम्ही आसपास नजर फिरवत नाही म्हणणार. तरीही ते आग्रहाने चहा ठेवायला सांगणार. इथे सापडेल खरा ‘अतुल्य भारत’!

घरामध्ये तुम्हाला दिसणार दिवे, विजेचा ‘मेन स्विच’. पण त्या सर्वाचा काहीच उपयोग नाही. आणि हीच व्यथा आहे धनगरवाडीची! इथे अजून वीज नाही. भारत स्वतंत्र होऊन झाली ६० वर्षे. आणि धनगरवाडीने घरात स्विचेस, दिवे बसवून झाली ७ वर्षे. प्रतीक्षा विजेची. मूकपणे, सहनशीलतेने ७ वर्षे वाट पाहतोय धनगर विजेची. सध्या रात्री प्रकाश देणारा एकमेव सौरदीप सोडला तर तिथे वीज नाही.

आता तुम्ही विचार करू लागता कारणांचा. ५६ एवढी लोकसंख्या असलेली ही वस्ती भटके-विमुक्त या सदरात मोडणारी नाही; स्थायी आहे. घरात आवश्यक अशी सर्व न्यूनतम विद्युत उपकरणं बसवून झालीत. मग का नाही वीज आली इथवर? चौकशी केली तर अनेक कारणं ऐकायला मिळतील. पण शोधावा लागेल तो उपाय!

जगातील सर्वात मोठ्या लोकशाहीमधे इथली लोकसंख्या मोजली जाते ती ‘इतके मतदाता’ अशी. वीज आली तर पुढच्या निवडणुकीत आश्वासन कसले देणार? त्यामुळे वीज न येण्यातच शहाणपण आहे हे राजकारणी जाणून आहेत अशी बतावणी काहीजणांकडून होते. तर काहीजण म्हणतात की जिथून ‘लाईन’ जाणार आहे तिथले काहीजण ‘पोल’ टाकायला देत नाहीयेत. कारण त्या जमीन मालकाची पोल टाकू देण्याच्या बदल्यात काही ‘अपेक्षा’ आहे. आणि ती विच्छा पुरी करणार कोण? धनगर तर ही इच्छा पुरी करण्यास असमर्थ आहे. काहीजण म्हणतात आता दोनेक महिन्यात येईल वीज. पण असे दोनेक महिने सात वर्षांपासून येताहेत आणि जाताहेत. मॉल्समध्ये चकचकाट आहे, पण इथे मात्र रखरखाट आहे.

आपण आपल्या परीने ह्या वस्तीला उजाळून टाकण्यासाठी प्रयत्न केले पाहिजेत. आपली शक्ती-युक्ती, वजन-ओळख वापरून अशा दुर्गम भागांसाठी झटायला हवे. वीज येणे हे धनगरांच्या नाही तर आपल्या हातात आहे. वीज येणे अगदीच दुरापास्त दिसले तर किमान अजून काही सौरदीप लागण्यासाठी तरी प्रयत्न करावे लागतील. एखादी कॉर्पोरेट कंपनी अन् तिचे CSR डिपार्टमेंट यांच्यासाठी तर हा डाव्या हाताचा मळ आहे.

इथले विजेवर चालणारे दिवे लागलेले नसले तरी त्यांच्या डोळ्यातले आशेचे दिवे अजूनही विझलेले नाहीत. पण उशीर नको व्हायला.

The Ballad of Father Gilligan

The Ballad Of Father Gilligan

The old priest Peter Gilligan
Was weary night and day;
For half his flock were in their beds,
Or under green sods lay.

Once, while he nodded on a chair,
At the moth-hour of eve,
Another poor man sent for him,
And he began to grieve.

'I have no rest, nor joy, nor peace,
For people die and die';
And after cried he, 'God forgive!
My body spake, not I!'

He knelt, and leaning on the chair
He prayed and fell asleep;
And the moth-hour went from the fields,
And stars began to peep.

They slowly into millions grew,
And leaves shook in the wind;
And God covered the world with shade,
And whispered to mankind.

Upon the time of sparrow-chirp
When the moths came once more.
The old priest Peter Gilligan
Stood upright on the floor.

'Mavrone, mavrone! the man has died
While I slept on the chair';
He roused his horse out of its sleep,
And rode with little care.

He rode now as he never rode,
By rocky lane and fen;
The sick man's wife opened the door:
'Father! you come again!'

'And is the poor man dead?' he cried.
'He died an hour ago.'
The old priest Peter Gilligan
In grief swayed to and fro.

'When you were gone, he turned and died
As merry as a bird.'
The old priest Peter Gilligan
He knelt him at that word.

'He Who hath made the night of stars
For souls who tire and bleed,
Sent one of His great angels down
To help me in my need.

'He Who is wrapped in purple robes,
With planets in His care,
Had pity on the least of things
Asleep upon a chair.'

--- W. B. Yeats

देवाच्या अस्तित्वाचा होणारा अनुभव तरल शब्दात यीट्सने चितारला आहे. मी त्याच्या भावार्थ (स्वैरानुवाद) देण्याचा प्रयत्न केलाय. शब्दशः नाही. पोस्ट चा उद्देश केवळ रसास्वाद घेणे आहे.  फादर गिलिगन नावाचा एक मिशनरी एका गावात राहत असतो. त्या गावात मृत्यूचं तांडव सुरु असतं. आणि दरवेळी अंतिम प्रार्थनेसाठी (/कबुलीजबाबासाठी-Confessions) ह्या फादर गिलिगन ला बोलावलं जात असतं. तो नुकताच एका ठिकाणाहून येऊन खुर्चीवर रेलतो तोच अजून एक गरीब माणूस बोलावणं घेऊन येतो. फादर थकलेला, कंटाळलेला असतो. तो म्हणतो,

'I have no rest, nor joy, nor peace,
For people die and die';

“लोकं नुसती (एकामागून एक) मरतायत्..त्यामुळे मला ना विश्रांती, ना आनंद, ना शांती!” आणि असा खेद व्यक्त केल्याकेल्या तो लगेच उपरती होऊन म्हणतो,

And after cried he, 'God forgive!
My body spake, not I!'
“देवा मला माफ कर...माझे (थकलेले) शरीर म्हणाले..मी नव्हे”! 

समाजकार्यात, ईश्वरी कार्यात व्यग्र असणाऱ्या कार्यकर्त्यांच्या, प्रचारकांच्या जीवनात थकवा, कष्ट, वेदना हे अपरिहार्य आहे. पण  अशावेळी या ओळी बलदायी आहेत.

पुढे एवढं म्हणून त्याला खुर्चीतच झोप लागते. संधिप्रकाश कमी होऊन रात्र पसरू लागते. तारे आकाशात उगवतात. आणि काही वेळाने त्याला अचानक जाग येते. त्याला आठवतं की आपल्याला एका घरी जायचं अजून राहून गेलंय. तो त्याच्या घोड्याला झोपेतून उठवतो... आणि वेगाने निघतो. त्या घराजवळ पोहोचताच बाई दार उघडतात आणि म्हणतात, 'Father! you come again!'. फादर ला हा धक्काच असतो. ही ओळ मला मध्यवर्ती वाटते. फादर विचारतो, 'And is the poor man dead?'. त्यावर त्याला उत्तर मिळतं की तो माणूस तर तासाभारापूर्वीच गेला. बाई म्हणतात, “तुम्ही (प्रार्थना करून) गेलात आणि त्यानंतर तो लगेच अगदी आनंदी पक्ष्याप्रमाणे मुक्त झाला”.

फादर गुडघे टेकतो आणि म्हणतो, “ज्याने ही ताऱ्यांनी चमचमणारी रात्र बनवली त्याने माझ्या गरजेच्या वेळी मदतीसाठी एक देवदूत खाली धाडला”. आणि शेवटची ओळ मुळातूनच वाचण्यासारखी आहे. त्याचा अनुवादसुद्धा नको!

'He Who is wrapped in purple robes,
With planets in His care,
Had pity on the least of things
Asleep upon a chair.'

TATA Salt : कुछ ज्यादाही नमकीन!

Media and journalism in our country have created a distinct culture. While reporting news, a journalist should not take active part in the happening. He should report as a spectator and not as an active participant, because otherwise the view may become partial and biased.

Corruption seems to be omnipresent. And media is no exception. Political field is full of betrayals, treachery and confusions. Leaders show callous attitude towards development, health, education and such other social issues that need aid and attention of these people’s representatives. The nexus between media and politics is dangerous. And with the outbreak of ‘2G scam’ and ‘Radia tapes’, the busy businessmen like Tata have jumped in.

The question arises, why Mr. Ratan Tata felt the need of interference in the matter? Why suddenly he stands in defense of ‘Right to Privacy’?

It is accepted fact that ‘Right to Privacy’ is a fundamental human right. And Mr. Tata is basing his argument on it to save Niira Radia, Barkha Dutt and alike. Rights are double-edged weapons. They coincide with a duty to respect other’s rights while claiming one’s own. This seems simple in letter but difficult in spirit. There are always ‘reasonable restrictions’ on Rights for larger interests of the public. So the right to privacy is. The Indian Telegraph Act, 1885 (hereinafter called as the Act), provides for interception of messages and phone calls in accordance with the provisions of Sec. 5(2) of the Act.

Adequate guidelines are given by the Supreme Court in the case of People’s Union for Civil Liberties (PUCL) v/s Union of India [(1997) 1 SCC 301]. In its Judgment at para 27, 28 the Court accepts that it’s a fundamental right to have our conversation secured and to keep it private. But there are certain grounds available for Government and its investigation agencies, under which they can exercise their power to intercept.

Sec. 5(2) of the Act permits the interception of messages in accordance with the provisions of the said Section. “occurrence of any public emergency” or “in the interest of public safety”. Also it provides that the competent authority, under Section 5(2) of the Act, is empowered to pass an order of interception after recording its satisfaction that it is necessary or expedient so to do in the interest of

i.                    sovereignty and integrity of India,

ii.                 the security of the State,

iii.               friendly relations with the foreign states,

iv.               public order, or

v.                 for preventing incitement to the commission of an offence.

When any of the five situations mentioned above arises upto the satisfaction of the competent authority, then the said authority may pass the order of interception of messages by recording reasons in writing for doing so.

Hence, the Supreme Court while deciding a petition, states that these provisions of the Indian Telegraph Act do not come in the way of fundamental right viz. right to privacy and such other rights enshrined in the Constitution of India under Articles  14, 19(1)(a), 19(2), 21, 32, 51 etc.

The various controversial talks (phone calls) is now available on the net to listen to. One such is between Barkha and Niira Radia.

 

It is claimed that Radia talked on behalf of her ‘client’ Tata Teleservices and she got Rs. 60 crore for the ‘consultancy’[1]. Can we gauge the spectrum of these transactions?

courtesy : jgopikrishnan.blogspot.com (2)

This matter therefore comes surely under ‘public order’, ‘security of the State’ and some other grounds provided in Sec.5(2) of the Indian Telegraph Act, 1885 as prerequisite for phone tapping. Let the CBI, ED (Enforcement Directorate), CAG and Supreme Court investigate the issue. If Radia is clean, why to fear? If not, then let her face the consequences. It’s a simple algorithm.

So it is disheartening to see that Tata has made strong the ugly nexus of politicians, journalists and businessmen. Earlier also, Mr. Tata should have shown courage to disclose the name of the then Minister who had demanded money when Tata was thinking of venturing into airline business. There he protected that minister by not disclosing his/her name. And now he has stood up as custodian of Radia’s rights.

You may safeguard her rights Mr. Tata, but at the same time you will fail in your duty towards general public who have faith and trust in you for atleast a century now.

This will be like adding an excessive salt in the ongoing recipe which is hard to digest for the common public and detrimental to digestive system of our country. Is Tata Salt meant for this?

--- Adv. Vikram Narendra Walawalkar

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[1] http://kaveriramani.sulekha.com/blog/post/2010/12/telephone-talk-between-nira-radia-a-raja-and-kanimozhi.htm

[2] http://jgopikrishnan.blogspot.com/2010/05/2g-spectrum-scandal-araja-nira-radia.html