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An Indian software professional and his wife were today held guilty of "serious child abuse" and sentenced to jail terms for 18 months and 15 months respectively.
Chandrasekhar Vallabhaneni and his wife Anupama, who were arrested by the police last month, were convicted for gross or repeated maltreatment of their child/children by threats, violence or other wrong. They have a couple of days to go in for appeal.
"Oslo District Court has found an Indian couple guilty on several counts of child abuse. In the view of the Court, the couple deliberately burned their son's leg with a hot spoon or similar object with the result that the child had burn marks measuring approximately 3 x 5 centimetres," an official
statement said.
The Court said it has been proven that on one occasion the parents had even threatened to brand their son's tongue with a hot spoon.
"The Court also found that it had been proven that the parents had on several occasions hit the child with a belt or similar object and that they had on one occasion threatened to burn their son on his tongue with a hot spoon. The proven abuse took place over a period of six to seven months and therefore falls under section 219, first paragraph, of the Penal Code on repeated maltreatment.
The jail terms of 18 months for the father and 15 months for the mother were proposed by the prosecution.
"One of the parents received an unconditional prison sentence of 18 months, and the other an unconditional prison sentence of 15 months. This is in line with the sentences proposed by the prosecution. The verdict can be appealed to the Borgarting Court of Appeal," the statement said.
The counsel for the couple indicated that they will challenge the verdict.
"It has been proved that the couple has burnt their child with a hot spoon, apart from beating and threatening him," Kurt Lir, Head of Prosecution, Oslo Police Department, said. He also said prosecution was "satisfied" with the Court verdict.
Reacting to the Court verdict, Indian officials in the Ministry of External Affairs said,"our embassy in Norway has been in touch with the Indian nationals involved in the case.
"Even during the course of their detention the Consular Officer has been in touch with them. We will continue to render necessary consular assistance and will be in touch with their lawyer," they said.
The norwegian authorities say that they found burn marks and belt beatings on the child's body,but they still returned him to his parents??? And 6 month later they charge the parents with maltreatment of children??? Doesn't this version look a bit flimsy?? Wouldn't it be more logical to believe the parents version then?? In midst of all this... have the norwegian authorities ever given a thought for the boy's future?? certainly, it would be hard for the parents to find employment after facing such charges and not to forget that they would always remain a bit distant and aloof from the child, thus denying him the love a child would normally get from an Indian family... So, infact the nowegians have all but destroyed the child's life at such a tender age...
I call this clash of culture. People in India would have appreciated the parents for keeping their child in control.After all they were also raised in a similar way.So the saying goes when in rome do as the romans do.
This is the result of greed. Why did these two go back to that wretched country when summoned, knowing very well that they will be prosecuted there? Did they seek the approval/permission of the MEA before going there this time? GOI must issue a travel advisory to all Indian citizens against taking up employment,residence, etc in those countries and also advise tourists against travelling to those countries with their children.
In this law is enforced in India. most parents would be in jail! Vinish
