Mangalore, June 14: The Karnataka Chapter of Transparency International India (TII) demanded drastic amendments to the sedition law, abolition of Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act (AFSPA) and urged legal stability to divorces granted to Christians as per canon law.
Addressing the media persons here on Tuesday, Justice MF Saldanha, Chairman of TII Karnataka chapter said that if the sedition law is not changed, many more people would be targeted by the state machinery.
He said sedition law and AFSPA are heavily being misused by the government. The authorities have pursued sedition charges against activists, despite a long-standing Supreme Court ruling that prosecution under the sedition law requires incitement to violence, he said, adding that these laws give protection to wrong doers.
He said AFSPA has been used widely to violate fundamental rights for 50 years mainly in Jammu Kashmir and North-East states. Terming the Act as retrograde he said India has adequate laws to deal with serious problems such as insurgency, and application of AFSPA if necessary should be selectively done and for short period of time.
Cannon Law Vs Civil Law
In a letter to the City Police Commissioner Mr Saldanha has raised the issue of police inaction in the case of Godwin D'Souza, who is being harassed by his first wife.
Godwin D'Souza, a resident of Kulshekhar was married to Shanthi D Souza on August 22, 1999 at Cordel Church, Kulshekhar and the marriage was dissolved by the Ecclesiastical Court (canon law). The decree of nullity was passed by the same court in September 19, 2002 which held that the earlier marriage no longer presents obstacles for entering into a new and valid marriage in the Catholic Church for the both parties.
Based on this cancellation of the church, Godwin got remarried in the same church in 2003 by the same priest. Godwin has two children from his second marriage.
Godwin and his family came to know after 10 years of annulment, that Godwin's first wife Shanti has filed a private complaint with the Chief Judicial Magistrate under Section 200 of the Criminal Procedure Code for various offences punishable under law including section 494 of IPC which deals with bigamy.
Saldanha alleged that this was an extortion attempt by Shanthi because she has threatened Mr Godwin and his father repeatedly and asked them to pay a sum of Rs 60 lakh or else his family will be ruined.
Saldanha said although two FIRs have been registered in Mangalore Rural police station, no action has been taken.
He also urged the Police Commissioner to reconsider the case in the light of legal position.
Activists PB D'Sa, Suresh Bhat Bakrabail, Kabeer Ullal, Brigadier C D'Souza, Godwin D'Souza and others were present at the press meet.
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