Archive for the ‘States told’ Category

New York: Indian-American fashion designer Anand Jon Alexander, facing a 59-year jail term in California for sexually abusing aspiring models, was on Tuesday sentenced to five years in prison by a federal court here for molesting a woman whom he allegedly lured on promise of modelling work.

The 39-year-old India-born celebrity fashion designer was arrested in 2007 in California on charges that he preyed upon seven young aspiring models, some as young as 14 and sexually assaulted them.

He is currently serving 59 years to life in prison in California.Alexander had pleaded guilty in February to one count of criminal sexual act in Manhattan Supreme Court.
The prison time of five years in New York amounts to time served in California, which means no additional years will be added to Alexander’s California sentence of 59 years.Judge Cassandra Mullen announced the prison term for Alexander who said in court, “I would like to thank everyone for being here.”

Alexander’s sister Sanjana Jon was among several supporters who were present in court for the sentencing and held banners that read ‘Free Anand Jon’.

In a plea deal reached with federal prosecutors, Alexander had pleaded guilty to one count of criminal sexual act against one aspiring female model.
In turn, Manhattan prosecutors dropped almost their entire case against him.He had initially been charged with preying on a dozen women in a 49-count indictment in New York.

Assistant District Attorney Maxine Rosenthal had said the plea deal was accepted “to spare the victims from having to testify at multiple proceedings” and in consideration of Alexander’s lengthy sentence in California.

Rosenthal said Alexander is facing similar charges in Texas.The Kerala-born fashion designer had launched a fashion line in 1999 and was featured on ‘America’s Next Top Model’ working with celebrities such as socialite Paris Hilton.
His designs have been worn by media mogul Oprah Winfrey and singer Janet Jackson.

His attorney said Alexander admitted to the crime so he could get evidence and materials from New York prosecutors needed to “effectively overturn his California conviction”.
He said some of the materials turned over by Manhattan prosecutors as part of the pre-trial process would be crucial as Alexander continues to work on his California appeal.

My husband has signed up to online dating sites.

I’VE only been married two years and I’ve discovered my husband has registered himself on online dating websites.

I am 38 and live in South Africa. My husband is 43. When I confronted him about it he said that he didn’t think we would make it through our first year of marriage and that’s why he went looking for someone else.

This is his second marriage and apparently he pulled these stunts with his first wife as well.

Friends warned me about him and now I’m wondering if they were right. He has children from his first marriage and had the snip before we met. I desperately want kids but he won’t have it reversed.

I own everything in our marriage – the house, the car. Is he just using me as a meal ticket? Seeing that stuff on his phone was the last straw for me.
DEIDRE SAYS

Your needs and feelings certainly seem to come low down on his list of priorities but breaking up with him doesn’t mean that Mr Perfect wanting marriage and children will necessarily turn up soon.

It’s not long since you two thought you loved one another enough to get married, so give it one more shot.

Tell your husband you are thinking of ending your marriage and that he needs to make some major changes if you two are to stay together – come off the dating websites and be open about his internet use, and at least talk to you about having the baby you long for.
If he’s not prepared to make a serious effort for your sake, or you feel talking gets you nowhere, arrange to see a relationship counsellor.

Prevent child marriages on Akshaya Tritiya, States told.

The Central government has ordered the States to take all possible measures to combat a wave of child marriages which authorities fear will take place across the Hindu heartland on Tuesday, on the occasion of Akshaya Tritiya.

In a letter to the States, the Women and Child Welfare Ministry has warned governments that child marriage is illegal under the Prohibition of Child Marriages Act, 2006.

The Ministry has suggested that all district magistrates or Collectors, deputy inspectors-general or Superintendents of Police, sarpanches, State Women Commissions, civil society organisations and child marriage prevention officers in the States and Union Territories be alerted to take all possible preventive measures for breaking the tradition of holding child marriages.

Child marriage is a retrograde social practice whose elimination will not only require a change in the mindset of society but also a strict legal and other schematic intervention, the Ministry has said.

Akshaya Tritiya, which falls on April 24, is considered an auspicious day in the Hindu calendar and a large number of children are married off on this day in Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Bihar, Jharkhand, Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand, particularly in the rural belt.

Child marriages are often linked to a good crop preceded by a good monsoon. When farmers make money in a prosperous season, they marry off children irrespective of their age. On Akshaya Tritiya, also known as ‘Akha Teej’, thousands of marriages take place with a majority of these being of minors.

Efforts by the governments to crack down on child marriages have met with mixed success. In 2010, there were reports of mass child marriages from Rajasthan’s Gothera village, despite the State government’s instructions that such violations would mean reprimands for administrators. Police said they were unable to stop the marriages because the villagers secretly organised the ceremonies two days before Akha Teej.

Earlier this week, the CAG had criticised a Rajasthan government-run scheme to support the weddings of Dalit girls, saying the authorities had released funds though documents showed that the beneficiaries were underage.