Twoyearold boy booked in Bihar for molestation

He is not a witness to police brutalities, but a two-yearold Dalit boy in Bihar’s East Champaran district dreads men in uniform.

The minor from Bela Baiju village has been receiving threats for the last month from a police inspector to surrender in connection with an FIR lodged against him. It was registered under Immoral Trafficking Act and section 379 (punishment for theft) of the IPC by a 35-year-old woman, accusing the minor of molesting her and snatching a gold chain.

“The mere sight of policemen evokes fear in my son. The boy has been spending sleepless nights,” the boy’s father said.

He said the woman had lodged the complaint at Patahi police station on March 15 to save her husband, who was booked in connection with an incident in which his father sustained serious head injuries.

“The woman has instituted the case at the instigation of village head Sunil Kumar, who is an accused in the case, along with her husband. Inspector Kanaiya Prasad is putting pressure on me to withdraw the case,” the boy’s father said.

Maintaining that service charge in hotels and restaurants was “totally voluntary”, Union food and consumer affairs minister Ram Vilas Paswan on Friday said the government had approved guidelines in this regard.

He added that the guidelines were sent to the states for necessary action.

“Government has approved guidelines on service charge. (It) is totally voluntary and not mandatory now. Guidelines are being sent to states for necessary action,” he tweeted.

According to the guidelines, placing of an order by a customer amounts to his or her agreement to pay the prices displayed on the menu card along with applicable tax.

“Charging for anything extra without consent of the customer, would amount to unfair trade practice,” reads the guidelines.

Moreover, the bills should display that service charge is voluntary and that the service charge column of the bill should be left bank for the customer to fill up before making payment.