1. Doctor Held for Negligence Seven Months After Patient Dies
Seven months after a 33-year-old woman died due to a cotton mop being left behind in her abdomen — in a surgery conducted by a doctor at Lunawada in Mahisagar — police arrested the doctor after reports from the Forensic Science Laboratory (FSL) confirmed negligence on her part.
Dr Shaila Bhuriya, a surgeon who runs Arohi Maternity Clinic in Lunawada taluka of Mahisagar, was arrested by a team of Mahisagar Police on Saturday evening (17 August) under IPC section 304 (Culpable homicide not amounting to murder).
The incident had occurred on 9 January when Geeta Khant (33), a native of Malekpur Padadi village in Lunawada Taluka of Mahisagar, underwent a Caesarean operation at Arohi Maternity Clinic.
However, her health deteriorated hours after the operation, after which she was referred to SSG Hospital in Vadodara.
(Source: Indian Express)
2. Banks Keen to Lend to Big Houses Only: Gujarat Chamber of Commerce and Industry
Banks are interested in lending to only large companies and as a result not enough funds are available for smaller businesses, Gujarat's apex trade and industry body recently complained to Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman.
It also suggested a special formula for lending to small players and said that while the national banking regulator is reducing benchmark interest rates, it is not getting translated into reduced interest rates for the borrowers.
"Banks are interested in funding large companies and the MSMEs are getting left out. This results in a situation where MSMEs have to either manage with less than adequate funding or borrow funds from micro-finance companies at very high interest rates," said a letter by Gujarat Chamber of Commerce and Industry (GCCI).
It said that while funds are available to small businesses, they are not adequate and a wide gap exists in demand and supply of funds for them.
(Source: DNA)
3. 19-Year-Old Student Gang-Raped, Looted in Gujarat
A 19-year-old undergraduate student was allegedly gang-raped by three men on Sunday morning (18 August) after they beat up her former boyfriend who allegedly abducted her.
According to police, the woman was on her way to the bus stand when she was approached by her 22-year-old former lover who forcibly took her to an isolated place on his bike, to convince her to marry him.
At the isolated spot in the jungle, close to the Dahod-Godhra highway, the two were followed by three men — Manubhai Palash (39), Surlabh Mavi (40) and Sailesh Damor (35) — who tied up and thrashed the man and gang-raped the girl. The three accused also looted the couple of their valuables, including cash, a nose-ring and an earring of the girl.
(Source: Indian Express)
4. Online Food Delivery Boy Arrested With Beer Cans
A 25-year-old food delivery boy of a leading online food delivery service was arrested by the Laxmipura police in Vadodara on Sunday, 18 August, for allegedly ferrying liquor in his delivery bag. Acting on a tip-off, the police intercepted Rahulsinh Mahida while he was on his way to deliver the cans, near Gotri area of the city.
The police have recovered six beer cans from his possession apart from his mobile phone and motorcycle. The police has also named Virendrasinh Raj as another accused in the case for supplying the liquor for delivery. Both the accused have been charged under relevant sections of the Prohibition Act.
“Rahul started working with the online food delivery service seven months ago. Meanwhile, he met Virendrasinh who convinced him to ferry liquor for him. The online company is, however, unaware of his activities. On Sunday, Rahul was carrying his first consignment for delivery when we arrested him. We are yet to nab Virendrasinh who is still on the run. We are investigating whether Virendrasinh has done something similar earlier as well,” said investigating officer K A Gohil.
(Source: Indian Express)
5. Businessmen Upset as Tax Amnesty Not Announced
Businessmen and tax practitioners in the state are irked as no action has been taken regarding the announcement by Finance Minister Nitin Patel while presenting the budget of 2019-20 that the state government will bring an amnesty scheme for legacy tax disputes by 15 August.
There is a sentiment prevailing in the business community that businesses are penalised, if they do not comply to the deadlines for filing of tax returns and payment of taxes, but on the other hand, government itself is not adhering to its promises.
"15 August is gone. We were expecting that the state government will announce the Amnesty Scheme. It has not happened," said Urvish Patel, president of Gujarat Sales Tax Bar Association. He also demanded that no harsh actions should be taken in relation to the legacy tax issues.
Tax officials are seizing bank accounts of the businesses. Patel said that the scheme should be brought as soon as possible because the backlog piles up every year as more cases are added.
(Source: DNA)
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