Indian doc gets huge divorce bill as he accuses judge of spreading her legs

Agencies
May 8, 2019

Singapore, May 8: The ex-wife of an Indian-origin neurologist in Singapore has been granted Singapore dollars 25 million  in assets, child support and spousal support by a British Columbia court, in one of the biggest divorce payouts abroad.

Gobinathan Devathasan, 69, whose behaviour was described as "reprehensible" during the litigation, was ordered on April 29 to pay his ex-wife Christie Devathasan Canadian dollars 5,498,344 in spousal support, with another Canadian dollars 612,084 for child support.

During the course of the litigation, Mr Devathasan had handled funds in his Singapore bank account despite an asset freezing order, failed to disclose properties, deliberately embarrassed his daughter and suggested that a judge had "spread her legs wide" to the claimant's counsel, the court was told.

The doctor ran a private clinic at Mount Elizabeth Hospital, and had married Christie in 1997. She filed for divorce in 2016, Channel News Asia reported.

The couple was described in the court judgment as being "uncommonly wealthy", and had owned expensive cars, jewellery, artwork and homes, with investment properties in Canada, the US, Singapore, Thailand and Malaysia.

Christie divorced her first husband in 1996, while Mr Devathasan divorced his first wife, with whom he had two children with, in 1997. Shortly after, the couple got married in Singapore in August 1997.

The couple's relationship deteriorated in 2015 and early 2016, according to the court papers.

The divorce proceedings commenced in July 2016.

Christie obtained an asset freezing order and a protection order, and these orders were served to Mr Devathasan in August 2016. The doctor claimed that they were not binding as he was in Singapore and took steps to deal with his assets.

Mr Devathasan's past conduct was also taken into account in deciding ongoing and future child support. He has to pay Canadian dollars 33,084 for past child support and a lump sum of Canadian dollars 579,000 for child support for the period through to June 2022.

"For a long time he was utterly unwilling to acknowledge or fulfill his parental and spousal responsibilities or acknowledge this court''s role in adjudicating those responsibilities," Justice Gomery said in his judgment.

In an affidavit sworn on May 22, 2017, he stated: "I will not pay a dollar for alimony now or till death or whatever any one decrees, no matter what".

The judge ordered Mr Devathasan to pay his ex-wife Canadian dollars 2,351,000 in connection with the allocation of family property and debt. He will also have to pay a total of Canadian dollars 612,084 in child support, and Canadian dollars 5,498,344 in total for spousal support.

The Canadian dollars 16.4 million in assets granted to Christie Devasthan include a house in West Vancouver worth Canadian dollars 6.2 million, an apartment in Vancouver worth Canadian dollars 2.35 million and an apartment in Florida worth Canadian dollars 2.48 million.

The doctor was granted Canadian dollars 21.4 million after the proceedings.

The judge described Mr Devathasan as a "hardworking man all his life", adding that the doctor worked Monday to Friday and Saturday mornings throughout his career in private practices.

"He has loyal patients," the judge was quoted as saying in the report.

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News Network
June 18,2020

New Delhi, Jun 18: With the highest single-day increase of 12,881 COVID-19 cases reported in the last 24 hours, India's coronavirus count has reached 3,66,946 on Thursday.

This includes 1,60,384 active cases and 1,94,325 cured, discharged and migrated patients, according to the Union Health and Family Welfare Ministry.

Meanwhile, with 334 deaths being reported due to the infection, the toll due to the virus stands at 12,237 in the country.

There is a big increase in the number of confirmed cases in the country today as compared to the recent days when the spike had been limited to under 11,000 cases.

Maharashtra with 1,16,752 cases continues to be the worst-affected state in the country with 51,935 active cases while 59,166 patients have been cured and discharged in the state so far. The toll due to COVID-19 stands at 5,651 in the state.

The number of confirmed cases in Tamil Nadu also crossed the 50 thousand mark on Thursday and reached 50,193. The national capital is the third-worst affected by the infection in the country with the count reaching 47,102 today.

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News Network
January 1,2020

Pune, Jan 1: Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar and Vanchit Bahujan Aghadi president Prakash Ambedkar paid tributes at the 'Jay Stambh' near here on Wednesday on the 202nd anniversary of Koregaon Bhima battle.

Lakhs of people congregate every year at the 'Jay Stambh' (victory pillar) near Koregaon Bhima village to offer tributes on the anniversary of the battle, which was fought on January 1, 1818 between the British East India Company and the Peshwa faction of the Maratha Confederacy.

Violence broke out during the bicentenary celebrations of the Koregaon Bhima battle on January 1, 2018 in which one person was killed and several others were injured.

Police have made elaborate security arrangements to ensure no untoward incident takes place during the congregation at the victory pillar, an official said.

Talking to reporters after visiting the victory pillar, Pawar said he came to offer tributes on behalf of the people of Maharashtra.

"This pillar has history and every year lakhs of people come here. Some untoward incidents took place two years ago, but the government is taking utmost care and elaborate police bandobast has been made here to ensure that no untoward incident takes place," he said.

Pawar also urged people to visit the war memorial in a peaceful manner.

"I appeal to people to come here and offer their tributes, but maintain peace and do not believe in rumours," the NCP leader said.

Prakash Ambedkar also offered his tributes at the victory pillar.

Pune Police last week issued notices to several people, including right-wing leaders Milind Ekbote and Sambhaji Bhide, and members of Kabir Kala Manch, barring them from entering the district for four days from December 29.

The notices, as part of preventive action, were issued to all those against whom cases were registered in connection with the violence two years ago.

Ekbote was arrested in March 2018 for allegedly instigating and orchestrating the violence around Koregaon Bhima.

Bhide was also booked and named in the FIR, but never arrested.

The police attributed the violence to the Elgar Parishad conclave held here on December 31, 2017, where provocative speeches were allegedly made.

They are also probing the alleged "Maoist link" of some activists to the Elgar Parishad conclave.

Several Dalit groups observe the anniversary of the Koregaon Bhima battle, in which the British defeated the Peshwas of Maharashtra.

The memorial, located at Perne village on Pune- Ahmednagar road, was constructed by the British in the memory of soldiers who died in the battle.

Dalit leaders commemorate the British victory as soldiers from the Mahar community were part of the East India Company's forces.

The Peshwas were Brahmins, and the victory is seen as a symbol of assertiveness by Dalits.

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Agencies
July 8,2020

Washington D.C, Jul 8:  US Secretary of State, Mike Pompeo on Tuesday (local time) announced visa restrictions on some Chinese officials under the Reciprocal Access to Tibet Act, 2018.

"Today I am announcing visa restrictions on PRC government and Chinese Communist Party officials determined to be "substantially involved in the formulation or execution of policies related to access for foreigners to Tibetan areas," pursuant to the Reciprocal Access to Tibet Act of 2018," Pompeo said.

"Access to Tibetan areas is increasingly vital to regional stability, given the PRC's human rights abuses there, as well as Beijing's failure to prevent environmental degradation near the headwaters of Asia's major rivers," he said.

The US Secretary of State pointed out that Beijing has continued "systematically to obstruct travel to the Tibetan Autonomous Region (TAR) and other Tibetan areas" by U.S. diplomats and other officials, journalists, and tourists, while PRC officials and other citizens enjoy far greater access to the United States.

"The United States will continue to work to advance the sustainable economic development, environmental conservation, and humanitarian conditions of Tibetan communities within the People's Republic of China and abroad," he said.

Pompeo said US also remains "committed to supporting meaningful autonomy for Tibetans, respect for their fundamental and unalienable human rights, and the preservation of their unique religious, cultural, and linguistic identity".

"In the spirit of true reciprocity, we will work closely with the U.S. Congress to ensure U.S. citizens have full access to all areas of the People's Republic of China, including the TAR and other Tibetan areas," he said.

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