'Paedophile' Heum to walk to walk free?

'Paedophile' Heum to walk to walk free?

11 Feb 2010, 0924 hrs IST, AGENCIES

William Heum, the Dutch national who was arrested on charges of child pornography charges in November last year may walk free on Thursday (February 11).

Meanwhile, against the backdrop of a Dutch man being granted bail in Tamil Nadu in a child pornography case, Law Minister M Veerappa Moily said there is need to bring a separate law to deal with such cyber crimes. Laws are there, but some aspects of them should be revisited, he told reporters here when asked about the case.

Dutch national William Heum (56) was granted conditional bail by Saidapet metropolitan court in Tamil Nadu.

On a tip-off from Interpol, Heum was arrested by the cyber wing of police for uploading child pornographic content on the internet.

Terming cyber law as a "dynamic subject", Moily said, "I think we need to bring a separate law to deal with such a subject and as far as this offence, we are contemplating a separate law which will make it very stringent and will ensure that it (the crime) is properly investigated and punishment is conferred."

Heum, who has been staying in India for the past 30 years, was arrested on November 7 last year and had told investigators that he was a social worker.

The Dutch national is also facing charges of sexually abusing children at an orphanage in Mahabalipuram in 2002 but was let out on bail. The trial in the case is on.