Daijiworld Media Network - Mangaluru (SP)

Mangaluru, Apr 14: A court here has found a man accused of raping a married woman and posing her life threat thereafter, guilty of these offences. The sixth district and sessions court, which has held Iqbal (22) from Kakkejalu House in Ujire, Beltangady taluk, guilty of raping a 35-year-old married woman, will be announcing the quantum of punishment on Friday April 15.

On March 27, 2014, the husband of the aggrieved woman had gone away as usual to work as loader for a truck, and her two children were away at school, when Iqbal visited her home. Iqbal, who was known to the family since long, came to the house, knowing fully well that the woman was alone, at around 12 noon, in the guise of meeting her husband. The woman told him that her husband was away at work.

Iqbal, it is said, asked her for water. After drinking water, he forced himself into the house, bolted the door from inside, and raped her. Later he offered Rs 100 to her, which the woman rejected. Iqbal left her home, duly posing threat to her life if ever she revealed about this incident to others. The lady called her husband and told what had happened. Her husband took his wife to the police station at Beltangady and registered case by 3 pm. During the medical test at a hospital at Deralakatte, rape was confirmed, and the policemen had arrested the accused thereafter.

DNA tests conducted on the stains found on the woman's clothes proved Iqbal's involvement in the rape. Beltangady police inspector, K R Lingappa, filed charge sheet in the court. Scientific officer, Purushotham, also played a key role in proving the guilt of the accused.

Judge of the court, D T Puttaranga Swamy, who has ruled that the charges against the accused have been proved, found Iqbal guilty of rape under section 376, illegal entry into house under section 448, and posing life threat under section 506 of Indian Penal Code. The applications for bail moved by the accused in this court and also in the high court have been dismissed.

Public prosecutor, Judith O M Crasta, had appeared in the court on behalf of the prosecution in this case and argued in favour of holding the accused guilty.