Daijiworld Media Network - Mangaluru (SP)

Mangaluru, Jun 24: The sixth district and sessions court here has absolved a person named Mayila alias Mayilappa (38), who hails from Kaniyur in Nagalike village of Beltangady taluk from rape charges. Mayilappa was accused of raping a woman and thereby, had fathering a male child.

Mayilappa, a coolie by profession, was accused of going to the house of a 20-year-old woman whom he already knew, during last Saturday of January 2014 when she was alone, talked her into moving to the washroom and raping her there. When she became pregnant and told Mayilappa about it, he cheated her by distancing himself from all responsibilities. After family members noticed her pregnancy, she filed cheating case against Mayilappa in Beltangady police station.

The police registered rape and cheating case and arrested Mayilappa on August 4, 2014. The lady gave birth to male baby on September 26 the same year.

Judge of the sixth district and sessions court, D T Puttaranga Swamy, pronounced the punishment on June 22. However, the accused has been acquitted of rape charges. However, as cheating aspect has been proved, he has been awarded four months of imprisnment under Indian Penal Code section 417 and imposed fine of R 10,000. If he  fails to pay the fine, he will be in jail for one additional month. Out of the fine, Rs 8000 will be paid to the aggrieved woman. The accused also has been told to pay Rs 40,000 towards the care of the child.  In addition the woman is eigible to claim coopensation from the government, and district legal services authority has been asked to take suitable action in this regard.

Public prosecutor, Judith Olga Margaret Crasta had argued the case on behalf of the prosecution.