Daijiworld Media Network – Udupi (SP)

Udupi, Jul 16: The district fast track court has sentenced a rape accused to seven years of rigorous imprisonment, besides imposing a fine of Rs 50,000 on him. Failure to pay the fine would result in six additional months of imprisonment.

The accused, Basheer (25), resident of Hosangady, had approached a girl, who was walking through a government thicket located in Kuledu, Bommarabettu village near Hiriyadka in the district, on November 2, 2007. On the pretense of asking way to some address, he had allegedly raped her. He had deliberately misinformed his victim that he was Surendra Naik residing near Kunjibettu railway bridge.

The policemen based their investigation on a diary that had fallen off from the possession of the accused, when he ran away from the spot. After following up the case, Basheer was found on August 21, 2009 to have been working in an estate in Koppa under a fake name.

Judge of the fast track court, S L Patil, delivered the above judgment. Special public prosecutor, Shekhar Bhovi, and public prosecutor, T S Chittoori, presented the case on behalf of the prosecution.