Daijiworld Media Network - Mangaluru (SP)
Mangaluru, Mar 20: The sixth additional district and sessions court here has arrived at the conclusion that charges levelled against Mahesh Salian (24) from Santoor near Belman in Udupi district have been proved. The court, which concluded hearing in a case of cheating filed by a student against the youth, said that it will pronounce quantum of sentence on Monday March 21.
It is said that Mahesh came in contact with the complainant, who was a second year BCom degree course student then, by way of a missed call during December, 2011. He had reportedly convinced the girl by posing himself as a police sub-inspector, who is preparing to appear for IPS examination. By extending promise of securing a good job for her, he had collected Rs 1,15,000 in cash in two installments, and an eight gram gold chain she was wearing around her neck. He collected her mark sheet, got marks upwardly revised through a cyber centre, got a fake employment offer letter in the name of a private company, and gave it to the girl. He was also accused of promising to marry her, and taking her to Bengaluru.
The girl came to know in April 2012 that she had been taken for a ride as far as promise of job and marriage were concerned. She filed a complaint in Moodbidri police station on April 20,2012. The man was arrested the very next day, and police inspector of Moodbidri, Thimmaiah, had investigated the case and filed charge sheet in the court.
Sixth additional district and sessions court judge, D T Puttaranga Swamy, has arrived at the conclusion that charges of cheating levelled against the accused under section 420 of Indian Penal Code and forgery under section 468 have been proved. At the same time, he found lack of enough evidence about rape charge slapped on Mahesh. Public prosecutor, Judith O M Crasta had appeared in the court in this case on behalf of the prosecution.
Mahesh, it is learnt, who was arrested in 2012, had secured bail. As he remained absent from successive court hearings, arrest warrant had been issued against him. He was arrested again on September 10, 2015, and has been in jail ever since. He was lodged in the district prison here, but was shifted to Belagavi on the allegation of indulging in groupism inside jail.