Karnataka: Cop sent to 20 years in jail for raping woman suffering from mental ailment

Mangalore Today News Network

Tumakuru, Feb 02, 2022: A local court in Karnataka Monday sentenced a police sub-inspector to 20 years of rigorous imprisonment for sexually assaulting a woman suffering from mental ailment in 2017 in Tumakura district.

 

The convicted police officer, Umeshaiah, was attached with the Tumakuru rural police station at the time of the incident. Tumakuru Second Additional District and Sessions Court Judge H S Mallikarjuna Swamy ordered imprisonment on Section 376(2) (a) (3) of the IPC (police officer raping a woman in custody) and 376 (2)(n) (committing the act on a mentally challenged person). A fine of Rs 50,000 for each offence was also imposed on him.

The incident took place on January 14, 2017 when Umeshaiah was on night patrol duty on his two-wheeler and found the woman sitting under a bridge at Antharasanahalli.

The woman, who is suffering from psychosis, was deserted by her husband. In the guise of dropping her home, Umeshaiah stopped a private vehicle and asked all the three occupants to alight from the vehicle. He then boarded the car along with the woman and asked the driver to drive around the town while he raped the woman. The court acquitted the driver, Eshwar.The police officials initially tried to suppress the incident but following public ire, a complaint was registered and Umeshaiah was arrested. He never got bail in the last five years.

Courtesy:Indian Express