Daijiworld Media Network – Mangalore (SP)
Mangalore, Apr 16: The second additional district and sessions court here has sentenced Sheshappa Gowda (31), a resident of Khandige Perla in Shibaje village, Beltangady taluk, to seven years of imprisonment, and imposed Rs 10,000 as fine. Gowda has been accused of raping a girl after promising to marry her, and then refusing to keep the promise.
Reportedly, Sheshappa Gowda and a lady of the same village belonging to Malekudiya community, aged 24 years, had been loving each other since the last two years. Both planned to marry. On November 1, 2008, evening, Sheshappa invited the girl to Khandige Perla near his house, telling her that he wanted to discuss about marriage plans. He led her to a deserted spot, fed her an intoxicant, and raped her. He later asked her to come with her family members to Dharmasthala for marriage purpose, but shirked from marrying her, by not visiting Dharmstahal that day. He later threatened over phone to kill her if she revealed about the rape incident to others.
On the basis of a complaint filed with Uppinangady police station, the then assistant superintendent of police, Abhishek D Goel, investigated the case and filed charge sheet in the court. The court, in its judgment, said that Gowda has to undergo seven years of imprisonment for raping the complainant, and four years for forcing her to consume intoxicants. Both these sentences will run concurrently.
Public prosecutor, C Venkataramana Swamy, had appeared on behalf of the prosecution and placed his arguments in the case.