Doctor fined, acquitted of rape

Doctor fined, acquitted of rape

Mangalore Today News Network

Mangaluru, Apr 05, 2018: City VI Additional District and Sessions Judge D.T. Puttarangaswamy on April 4, Wednesday imposed a fine of Rs. 5,000 on Manikantan alias Babu Naidu, a doctor from Puducherry, on finding him guilty of insulting a 35-year-old woman from Mulky. The court, however, acquitted him of the rape charge.

The case relates to the complaint filed by the woman, a research assistant under Manikantan, with the Ullal police on May 19, 2015 alleging that she was raped by Manikantan in a room in Bekal Fort, Kasaragod, Kerala, on December 8, 2009. The woman was a research assistant with Manikantan when he was doing his doctorate at a deemed-to-be university in Deralakatte, Manglauru. In her complaint, she accused Manikantan of abusing her when she called him after he returned to Puducherry following the completion of his doctorate work.

The Ullal police arrested him and filed charge-sheet under Sections 376 and 504 of the Indian Penal Code.

After going through evidence of 13 witnesses, the judge acquitted Manikantan on finding that the two had had consensual sex.