JOIN USMother of rape bid victim, held for aiding murder convict
When a woman went to record the statement related to rape bid on her minor daughter by a neighbour, little did she know that she was walking into a trap set up by the police. The woman in question is a co-accused in a case, where a murder convict on parole has been on the run from the past five years.
Sources told Deccan Herald, Pushparani, aged 31 years, wife of Kempanna, resident of Giriyabhovipalya had allegedly helped the convict, by fabricating the domicile records to help the latter secure his parole. Nazarbad police who identified the woman on her arrival to lodge a complaint on Sunday, asked her to come back again the following day.
Pushparani was arrested and produced before a court and remanded to judicial custody.
The case assumes significance, as it had nearly cost the job of the then police Inspector of Nazarbad station Jayaram (who was suspended later), in the year 2009.
Soma alias ‘Kothi’ Soma alias Somashekar son of Marigowda, Palahalli, Srirangapatna taluk in Mandya district had been granted parole on October 10, 2009 on the recommendation of Nazarbad police. He had been given furlough for a month’s time, but failed to return within the stipulated time of November 10 same year. The following day, the same Nazarbad police registered a case (crime number 314/09) under IPC sections 224 and 225 (for going at large on parole), R/w Karnataka Prison Manual 1978. Soma was the prime accused and Pushparani was the co-accused in the case. Since then, the investigators were on the trail of Soma, while little efforts had been made to nab Pushparani.
Soma had been booked for the murder of Prasanna under Palahalli police limits in Srirangapatna in 2002. After two years, the Mandya court held Soma guilty for the murder and awarded him life imprisonment.
Soma who was shifted to Central Prisons Mysuru, came out on parole, citing his mother’s ill health. The then SP of Mandya recommended against acceding to Soma’s request, given his notoriety. During that time Soma came in contact with Hemanna, a rowdy sheeter in Nazarbad police limits, serving jail term in a case. Hemanna is also Pushparani’s husband.
A woman claiming to be Saraswati, mother of Soma filed an application at Nazarbad station, seeking the release of her son on parole. Pushparani had come to the woman’s rescue, stating that Saraswati had moved into our house on lease. Relatives of prisoners can apply for the latter’s parole through jurisdictional police stations.
Accordingly, Soma was released on October 10, but only to claim another life. He was booked along with five others in the murder of Dhanraj on July 26, 2010 at KRS police limits. He is still on the run.
Accused held
Following the complaint of rape bid on Pushparani’s daughter, the police have arrested Naveen and booked a case under Prevention of Children from Sexual Offences Act (POCSO), on Sunday. He has also been remanded to judicial custody.