JOIN USTeenager jailed for 35 days on false charge of raping, impregnating minor
A teenager in Kerala had to remain in prison for 35 days on remand after a minor girl falsely accused him of raping and impregnating her.
After the DNA test proved the allegations of impregnating the girl to be false, the youth was released on bail.
18-year-old Sreenath, hailing from a poor family at Thirurangadi in Malappuram district in Kerala, became victim of a false charge. A 17-year-old girl residing in a nearby locality had accused him of raping and impregnating her.
The police held Sreenath last month from his house and was remanded to judicial custody. He did not get bail as the case was registered under the POCSO Act. Since Sreenath continued to plead not guilty, the DNA test was conducted on priority. It was found that Sreenath was not responsible for impregnating the girl. Hence, the court granted him bail.
Sreenath is third among the four children of Rajan, a daily-wage worker, and Sreemathi, an Anganwadi worker.
Sreenath’s uncle Suresh Kumar told DH that the family was literally shattered as neither Sreenath nor any other members in the family had any shady background. "Sreenath is just doing his plus-two and such a false charge against him would have spoiled his life. Many neighbours and friends started to distance from the family after Sreenath was arrested in sexual assault case and the family members suffered much humiliation," he said.
He said that had the police done some basic verification on the girl’s version, the allegation could have been found false. The girl had alleged that Sreenath forcefully took her to his house and raped her. But the day of the alleged incident mentioned by the girl was a Sunday in April, and usually other family members stay in the house on Sundays.
Sreenath maintained that he did not have much acquaintance with the girl who was his junior in school. Hence, it was quite surprising that the girl made such a "baseless" allegation against him, said Suresh adding that the family would explore legal option against the damages caused to the family.
Meanwhile, the Thirurangadi circle-inspector, who is probing the case, said that the police only followed the due procedures in a POCSO case while arresting Sreenath on the basis of the girl’s statement. The girl would be subjected to further counselling to identify the accused. Even as the DNA test found Sreenath not responsible for impregnating the girl, the rape allegation against him would still remain under probe if the girl sticks to her allegation, he said.