Life imprisonment to school father in rape case in Chhattisgarh (symbolic picture)
JNN, Bilaspur. Bilaspur High Court has sentenced Father Joseph Dhanna Swamy to life imprisonment in the Jyoti Mission School sexual harassment case of Koriya district in Chhattisgarh. A fine of Rs 10,000 has also been imposed on the culprit.
Two female employees, guilty of hiding the incident, have been sentenced to seven years in jail each and a fine of Rs 5,000 each. The decision was given by the division bench of Chief Justice Ramesh Sinha and Ravindra Kumar Aggarwal. The Division Bench of the High Court has overturned the decision of the Fast Track Court Baikunthpur, in which the three accused were acquitted.
A nine-year-old class IV student living in the hostel of Jyoti Mission School in Sarbhoka, Korea was raped by Father Joseph Dhanna Swamy on September 9, 2015. When the girl complained about this to school sisters Philomena Kerketta and Kisamaria, instead of helping her, they beat her with a stick.
In this matter, the police had registered a case under various sections. The state government had challenged the decision of the fast track court. After hearing the case, on January 9, 2017, the fast track court of Baikunthpur had acquitted the three accused citing lack of evidence.
The state government had challenged this decision in the High Court. Now Bilaspur High Court has declared this decision flawed. The High Court said that the fast track court had given a wrong verdict by rejecting the concrete statements and medical evidence of the victim on technical grounds.
The High Court has cited the medical report of Dr. Kalavati Patel in its decision. The report confirmed serious injuries and swelling on the private parts of the victim.
In the FSL report, sperm were found on the victim's clothes, confirming the crime. The Court also made it clear that the testimony of the rape victim is complete in itself and does not necessarily require the support of any other independent witness.
The High Court has ordered the three convicts to surrender in the fast track court within two weeks. If they do not do so, the police will arrest them and send them to jail.
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