The Belgaum Principal District and Sessions Court, having convicted all 13 individuals in the false rape allegations case against the HESCOM officer on Tuesday, has now decided on their sentencing. The court handed down a punishment of 3 years and 6 months of imprisonment along with a fine of Rs 86,000 for each offender, marking a significant judgment in the case.
HESCOM’s Belgaum Division Superintendent Engineer Tukaram Mazjagi and Assistant Engineer B.V, currently stationed in Mysore, accused Sindhu of sexual harassment. They alleged that Sindhu, along with Assistant Conductor Nathaji Patil, Assistant Executive Engineer Ajith Pujari, Assistant Conductor Mallasarja Shahpurakar, Junior Engineer Subhash Hallolli, Conductor Erappa Pattara, Supervisor Mallikarjuna Redihala, Senior Assistant Bhimappa Godalakundaragi, Station Attendant Grade-2 Rajendra Hangali, Accountant Suresh Kamba L, Linemen Irayya Hiremath and Maruthi Patil, and retired Assistant Dakshayani Nesaragi, falsely accused them.
All 13 individuals were convicted in this matter, as announced by Principal District and Sessions Court Judge L. Vijayalakshmidevi in a significant ruling on Tuesday.
After the verdict was announced, Public Prosecutor Muralidhar Kulkarni spoke to the media, stating, “Following a lengthy trial spanning seven years from 2017 to 2024, the court has convicted all the accused. The sentences for all 13 individuals will run concurrently. B.V. Sindhu’s allegations were found to be incitement, and all perpetrators received equal punishment for their role in the conspiracy.”
“A false case was filed against an innocent person, generating undue attention and wrongly accusing a senior officer of wrongdoing. It’s uncommon for severe penalties to be imposed in cases where false allegations are made against a senior official,” he continued.
“The court carefully considered Sindhu’s statement in which she admitted, ‘Under the influence of the other accused, I falsely accused the officer of raping me,'” added Muralidhar.
