Guwahati, Aug 20 A woman has been sent to jail by a court in Assam for allegedly lodging a false complaint of rape, an official said on Sunday.
The incident happened in Hailakandi district.
According to an official, Dila Begam Laskar lodged a police complaint two years ago, accusing one Basit Uddin of raping and extorting money.
The police registered a complaint against the man under sections 366, 376, 380 and 109 of Indian Penal Code.
However, during the hearing in the court on Saturday, the additional public prosecutor in Hailakandi, S. Sharma submitted a written account that the complainant has changed her statement more than once.
Sharma mentioned: "The woman is giving an exactly opposite statement to what she gave on July 6, 2021 in the court. This proves that either earlier or now, Dila Begam Laskar has given false testimony."
As the statement of the complainant was video-recorded on the direction of the magistrate, the Court observed that in her latest statement, Laskar claimed that she was not raped by Uddin.
The court said: "As soon as someone is accused of a criminal act, society condemns that person. Again, if the accusation is of a worse act like rape, then the society demands that the person be punished severely. But even if the person is acquitted after the court case, the damage done during the course of the case is never recovered."
It further said: "Judiciary has been established to punish the guilty in accordance with the law. Judges do not judge a crime by themselves. Judgment is based on the evidence presented before them. But this woman has repeatedly filed false complaints despite being given the opportunity to tell the truth. She tried to use the police and judiciary as tools. Mishandling the law is also a crime."
According to the judge, the act needs significant punishment so that such incidents do not repeat in the society.
The court ordered a case against the woman under the IPC sections 193 and 195, and also directed that Dila Begam Laskar should be kept in police custody.
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