THANJAVUR : The Fast Track Mahila Court on Monday sentenced an inspector of police to ten years of rigorous imprisonment for abetting the suicide of a woman. The inspector is currently posted at Teppakulam in Madurai.
According to sources, two youth from Cauvery Nagar in Thanjavur approached the Superintendent of Police in 2007 with alleging that a trio, including software engineer, V Akilandeswari (32) of Anandam Nagar in Vadavalli, Janakiraman of Thurayundarkottai and Ilayaraja of Thanjavur, had cheated them of `3 lakh after promising employment in a software company in Chennai.
The complaint was forwarded to Thanjavur Medical college police station and inspector C Sethumanimadhavan (43) commenced investigation.
During the course of investigation he summoned Akilandeswari to Thanjavur. It is said around midnight of November 16, 2007 Sethumanimadhavan picked up Akilandeswari from the new bus stand in a police jeep and made her stay in a lodge near Thanjavur South Police station.
On November 19, Akilandeswari was found dead in her room. Sources said Sethumanimadhavan visited her in the room shortly before she killed herself by hanging. A suicide note and the copy of a letter purportedly written by Akilandeswari to her parents surfaced latter.
Based on these Thanjavur South police registered a case and arrested Sethumanimadhavan and another person, Balasubramanian (63), of Pookara street in Thanjavur, who used to harass Akilandeswari over phone. A head constable, Ganesan, was also booked in the case.
The case was transferred to CB-CID police on December 15,2008 and charge sheet filed on October 20, 2009. Sethumanimathavan, Balasubramanian and Ganesan were charged under IPC and Women Harassment Act. During the course of trial, Balasubramanian died and Sethumanimadhavan was suspended and later posted in several places.
On Monday, the court found Sethumanimadhavan guilty under sections 120 (B) (Criminal conspiracy), 343 (illegal confinement) and 409 (breach of trust by a government servant).