CHENNAI: Refusing to marry a girl after engagement has landed a 29-year-old behind the bars for five years. However, he managed to get away from rape charge as the prosecution failed to prove it beyond reasonable doubt.
The Mahila court, Chennai convicted Thennarasu (29) of Perambur to five years of imprisonment under section 420 of IPC for cheating a girl by refusing to marry her after engagement.
Revathy (name changed) fell in love with Thennarasu who worked in a home appliance shop owned by her cousin Shivakumar. The two-year relationship ended in betrothal with the consent of both the families on June 14, 2009 at Revathy’s home.
It was alleged that when her mother Devayani approached him to marry her daughter six months after engagement, he refused. He stated that he could not marry Revathy as his father insisted on more dowry, the complainants stated.
As Thennarasu refused to budge, Revathy and her mother approached the city police commissioner. A criminal case was filed against Thennarasu in Ayanavaram police station under sections 376 (rape) and 420 (cheating). His father Velayutham was charged under section 506 (1) (criminal intimidation) of IPC.
On Tuesday, Mahila Court judge Meena Sathish sentenced Thennarasu to five years of imprisonment. The judge refused to convict him under rape charges as the prosecution failed to prove it beyond reasonable doubt. The court also acquitted his father Velayutham.