A judicial magistrate in south Tamil Nadu has been arrested for allegedly raping and cheating a woman police sub-inspector, with whom he had been in a relationship for more than a year.
S Thangaraj, 31, a judicial magistrate in a fast-track court at Coonoor in Nilgiri district, was remanded in judicial custody and lodged at Coimbatore Central Jail, based on the complaint by the woman police sub-inspector.
Thangaraj had become friends with her and continued a relationship with her on the understanding that he would marry her. However, two months ago, he married another woman and got it registered.
Angered, the woman sub-inspector shot off a letter to the police, administration and judiciary, seeking action against the magistrate for rape and cheating. In a complaint lodged with the chief justice and the registrar of the Madras high court, she accused the magistrate of “breach of promise”.
Thangaraj was picked up at 6am on Saturday from his uncle’s house in neighbouring Namakkal district, where he had been in hiding, and produced before the Tirupur judicial magistrate, who remanded him in judicial custody till July 12. Apart from rape and cheating, Thangaraj was charged with criminal intimidation.
In his argument, made through lawyers supporting him, the magistrate said his sexual relationship with the sub-inspector was consensual and did not amount to rape.
{{/usCountry}}In his argument, made through lawyers supporting him, the magistrate said his sexual relationship with the sub-inspector was consensual and did not amount to rape.
{{/usCountry}}The woman sub-inspector refuted his argument on Saturday saying that Thangaraj’s family knew about her and had assured to fix their marriage.
On June 20, Thangaraj married someone else.
Thangaraj was selected for judicial service last year and posted at Coonoor.