Jammu & Kashmir fast track court convicts sub-judge for rape, cheating

A Jammu and Kashmir fast track court on Thursday convicted a judicial officer for raping and cheating a woman who had sought legal help from him in 2018 (State through SHO Police Station Janipur, Jammu V/s Rajesh Kumar Abrol).The judgment by judge Khalil Choudhary found the accused Rajesh Kumar Abrol, a sub-judge, guilty of offences under Sections 420 and 376 (2) (K) of the Ranbir Penal Code (RPC).The hearing on sentence will take place on October 23.According to the prosecution story, the victim woman, a resident of Ramban district, met Abrol while she was contesting a case. Being a judicial officer, Abrol promised legal help and sought domestic support from her. Having a minor girl to support, the woman started working in the house of Abrol who also promised better education to her daughter. The accused promised her to pay ₹5,000 per month as salary..The accused dissolved victim's marriage with her husband by getting divorce deed which was notarized and accused told one of his PSO to be the witness to it..Later, when Abrol came to know that she was planning to leave his house, he requested her to stay back and put Maang on her forehead and assured her that she is his wife now. He also told her that he had parted with his wife and was residing alone for last seven years.By these actions, the accused secured the victim's consent to have sexual intercourse with her. She succumbed to his pressure but did not disclose the same to anyone..As per the prosecution, after one year of marriage with Abrol, the woman came to know that he had betrayed her since he was already married to another woman who was his second wife after his divorce from the first wife..While passing the conviction order, the court said that there was complete chain of events and facts to indicate that the crime was committed by the accused and all the circumstances brought on record and established were consistent with the guilt of the accused and inconsistent with his innocence.The Court said that though the case hinged on the sole testimony of the victim, the testimony inspired confidence for it to be accepted even in the absence of any corroborations..The entire evidence on record proved beyond reasonable doubt that accused secured prosecutrix's consent for sexual intercourse by misrepresenting facts, the Court said.Minor contradictions in victim's testimony can be overlooked in such case, the judgment stated..[Read Judgment]