A court in Shivamogga convicted a 62-year-old retired Mescom staffer for cheating a woman by developing a physical relationship with her after promising to get her a govt job. He was sentenced to 18 months' imprisonment and slapped with a fine of Rs 40,000.
The convict is Devi Prasad Samuel, a resident of Sharavatinagar, Shivamogga, who worked in Mangalore Electricity Supply Company. Passing the orders, judge Sharada Koppad directed that out of the Rs 40,000 fine amount, Rs 36,000 should be paid to the woman.
The case dates back to 2016 when the woman, who was 27 years old, approached police stating that Samuel had cheated her. According to the woman, Samuel promised her a govt job if she passed class 10 exam. The woman lived with her mason-husband and two children.
Putting in her best efforts, the woman cleared the exam. However, Samuel failed to get her a govt job as promised. Meanwhile, he developed a physical relationship with her and took her to different places. "When my husband got to know of it, he left me. When I told this to Samuel, he promised to look after me and my children by paying Rs 10 lakh," she told police.
By then, however, Samuel's family found about the affair. He panicked and asked the woman to sign a paper stating there was no affair between them. The woman returned their private pictures and a mobile chip where she had recorded their conversations. That day, Samuel gave her Rs 4 lakh through a cheque and promised to pay the remaining 6 lakh in a fortnight but failed to do so. On repeatedly asking, Samuel issued her dire threats, the woman said in her complaint.