Dewas, Madhya Pradesh, October, 2023 – In a significant judgment, a sessions court in Dewas, Madhya Pradesh, has convicted a 45-year-old woman, Seema Bai, for filing a false rape case against a relative. She has been sentenced to 10 years of rigorous imprisonment under the relevant sections of the Indian Penal Code (IPC). The prosecution had argued that Seema Bai falsely accused her nephew-in-law of rape to gain control of property.

Seema Bai, a widow residing in Barkheda Kotapai village, approximately 55 km from Indore, had filed a complaint on June 3, 2017, at the Barotha police station on the outskirts of Dewasdistrict against the 33-year-old son of her brother-in-law.

The police promptly registered a case based on her complaint. However, during the course of the investigation, it became evident that the accusation was false. The prosecution also revealed that Seema Bai presented incorrect evidence during the rape case trial.

On June 18, 2019, a local court concluded that the rape complaint was fabricated. It subsequently ordered the filing of a case against Seema Bai under various sections of the Indian Penal Code (IPC), including Section 195, which deals with providing false information or fabricating false evidence. Section 195 is an important aspect of the IPC related to perjury or the intentional act of providing false evidence in a case.

The court of the Second Additional Sessions Judge, Dewas, convicted Seema Bai Singh under IPC Section 195 for lodging a fake rape complaint and producing false evidence before the court. She has been sentenced to ten years of rigorous imprisonment. This case illustrates the severity of filing false rape accusations and the legal consequences, including imprisonment.

The successful prosecution in this case was led by Assistant District Prosecution Officer (ADPO) Jayanti Puranik. The judgment serves as a significant legal precedent against filing false rape cases with malicious intent. The IPC Section 195, related to false information and fabricated evidence, played a crucial role in reaching this verdict.