UP: Lab technician held for ‘raping’ nurse over 21 years

VARANASI: A 59-year-old man, employed as a laboratory technician in the health department in Uttar Pradesh’s Bhadohi, was arrested on Friday for allegedly raping a nurse over a period of 21 years following a false promise of marriage, police said.

The case is related to a 36-year-old nurse who has filed a petition in the court of Chief Judicial Magistrate (CJM) Sabiha Khatoon against Chintamani Sharma (59).

Hearing the petition, the CJM ordered police on Thursday to register a case against the accused. Subsequently, a case was lodged under Indian Penal Code (IPC) sections 376 (rape), 427 (mischief) and 323 (causing hurt) at the Suryava police station on Friday and the accused arrested from Varanasi.

Bhadohi Superintendent of Police (SP) Meenakshi Katyayan said the accused, who lived in the same apartment as the complainant, got close to her when she was a 15-year-old student and was living with her family in Varanasi district on the pretext of helping her with her studies.

However, he allegedly raped her by threatening her and with the passage of time, continued to have physical relations with her, the officer said.

“Sharma, who sexually exploited her continuously by promising to marry her, secretly got married to someone else, but kept deceiving her and continued to have sexual relations with her,” Katyayan added.

The SP said after finishing her studies, the complainant took up the job of a contract nurse. She was posted at a Community Health Centre and was also allotted a quarter.

Sharma, who was posted in Varanasi, would come to Bhadohi and have physical relations with the complainant. When the nurse spoke about getting married, he would allegedly abuse her, beat her and vandalise her house, the SP said.

“Sharma was arrested on Friday from his Varanasi apartment. The nurse has been sent for a medical examination and her written statement will soon be recorded in the court,” Katyayan added.