Mysuru: Two years after a 26-year-old US national was sexually assaulted by a male nurse at a prominent hospital in the city, a city Court yesterday sentenced him to 25 years rigorous imprisonment.

This is probably the harshest punishment given by a court in Mysuru for an offence of rape. The minimum punishment under section 376 (2)(d) of IPC for the offence is 10 years but the Court, considering the gravity of the offence and its widespread consequences at the international level, sentenced the accused to 25 years in jail and also imposed a fine of Rs. 15,000.

The Seventh Additional District and Sessions Court Judge awarded the punishment to 27-year-old Sumith and the quantum of punishment was announced yesterday after he (Sumith) was pronounced guilty in the case on Nov. 7.

According to Public Prosecutor Mahanthappa, the student, a 21-year-old US national, was doing her research on tribals in Rajasthan and Delhi, before coming to Mysuru. An organisation working with tribals in H.D. Kote was supporting her for studies. She was a student of Duke University in the US.

On Nov. 6, 2015, she was supposed to travel to B.R. Hills, but she fell ill. As soon as she arrived in Mysuru, she fell sick with stomach pain and symptoms of diarrhoea and vomiting. She was treated at a clinic, assisted by her friend, in Mysuru for a day. When her health didn’t improve she was shifted to Columbia Asia hospital on the evening of Nov.6.

A lady doctor, assisted by a male nurse Sumith, treated her at the emergency before shifting her to the Intensive Care Unit (ICU). Sumith, however, on the pretext of attending to her, allegedly disrobed her, before outraging her modesty. Sumith is a native of Malavalli taluk in Mandya district. The victim was admitted in a private ward and two women including one friend from the US and local resident were attending her.

Mahanthappa said that at around 8 pm on Nov. 6, 2015, Sumith came to the ward on the pretext of changing IV fluids. He sent both of her attendants out of room before molesting her on the hospital bed. The student was shocked and yelled for help. Immediately, Sumith left the room. Strangely, following day, he had sent her a friend request on Facebook. Subsequently the victim lodged a complaint with hospital authorities.

The hospital management sacked Sumith from his job after receiving an apology letter from him. A Police complaint was lodged after 22 days of the incident at N.R. Police Station as the victim had to get permission from her University to lodge a Police complaint. The victim later returned to the US and did not come back. Sumith was taken into custody later.

Following the complaint, Inspector H.S. Gajendra Prasad (now Dy.SP, Anti Corruption Bureau), the Investigating Officer in the case, conducted the investigation and submitted a chargesheet to the court.

Mahanthappa said the victim’s evidence was recorded on Skype twice in mid 2017 after she expressed her difficulty in travelling to India to give evidence. She gave evidence for three-and-a-half-hours — first day for two hours and second day for one-and-a-half hours.

She identified the accused and explained in details what happened to her on the day. The evidence was recorded in noon hours Indian time but then in her place in the US the time was 3 am to 5 am, Mahanthappa said.