An error by a typist, where the word ‘semen’ was written as ‘semman’, which translates to red soil in Tamil, almost allowed a rape-accused to walk free, before the Madras High Court stepped in and overturned the verdict of a lower court.

The Madras High Court bench of Justice P Velmurgan reversed the judgment when it was hearing an appeal filed by a woman against the acquittal of a man accused of sexually assaulting her two-year-old daughter, Bar and Bench reported.

The case was filed in 2017 when the woman’s daughter, who was then two-years-and-nine-months old, was allegedly sexually assaulted by her neighbour. Though the police booked the neighbour under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act, a POCSO court acquitted the accused after stating that the prosecution had failed to prove the case beyond a reasonable doubt.

The mother then appealed to the Madras High Court, after which the court this month reversed the accused’s acquittal and sentenced him to life imprisonment. The judgment pronounced by the high court reveals that the defence counsel took advantage of a typo made during the trial.

The order stated that during the hearing of the case, the woman’s statement was recorded and the word “semen” in English was erroneously typed out as “semman” in Tamil. “Taking advantage of that mistake, the defence stated that P.W.1 (the mother) has said in her evidence that she found “semman colour” which means red soil colour…” the petition read. However, the court added that the complaint noted by the police clearly shows that the woman had said “semen”, and that she saw a “white colour fluid” on the private parts of the child. The court noted that subsequently, the word “semen” in English was misinterpreted as “semman” in Tamil.

The court added that in such a case, where the victim is a child and who cannot explain her version, the mother’s statement should be the one to be relied on.

Principal Roshan rapes a 14-year-old minor school girl for consecutive 3 months

The angry owner of the goat killed another goat! Know reason

Wife left for parents house without informing husband, man shot himself dead