It is not uncommon for laws meant to protect women being misused by some who wish to jail men. Section 376 of the IPC – punishment for rape – is one such law; and this time, it appears the future of a budding teacher is at stake after the woman he was reportedly seeing lodged a complaint of rape against him, claiming he had switched his phone off after the two consummated their relationship.The accused is Prem Kumar, 25, whose hometown is Dharwad. Kumar had been working as a computer teacher in a school in North-East Bengaluru for the past few years and living with his brother in Rajajinagar. Early last year, he reportedly got close to one of his colleagues, Rekha, 35, and the two began talking and meeting frequently. Rekha subsequently resigned and went to Tumakuru, where she began working as a teacher for a school run by the central government. The two continued to meet regularly, according to the victim’s statements.On February 28, Rekha landed in Bengaluru to see Kumar; and the two went out for dinner. They then reportedly went to a lodge in Shivajinagar where they got physically intimate, and Rekha left for home the next day.“She claims Kumar later began avoiding her and would not pick up her calls. However, our investigation reveals that she used to call him incessantly when he was at school on invigilation duty during the final exams. He claims he had been warned by the principal not to speak on his phone and had conveyed this to Rekha, but she continued calling even if he did not answer.He says if such was the situation even before marriage, he did not want to imagine what would happen after. Unable to bear the pressure, he quit his job and went back to Dharwad, switching his phone off too,” said a senior investigating officer.Rekha, meanwhile, found Kumar brother’s house in Rajajinagar and confronted him saying he had cheated her by claiming he would marry her but that he had run away. Kumar was chided by his brother after this, but neither knew that Rekha had filed a police complaint in this regard. The accused was arrested on April 1 when he landed in Bengaluru at his brother’s house.A case of rape has been registered against him, and investigations are on.