INDORE: A woman was awarded a sentence of four years and a fine of Rs 11,000 for levelling false rape charges against her landlord, after a dispute over the payment of rent due to which the landlord committed suicide.

The sentence was awarded by Additional Session Judge Indira Singh to Chanchal Rathore (35) under Section 211 (levelling false allegations with an intention to cause hurt) and Section 182 of the Indian Penal Code (giving false information to a public servant) after a complaint by another woman judge.

Chanchal had filed a complaint of rape against her landlord Roopkishore Agrawal (53) in the Palasia police station on December 26, 2012, but later turned hostile in front of Additional Session Judge Savita Dube while her statement was recorded in the matter on March 13 this year.

Additional Public Prosecutor Hemant Mungi said that after Chanchal backtracked on her original statement, the court declared her hostile and then the woman judge Savita Dube herself filed a case against Chanchal in the court of fellow judge Indira Singh.

The case was registered for filing a false report and recording false statements in the court, Mungi said.

The woman judge also recorded her statement against Chanchal in the court of her fellow judge, after which she was awarded a four-years jail sentence and a fine of Rs 11,000.

Chanchal's landlord Roopkishore Agrawal had to spend nearly two-and-a-half months in jail under judicial custody, after which he was released on bail on March 8, Mungi said.

Since Agarwal was extremely upset due to Chanchal's false rape charge against him which damaged his reputation, he committed suicide after leaving a suicide note blaming her for his misery.

A separate case under Section 306 (abetment to suicide) of the Indian Penal Code is also on against Chanchal Rathore in the matter, Mungi said.