CHENNAI: The Madras High Court has observed that when a mother abandons the responsibility of bringing up her children with discipline and care, it undermines the very foundation of the family and society.
The case relates to a married woman from Coimbatore who had separated from her husband and was living with her 14-year-old daughter. She was allegedly having a relationship with Subburaj from the same locality.
In 2017, Subburaj sexually harassed her daughter. When she informed her mother about it, the mother allegedly dismissed it, saying such acts happen everywhere, and warned her not to reveal it to anyone, threatening that she would die if she did.
The harassment continued, forcing the teenager to leave her mother and go to her father, after which she filed a complaint. A case was then registered against both her mother and Subburaj at the All-Women Police Station in Coimbatore district.
In 2020, the Coimbatore Pocso Special Court found both accused guilty and sentenced them to life imprisonment. A Division Bench of Justices P Velmurugan and M Jothiraman, hearing the appeal against the conviction, held that the prosecution had proved the charges beyond a reasonable doubt. Stating that there was no reason to interfere with the Special Court’s order, the Bench confirmed the life sentence and dismissed the appeal.
The judges noted that in Indian culture, a mother traditionally occupied the highest place, above the father, teacher, and even God. They observed that a mother’s paramount duty was to ensure the safety, emotional well-being, and moral upbringing of her children, and when this sacred responsibility was betrayed, it struck at the very base of family and society.