An Indian-origin man named M. Krishnan has been sentenced to 20 years in jail for the culpable homicide of his girlfriend, Mallika Begum Rahamansa Abdul Rahman.

The incident took place on January 17, 2019, when Krishnan, 40, assaulted Rahman, leading to her untimely death.

Krishnan, who pleaded guilty in the High Court last week, received his sentence on Monday, as reported by “TODAY” newspaper.

The court backdated his sentence to the date of his arrest.

During the trial, Justice Valerie Thean acknowledged Krishnan’s claim of being a reformed individual in 2018, following a previous offense of abusing police officers.

However, she noted that he continued to subject his wife and girlfriend to abuse.

The judge also recognized the role of Krishnan’s intermittent explosive disorder and alcohol in influencing his violent behavior.

Justice Thean emphasized that Krishnan was aware of his susceptibility to exhibit socially unacceptable anger, based on his previous encounters with the law.

The judge deemed it necessary to impose a severe penalty. Krishnan was sentenced to 20 years in jail, the maximum term for culpable homicide not amounting to murder, which can also include caning or a fine.

The court proceedings revealed that the abuse inflicted on Mallika Begum Rahamansa Abdul Rahman had escalated over time.

In November 2015, Krishnan’s wife caught him and Rahman drinking alcohol in their marital home, leading to a physical altercation where Krishnan assaulted his wife.

Krishnan maintained a relationship with Mallika, and in 2017, court documents indicated that he had previously struck her over a trivial matter.

The abuse intensified in early 2019 when Mallika admitted to engaging in sexual relations with other men, including when Krishnan was incarcerated in 2018.

On January 15, 2019, during a heated argument fueled by alcohol consumption, Krishnan physically assaulted Mallika, kicking, slapping, and punching her.

In a further act of violence, he pushed her forehead, leading to her head hitting a cabinet.