Daijiworld Media Network – Udupi (MS)

Udupi, Feb 23: In a significant verdict, an additional POCSO court in the city has sentenced a bus conductor, Prashant Poojary (25), a resident of Hallihole Byndoor, to 20 years of rigorous imprisonment (RI) for sexually harassing a minor girl and impregnating her, resulting in the birth of a child.

Prashant Poojary had known the victim, who was a schoolgirl traveling on his bus, for five years. In July 2022, he forcibly took her to a temple on his bike and later to his home, where he sexually assaulted her.

The incident came to light when the girl became pregnant, leading to a complaint filed by her grandmother at the Kundapur police station. The then CI of Kundapur, Mahabaleshwara, conducted an inquiry and submitted a chargesheet against the accused.

During the trial, 13 out of 20 witnesses testified before the court. Additionally, a DNA test confirmed Prashant's paternity of the baby boy born to the victim. Notably, Prashant had a prior POCSO case registered against him.

District judge Srinivasa Suvarna sentenced accused Prashant to three years of RI and Rs 5000 fine for forcibly taking the girl with him, 10 years RI and Rs 10000 fine for sexually harassing the girl and 20 years RI and Rs 20000 fine for impregnating her.

Furthermore, the court ordered Prashant to pay Rs 25000 to the victim girl and Rs 10000 to the government from the fine amount. Additionally, it directed the government to provide Rs two lakh as compensation to the victim girl.

Special Public Prosecutor Y T Raghavendra represented the prosecution in the case, ensuring justice for the victim and holding the accused accountable for his heinous actions.