Daijiworld Media Network – Bantwal

Bantwal, Aug 1: A Fast Track Special Court in Mangaluru has sentenced a 52-year-old man to two years and six months of imprisonment along with a fine of Rs 40,000 for sexually harassing a minor girl.

The case relates to an incident reported on June 23, 2025, under the jurisdiction of the Bantwal Rural police station, in which a minor girl student was subjected to sexual harassment. A case had been registered at the station under Crime No. 79/2025 under Sections 11 and 12 of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act, 2012, and Sections 75(i)(ii) and 79 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), 2023.

The then investigating officers, PSI Keerappa Ghatakambale and PSI Krishnakant Patil, conducted the investigation, collected sufficient evidence against the accused, Monappa Naik (52), a resident of Maninalkur, and filed the charge sheet before the court.

After hearing the case, Judge Mohan J S of the Fast Track Special Court-I, Mangaluru, on Friday July 31, convicted the accused and sentenced him to two years and six months' imprisonment and a fine of Rs 15,000 under Section 74 read with Section 62 of the BNS. He was also sentenced to one year's imprisonment and a fine of Rs 10,000 under Section 75(2)(3) read with Section 62 of the BNS, one year's imprisonment and a fine of Rs 5,000 under Section 79 of the BNS, and one year's imprisonment and a fine of Rs 10,000 under Section 12 read with Section 18 of the POCSO Act, 2012.

The court directed that all the sentences run concurrently, resulting in an effective sentence of two years and six months' imprisonment and a total fine of Rs 40,000.

Special public prosecutor Sahana Devi effectively argued the case before the court.