Daijiworld Media Network - Mangaluru (SP)

Mangaluru, Jan 28: The chief district and sessions court and special court under Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act here has sentenced a bus conductor named Tejaksha (28) to life imprisonment for raping a boy.

Tejaksha had been charged with raping a nine-year-old student of a school at Kuthethur near here about 18 months back. Through the judgment delivered on Wednesday January 27, the court also imposed a fine of Rs 55,500 on him.

The court had pronounced the accused guilty on January 24, and had reserved its orders on quantum of sentence to Tuesday.

Judge of the court, Uma M G, also announced additional sentences as follows: one month rigorous imprisonment for illegal confinement under section 341 of Indian Penal Code, two years of rigorous imprisonment for murder threat under section 506, apart from the said fine, which is made up of Rs 50,000 under POCSO Act section 4, and the balance for other offences stated above. In case of failure to pay fine, he will have to undergo additional jail terms.

The court has ordered payment of Rs 50,000 out of the fine so collected to the boy. For this purpose, parents of the boy will have to approach the committee formed for the purpose. Chief public prosecutor, Pushparaj K Adyantaya,had presented arguments on behalf of the prosecution in this case.