Daijiworld Media Network – Udupi (EP)

Udupi, Nov 30: A fast-track special court (FTSC) for POCSO cases–1, coming under Udupi district additional and sessions court has sentenced a father to life imprisonment after he was convicted of sexually assaulting his daughters. Justice Yadav Vanamala Anandarao of the fast-track special court for POSCO cases–1 delivered the verdict.

The man's 16-year-old daughter used to oppose the sexual assault carried on by their father on her 14-year-old sister. The wife of the accused was mentally challenged and even after she passed away the accused had not stopped from committing the crime. A local Anganwadi activist had brought the matter of the sexual assault on the teenagers to the notice of the district child protection unit.

Legal observatory officer Prabhakar Acharya had registered a case under POCSO in Hebri police station in this connection. Back in October of last year, the case was registered in the Karkala police circle office. Police circle inspector Mahesh Prasad had conducted initial investigations and subsequently, CPI Sampath Kumar submitted a charge sheet to the court. The court which heard the two sisters and the complainant along with 26 other witnesses reached a verdict that the father was guilty of the crimes he was accused of.

This is the first time in the history of Udupi that life imprisonment has been pronounced under POCSO (Amendment) Act, 2019. The POCSO court has also imposed a fine of Rs 15,000. If there is a failure in making the payment of the fine the accused will be sentenced to an additional one year of prison. The sentence also includes rigorous imprisonment of seven years each for the sexual assault and death threats made by the accused. The POCSO court has ordered payment of Rs 5 lac as compensation to the first victim and Rs 1.5 lac for the second victim.

Special government prosecutor Y T Raghavendra of the Udupi special POCSO court argued the case in favour of the prosecution.