Daijiworld Media Network - Mangaluru (SP)
Mangaluru, Mar 24: After finding that the charge of raping a minor girl several times over a period of one year levelled against a youth was proved, the additional sessions court here which is also the second fast track special court, sentenced the accused to ten years of rigorous imprisonment. He also has been imposed with a fine of Rs 25,000.
The person found guilty and sentenced happens to be Prasad (31) from Bollaramajalu House in Kaniyoor village, Beltangady taluk.
Police inspectors Manjunath D and Nagesh K had completed their investigations and filed charge sheet in the court. Judge of the said court, M K Radhakrishna, came to the conclusion that the charges have been proved and announced the quantum of sentence on March 22.
The accused has been sentenced to ten years of rigorous imprisonment and imposed with Rs 25,000 fine for offences under section 6 of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act. If he fails to pay the fine, he will have to undergo an additional jail term of two months. He has also been handed down one year sentence for posing murder threat and another six months for assault. The court has also ordered the government to disburse four lac rupees by way of compensation through the district legal services authority.
C Venkataramana Swamy, special public prosecutor, had argued the case on behalf of the prosecution. 16 witnesses were examined and 19 exhibits were scrutinized. This happens to be the first case of judgement delivery in the newly started second fast track special court which was set up in the city a month back.
Background: Prasad, who was involved with centering work, used to visit the house of a 17-year-old girl, who also happened to be his relative, now and then. In 2018, when the girl visited his house, he had successfully coaxed her into submitting to his sexual advances. Thereafter, he raped her regularly and also posed murder threat if she leaked their relationship to others. On one occasion, when she refused to budge, he had attacked her. Because of this incident, the girl's elder brother and mother came to know of the relationship between the two and at the advice of the family, the girl had filed a complaint in Uppinangady police station on June 13, 2019. A case under POCSO Act was registered thereafter.