Daijiworld Media Network - Udupi (SS)

Udupi, Nov 19: The Additional District and Sessions court on Friday sentenced an accused to 10 years of imprisonment under the Pocso Act on charges of abducting and raping a minor girl.

The accused identified as Bharath (30) was said to have expressed his love to a minor girl in 2015 and had even promised to marry her. The accused forced himself on the girl physically against her wishes, kidnapped her and took her in a car towards Bengaluru. On the way the accused tied a mangalasutra made of turmeric around her neck and informed her that they were now married before taking her to a room in Bengaluru.

The affected girl's father filed a missing complaint with the police pertaining to his daughter's whereabouts. The police tracked the couple in Bengaluru and brought them back home. The police arrested the accused based on the minor girl's statement and remanded him to judicial custody. Bharath had subsequently obtained a bail.

The case was further investigated by Sujatha Salian of the Kundapura Women's Police Station and Circle Inspector Diwakar P M continued the investigation before filing a chargesheet to the court.

The court heard 20 out of 21 witnesses and proved that the accused was guilty of the act. Y T Raghavendra argued the case in the Udupi special Pocso Court.

Bharath was sentenced to 3 years of jail in the kidnap case and 10 terms of rigourous imprisonment in the rape case. The court also ordered that the affected girl be paid Rs 1 lac from the government as compensation.