Daijiworld Media Network - Udupi (SP)

Udupi, Jul 18: A person who was facing the charge of sexually harassing a minor girl and physically torturing her in a village in Karkala taluk about nine months back, was on Monday July 17 awarded sentence by the district court  for Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act.

Judge of the district and sessions and POCSO special court, T Venkatesh Naik, who heard the arguments and counter arguments and examined 13 witnesses who adduced evidence in favour of the prosecution, concluded that the accused, identified as Appu Naik (58) was guilty of the charges levelled against him.   He was awarded three years jail term under section 8 of POCSO Act and one year under section 12.

Special public prosecutor for POCSO, Vijaya Vasu Poojary, had presented the case on behalf of the prosecution.

The girl in question used to stay in a rented house in the village. On the night of October 12, 2016, when the girl's mother was away, Appu Naik had forced himself into the house, and sexually harassed the girl. Some locals had witnessed this incident.

The then in-charge police sub-inspector of Karkala town station, Damodar K B, had arrested the accused, booked him under the provisions of POCSO Act and produced him in the court. He was remanded to judicial custody.