Daijiworld Media Network - Mangaluru (SP) 

Mangaluru, Sep 24: The second additional district and sessions court here, which also happens to be the special court for Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act (POCSO) cases, has delivered a judgement as per which Santosh (34), resident of Sajipa Munnur Sharada Nagar in Bantwal taluk, was sentenced to ten years imprisonment. He has also been asked to pay a fine of Rs 10,000. Santosh has been convicted for raping a minor girl and impregnating her. 

The girl used to visit a shop when Santosh, serving as driver of a Scorpio vehicle, got to know her when he was playing volleyball in the nearby ground. Although he was married, Santosh got closer to the girl. During July 2014, he led the girl to a nearby hillock, where he raped her. He had threatened the girl of spoiling her reputation if she revealed what happened to anyone else. Thereafter, he summoned her to the same spot every Sunday, and continued to rape her. As a result, she became pregnant. She gave birth to a female baby at Lady Goschen Hospital here on July 28, 2015, the prosecution said. 

After her delivery, the girl filed complaint in Bantwal town police station, where a case of rape was registered. 

Judge of the second additional district and sessions court, B R Pallavi, who took over hearing of the case, ordered the DNA test of the girl, child and the accused to be performed. The tests proved that Santosh had fathered the said child. This acted as prime evidence. A total of 13 witnesses and 19 documents were taken on evidence in the case. 

The court said that on the basis of evidences produced, the crime of the youth was proved. Under section 376 of Indian Penal Code and section 6 of POCSO, ten years imprisonment and fine of Rs 10,000 was imposed on the youth. The judge ordered that out of the fine amount, Rs 7,500 should be disbursed to the aggrieved girl. It was also noted that the girl is eligible to claim compensation from Legal Services Authority under Section 357 (A) of Criminal Procedure Code. 

The then inspector of Bantwal town station, K U Belliappa, had filed charge sheet. On behalf of the government, special public prosecutor, C Vankataramana Swamy, had placed arguments.