Daijiworld Media Network - Mangaluru (SP)

Mangaluru, Sep 28: The additional sessions court here, which also is the fast track court for cases under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act, which heard a case in which a young man was accused of abducting a minor girl and raping her, handed down rigorous imprisonment. Relating to the crime which happened on July 25, 2019, the court sentenced Balakrishna (25) from Vittal Casba Ukkuda in Bantwal taluk to seven years of rigorous imprisonment.

The court found the accused guilty of committing the crime under the POCSO Act and also imposes Rs 75,000 fine in addition to imprisonment. For abduction, the accused has been ordered to undergo five years of rigorous imprisonment and Rs 10,000 fine. If the accused fails to pay the fine of Rs 75,000, he has to undergo three months of jail term additionally, and one month's additional time behind the bars has been ordered if the fine of Rs 10,000 is not paid. The judgement was delivered by the judge of the court, Savitri V Bhat.

Balakrishna

Out of the fine amount, Rs 50,000 has to be disbursed to the affected girl as compensation. The judgement also has prescribed that the government should pay compensation of two lac rupees to the victim.

The case had been investigated by the then police circle inspector, T D Nagaraj, who also filed the charge sheet. Special public prosecutor (POCSO), Venkataramana Swamy C, had argued the case on behalf of the prosecution.