Daijiworld Media Network - Mangaluru (SP)

Mangaluru, Oct 1: In a case of raping a minor girl six years back, the additional sessions and POCSO special court here has found Raju alias Raja (36) guilty and awarded ten years jail term apart from imposing Rs 16,000 fine on him. The court also has ordered the government to disburse compensation of three lac rupees to the victim.

The accused had reportedly raped a girl in the city, as a result of which she had become pregnant. He happens to be a relative of the girl. Raju, along with the mother of the girl and the aggrieved girl and her elder sister had come to the city from Shivamogga together and stayed together in a house near Bikarnakatte Kaikamba. After September 2015, Raju allegedly raped the girl repeatedly. In December that year, the girl was found to have become pregnant and thereafter a case of rape under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act had been registered in the women's police station here. The police had arrested the accused and he was in judicial custody. The girl suffered abortion and during the DNA test, it was found that Raju was responsible for her pregnancy.

Police inspector of the station, K Kalavathi, had investigated the case and filed charge sheet in the court. Judge of the court, Savitri V Bhat, concluded that the charges levelled against the accused have been proved. Through a judgement delivered on Thursday September 30, she ordered the government to disburse compensation of three lac rupees to the girl.

Special public prosecutor, C Venkataramana Swamy, had represented the prosecution in the case.