A Special POCSO court in Manjeri in Kerala sentenced a man and his partner to 180 years of rigorous imprisonment each for repeated sexual assault of a minor girl.
The court also imposed a fine of Rs 11.75 lakh each, directing that failure to pay the fine would result in an additional 20 years of imprisonment.
"Today, the court has convicted both of the accused - 180 years of rigourous imprisonment and Rs 11.75 lakh," the public prosecutor said.
The verdict was pronounced by Special POCSO Court Judge Ashraf AM under various sections of the Indian Penal Code (IPC), the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act, and the Juvenile Justice Act (JJ Act).
According to the prosecution, the accused step-father intimidated the victim, telling her that a hidden camera had been implanted in her head and that any disclosure of the abuse would be detected. The child was also intoxicated with alcohol before being assaulted.
The first accused, who hails from Palakkad, repeatedly assaulted the victim between 2019 and 2021 at rented houses in Anamangad and Vallikapatta. The second accused, the victim's mother, a native of Thiruvananthapuram , aided, abetted, and encouraged the crime.
The case began after the woman left her husband in 2019 and started living with the male accused.
Based on a complaint filed at the Malappuram Vanitha Police Station, the case was investigated under multiple sections of the IPC, POCSO Act, and JJ Act. The investigation was led by the Razia Bangalath while Special Public Prosecutor A Somasundaran represented the prosecution.
The court also ordered that the fine amount, once recovered, be paid to the survivor, and directed the District Legal Services Authority to provide additional compensation under the Victim Compensation Scheme.
Both convicts have been ordered to be transferred to Tavanur Jail to undergo their sentence.
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