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An illustration of 'Stop Rape' is seen here.
Credit: iStock Photo
Mangaluru: A 24 year-old youth, found guilty of raping a minor girl and impregnating her, was sentenced to 20 years of rigorous imprisonment by Additional District and Sessions FTSC-II (POCSO) court Judge Maanu K S.
The convicted is Mohammed Sadik from Bantwal. According to Special public prosecutor K Badarinath Nayari Sadik befriended the 14 year old minor girl via mobile phone and was in regular contact with her.
He promised to marry her. When the victim’s mother was sleeping due to her ill health, the convicted visited the house in May 2023 and raped her. Later, he continued to rape her on multiple occasions, when none of the family members were at home.
Observing the changes in the young girls body, her mother took her to a hospital, where it was revealed that the girl was six and a half months pregnant.
Following which, a complaint under POCSO Act and IPC Section 376 was registered at Bantwal Town Station. Police Inspector Anantha Padmanabha K V submitted a charge sheet to the court.
The victim delivered a baby boy. As many as 20 witnesses and 30 documents were examined by the court. The accused denied the charges all the while. However, a DNA test of the baby proved that the accused was the biological father of the baby.
Judge sentenced Sadik to 20 year of rigorous imprisonment under IPC Section 376 (3) and 376 (2) and section 6 of POCSO Act and slapped a fine of Rs 50,000.
The court asked the fine amount to be paid to the survivor. In addition, the judge has directed district legal services authority to pay Rs 6.50 lakh to the survivor as per the victim compensation scheme.