Karnataka: Seven booked under Pocso case for sexually assaulting, facilitating minor girl's child marriage

Madikeri: A case has been registered under the Pocso Act against an estate owner in Kodagu district on charges of sexually assaulting a minor girl and facilitating her child marriage. In addition, action has also been initiated against several others for their alleged negligence and involvement.

Those who are booked are - Child Development Project Officer (CDPO) who failed to act despite receiving the girl’s complaint, a doctor at the community health centre who did not verify the girl’s age at the time of delivery, an associate professor from the Kodagu Institute of Medical Sciences who allegedly issued a false certificate declaring the girl’s age as 22–25 years, and the girl’s parents along with the relative who married her.

Details of the case

The victim was living with her parents in the line house of an estate when the estate owner allegedly sexually assaulted her. He reportedly withheld her original documents to prevent her from leaving the estate. Later, she was forced into marriage with her maternal uncle.

Upon learning she was pregnant, the estate owner put her out of the estate. At the time of delivery, the health centre’s medical officer failed to verify her age, and the associate professor from the Kodagu Institute of Medical Sciences provided a certificate falsely stating that the girl was between 22 and 25 years old, despite her school records indicating otherwise. The victim had submitted a complaint to the CDPO. However, the CDPO failed to act.

Distressed, she wrote to the State Women Commission, which forwarded the complaint to the State Child Protection Commission. The Commission instructed the district child protection unit to take necessary action. After reviewing her school records and counselling the girl, officials of the district child protection unit filed a police complaint, leading to the registration of the case.