The Fast Track Special Court (POCSO), Thiruvananthapuram, on Wednesday, sentenced a man to 13 years of rigorous imprisonment for sexually assaulting a 14-year-old relative. The man, identified as Unni, has also been ordered to pay a fine of ₹45,000, failing which he has to undergo an additional year of imprisonment.
Fast Track Special Court (POCSO) special judge R. Rekha observed that the plea of the accused that he is married and his parents have been residing with him cannot be considered as mitigating factors while imposing a sentence considering the gravity of the offence. He was sentenced under the relevant sections of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act.
According to the prosecution, led by special public prosecutor R.S. Vijay Mohan and consisting of advocates M. Mubeena and R.Y. Akhilesh, the accused had made the first attempt to sexually assault the girl in 2017, when she was in Class five. She had managed to escape from his hold. In October 2021, he gagged her and forced himself upon her. Later, he threatened to kill her and her parents if she disclosed the incident to anyone.
The victim, who faced mental health issues after the attack, did not disclose the incident to her mother too when she questioned her about the changes seen in her behaviour. She later revealed the incident when she faced further attempts to assault her.
The prosecution presented 15 witnesses, six exhibits, and 21 documents during the trial. The case had been investigated by Pangode SI J. Ajayan.
