Daijiworld Media Network – Mangalore (SP)

Mangalore, Jul 18: Ramesh (22) from Kanyana in Bantwal taluk, who reportedly succeeded in convincing a minor girl from Puttur taluk to elope with him, and then raped her by making her believe that he intended to marry her, was sentenced to seven years of rigorous imprisonment by Dakshina Kannada district chief and sessions court.

He was found guilty of various offences under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POSCO) Act 2012 . This happens to be the first judgment under POSCO Act to be delivered by Dakshina Kannada district court.

At the same time, the court exonerated the other accused, Babu Koraga (61) of the charges levelled against him.

The judge found the accused guilty of the charges, even though the 17-year-old aggrieved girl and her relatives turned hostile later and recorded statements which were found to be contrary to their previous stands.

The accused and the victim are distant relatives. It was alleged that Ramesh came close to the girl, befriended her, and then raped her, at the instance and advice of the other accused, Babu Koraga. The girl, who trusted the boy, left home at 4 am on September 3, 2013 and reached Uppinangady. There, the accused put a gold-plated chain around her neck and promised to marry her. After taking her to Pattori near Konaje, he had forced her to have sex with him. He then took her to Konanakunte in Bangalore, stayed with her in a rented house there, and raped her many times thereafter, it is learnt.

Kadaba police sub-inspector, Yogeesh Kumar, and other personnel had arrested the accused and registered case, besides filing charge sheet in the court. The then judge of the court, Sharavanan, had recorded the statement of the girl under POSCO Act. The prosecution was represented by public prosecutor, K Pushparaj Adyantaya.

Although the girl and her mother preferred to turn hostile during hearing , judge of POSCO special court and district chief and sessions court, Uma M G, basing her judgment on the statement recorded in the court by the girl under the said act, sentenced Ramesh to seven years rigorous imprisonment apart from levying a fine of Rs 10,000. The judge also prescribed that in case of failure to pay fine, Ramesh will have to undergo six additional months of imprisonment. She ordered for payment of Rs 5,000 out of the above fine to the victim.