Daijiworld Media Network - Mangaluru (SP)
Mangaluru, Oct 12: The second additional district and sessions court here, which also happens to be the special court for handling Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act (POCSO) cases, which conducted trial in a case of sexual harassment, found the accused guilty and handed down five years rigorous imprisonment (RI) along with fine of Rs 25,000.
The judgment was delivered on Thursday October 11. The charges leveled against the accused were found to be proved by the court. The guilty happens to be Ramesh (34) from Kaikude Haripade in the taluk.
Ramesh has been ordered to undergo an additional year of simple imprisonment if he defaults in paying the fine. The judge ordered Rs 20,000 out of the said fine amount to be disbursed to the victim. The court said that the affected person can also claim compensation from the Legal Services Authority.
Ramesh was close to the mother of the girl. He often visited the lady. The mother and daughter duo had lived in different rented houses in Pavanje, Kinnigoli and Chellayaru villages between 2013 and 2016. Ramesh was accused of sexually harassing the girl during this period.
The girl had revealed about her ordeal to a teacher of her school during a programme about sexual atrocities organized at her school at Suratkal. The teacher got further details of her sufferings, took her to Mulky police station and got a case registered there. The then inspector of Mulky station, Ramachandra Nayak, had investigated the case and filed charge sheet in the court.
Judge of the court, B R Pallavi, examined 15 witnesses in the case. The victim's mother and elder brother had evidenced in support of the accused. Still, the court found him guilty on the basis of the statements of the teacher, medical report, and police investigation.
Special public prosecutor, C Venkataramana Swamy, presented arguments on behalf of the prosecution in the case.