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A 30-year-old man has been sentenced to 20 years’ imprisonment by a special POCSO court in Chennai for sexually assaulting a 15-year-old girl during the COVID-19 lockdown in 2020. The convict, identified as R Mohanraj, was also directed to pay compensation to the survivor.
According to the prosecution, the offences took place in June 2020 when the survivor’s parents, who worked as daily wage labourers, would leave home for work, leaving her alone. Mohanraj, who knew the girl through a relative, allegedly lured her to his house by offering her biryani and sexually assaulted her on three occasions.
The survivor did not disclose the abuse immediately because the accused, who was also her neighbour, had allegedly threatened her.
Three months later, the girl’s mother noticed that her daughter’s abdomen had begun to swell. When questioned, the girl said she had missed her menstrual periods. It was only then that she disclosed the alleged sexual abuse to her family.
Based on the complaint lodged by the girl’s mother, Mohanraj was arrested. The survivor’s pregnancy was subsequently terminated at Kilpauk Medical College in Chennai, according to The Times of India.
During the trial, both the survivor and her mother testified before the court. Relying on their testimony and the medical evidence, Special Judge S Padma found Mohanraj guilty.
The court sentenced him to 20 years’ imprisonment and directed the Tamil Nadu government to pay the survivor Rs 3.05 lakh as compensation for the mental trauma caused by the assault.
In a separate case, a special POCSO court in Hyderabad sentenced a 23-year-old auto driver to 20 years of rigorous imprisonment for kidnapping and repeatedly sexually assaulting a minor girl.
The convict, Mohammed Afroz, a resident of Lingampally, was found guilty under Sections 363 (kidnapping) and 376 (rape) of the Indian Penal Code, along with Section 5 read with Section 6 of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act, 2012. The court also imposed a fine of Rs 3,000 and awarded Rs 1 lakh as compensation to the survivor.
The accused had reportedly become acquainted with the girl and lured her away by promising to marry her.
The accused was arrested on July 10, 2020, and a charge sheet was subsequently filed.
This article was written by a student interning with TNM.