Vijayawada: A teacher was sentenced to seven-year jail term for sexually abusing four minor girls.
A special bench in Vijayawada ACB court which deals with the cases registered under under Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act (POCSO) pronounced judgment on Monday.
The incident happened in September 2015. The convict Poranki Yati Rama Varma, 51, who belongs to Srinagar Colony, Vuyyuru, was working as a headmaster at Mudirajupalem primary school in Pamidimukkala mandal.
Mr. Varma used to lure the children by offering chocolates and pencils and then taking to his room, he used to commit the heinous act. He also used to threaten the students not to tell anyone about it.
The incident came to light when another student saw him misbehaving with girl students and informed their parents on September 8, 2015.
On receiving the complaint from the parents, the police booked a case and arrested Mr. Varma. He remained in jail since then and the court rejected his repeated bail pleas.
On Monday, after hearing the entire matter, the ACB court convicted Mr. Varma and sentenced him to 7-year rigorous punishment, apart from imposing a penalty of '9 lakh.
The court ordered the concerned department to see the penal amount be given to the four victims, Rs 1.75 lakh each for their studies. Further, the court said in its order that the penalty amount should be paid by September 30.
