Chennai: A 26-year-old youth has been sentenced to undergo 10 years of rigorous imprisonment by the special court for cases under Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act (Pocso Act), 2012, on a charge of sexually assaulting an 8-year-old girl three years ago.
Special sessions judge R. Kalaimathi has also directed the State government to provide a compensation of Rs 25,000 to the minor girl.
R. Prakash, 26, staying opposite her house, used to harass the girl and wanted to take her to a secluded place. He also used to offer her chocolate. She persistently refused to go along with him.
On November 10, 2013, at 5.30 pm Prakash took the girl to his house located on the first floor in the pretext of teaching her how to perform ‘balti’ game (somersault). He sexually abused her in the house.
Next day, her mother came to know about the incident and immediately lodged a complaint with all women police station, T. Nagar. The police registered a case against him under section 6 of Pocso Act and section 506 (ii) of IPC and arrested him.
On completion of the trial, the special judge for cases under Pocso Act, R. Kalaimathi said: “in sexual offence cases against the girl child, in almost all the cases, offences are committed in a secluded place”. Therefore, only based on the evidence of the victim, the case has to be decided.
The special judge said the victim’s evidence is found to bear the impress of the truth. She gave the evidence with spontaneity and evidence was unpolluted. The incidents narrated by the victim certainly comes under the sexual offence. She said normally sexual offences committed are cases of perverse lust for sex.
These cases are committed against humanity as a whole. The accused with a corrupt mind took the girl to a separate place.
The special judge said the accused is not even morally entitled to any leniency and should be dealt with an iron hand as per the opinion of the Supreme Court.
In order to have a deterrent effect, the punishment should be severe. The special judge sentenced him to undergo RI for 10 years and slapped him with a fine of Rs 5,000. The judge also directed the state government to provide a compensation of Rs 25,000 to the victim.
