Padubidri: Court sentences accused to 10 yrs in prison in POCSO case

Udupi/Padubidri: The POCSO fast-track special court in the Udupi District Additional and Sessions Court on Saturday sentenced an accused in the POCSO case to 10 years imprisonment for sexually assaulting a girl four years ago.

Umesh Bangera (48), a resident of Hejamadi near Padubidri, was convicted of the crime.

According to police, Bangera was conducting Karate classes in Padubidri. In February 2020, he sexually assaulted a 12-year-old girl who attended the classes. He also threatened the girl not to tell anyone about this matter.

On September 27, 2020, Bangera called the girl’s mother asking her to send the girl to classes. However, the girl who was visibly upset refused to go to the classes. She later narrated her ordeal to her mother. Following this, a case was registered against Bangera at the Padubidri Police Station.

The then-Kapu Circle Inspector Mahesh Prasad conducted an investigation and filed a charge sheet against the accused.

After examining the witnesses and other evidence in the case, the court pronounced a guilty verdict against Bangera. Bangera was sentenced to 10 years imprisonment and a fine of Rs. 10,000 under the POCSO Act,  10 years imprisonment and Rs 10,000 fine for the charge of sexual assault, one-year imprisonment and Rs 1,000 fine for issuing death threats, one-year imprisonment and Rs 1,000 fine for physical sexual harassment.

Court ordered Rs 5,000 from the fines collected to be retained with the government and pay the rest of Rs 17,000 to the victim. The court also ordered the government to pay a compensation of Rs 1 lakh to the girl.

Special Government Prosecutor of Udupi POCSO Court Y.T. Raghavendra argued on behalf of the prosecution.