Udupi: Man gets 20-year jail for sexual assault on minor girl

The Udupi district additional and sessions court (POCSO court) has sentenced a 32-year-old man to 20 years of rigorous imprisonment on charges of sexual assault on a minor girl in Kota police limits four years ago.

Judge Srinivasa Suvarna found A Ashok, resident of Balakudru in Brahmavar taluk of Udupi district, guilty of the crime based on evidence provided by the police and sentenced him to 20 years rigorous imprisonment besides slapping a fine of Rs 23,000 on him. According to the charge sheet, the man had befriended a 15-year-old minor girl and one day, on the pretext of dropping her off to school in his car forced himself on her and took her into a house of another accused. He sexually abused the minor girl and dropped her back home. He also threatened and warned her against disclosing the act to anyone.

The girl revealed the matter to family members, who lodged a complaint with the police. An investigation was conducted by the then Deputy SP Jaishankar, who submitted the charge sheet to the POCSO court.

The court directed that Rs 13,000 of the fine amount be paid to the victim. The court also directed the government to pay a compensation of Rs 1 lakh to the girl.

The court, however, acquitted the other accused in the case for want of evidence. Advocates Y T Raghavendra and Harishchandra appeared for the prosecution.