A fast track court here on Friday sentenced a youth to rigorous imprisonment (RI) for 25 years after being found guilty of raping a minor girl on false pretext of marriage three years ago.
Thiruvananthapuram Fast Track Special Judge R. Jayakrishnan pronounced the verdict against Abdul Rehman (24) who hails from Beemapally and resides at Manickavilakom. He was found guilty under Section 6 (punishment for aggravated penetrative sexual assault) of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act under which he will have to pay a fine of ₹1 lakh in addition to undergoing the jail term. A default of the fine could lead to additional jail term for a year.
Though the accused was also found guilty of the offence punishable under Section 376 (2) (rape) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC), no separate sentence was awarded in accordance with the limit of punishment as laid down in Section 71 of the IPC and Section 42 of the POCSO Act.
According to the prosecution led by Special Public Prosecutor Vijay Mohan R.S., Abdul had raped the survivor who used to be his neighbour in multiple instances from July to December 2018 after promising to marry her.
Suicide threat
Their relationship came to a head after the mother of the accused engaged in an argument with the survivor, following which Abdul denied having any such link. However, he later had to come clean on their affair after the survivor threatened to commit suicide by jumping from the terrace of his building. He was subsequently arrested by the Poonthura police.
Advocate Poonthura Tharif B. defended the accused during the trial. Sixteen witnesses, 17 exhibits and three material objects were presented by the prosecution.
