The Additional District and Sessions court here has awarded 142 years of rigorous imprisonment to a 41-year-old-man from Kaviyoor, who was found guilty of sexually assaulting a 10-year-old-girl.
The incident pertained to a case registered by the Thiruvalla police last year. The convict , who had been residing with the victim’s family, abused the girl on multiple occasions from April 20, 2019 to March 18, 2021.
Pronouncing the judgment here the other day, Justice Jayakumar John found the accused, a close relative of the victim, guilty under IPC section 506 (criminal intimidation) and various sections of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act.
As per the order, the convict should undergo thirty years of imprisonment under the sections 3, 5(i), 5 (n), 5(m) of POCSO Act, besides five years each under POCSO Act 7, 9(i), 9(m) and 9 (n). Alongside the jail term, a fine of ₹5 lakh has been imposed on the accused.
The convict shall serve an additional term of three years in case he defaults on the fine, as per the order.
Considering the case, the judge found the crime committed against a child under 12 years of age to be very serious and hence awarded a record term of 142 years.
