In three separate cases, the Second Additional District and Special Sessions Court in Kalaburagi has sentenced two men to life imprisonment and one to 10 years of rigorous imprisonment.
In the first case, Sadananda, of Sindagi taluk, had sexually assaulted a 14-year-girl on April 25, 2019. The accused had also illegally confined the girl on the promise of marriage and repeatedly raped her. D.B Patil, Circle Inspector of Police, Jewargi, investigated the case and filed a charge-sheet holding the accused guilty under various sections of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) and the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act, 2012.
After hearing both sides and examining the evidence, the judge upheld the charges and sentenced the accused to life imprisonment and imposed a fine of ₹1.2 lakh on him under Section 5 of the POCSO Act and Sections 376(2)(n), 366(a), and 506 of the IPC. A compensation of ₹5 lakh is to be paid to the victim.
In the second case, Ningappa Kauntagi, a resident of Jewargi taluk, had, with the help of his brother Arjun, lured a minor girl on the promise of marriage in December 2018. He later repeatedly raped the girl for a month.
After hearing the case, judge S. Gopalappa found Ningappa guilty under Section 376(2)(n)(i) and 366(a) of the IPC and the POCSO Act and sentenced him to life imprisonment. He also imposed on him a fine of ₹1 lakh.
In the third case, Viresh, a resident of Kalaburagi district, had abducted a minor girl in his motorcycle and sexually assaulted her in July 2018. The judge found him guilty and sentenced him to 10 years of rigorous imprisonment and imposed a fine of ₹50,000.
Special Public Prosecutor L.V. Chatnalkar argued for the State in all three cases.
