The Thiruvananthapuram Fast Track Special Court sentenced two persons to imprisonment for molesting children in separate cases.
Special Judge Rekha R. pronounced the judgments in both cases that were registered by Mannanthala and Nedumangad police. The prosecution was led by special public prosecutor Vijay Mohan R.S.
In the first case, Rajesh Rajan, 38, of Vattappara, was sentenced to seven years of simple imprisonment and imposed a total fine of ₹20,000 for molesting a 13-year old girl at Maruthoor on November 25, 2022. He was found guilty under Sections 8 (sexual assault) and 12 (sexual harassment) of Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act (POCSO), and Section 354 (assault or criminal force to woman with intent to outrage her modesty) of the Indian Penal Code
The accused outraged the modesty of the survivor, a Class VIII student, and hurled sexually explicit remarks at her while she was on her way to her home from school. A case was registered the next day on the basis of her complaint. The Vattappara police had arrested the accused on the same day for allegedly harassing a woman.
Second case
In another case, Ashraf Yousaf, 52, of Karakulam, was sentenced to simple imprisonment for four years and imposed a total fine of ₹15000 for molesting a child after trespassing into her house.
He was found guilty under Section 8 of POCSO Act, Sections 354A(2) (sexual harassment) and Section 451 (house trespass) of IPC.
According to the prosecution, the accused trespassed into the house of the child with the intention to assault her and hid himself in the corridor leading to the kitchen. He caught hold of the survivor’s hand with sexual intent soon after she came out of a bathroom. He ran away after the child screamed for help. He had also flashed at the child a day prior to the incident.
He threatened the survivor to change her statement shortly after the Nedumangad police had registered a case.
