Man gets 20-year jail for sexual assault on minor girl in Karnataka

A man was sentenced to 20 years for sexual assault on a minor girl in Udupi, Karnataka.

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.

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. (Shutterstock)

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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 ₹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.

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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 ₹13,000 of the fine amount be paid to the victim. The court also directed the government to pay a compensation of ₹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.