Woman, her partner get 180-year jail term for assault of minor girl in Kerala

The second accused, the girl’s mother from Thiruvananthapuram, allegedly aided, abetted and encouraged the abuse.

A couple convicted for repeated sexual assault of a minor girl was sentenced with 180 years of imprisonment each by a Special Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) court in Kerala's Manjeri on Tuesday.

The couple has also been fined with ₹11.75 lakh each and failure to pay the fine would lead to an added prison sentence of 20 years.

The accused in the case was a woman, who reportedly had eloped with her lover and her 11-year-old daughter to Malappuram. The crime is said to have taken place between 2019 and 2021.

The couple has also been fined with ₹11.75 lakh each and failure to pay the fine would lead to an added prison sentence of 20 years, according to an ANI news agency report.

"Today, the court has convicted both of the accused - 180 years of rigourous imprisonment and ₹11.75 lakh," Special Public Prosecutor Somasundaram told the news agency.

What were the charges?

"This case was registered by Malappuram Police against the mother and her lover. Originally living in Thiruvananthapuram, the mother eloped with her lover and her 11-year-old daughter to Malappuram, where they resided in a rented cottage. There, with the aid and help of the mother, her lover sexually assaulted the little girl for two years, from 2019- 2021. He not only raped her, but also forced her into oral sex," Somasundaram said.

The verdict was given by Special POCSO Court Judge Ashraf AM under various sections of the Indian Penal Code (IPC), the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act, and the Juvenile Justice Act (JJ Act).

The prosecution said the girl’s stepfather intimidated her by claiming a hidden camera had been implanted in her head and that any attempt to reveal the abuse would be detected. She was also given alcohol before being assaulted.

Mother accused of aiding, abetting the abuse

According to the prosecution, the first accused, from Palakkad, repeatedly assaulted the child between 2019 and 2021 at rented houses in Anamangad and Vallikapatta.

The second accused, the girl’s mother from Thiruvananthapuram, is accused of aiding, abetting and encouraging the abuse.

The abuse began after the woman left her husband and started living with her partner in 2019.

“The two accused also committed sexual intercourse in the presence of the girl. They committed offences as per the POCSO Act, as well as the Juvenile Justice Act. The Court has now convicted both the accused to 180 years of rigorous imprisonment as well as ₹11.75 lakh as fine,” the Prosecutor said.

"If the accused submits the amount before the Court, it will be given to the minor child... They have been sent to 180 years of rigorous imprisonment, but they have to remain in jail for 40 years," Prosecutor added.

The case was investigated under multiple sections of the IPC, POCSO Act, and JJ Act. Razia Bangalath was the lead investigator while Special Public Prosecutor A Somasundaran represented the prosecution.

Both convicts have been ordered to be moved to Tavanur Jail to serve their sentences.