The Additional District and Sessions (PoCSO Act) Court in Kalaburagi has sentenced a 27-year-old married man to 35 years in jail for raping a minor girl after promising to marry her.
As per details provided by public prosecutor Shantaveer Tuppad, Mohammad Gous, a resident of Bhivandi in Thana district of Maharashtra, lured the girl with the promise of marriage and took her to his native place in Maharashtra and repeatedly raped her in October last year.
“The accused frequently visited the victim’s residence in Kalaburagi and told her that she is more beautiful than his wife. He told her that he loved her and that he will marry her after getting divorce from his wife. He also told her that he will end his life, if she refused to elope with him,” Mr. Tuppad said.
“He transferred ₹400 to the victim’s mobile phone for her travel. The victim, who was 17 years and six months old at the time, took a train to Kalyan in Maharashtra where she was received by the accused. The accused initially kept the girl at his mother’s place and raped her by promising that he will marry her. Later, the victim was rescued by the police,” Mr. Tuppad said.
Following a written complaint, a case was registered at the Raghavendra Nagar Police Station in Kalaburagi under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (PoCSO) Act and various sections of the Indian Penal Code (IPC).
Circle Inspector of Police Kuber Rayamane investigated the case and filed the charge-sheet confirming the crimes under PoCSO Act and other IPC sections.
After hearing both sides and examining witnesses and circumstantial evidence, judge Yamanappa Bammanagi found Mohammad Gous guilty of the crimes specified in the charge-sheet and on Thursday sentenced him to 35 years of imprisonment and imposed a fine of ₹20,000 under Section 6 of PoCSO Act.
The judge also pronounced other sentences to the convict under different IPC sections, including two-year imprisonment and a fine of ₹2,000 under Section 354d (stalking), five years of imprisonment and a fine of ₹6,000 under Section 363 (punishment for kidnapping) and one-year imprisonment and a fine of ₹1,000 under Section 343 (wrongful confinement for three or more days).
The court also ordered the District Legal Services Authority to pay a compensation of ₹5 lakh to the victim within a month of the pronouncement of the judgment.
Published – November 21, 2024 08:05 pm IST