Additional District and Sessions Court (PoCSO) in Kalaburagi has sentenced S.K. Salim, a resident of Sonia Gandhi Colony in Kalaburagi, to 20 years imprisonment for repeatedly raping a minor girl on the promise of marrying her.
As per details shared by Shantaveer B. Tuppad, public prosecutor in the case, the accused lured the girl on the promise of marrying her and took her to multiple locations in Kalaburagi and Hyderabad and repeatedly raped her in March and April 2021.
He also tied a duplicate Mangalsutra to mislead his friends and relatives and used to stay in their places.
Following a written complaint, a case was registered against the accused at Chowk Police Station in Kalaburagi under Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (PoCSO) Act 2012, apart from various sections of the Indian Penal Code.
S.R. Naik, Circle Inspector of Police attached to Chowk Police Station, investigated the case and filed a charge-sheet confirming the allegation against the accused under Sections 363 (punishment for kidnapping), 366a (procuration of minor girl), 376(2)(n) (physical relations on the promise to marry) and 343 (wrongful confinement for three or more days) of IPC and Sections 5 and 6 of PoCSO Act 2012.
Additional District and Sessions Judge Yamanappa Bammanagai, who heard both sides and examined the evidence placed before him, held the accused guilty of the charge specified in the charge-sheet on April 29, 2023.
As per the judgment, the culprit is sentenced to 20 years of rigorous imprisonment and asked to pay a fine of ₹20,000 under Section 6 of the PoCSO Act. The judgment made it clear that failing to pay the fine amount will attract an extension of the imprisonment by six more months.
The guilty has also been sentenced to five years imprisonment and asked to pay a fine of ₹6,000 under IPC Section 363. Failure to pay the fine amount will result in extension of imprisonment for another three months.
The judge also ordered the District Legal Services Authority to pay a compensation of ₹4 lakh within one month of the order to the victim.