A special POCSO court in Thiruvananthapuram has sentenced Rajan (56), a native of Venganoor, to 43 years of rigorous imprisonment for sexually abusing a 12-year-old girl. The court also imposed a fine of Rs 40,000, failing which the convict will have to undergo an additional three months of imprisonment.
The verdict was pronounced by Special Court Judge Anju Meera Birla, who ordered that the fine amount, along with compensation from the Legal Services Authority, be paid to the survivor.
The incident occurred between September 30 and October 15, 2021, at a hostel in Thiruvananthapuram city, where the accused was employed as a cleaner. According to the prosecution, Rajan lured the minor into a bathroom by offering her sweets when no one else was present and molested her.
The survivor did not initially report the first incident due to threats issued by the accused. However, after a second incident, a person noticed the accused with the distressed child and raised suspicion. Upon questioning, the girl disclosed the abuse, bringing the crime to light.
Special Public Prosecutor R S Vijay Mohan represented the prosecution. During the trial, the prosecution examined 13 witnesses, submitted 34 documents, and produced five material objects as evidence, leading to the conviction.
