Kasaragod: The Hosdurg Fast Track Special Court sentenced a 47-year-old man to a total of 77 years in prison for sexually assaulting his niece, first when she was in class VI and again when she was in class X.

The special judge Suresh P M also imposed a fine of ₹2.09 lakh on the maternal uncle, with an additional two years and seven months, if the fine is not paid.

Special public prosecutor Gangadharan A said the crime came to light when the girl shared her ordeal with a family friend in September 2023. Then she was 14 years old, and in Class X. The friend alerted Childline, and Adhur police booked the uncle, a salesman in a grocery shop, under various sections of the Protection of Children against Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act and Indian Penal Code.

"The last assault happened in June 2023, three months before she mustered the courage to speak up. So all we had were her and her friend's statements," said Adv Gangadharan. He had threatened to kill her if she revealed the abuse, said the prosecution.

During the trial, the survivor's mother and maternal aunt turned hostile, he said. However, the court found the girl’s testimony credible and convicted the man on six counts of sexual assault and one count of criminal intimidation.

He was sentenced to two years each for sexual harassment and showing pornography to the girl, under Sections 354(A)(1) and 354(A)(1)(iii) of the IPC; and three years for criminal intimidation under section 506 (ii) of IPC; 20 years for rape of a girl below 16 years under Section 376 (3) of IPC; 10 years for penetrative sexual assault of a girl below 16 years under Sections 3 and 4 (2) of the POCSO Act; and 20 years each for aggravated and repeated penetrative sexual assault by a relative under Sections 5 (l), 5 (n) and 6 (1) of the POCSO Act.  

As the sentences will run concurrently, he will serve only 20 years in prison. The case was investigated by Adhur Inspector Anil Kumar A.