Kannur: A fast-track court in Taliparamba on Thursday sentenced a 77-year-old unlicensed homoeopathy practitioner to 36 years in prison on six counts of sexually assaulting his seven-year-old granddaughter.

Last month, the same man received a 20-year sentence from a Kannur court for aggravated sexual assault of the girl's eight-year-old elder sister.

Taliparamba police registered a third case against the elderly man for sexually assaulting the sisters' eight-year-old cousin, but the case collapsed when the girl turned hostile. Yet, during her cousin's Taliparamba court hearing, the same girl, who had retracted her own allegations, testified she did not want her grandfather in her house after the case, said public prosecutor Adv Sherymol Jose. "Her statement was crucial for today's conviction because she was an eyewitness to his crimes,” the prosecutor said.

The assaults occurred in Taliparamba municipality between May 5 and June 8, 2023, Adv Sherymol said.

The elderly man, also a security guard at a local business, lived with his two sons in two neighbouring houses. They are daily labourers. The victims are his sons' daughters. He also has a daughter.

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On May 5, 2023, he allegedly touched the three girls' private parts and forced them to touch him. On June 8, 2023, he assaulted the seven-year-old again, the prosecution said.

The next day, the seven-year-old told her mother, who, in a rage, struck the grandfather's head with firewood. "It was a serious assault as he suffered deep injuries," said Adv Sherymol. Taliparamba police booked the mother under Section 326 of IPC for causing grievous injury with dangerous weapons or means, which attracts punishment of life imprisonment or up to 10 years in prison.

The attack, however, exposed his crimes, prompting Taliparamba police to register three FIRs based on the girls' statements.

Sub-Inspector Yadukrishnan P arrested the man and launched an investigation. Weeks later, the court granted him bail, but he was not allowed to visit or live in his sons' houses. "So he moved to his daughter's house around 20 km away," said Adv Sherymol.

Taliparamba inspector Dinesh A P completed the investigation and submitted the charge sheet.

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However, during the trial, the eight-year-old daughter of his second son turned hostile, possibly under parental pressure and the case collapsed.

The girl would not even speak in the presence of her parents. Let alone testify in court for her cousin. "But when I privately asked her if she would like her grandfather in her house after the trial, she said no. I asked her to tell this much in the court and she agreed," said Adv Sherymol. The seven-year-old survivor and her sister were also key witnesses.

Judge R Rajesh of Taliparamba's fast-track court sentenced the man to: three years for insulting a woman’s modesty (Section 509, IPC); three years for inappropriate touching (Sections 7 and 8, POCSO Act); seven years each for repeated aggravated sexual assault, assaulting a child under 12, seven years as a relative, and four years for abusing a position of trust (Sections 9 (l), (m), (n), and (p), POCSO Act).

As the sentences run concurrently, he faces only seven years in prison. The elder sister's case also carries a maximum of seven years.

Lawyers note his sentence may be suspended if he appeals to the high court, as the effective term is seven years. "The high court has not yet started hearing appeals under the POCSO Act. So if he gets bail, he will be out for some time," said a lawyer familiar with child sex crime cases.

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