Malappuram: A special POCSO (Protection of Children from Sexual Offences) court in Manjeri has sentenced a 53-year-old man to 97 years of rigorous imprisonment and imposed a fine of ₹7.75 lakh for sexually assaulting an eight-year-old girl. Special POCSO Judge AM Ashraf delivered the verdict.

According to the prosecution, the offence took place on March 31, 2024, when the man lured the girl, who is his relative, into a bedroom in her house and subjected her to sexual abuse. The terrified victim revealed the incident to her mother only after four days. The mother alerted Childline, and on April 8, the Vazhakad police recorded the girl’s statement. The accused was arrested the following day.

He was slapped with sections 3(d), 5(m), and 5(n) of the POCSO Act and was awarded 30 years of rigorous imprisonment and a fine of ₹2 lakh under each section, with an additional three months’ imprisonment in case of default.

In addition, the court imposed a two-year rigorous imprisonment and a fine of ₹25,000 under Section 354 of the Indian Penal Code for outraging the modesty of the child, as well as a two-year rigorous imprisonment and a fine of ₹1 lakh under the Juvenile Justice Act. Non-payment of fines will attract an additional month’s imprisonment for each charge.

The judge ruled that all the prison terms may run concurrently and that the time already spent in remand will be counted towards the sentence. The fine, if paid, must be handed over to the survivor, and the District Legal Services Authority was instructed to ensure compensation is provided from the government’s victim compensation fund.

The case was investigated by then Vazhakad Police Inspector K Rajanbabu. Special Public Prosecutor Adv. A Somasundaran examined 17 witnesses and submitted 27 documents in court, with ASI N Salma from the Prosecution Liaison Wing assisting the proceedings.