Thiruvananthapuram: A Fast Track Special Court here on Tuesday sentenced a 40-year-old man to 83 years of rigorous imprisonment for sexually assaulting his niece. Judge Anju Meera Birla also imposed a fine of ₹1 lakh. If the accused fails to pay the fine, he must undergo an additional four years of imprisonment. The court directed that the fine amount, along with compensation from the Legal Services Authority, be handed over to the survivor.

The incident took place in April 2021 when the survivor, the daughter of the accused's sister-in-law, was staying at his residence while his wife was admitted to a hospital for childbirth. The accused assaulted the survivor, who was sleeping alongside his own daughter.

Later, the accused sent his daughter away while she was playing with the survivor and sexually assaulted her again. The abuse came to light during a counselling session at the survivor's school. 

Special Public Prosecutor Adv R S Vijay Mohan represented the case. The investigation was led by Medical College CI P Harilal and Sub Inspector Priya A L. The prosecution examined 13 witnesses and produced 17 documentary exhibits to secure the conviction.