Mysuru: City’s Additional District and Sessions FTSC-I (Special Court for trial of cases filed under POCSO ACT) has sentenced three persons including a woman to 20 years rigorous imprisonment besides imposing a fine of Rs. 10,000 each after they were found guilty of forcing minor girl into flesh trade.

Rekha, a resident of Chikkanahallipura in K.R. Pet taluk, Raghavendra of Srirangapatna and Umesh of Pura village are the three persons who were sentenced.

Other two accused in the case, Leelavathi and Lalitha, were released under Probation of Offenders (PO) ACT on condition that they will live as law abiding citizens in future. Among other accused, Girish is absconding and a separate case is already pending against him, Abhishek, Shivaramu and Siddarama have died during the period of trial.

On Aug. 10, 2020, Leelavathi, Siddaraju and Lalitha has forcefully got a 16-year-old minor girl marry one Abhishek at Sri Anjeyaswamy Temple at Hulivana village in Mandya district. Later, the girl left the home and took shelter with one Raghavendra, who later shifted her to the house of Rekha, who in turn kept the married minor girl at a rented house in Bhyraveshwara Nagar in Mysuru, where she pushed the minor girl into flesh trade and used to earn money.

After, some days Rekha and Girish sold the girl to one Umesh of Pura village for Rs. 4,000. Umesh, who took the girl to his farm house, sexually assaulted her and later housed her in a lodge and earned money by involving the minor girl in flesh trade.

Based on the complaint from the minor girl’s mother, Hebbal Police, who registered a case, transferred the case to city’s Women’s Police Station.

The then Inspector, who conducted an investigation, filed a case against nine persons and submitted a chargesheet to the Court.

Additional District and Sessions Judge FTSC-I (Special Court for trial of cases filed under POCSO ACT) Anand P. Hogade, who heard the arguments from both sides, found the three accused guilty and sentenced them to 20 years rigorous imprisonment.

Special Public Prosecutor K.B. Jayanthi argued on behalf of the Government.