Chamarajanagar: The Principal District and Sessions Court has sentenced a youth to 20 years rigorous imprisonment for sexually assaulting a minor girl and has also sentenced a woman to five years jail for helping him.

The youth, who has been convicted is 21-year-old Chandru alias Chandrashekar of Chamarajanagar and the woman, who has been sent to jail for helping him is Mahadevamma.

Chandru, who was said to be in love with the girl, used to follow her daily and had assured of marrying her. On July 11, 2018, Chandru, who lured the girl in the pretext of marrying her, took her to the house of Mahadevamma at a village in the taluk and had made her to stay there. Though Mahadevamma knew that the girl was a minor, she kept the girl in her house from July 11 to 16 during which Chandru sexually assaulted the girl. 

Meanwhile, the girl’s mother had lodged a complaint with the Police and the then Chamarajanagar Inspector Mahadevaiah, who had registered a case under various sections of the IPC and POCSO Act, conducted investigation and had submitted a charge-sheet to the Court.

Principal District and Sessions Court Judge Sadashiva S. Sultanpuri, who took up the case for hearing, heard the arguments from both sides, found Chandru and Mahadevamma guilty of the crime and sentenced them.

While Chandru was awarded 20 years rigorous imprisonment and a fine of Rs. 6.25 lakh, Mahadevamma was sentenced to five years jail and a fine of Rs. 2 lakh was imposed on her. The Judge also ordered the District Legal Services Authority (DLSA) to provide a compensation of Rs. 7.5 lakh to the girl. Public Prosecutor K. Yogesh argued on behalf of the Government.