Kerala: Man Sent To 80 Years Of Imprisonment For Raping, Impregnating Wife's Minor Cousin

Pronouncing the verdict in a 2020 offence, a Kerala court sentenced a man to a total of 80 years jail term for raping and impregnating a 14-year-old teenage girl. The minor, a cousin of the convict's wife, was subjected to sexual abuse in 2020 by the convict.

Special Public Prosecutor (SSP) of Idukki Shijo Mon Joseph told the press that even though the pronounced jail term is 80 years the convict will only serve 20 the highest of the varying jail terms- as the sentences will run concurrently.

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Judge T G Varghese of the Idukki Fast Track Court has handed down varying jail terms to a man convicted of several offences, including penetrative sexual assault and aggravated penetrative sexual assault, under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act.

Additionally, the court imposed a fine of Rs 40,000 on the convict and instructed the District Legal Services Authority to provide Rs one lakh as compensation to the victim for her rehabilitation. The man committed the crime when his wife was not at home, and it only came to light after the pregnant girl gave birth, as stated by the Special Public Prosecutor (SPP).

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In the case filed by Rajakkad police, the prosecution presented 23 witnesses, 27 documents, and six exhibits during the trial.

According to a report of the Kerala State Commission for Protection of Child Rights, in 2022, more than 1,000 children in Kerala were sexually abused within their own homes.

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Out of the 4,582 registered child abuse cases in Kerala that year, 1,004 instances occurred within the residences of the victims or survivors. This constituted the highest number of child abuse cases, with 722 incidents taking place at the homes of the accused and 648 in public places.

The report indicated that in 462 instances, family members were the accused, while in 389 cases, the accused were relatives of the children. Additionally, the purported lovers were implicated in 801 cases.