Auto driver convicted for kidnapping, raping minor girl

District Mahila Court Judge M.P. Subramanian awarded 10 years Rigorous Imprisonment (RI) to a 21-year-old autorickshaw driver of Anaimalai in the district on Tuesday for allegedly kidnapping and raping a minor girl in 2012.

Student

Public Prosecutor of the court P. Sarojini who argued for the victim said that the 15-year-old girl was a Class X student who was studying in a government school, at Anaimalai.

It is learnt that the girl went out of school during the break on March 30 in that year.

According to the prosecution, at that time, she was kidnapped by V. Boopathi (21) hailing from the same village in Anaimalai.

The Anaimalai Police registered a case under sections 366(A) (Procuration of a minor girl) and 376 (rape) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC), based on a police complaint that was lodged by the parents of the teenaged girl.

Ms. Sarojini said that inquiries revealed that the accused took her to a house at Melur, in Madurai.

Brought back

He had raped her there on several occasions before he brought her back to the village on May 10, 2012.

The police arrested the accused and released him on bail.

On Tuesday, the judge sentenced the accused to undergo to seven years rigorous imprisonment for the charges that had been proved against him under section 376 of Indian Penal Code (IPC) and three years rigorous imprisonment for the charges that had been proved under section 366(A) of the Indian Penal Code.

Mr. Subramanian imposed a fine of Rs. 7,000 on him and said that the jail term will be served concurrently.

Boopathi was lodged in the Coimbatore Central Prison on Tuesday.