A 32-year-oldmanwas on Wednesdaysentencedto undergolifeimprisonment for marrying a minor girl and sexually assaulting her.
The prosecution case is that S. Sethu of Belur in Valapadi befriended the 17-year-old girl and lured her into marriage. On May 22, 2015, he married her and committed the crime. The victim’s father lodged a complaint with the Kitchipalayam police who registered a case under Sections 363 (kidnapping), 366 (a) (inducing woman to compel her marriage) of IPC and Section 9 (marrying a child) of The Prohibition of Child Marriage Act, 2008 and Section 6 of Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act, 2012. The girl was rescued and Sethu was arrested and lodged at prison.
The case was on trial at the Special Court for Trial of cases under POCSO Act, 2012. Judge S. Muruganantham found him guilty andsentencedhim to undergosix years for kidnapping and inducing her of marriage, three years for marrying minor girl and life imprisonment for sexual assault. The judge also imposed a total fine of ₹ 30,000.The judge ordered sentences to runconcurrently.Public Prosecutor Sudha appeared in the case.
