A fast-track court for trying POCSO cases convicted journalist Chandra K. Hemmadi of Kundapura, who was accused of sexually abusing 21 minor boys four years ago, for the offences and sentenced him to 10 years and three years imprisonment in two more cases respectively in Udupi on Friday, September 2.
Additional District and Sessions Judge Srinivas Suvarna, who is also the judge at the POCSO court, passed the orders of conviction and sentence.
Byndoor police had arrested Hemmadi on November 28, 2018 on charges of sexually abusing a 14 year-old boy after taking him into the forests on the pretext of showing him way to a waterfall in the month of June 2018. The then Circle Inspector of Police, Byndoor, Parameshwar R. Gunaga had filed the charge-sheet against Hemmadi before the court.
The Court had examined 14 out of 21 listed witnesses in the case. On the basis of the statement by the victim and circumstantial evidence, the judge imposed the sentence along with fine of ₹1,000. In another case of sexual abuse of a minor boy, the court sentenced Hemmadi to three years imprisonment. Special Public Prosecutor Y.T. Raghavendra had conducted the prosecution.
Hemmadi was accused of sexually assaulting boys after taking them into forests on the pretext of taking pictures for news reports. As many as 21 victims had lodged complaint against him. While 16 cases were registered against him in Byndoor police station, three in Gangolli police station and one each in Kundapura rural and Kollur stations were registered under the Protection of children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act, 2012.
Courts have convicted Hemmadi in 11 cases, acquitted in eight cases because of lack of evidence while trial was on in two cases.
