The Additional District and Sessions Judge, Fast Track Sessions Court-2, Mangaluru, has convicted three persons on finding them guilty in a case of sexual assault of a minor girl. The convicts included the mother of the victim.
The judge, K.M. Radhakrishna, on Tuesday, sentenced Darvin alias Dervi D’Souza, 43, to 15 years rigorous imprisonment and fined him ₹50,000 on finding him guilty under Section 6 of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act. He was also sentenced to seven years and fined ₹25,000 for the offence punishable under Section 366 of the Indian Penal Code. D’Souza was also sentenced to two years for the offence punishable under Section 343 of IPC. All the sentences will run concurrently, the judge said.
The judge sentenced Leena Noronha, mother of the victim, to 14 years of rigorous imprisonment and fined her ₹25,000 for the offence punishable under Section 17 (abettment of sexual assault) of the POCSO Act.
The third accused, Melvin D’Souza, son of the late Kallist D’Souza, was sentenced to six months imprisonment and fined ₹30,000 for the offence punishable under Section 21 (failure to report or record a case) of the POCSO Act.
According to the chargesheet, the victim, aged 15, stayed with her mother in a house following the death of the latter’s husband.
Dervi D’Souza frequently visited the house and financially helped Leena. During his visits in 2016, he sexually assaulted the girl. When the victim reported it to her mother, the latter supported Dervi D’Souza and allowed the sexual assault.
Neighbours questioned the act and Dervi D’Souza moved the girl to the house of Melvin in May 2016 and continued to sexually assault the girl till December 17, 2016, when District Child Protection Unit personnel raided the house and rescued the girl.
Based on her statement, the Ullal police registered a case against the three accused persons. Then inspectors K.R. Gopikrishna and Savitru Tej investigated the case and filed the chargesheet.
Special Public Prosectuor Venkataramanaswamy examined a total of 20 witnesses.
The judge said of the fine amount ₹1 lakh has to be paid as compensation to the victim. He asked chairman of District Legal Services Authority to consider payment of compensation to the minor girl.
