A special court for the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act cases convicted 21 persons, including a suspended police inspector, for forcing a 13-year-old girl into prostitution and raping her.
On November, 10, 2020, the All Women Police registered a case based on the complaint of the victim's mother. The complainant alleged that one of her relatives had pushed the girl into prostitution. When she came to know about it, she rescued the girl with the help of the police.
On November 11, 2020, the police arrested eight persons namely Madhan Kumar, 38; his wife Shaitha Banu, 22; Selvi, 50; Sandhiya, 27; Maheswari, 30; Vanitha, 35; Vijaya, 45; and Karthik, 25. One of them had taken the girl on the pretext of employing her in their house and later they forced her into prostitution.
During investigation, the police learnt about other offenders in this crime, including Rajendran, a BJP functionary; Kameswara Rao; C. Pugazhenthi, police inspector of Ennore; and Vinobaji, a media person. Twenty two accused, including Pugazhenthi, were arrested and remanded in judicial custody. Mareeswaran, one of the accused, died during trial.
After completing the investigation, investigation officer S. Priyadharshini filed the chargesheet against 22 accused, including the suspended police inspector, under Section 6 (aggravated penetrative sexual assault) of Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act(POCSO) and Section 5(1)(a) (procures or attempts to procure a person whether with or without his consent, for the purpose of prostitution) of the Immoral Trafficking (Prevention) Act.
A police officer said: "The involvement of the accused was established through an identification parade, scientific evidence and statements of the witnesses. As many as 96 witnesses were cited in the 600-page chargesheet."
On Thursday, the accused were brought to the special court on the High Court premises amidst tight security from the Central Prison and produced before the court.
At the conclusion of trial, the special judge M. Rajalakshmi pronounced the verdict convicting the 21 accused. She said she would pronounce the sentences on the convicts on September 19.
