Kalaburagi: Two POCSO offenders get 20-year jail terms in two separate cases

In a series of strict judgments delivered over two consecutive days, the Additional District and Sessions (Special) Court in Kalaburagi has sentenced two young men to 20 years of rigorous imprisonment in separate cases of minor rape and abduction. Justice Mohammad Mujeer Ulla C.G., presiding over both cases, underscored the judiciary’s commitment to child safety by imposing heavy fines and ordering significant compensation for the survivors.

The first verdict, delivered on February 20, concerned 21-year-old tractor driver Satish, a resident of Kurikota. The prosecution, led by Special Public Prosecutor Shanthaveera B. Thuppad, detailed how the accused exploited a “brother-sister” bond to manipulate a minor girl working in the same fields. After an initial assault incident in March 2024, the accused abducted the girl in May 2024, taking her as far as Pune. There, he misrepresented her as his wife while continuing the abuse in a makeshift shed, said Police Inspector Daulat N.K. of Mudhola Police Station.

The court found Satish guilty under several provisions of the law. He was sentenced to 20 years of imprisonment and a fine of ₹1,00,000 under Section 6 of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act. Additionally, he received two years and a fine of ₹50,000 under Section 363 of the IPC (kidnapping), six months and a fine of ₹10,000 under Section 354(D) of the IPC (stalking), and one month with a ₹500 fine under Section 342 of the IPC (wrongful confinement). The judge also directed the District Legal Services Authority to pay a compensation of ₹2,50,000 to the survivor within one month.

On February 21, the same court delivered a second 20-year sentence to Devaraja, 20, a resident of Bidaracheda. The case involved the abduction of a minor from the Mudhola police limits in April 2025. Despite prior warnings from village elders to stay away from the victim, the accused kidnapped her and subjected her to sexual violence in a field near the Mudhola-Kodangal road and subsequently in Hyderabad. The case was investigated by Circle Police Inspector V. Narayana of Mahagaon Police Station.

Devaraja was convicted under the recently implemented Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita alongside the POCSO Act. He was sentenced to 20 years of rigorous imprisonment and was slapped with a fine of ₹1,00,000 under Section 6 of the POCSO Act. He was also sentenced to two years in prison and slapped with a fine of ₹50,000 under Section 137(2) of the BNS (kidnapping). The court also directed the District Legal Services Authority to pay a compensation of ₹3,00,000 to the victim within one month.

In both instances, the Special Public Prosecutor successfully argued that the evidence presented, ranging from medical reports to eyewitness accounts of the abductions, proved the guilt of the accused beyond reasonable doubt.