Daijiworld Media Network - Puttur (SP)

Puttur, Nov 29: The fifth additional district and sessions court here has awarded ten years jail term to a person accused of committing offences under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences
(POCSO) Act.

Judge of the court, Rudolph Pereira, who held the accused, Rajesh Poojary (28) from Shambhuga in Mani village, Bantwal taluk, guilty of the charges, sentenced him to ten years of rigorous imprisonment apart from levying fine of Rs 20,000. Poojary was accused of escorting a minor girl to Bengaluru by offering to get her a job and clothes there. He kept her in a room and raped her forcibly and repeatedly, it was alleged.

Puttur police who registered the complaint, had located the location of Poojary at Bengaluru through his mobile phone. They conducted an operation and found that the accused was with the minor girl in a room. He was produced in the court. Police inspector B K Manjayya, had conducted probe and filed charge sheet in the court. The case was being heard in the second additional district and sessions court at Mangaluru before being transferred to Puttur court recently.

Public prosecutor, Pushparaj Adyantaya, had listed 25 witnesses out of which 18 were examined. The court upheld his arguments and found the accused guilty.