KASARAGOD: An Islamic school teacher has been sentenced to 20 years of rigorous imprisonment for sexually assaulting a 11-year-old male student.
Additional sessions court (I) judge T K Nirmala found Abdul Haneefa Madhani, 41, guilty on two counts -- aggravated sexual assault by a teacher under Section 5 of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (Pocso) Act, 2012, and forced sodomy under Section 377 of the Indian Penal Code.
Public prosecutor (Pocso cases) Prakash Ammannaya said Madhani was sentenced to 20 years of RI under Section 6 of the Pocso Act and another 10 years of RI under Section 377 of the IPC. Both the sentences would run concurrently.
The court also slapped a fine of Rs 50,000 each under the two sections. If he did not pay the fine, he will have to serve an extra 12 months (six months each) in prison, said the prosecutor.
According to the prosecution, the victim was sexually assaulted several times. "The last time he was assaulted was on May 31, 2016," said Ammannaya.
The Ambalathara police registered a case and arrested Madhani but he was released on bail. After the court found him guilty, he was arrested.