CHENNAI: A special Pocso Court in Tiruvallur on Friday (April 10) sentenced a 36-year-old man to double life imprisonment for sexually assaulting two minor girls living under the same roof, his biological daughter and his partner’s daughter from a previous marriage.
According to police, the accused, a resident near Avadi, had repeatedly assaulted the girls, aged 16 and 13, at his residence. The assault came to light after the victims confided in their mother, who had separated from her previous husband before moving in with the accused. She subsequently lodged a complaint with the Avadi All-Women Police Station (AWPS).
Police registered a case under Sections 366 and 506(i) of the IPC and Sections 5(l), 5(n) read with 6(1), and 9(l), 9(n) read with 10 of the Pocso Act.
The accused was arrested and remanded to Puzhal Prison in 2019, and remained in custody while the trial progressed over the years.
On Friday, Special Public Prosecutor Bhuvaneswari argued the case before Judge Umamaheswari of the special Pocso court in Tiruvallur. The court convicted the accused on all counts, awarding double life imprisonment and imposing a total fine of `1.14 lakh for assaulting the minor girls.
The court also directed the government to provide `5 lakh each as compensation to the survivors. Of this, `35,000 has already been disbursed as an interim relief, with the remaining `4.65 lakh to follow, police said.