54-year-old gets 5-year RI for sexual assault

CHENNAI: A year after a car driver, aged 54, was arrested under POCSO Act for sexually assaulting a minor girl in the city, a Mahila court has sentenced him to undergo five years rigorous imprisonment and also imposed a fine of `4000 on him. Considering victim’s physical and mental health, the court awarded `25000 to be paid as compensation by State government from Victim Compensation Fund.

According to Special Public Prosecutor L Srilekha, Ganesan was the driver of the 11-year-old victim’s neighbour and was always seen waiting close to her house. The incident occurred on May 23, 2018. Vadapalani All Women Police investigated the case.

Denying the allegations, defence counsel submitted that the FIR was fabricated. The victim’s  family had language problems and it was somebody at the police station who wrote the complaint.
Judge RN Manjula observed that the accused took advantage of the victim’s innocence and behaved in a perverted manner, which cannot be taken leniently.

Man surrenders in friend’s murder case
Chennai: A day after a 19-year-old polytechnic student was allegedly shot dead by his friend in a quarrel  Thalambur in Kancheepuram district, suspect surrendered before a court in Chengalpet on Wednesday. Vijay (20), was on the run after he shot Mukesh (19) with a country-made gun. Magistrate Gayathri Devi remanded him in judicial custody for 15 days. 

Sasikala’s ‘assets’ worth `1,600 crore attached
Chennai: Income-Tax Department has attached “benami” assets worth around `1,600 crore belonging to VK Sasikala, an aide of former CM J Jayalalithaa, officials said on Tuesday. These include two malls, a beach resort, a paper mill and a sugar factory among others, I-T sources said. They were procured soon after demonetisation in November 2016, the sources said.