THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: A 34-year-old man was sentenced to life by the Special Fast-track Court here for raping his two-and-a-half-year-old daughter. The verdict was delivered by Judge R Jayakrishnan against Arun Kumar, a resident of Muttada.
The convict has also been ordered to pay a fine of Rs 50000 and defaulting on the payment will stretch his prison term by one more year. Special public prosecutor R S Vijaymohan said the incident pertaining to the case occurred in February 2018. The convict, the child, his wife and wife’s parents were staying together in their rented house.
The child, who used to sleep in between her parents, was sexually assaulted by the man. His wife had seen him assaulting the child on a few occasions, but she did not reveal it to anybody due to fear. On one occasion the child developed urinary infection and was taken to a government pediatrician, who noticed injuries in her private parts.
Noticing that the marks were suggestive of sexual assault, the child was referred to a gynecologist as well, who also concurred with the findings of the pediatrician. Based on their intimation, the Peroorkada police registered a case against the man under Pocso Act.
During the trial, the accused argued that he found his wife’s extramarital relationship and conveyed the matter to her parents and their church. The suspected paramour, meanwhile, by the neighbours when he came to the place on one of the occasions.
Thereafter the man committed suicide and his wife was angry over the development. She threatened him and fabricated a complaint with an intention to get even with him, he had argued in the court.
However, the court observed that the accused did not produce any evidence to corroborate his version and the statements of the girl’s mother were reliable. The prosecution, meanwhile, produced 13 witnesses and 17 documents to prove the case.
Turn of events
Though his wife had seen him assaulting the child on a few occasions, she did not reveal it due to fear.
Doctors concluded the child was sexually assaulted when she was brought to hospital after developing urinary infection