KOTTAYAM: The two-and-half-decade-long Vithura sex racket case saw closure on Thursday with the special trial court sentencing the first accused to 24 years of rigorous imprisonment under various sections of the IPC.
The court also directed Suresh, a native of Kadakkal in Kollam, to pay Rs 1.09 lakh as penalty.
According to the court, the penalty amount is to be given to the victim. Suresh was sentenced to 10 years rigorous imprisonment under IPC 372 (selling minor for purposes of prostitution) and was asked to pay a penalty of Rs one lakh. Under IPC 344 (kidnapping, wrongful confinement for ten or more days), he was given two years RI and slapped a penalty of Rs 5,000. For operating a brothel, Suresh was sentenced to 12 years RI under two different sections of IPC.
The case involves Suresh luring the victim to his house promising a job and later using the minor girl for the sex trade in October 1995.
"The convict can serve all the sentences together," said the court. Also, he needs to serve only a total of 10 years of his sentence, added the court. The prosecution's claim that the victim was a minor at the time of the incident was accepted by the court which rejected the defence counsel's contention. The court found Suresh guilty of confining the victim illegally for 10 days and offering her to others besides running a brothel to facilitate these activities.
The special court also directed the state government to give an adequate amount as compensation to the victim. The compensation and rehabilitation of the victim are to be carried out under the aegis of the district legal services authority (DLSA). During the trial, the prosecution had pointed out to the court how the first accused didn't deserve any mercy. "The first accused had kidnapped, illegally confined and trafficked a minor," said the prosecution.
"The accused also had absconded after the police registered the sex racket case, only to surface when 20 other co-accused were let go by the trial court," pointed out the prosecution. According to the prosecution, the victim has been suffering from immense mental and physical trauma since 1996. A total of 24 cases had been registered in the case.
Meanwhile, presenting his case, Suresh told the court that he was responsible for many lives. He said he had married an orphan girl and has a 13-year-old daughter. He also told the court that he runs an orphanage in Tamil Nadu and the fate of the establishment is tied to his. He requested the court to consider these during the sentencing.Â