RAYAGADA: Additional District and Sessions Judge, Rayagada, Debdutta Dasmohapatra, on Monday sentenced M Uday Kumar, who was convicted for sexually harassing a school student, to life imprisonment. A fine of `3 lakh was also imposed on Uday and in case of non-payment, he will have to undergo another year of imprisonment.
The Judge pronounced the judgment after hearing 20 witnesses in the case, which had taken place 10 months back. Special Public Prosecutor Ch Srinivas said Uday was found guilty under Section 6 of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act and Section 75 of Juvenile Justice Act, 2015.
Uday, a computer teacher of Bachpan and Academic Heights Public School in Rayagada town, had sexually abused the eight-year-old boy of Class III for a period of six months last year.
The incident came to light when mother of the child lodged an FIR with the police against Uday and the school authorities.
In her complaint, she stated that her son was suffering from some skin disease. Though the boy was taken to several doctors in the town and provided medical treatment, the disease showed no sign of abating.
Finding no other way, the parents took their child to Visakhapatnam for treatment. The doctors of a private clinic there informed them that their son was suffering from skin infection which was generally caused by sexual contacts. When the shocked parents asked the child, he revealed that the computer teacher was sexually abusing him. The teacher had even warned the boy against disclosing the matter to anybody.
Subsequently, the parents had lodged a complaint with the Childline regarding the incident. After being directed by Childline officials, local centre coordinator Pratap Naik produced the boy along with his parents before the Child Welfare Committee (CWC) and also intimated the District Child Protection Unit. With the help of Childline officials, the parents lodged the complaint in Rayagada police station. A case of aggravated sexual exploitation under Sections 4 and 6 of the POCSO Act was registered.
The case was investigated by former IIC of Rayagada police station Rabindra Patra and SI Sankar Panda. The State Government had then given an ex gratia of `1 lakh and `25,000 was given by the district administration to the boy’s family.
CASE DIARY
Uday, a computer teacher of Bachpan and Academic Heights Public School in Rayagada town, had sexually abused an eight-year-old boy of Class III for a period of six months last year
The teacher had warned the boy against disclosing the sexual exploitation
Matter came to light when the boy was taken to hospital for treatment of skin infection, which is generally caused by sexual contacts