Man marries and impregnates minor, sentenced to 10 years RI, Rs 6L relief to girl

According to special prosecutor L Srileka, the accused, Y Saleem (29), a resident of Purasawalkam, took the victim, then 16 years old, to Villupuram on September 10, 2017, and married her. Even four months before that, the accused repeatedly committed sexual assault on the victim and impregnated her, the prosecution said.

The prosecution contended that Saleem, who was the minor’s neighbour, had convinced her to have a sexual relationship with him so that her mother wouldn’t object to their affair. But she later got to know that he was married and had relationships with two other women.

“When the victim got pregnant, she informed Saleem and he took her to Villupuram to marry her. The duo was picked up by the police and the minor opted to go to children’s home and subsequently she went with her parents. But Saleem continued to threaten to post her photos on the internet if she didn’t go with him,” the prosecution said.

Delivering the verdict, Sessions Court Judge RN Manjula said, “The accused has been found guilty and convicted for charges under section 363 of IPC and section 6 of the Pocso Act, 2012.”

The court sentenced Saleem to undergo three years RI for the charges under section 363 and 10 years RI for charges under the Pocso Act. The sentences were ordered to run concurrently.