Man receives double life sentence for repeatedly raping partner’s granddaughters in TVM

Thiruvananthapuram: A Fast Track Special Court (POCSO) on Wednesday sentenced a man to double life imprisonment for repeatedly molesting his live-in partner’s minor granddaughter. Judge Rekha R also imposed a fine of Rs 60,000 on the 68-year-old suspect.

According to the prosecution, the man sexually assaulted the then six-year-old girl and her elder sister – who was nine years old – several times from September 2020 to November 2021 at their grandmother’s rental properties in Varikkamukku and Murukkumpuzha here.

The court in its judgment noted that the survivor and her elder sister were in a home because of the heinous crime committed against them by the accused. It went on to say that he “shattered their childhood” and “put them in extreme misery and deplorable conditions while their mother was abroad”.

“Due to the heinous crime committed by the suspect, the children have lost the company of their grandmother. Considering the heinous acts committed by the suspect against the survivor, who was at her young age, the age of the suspect cannot be considered a mitigating factor. This court firmly believes that the iron hands of the law should bind the accused, and maximum sentences should be imposed to deter potential offenders from committing similar crimes and to send a strong message to the society “, the court said.

The court has ruled that if the amount is recovered from the convict, it must be paid to the surviving spouse as compensation. It was also said that the life terms will run concurrently. The prosecutor said that in addition to assaulting the minors on several days during the same period, the man also showed pornographic videos. Their mother was abroad during this period, the prosecutor said. The court will deliver a separate verdict on November 5 in the case of molestation of the eldest child by the accused, PTI reported.