POCSO Act convict gets 20 years RI for raping minor

An Additional District and Sessions Court (Special POCSO Act Court) has sentenced a 28-year-old man to 20 years rigorous imprisonment and imposed a fine of ₹2.50 lakh on him for raping a minor girl after issuing a threat to her life.

The convict, identified as Bhimashankar Hakki, a resident of Pala village in the taluk, is a repeat offender who previously served a prison sentence in connection with another case.

The incident occurred on June 20, 2025 when the convict took the victim, who is a distant relative, to his house.

He reportedly intimidated the girl by citing his criminal past, threatening her with dire consequences if she did not cooperate. Subsequently, he raped her.

The matter came to light after the victim narrated her ordeal to her family members.

Following this, a complaint was lodged at the University Police Station.

Inspector Sushil Kumar, who led the investigation, then filed the chargesheet in court.