A man in Thiruvananthapuram has been sentenced to seven years of rigorous imprisonment for sexually abusing a 14-year-old autistic boy ten years ago. Vimal Kumar, a private bus driver, was accused of forcibly taking the boy into his bus and subjecting him to unnatural sex. The incident took place late at night when the boy was dumping household waste in a bin. Kumar warned the boy against telling anyone before releasing him. However, when the boy exhibited signs of panic later that night, his parents coaxed the truth out of him. The case was registered under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act, 2012. During the trial, 13 witnesses were cross-examined, and 17 documents were submitted. The special public prosecutor R S Vijayamohan appeared for the prosecution. The accused had absconded during the trial but was quickly nabbed by the police. The judge imposed a fine of Rs 25,000, which, if not paid, would attract another year of rigorous imprisonment.
‘The court has given a strong message through this verdict, and it should serve as a warning to anyone who thinks they can get away with such heinous crimes,’ said a spokesperson from the Child Welfare Committee. ‘We must ensure that such cases are dealt with swiftly, and the victims are given the justice they deserve.’
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