Chennai: A city Pocso court went beyond the call of handing down a long prison term, crafting a sentence that sought to protect a child long after the trial ended.While sending a 36-year-old man from Chennai to prison for 25 years for sexually assaulting his brother’s minor daughter, Judge S Padma also built in safeguards aimed at the girl’s future. She directed the govt to appoint a social activist to track her academic progress and well-being for the next five years so that she did not quietly drop out from school once the case faded from attention.The judge was equally cautious about money meant for the victim. Instead of releasing the 8 lakh compensation in a lump sum, the court ordered that only the monthly interest be paid to the child, noting the risk of the amount being absorbed into household expenses, as she has four sisters, said S Anitha, special public prosecutor.In July 2023, the man brought the girl, then a Class IX student, to Chennai after her parents, agricultural labourers from a village in Tiruvannamalai district, said they were unable to take care of her. After she moved into his house, he repeatedly assaulted her and threatened to kill her parents if she spoke about it.Nearly a year later, the girl complained of stomach ache. Her aunt took her to a hospital, suspecting an ulcer, but doctors found that she was eight months pregnant and alerted the police.During questioning by Koyambedu police, the uncle remained present. He scolded the girl for her ‘behaviour’, asking her to name the accused. Afraid of repercussions, she gave a false name, claiming the offender was her classmate’s brother.Investigators noticed the child’s discomfort in her uncle’s presence and questioned her separately, after which she disclosed the abuse, leading to his arrest.Doctors advised against termination due to the advanced pregnancy, and she delivered at a govt hospital a week before her Class X exams. The newborn was placed with the child welfare committee for adoption, and the girl returned to her native village with her parents.
