5 UP men get life term, additional 40 yrs in jail for raping minor in Kerala

A court in Kochi on Monday sentenced five men from Uttar Pradesh to life imprisonment and an additional 40 years in prison for the sexual assault of a 14-year-old girl from Kerala five years ago, police said.

Perumbavoor Fast Track (POCSO) special court judge Dinesh M Pillai found Farhad Khan, Haroon Khan, Ashu, Faim and Shahid guilty in the case.

The accused, who were migrant workers residing near the victim's home, were involved in the crime that occurred in 2020.

During the Covid-19 pandemic, the accused enticed the girl, who was fluent in Hindi, with the promise of a SIM card.

They then took her to various locations, both individually and in groups, where they subjected her to sexual assault, police added.

Haroon Khan was awarded a sentence of 40 years of rigorous imprisonment along with a fine of Rs 50,000 in one case.

Farhad Khan was acquitted in one case but was sentenced to life imprisonment, 60 years of rigorous imprisonment, and a fine of Rs 1.5 lakh in two other cases.

Shahid Khan was sentenced to life imprisonment, 20 years of rigorous imprisonment, and a fine of Rs 75,000 in one case.

Ashu was sentenced to 40 years of rigorous imprisonment and a fine of Rs 50,000 in one case.

Fayeem received a sentence of double life imprisonment, 20 years of rigorous imprisonment, and a fine of Rs 1.5 lakh in two cases.

Following the filing of the case at Eloor Police Station in 2020, a police team conducted an investigation, leading to the arrest of four suspects and the submission of a charge sheet.

After the reorganisation of police sub-divisions, Thrikkakara assistant police commissioner Baby P V took over the investigation, police said.

In 2021, Ashu and Fayeem were apprehended in Uttar Pradesh and subsequently presented in court.

Under the oversight of Thrikkakara ACP, the investigation was completed, resulting in the submission of eight separate charge sheets against six accused persons. Of these, five of the accused were convicted after the trial concluded for five of the charge sheets.

The court directed them to hand over the compensation to the victim, the police said.