With the connivance of his mother-in-law, a young man sexually exploited a minor girl, sentenced to 27 years

Thrissur: A court sentenced a youth to 27 years of rigorous imprisonment and imposed a fine of Rs 2 lakh on him for sexually exploiting a minor girl in connivance with his mother-in-law. Mulayam Koottala Arun (32) of Kochuparambil and his mother-in-law Sharmila (48) of Mandamangalam Muzhimala were convicted in the POCSO case. If he does not pay the fine, he will have to serve additional three months of jail sentence. The quantum of punishment was pronounced by the fast track special POCSO court in Thrissur.

Arun sexually assaulted the girl at his relative’s house. He was forced to drink alcohol. Sharmila supported him in this work. The case was registered by Mannuthi police.
Meanwhile, the court sentenced a former priest of Krishna Swamy temple in Subhash Nagar to eight years of rigorous imprisonment for trying to sexually assault a Class X girl visiting the temple. A fine of Rs 35 thousand was also imposed. POCSO court judge M P Shibu convicted Maniyappan Pillai (55) of Balaramapuram Kallummudu Lalitha Bhavan, who now lives in Peringamala Karthika Bhavan.

He then took her to his room in the temple and tried to rape her. She ran outside screaming in fear. The incident happened in 2020. The court accepted the prosecution’s argument that an accused who tried to abuse the girl was not entitled to any pardon. Special Public Prosecutor Kattaikonam JK Ajith Prasad appeared for the prosecution.