Tripura court sentences man to 20 years in jail for molesting 6-year-old girl in 2022

A court in Tripura's Unakoti district sentenced a man to 20 years of rigorous imprisonment for molesting a girl three years ago, a public prosecutor said on Sunday.

Special court judge Amarendra Kumar Singh also slapped a fine of Rs 15,000 on the convict and said he would be in jail for an additional three months for failing to pay the amount.

"A six-year-old girl of Unakoti district’s Madhya Nalakata, along with his grandfather, went to attend a religious programme at her relative's residence on April 9, 2022. A band member identified as Samar Sabdakar (26) took the minor to a room and molested her.

"Her relatives went to the room after the girl screamed for help and rescued the minor. The accused was caught when he was trying to flee the spot," Sanjib Debroy, an advocate of the prosecution side, told the reporters.

He said Pecharthal Police Station's investigating officer Dipesh Chandra Nath submitted a charge sheet against the accused after a thorough probe.

“After hearing the case, Special Judge, Unakoti district, Amarendra Kumar Singh on Saturday pronounced the verdict and sentenced the convict to 20 years of rigorous imprisonment. He imposed a fine of Rs 15,000, and if the convict fails to pay the amount, he will have to spend three more months in jail," Debroy said.

The prosecutor said that altogether 14 people turned up for deposition in the course of the trial, and the allegations against the accused were proved beyond any doubt. (PTI)