Teacher gets 20-year jail for raping minor

VISAKHAPATNAM: Special POCSO court in Vizianagaram has sentenced a 35-year-old man to undergo 20-year rigorous imprisonment for raping and impregnating a 16-year-old Class X student.

The victim took tuitions from Karu Chinna Rao in 2020 and 2021 in a village under Gantyada police station limits of Vizianagaram district. Chinna Rao often touched her inappropriately. He later sexually harassed her on the pretext of special classes. He subsequently raped and threatened to beat her up if she told anyone about the rape.

The girl remained mum. In September 2021, her parents and family members took her to a hospital, as she had not been feeling well. When doctors diagnosed her as pregnant, she revealed her ordeal to her family.

Following a complaint, Gantyada police booked a case against the tutor in September 2021. They arrested him on September 23, 2021. The then DSP of Disha police T Trinadh investigated the case and filed a charge sheet.

A special POCSO Court judge found the accused guilty, sentenced him to 20 years of rigorous imprisonment and slapped a fine of ₹18,000, said special public prosecutor M. Sankara Rao.

The court recommended that in accordance with provisions of Section 33 (8) of the POCSO Act read with Rule 7, District Legal Services Authority give ₹5 lakhs to the victim under the Victim Compensation Scheme.