Belagavi: At a time when sexual offences against minor girls are rising in Belagavi city and the district, the Fast Track Special Court-I, headed by Additional District and Sessions Judge C M Pushpalatha, emerged a strong deterrent to such crimes.The court, which handles cases under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (Pocso) Act, delivered a series of powerful judgments that put Belagavi’s judiciary in the spotlight. Over the past two years, Judge Pushpalatha awarded the maximum punishments prescribed under law, ranging from death sentences and life imprisonment to up to 35 years of rigorous imprisonment, reflecting a clear zero-tolerance approach to crimes against children. Last month, the court sentenced self-styled seer Lokeshwar Swami, also known as Lokeshwar Sabanna Jambagi of Chittapur in Kalaburagi district, to 35 years of rigorous imprisonment for kidnapping and repeatedly raping a minor girl, a verdict that sparked wide public debate. In another gruesome case from Raibag taluk dating back to 2017, the court in Sept 2024 awarded the death penalty to Uddappa Ganiger for the rape and murder of a three-year-old girl, whose body was partially buried in a sugarcane field. The incident triggered massive protests in Belagavi. Death sentence was also pronounced in Sept 2025 against Bharatesh Mirji for the rape and murder of an eight-year-old girl from Raibag. Judge Pushpalatha has delivered around 73 verdicts in the last two years, many of them setting strong precedents. “I only did what is expected of me as a judge, but I am glad the public took note of these rulings,” the judge told TOI, stressing that preventing such crimes is not the responsibility of courts and police alone, but also of the public and the media. She also acknowledged the role of investigating officers, noting that judgments rest on the strength of evidence placed before the courts. City police commissioner Bhushan Borse said: “We are getting strong rulings from the Pocso Court. The verdicts are a beacon of hope.” Susheela, the coordinator of Spandana Sansthe, a child rights NGO, said improved reporting and strong prosecution in Belagavi, coupled with such judgments, helped instil fear of law in the minds of criminals.Public prosecutor LV Patil argued all the cases on behalf of the govt.
