Koppal: Kumar DK, judge of the Koppal additional district and sessions, and fast track court (Pocso), sentenced an accused to 20 years in prison along with a fine of Rs 30,000 for the kidnap and rape of a minor girl.The accused, Shivanand Kadi from the city, proposed marriage to the minor girl’s father. However, the father refused as his daughter was not of legal marriage age.On Feb 17, 2022, while the girl was near the PU College for Girls in the city, the accused forcibly abducted her in a vehicle. He took her to his relatives’ residence in Narayanpur village, in the Jewargi taluk of Kalaburagi district, where he lived with her, falsely asserting that they were married and that they would stay there temporarily before returning to their hometown after securing employment.During this time, despite the girl’s attempts to resist, he raped her multiple times and threatened her life to ensure she remained silent, it was alleged. Following the abduction, the girl’s father complained about the accused at Koppal Women’s police station. PI CB Chikkodi, PSI Yallappa, along with head constable Sharanappa and Hanumanthagouda, carried out the investigation.The verdict was delivered on Sept 8 after the prosecution established the charges against the accused. According to a statement from the Special Public Prosecutor’s Office, special public prosecutor (Pocso) Gouramma Desai represented the govt in this case.
