The Special Fast Track Mahila Court in Udhagamandalam on Monday sentenced a 48-year-old man to life in prison for sexually assaulting and marrying a minor girl at Gudalur in the Nilgiris in 2021.
According to P. Senthil Kumar, Special Public Prosecutor (Ooty Mahila Court), Ramanathan from Ramanathapuram had struck up a relationship with the victim over phone during lockdown. He had then visited the victim at her home and convinced her mother, who was named as Accused No. 2 in the case, to stay in their home.
It was alleged that when the victim’s mother left for work on May 19, 2021, that Ramanathan had sexually assaulted the victim. A few months later, when it came to her notice that the victim was pregnant, her own mother arranged for her to marry Ramanathan at their house.
When the incident came to light, child welfare officials registered a complaint with the Gudalur All Woman Police Station, who charged Ramanathan under various Sections of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act and the Child Marriage Act, 1929.
On Tuesday, Mahila Court judge M. Senthil Kumar sentenced Ramanathan to life in prison after charges of sexual assault were proven against him. He was also sentenced to two years in prison for offences committed violating the Child Marriage Act, and fined a cumulative amount of ₹10,500.
The victim’s mother, who was also charged for offences under the Child Marriage Act, was sentenced to serve 160-days in prison. As she had already served time awaiting trial, she was let off after being fined ₹200.
Published – July 01, 2025 06:30 pm IST