Manali in North Chennai man sentenced to 22 years rigorous imprisonment by a special court dealing with cases under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act. The case is alleged to relate to sexual assault of a minor girl in 2018.
According to a report published on 29 October 2026, the court also imposed a fine of ₹25,000 and directed that ₹2 lakh be paid as compensation to the survivor.
Court Awards 22-year prison sentence
The court has given judgment in the case on Wednesday, October 28, it said. The accused was found guilty of abduction and sexual assault of a minor.
The sentence is reported to include separate prison terms under abduction, house trespass and sexual offences against children. The sentences together amount to 22 years of imprisonment.
The court also imposed a financial penalty of ₹25,000. In addition, it ordered compensation of ₹2 lakh for the survivor.
Such a sentence would reflect the seriousness of crimes involving the sexual exploitation of children and the importance of legal processes in bringing the criminals to justice.
Case Dates Back to 2018
The incident happened in 2018, the report said. The accused, who was from Manali in North Chennai, had promised to marry the girl before sexually assaulting her.
The girl's mother subsequently filed a complaint, following which a case was registered at the All Women Police Station in Ennore. The case was investigated by the police and a chargesheet was submitted to the court.
The matter was later heard by a special POCSO court which took evidence into account before giving its judgement.
It does not provide any more information about the survivor and her identity must be protected under the law.
What is the POCSO Act?
The Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act 2012 was passed to protect children from sexual assault, sexual harassment and exploitation. It provides a legal framework for investigating and prosecuting offences against people below the age of 18.
Cases under the Act are heard in special courts that will facilitate the timely handling of children’s cases. The law also has protections to protect survivors’ privacy in the course of the legal process.
Convictions in such cases can carry very long prison terms (depending on the type of offence and the terms of the court decision).
Why should we protect child survivors?
Cases of sexual offences against children are evidence that we need to report abuse and conduct more thorough investigations to make sure that survivors are provided with the right legal and psychological support.
Compensation orders can help survivors get support and alleviate some of the effects of abuse, but financial compensation can’t erase the damage done.
The judgment we have just received is an achievement in the case. However, the original court record and any legal provisions must be ascertained before publication so that everything we say to the world will be correct.
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