Hyderabad: Man gets 20 yrs RI for sexual assault on minor

The convict, 40-year-old Keela Dharma, worked as a security guard and lived in Gachibowli but was an Andhra native.

Hyderabad: A man has been sentenced to 20 years of rigorous imprisonment for sexual assault on a five-year-old girl in 2021 under the Miyapur police station.

The convict, 40-year-old Keela Dharma, who worked as a security guard and lived in Gachibowli but was an Andhra native, was booked under Section 376(AB) (rape of a girl under 12 years of age) of the then IPC, and Section 5 read with Section 6 (aggravated sexual assault) of the POCSO Act. 

The incident dates back to July 5, 2021, when the girl returned home crying after visiting a grocery shop. She told her family that an unidentified man had followed her into their apartment building in Marthandanagar, Miyapur, and sexually assaulted her near the lift. Based on her complaint, a case was registered at the Miyapur police station.

Evidence stacked against the man

During the investigation, police examined the crime scene, recorded witness statements, and retrieved CCTV footage from the building that captured the man’s actions.

The survivor was sent to Niloufer Hospital for medical examination, where vaginal swabs and nail clippings were preserved and later forwarded to the FSL.

An age determination test conducted at the Area Hospital in Malkajgiri confirmed the victim was 5–6 years old. A Test Identification Parade (TIP) was subsequently conducted at the District Jail in Kandi, where both the survivor and a witness identified the accused.

The medical officer’s final opinion, based on clinical examination and FSL reports, concluded that sexual assault could not be ruled out.

The man was arrested on August 17, 2021. Fast Track Special Judge for Trial and Disposal of Rape and POCSO Act Cases, RR District at Rajendranagar, T. Srinivas, sentenced the man while also awarding compensation of Rs 3 lakh to the survivor.