A special POCSO court in Kerala’s Idukki on Tuesday sentenced a 44-year-old man to 20 years of rigorous imprisonment for sexually assaulting a five-year-old girl in 2024.

The verdict was delivered by the Idukki Fast Track Special Court under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act.

The convict, identified as Rajesh, was handed varying jail terms adding up to 24 years, but he will serve 20 years as the sentences will run concurrently, Special Public Prosecutor Shijo Mon Joseph said.

The court also imposed a fine of Rs 2.20 lakh on the convict. It directed that the amount, if recovered, be handed over to the survivor.

In addition, the court recommended that the District Legal Services Authority provide adequate compensation to the child victim.

According to the prosecution, the incident took place in 2024 when the girl had been left at the accused’s house with his daughter while the adults were away plucking tea leaves.

Rajesh allegedly returned home during work and sexually assaulted the child while his daughter was asleep.

The assault came to light after the girl informed her parents, following which a police complaint was lodged. The investigation later led to Rajesh’s arrest and prosecution under the POCSO Act.