A Fast Track Special Court in Kasaragod sentenced 40-year-old P A Saleem to double life imprisonment on Monday for the abduction and rape of a nine-year-old girl in Hosdurg in May 2024. The court, presided over by Judge Suresh P M, ordered Saleem, a resident of Napoklu in Karnataka’s Kodagu district, to remain in jail for life and imposed a fine of Rs 71,000 for multiple charges under the Indian Penal Code (IPC) and the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act.
Saleem’s convictions include ten years and Rs 10,000 under IPC Section 449 (house-trespass to commit an offense), seven years and Rs 5,000 under Section 369 (kidnapping), life imprisonment and Rs 5,000 under Section 370(4) (trafficking), seven years and Rs 5,000 under Section 506(2) (criminal intimidation), one year and Rs 1,000 under Section 342 (wrongful confinement), ten years and Rs 25,000 under Section 394 (robbery causing hurt), and life imprisonment under POCSO Act Sections 6(1) and 5(m) for aggravated penetrative sexual assault on a minor.
Saleem’s sister, 21-year-old Suhaiba from Koothuparamba, Kannur, received a one-day sentence served during court proceedings and a Rs 1,000 fine for aiding in the sale of the victim’s stolen jewelry. The crime took place on May 15, 2024, when Saleem abducted the girl from her grandfather’s house in Kanhangad, sexually assaulted her, stole her ornaments, and left her in a paddy field. Hosdurg police arrested him within ten days, filing a charge sheet after a month-long investigation.
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Special Public Prosecutor Gangadharan highlighted the victim’s identification of Saleem under torchlight and DNA evidence from her clothing as pivotal to the conviction. The trial, which began in January 2025, involved 60 witnesses, 117 documents, and 17 material objects. Saleem faces another POCSO case in the same court, underscoring his history of predatory behavior. The verdict delivers justice for the young victim and sends a strong message against crimes targeting children.
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