Karnataka Police Initiate POCSO Case Against YouTube Singer and Six Others
Allegations of Sexual Assault on Minor
Bagalkot (Karnataka), Dec 16: Authorities in Karnataka have registered a First Information Report (FIR) and invoked the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act (POCSO) against a well-known YouTube folk artist and six accomplices concerning an alleged sexual assault on a minor girl, as reported by officials on Tuesday.
The victim, who is from Belagavi, had attended an orchestra event to perform. The incident reportedly occurred on October 24, during which the accused had gathered in a village to perform at a religious celebration.
In her police complaint, the young girl claimed that the accused, including the singer, lured her to a lodge where they sexually assaulted her. She further alleged that they recorded a video of the assault. In total, she has accused seven individuals, including the singer, of the crime.
The complaint was initially lodged at the Chikkodi Police Station on December 14, based on the victim's account. Following this, the case was transferred to the Mahalingapura Police Station in Bagalkote district on December 15, as it pertains to the location of the alleged crime.
An FIR under the POCSO Act has now been filed against the accused singer and six others at the Mahalingapura station. The police are currently in the process of verifying the details surrounding the case.
In a related context, a fast-track POCSO court in Shivamogga recently sentenced a 21-year-old individual to 30 years of rigorous imprisonment for the rape and assault of a 17-year-old girl in Bhadravathi town in 2023. The convict was also ordered to pay a fine of Rs 1.8 lakh.
This individual was apprehended following a complaint from the victim's mother, and a charge sheet was subsequently filed against him for raping the minor under the pretense of marriage. He had previously been released on bail and was involved in three other criminal cases after his release. During the trial of the POCSO case, the prosecution presented evidence regarding these additional cases.
On October 11, Kumbalgodu police arrested a 25-year-old employee of a private firm under the POCSO Act for allegedly sexually assaulting a 10-year-old girl in his residence. The incident came to light when the girl disclosed the harassment to her mother.