ALAPPUZHA: In a first-ever POCSO case in Kerala, an accused in a sexual abuse case has fallen into legal trap on the basis of scientific evidence though the survivor girl changed her statement.

When the girl came to the help of her ‘rapist’, clinical evidence showed that Mariappan was the culprit. The under-aged Tamil girl was subjected to sexual abuse last year. The abuse came to light when the pregnant girl reached Alappuzha hospital for treatment without informing even her parents.

Police came to know about the abuse only when they talked to the girl, who knew only Tamil. On questioning, the girl said it was 24-year-old Mariappan who had abused her and made her pregnant. After this, the police registered a case under POCSO.

During the trial, the victim came to defend the accused by arguing that it was not Mariappan who had abused her but through the DNA test, the court came to the conclusion that Mariappan was responsible for her pregnancy.

It was Alappuzha Special Sessions judge S H Panchapakesan who ordered 10 year rigorous imprisonment and Rs 2 lakh fine as penalty. Prosecutor S Seema said, it was the first POCSO case in Kerala in which quantum of punishment was pronounced based on scientific evidence.