A Shivamogga court convicted a man of sexually harassing a minor girl and sentenced him to 20 years of rigorous imprisonment and slapped a penalty of ₹50,000.The accused sexually harassed the girl and later married her in 2022. Based on the girl’s statement, the Shivamogga Rural police registered a case under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act.Inspector Abhay Prakash Somnal conducted the investigation and filed the charge-sheet. The Additional District and Sessions Judge, FTSC 1, pronounced the judgement on September 23. The court ordered the District Legal Services Authority to offer a compensation of ₹4 lakh to the survivor, said a release. Published - September 26, 2025 06:34 pm IST