Bengaluru court imposes 20-year sentence on rapist who exploited speech disability to walk free

A Bengaluru court sentenced Kalu Sonar, a 49-year-old man from Nepal, to 20 years of rigorous imprisonment for raping an eight-year-old girl at her grandmother's residence in August 2022. Despite his speech disability, Sonar's guilt was proven through DNA evidence, medical reports, and eyewitness testimony. The survivor's courage in reporting the assault ensured justice under the POCSO Act.

A Bengaluru court has handed down a 20-year rigorous imprisonment sentence to a 49-year-old man convicted of raping a minor girl. The accused, Kalu Sonar, attempted to exploit his speech disability during the trial to proclaim innocence but was met with resolute justice by the fast-track court for Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act cases.

Sonar, a native of Nepal residing in Bengaluru for over a decade, found himself facing charges after assaulting the eight-year-old survivor at her grandmother's residence in south Bengaluru in August 2022. The survivor, who often visited her grandmother after school, fell victim to Sonar's heinous act when she returned home on Independence Day to find her grandmother away and Sonar alone stated a report by TOI.

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Exploiting the vulnerable situation, Sonar locked the girl inside the house, lured her with chocolates, and warned her against disclosing the assault. However, upon her family's return, the courageous survivor immediately reported the incident to her mother, leading to Sonar's arrest by local authorities.

Despite attempts to feign innocence using sign language during the trial, Sonar's guilt was unequivocally established through DNA evidence, medical reports, and the survivor's identification. Testimony from ten eyewitnesses, including family members, medical professionals, and law enforcement officers, further solidified the case against him.