Principal's driver gets 20-year rigorous imprisonment for student's rape in Hyderabad

HYDERABAD: The driver of a school principal in Banjara Hills was sentenced to 20-year rigorous imprisonment (RI) for the rape of a minor girl student on the school premises in 2022.
The incident came to light after the survivor told her mother about the heinous act. The court, however, acquitted the school principal, who was named a co-accused, due to lack of evidence. After less than four-month trial, the court delivered the judgment.
On October 18, 2022, Banjara Hills police received a complaint from the mother of a four-and-half year-old girl stating that her daughter was sexually abused by the driver of her school principal.
Police filed a charge sheet against the driver and principal. "The crucial evidence was the statement of the survivor against the accused and medical examination report," special public prosecutor K Pratap Reddy said. The driver was charged for rape of a girl below 12 years, while principal was booked for not reporting the crime.
"On Tuesday, the fast-track special court for expeditious trial of Pocso cases, HACA Bhavan, convicted the 34-year-old accused driver under Sections 376AB of the IPC and Section 5 (m) r/w 6 of the POCSO Act and sentenced him to undergo rigorous imprisonment for 20 years. The accused also has to pay 5,000 fine," the special public prosecutor said.
The principal, who was charged under Section 21 of Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (Pocso) Act for allegedly not reporting the crime, was found not guilty due to lack of evidence.
On October 17, 2022, the girl complained to her mother about pain in her private parts. "When the mother asked the girl, what was the reason for the pain, she said the accused, who works at the school, had been subjecting her to assault for three months. Sometimes, the accused used to take her from her classroom to the digital classroom. He used to remove her clothes and subject her to sexual abuse," police said.
Girl's parents confronted the principal. The girl also identified the accused. The girl's parents lodged a complaint against the driver and his employer. A case was registered under Sections 5 (m) r/w 6 of Pocso Act and Section 376-AB of IPC.
(The victim's identity has not been revealed to protect her privacy as per Supreme court directives on cases related to sexual assault)