Astrologer gets 200 years RI for sexually assaulting 2 minor girls

Madurai: The special court for the exclusive trial of Pocso Act cases in Sivaganga, on Monday, convicted and sentenced an astrologer for sexually assaulting two minor girls in Sivaganga district in 2021.The prosecution's case is that a woman took her two daughters, aged 18 and 14, to an astrologer, Ramakrishnan, to improve their studies. Ramakrishnan told the woman that he would perform certain rituals at his house to help her daughters do well in their studies. Ramakrishnan took the minor girls to his house. While he asked the mother to wait in a room, he took the girls to another room, where he sexually assaulted them. He also threatened the girls not to reveal it to anyone.Two years later, the woman took both her daughters to the hospital as they fell ill. Doctors examined the girls. Tests revealed that both girls contracted a sexually transmitted disease. Thereafter, the girls said that the astrologer sexually assaulted them. Following a complaint lodged by the mother of the girls, the all-women police registered a case for offences under the Pocso Act and subsequently arrested him. Police filed a report before the court.Sessions judge R Gokul Murugan convicted and sentenced Ramakrishnan to undergo 200 years rigorous imprisonment and imposed a fine of 2 lakh on him. The Judge also ordered the govt to pay compensation of 10 lakh each to the girls.