Mangaluru: Youth jailed for secretly filming girl’s video

Team Udayavani, Jan 7, 2025, 11:30 AM IST

Mangaluru: A youth was sentenced by a court here for secretly recording a video of a minor girl bathing.

The incident took place on March 10, 2024, in the Bajpe police station limits. The accused, Gagan (24), filmed the girl through a window left open for an exhaust fan using his mobile phone.

Despite the accused deleting the video, the court relied on witness statements to convict him.

Additional District and Sessions Judge, Vinay Devaraj, of POCSO FTSC-1 court, sentenced him to one year in prison and imposed a fine of Rs 20,000. Of this, Rs 10,000 and an additional Rs 1 lakh were directed to be paid as compensation to the victim through the Legal Services Authority.

Special public prosecutor Sahana Devi Boloor represented the prosecution.

Judge expresses concern 

The judge expressed concern over the increasing number of such cases, noting that 14 similar incidents had been brought to the court. The judgment highlighted the need for awareness programs, recommending the formation of a six-member committee to address the issue.