Thiruvananthapuram Additional District and Sessions Court (POCSO) sentenced a physiotherapist to 44 years of rigorous imprisonment (RI) and slapped a penalty of Rs 8.5 lakhs on charges of repeated sexual abuse of a mentally challenged minor girl who was under his treatment. Judge M P Shibu convicted Shinoj, 36, a resident of Neyyatinkara, of aggravated penetrative sexual assault he had committed in 2019.

The girl has a 74% disability. Her parents took her for physiotherapy at a hospital in Thiruvananthapuram in 2019. Shinoj, who was employed there, offered to treat the girl at her home. He would come to the girl's home and sexually abused her in the guise of treatment. The parents grew suspicious of a change in her behaviour, and she was subjected to counselling. The girl opened up about the abuse to her counsellor. A case was registered and the investigation was done by DySP Crime Branch. Special public prosecutor Kattaikonam J K Ajith Prasad and Advocate V C Bindu appeared for the prosecution.

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The court ordered that if the convict fails to pay the penalty, he shall undergo imprisonment for four years and four months. The penalty sum shall be paid to the survivor. Legal services authority shall also compensate the survivor, the court ordered. 

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