Kozhikode (Kerala) | A Kerala court on Wednesday sentenced a 62-year-old man to a cumulative 29 years imprisonment for sexually assaulting a class 8 student who was also his relative at his home near Nadapuram here in February last year.

Nadapuram Fast Track Special Court (POCSO) judge Suhaib M sentenced the man to varying durations of imprisonment under various provisions of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act for a total of 29 years, Public Prosecutor (PP) Manoj Aroor said.

However, as the sentences are to be served concurrently and the highest of the jail terms given to the man is 20 years, he will serve 20 years in prison, Aroor said.

The court also imposed a fine of Rs 1.25 lakh on the convict, the prosecutor said.

The crime was committed in February 2023 when the girl went to visit the man at his home during the preparations of his son's wedding, the PP said.

The man took her to the top floor of his house on the pretext of making a list of dishes to be served during the wedding and sexually assaulted her, the prosecutor said.

As a result of the incident, the girl went into mental depression and is still undergoing treatment for the same, he said.