Siliguri, 23rd May: The Siliguri Magistrate Court on Friday convicted Yam Bahadur Kataria for the sexual assault of a 6-year-old minor, handing down sentences of four and three years of imprisonment under two different sections of the law.
In addition to the jail terms, the court has ordered Rs 3 lakh as compensation to the victim and imposed a fine of Rs 6,000 on the accused. Failure to pay the fine will result in an additional six months of imprisonment.
Reportedly, the incident dates back to 2018 when Yam Bahadur Kataria, an elderly neighbour, sexually assaulted the girl after finding her alone in an area falling under the Matigara police station jurisdiction.
Following the revelation of the assault, a complaint was promptly lodged at the Matigara police station. Based on the complaint, police initiated an investigation, leading to Kataria’s arrest and subsequent presentation in court.
The legal proceedings in this case spanned approximately seven years. After hearing the testimonies of six individuals and reviewing all presented evidence, the court found Kataria guilty on Thursday. The sentencing under two separate sections was pronounced on Friday, resulting in the aforementioned imprisonment terms.