CHENNAI: A special court in Chennai sentenced a 48-year-old ward boy of a private hospital for 5 years of imprisonment for sexually harrassing a girl child in the visitors room.

A special court in Chennai constituted under the Protection of Child from Sexual Offence (POCSO) act heard a case filed against a ward boy of a private hospital on sexual harassment charge.

According to the prosecution, in 2017 the father of the victim girl was admitted in a private hospital for surgery. When the mother of the victim girl left her alone in the vistors room, the ward boy sexually harassed the girl child.

Further, the accused also threatened the child not to disclose about the harassment.

However, after the mother of the victim came to know about the harassment lodged a complaint.

After perusal of the materials placed by the prosecution, the court found the accused guilty and sentenced him for 5 years of rigorous imprisonment with Rs 10,000 as fine.

Further, the court also directed the State to pay Rs 5 lakh to the victim girl as compensation.