Thiruvananthapuram: A 56-year-old clinical psychologist accused of molesting a 13-year-old boy was sentenced to seven years of rigorous imprisonment along with a fine of Rs 1.5 lakh by a court here on Thursday.
The Thiruvananthapuram Special Fast Track Court has found Dr K Girish guilty of sexually assaulting the minor boy, who had come to him for treatment of mental illness. The accused was sentenced to 26 years of imprisonment under various offences but it was said that he can serve the terms concurrently in seven years. In case he failed to pay the fine then he would have to serve another four years in jail. The fine amount has to be given to the boy. Last year, the accused was sentenced to six years of imprisonment in a similar case of molesting a boy. He was granted bail later on.
The accused, an assistant professor in the Kerala state health department, had molested the minor boy several times at his private clinic in Manakkad in Thiruvananthapuram between December 6, 2015, and February 21, 2017. The boy was taken to the clinic for counselling as he was suffering from some mental illness.
However, the boy's mental condition deteriorated following the repeated abuse. The accused also threatened him not to tell anyone about the abuse. When the boy's condition did not improve, his family took him to other psychologists. In 2019, the child was admitted to the psychiatry department of the Thiruvananthapuram Medical College Hospital as the disease was not cured.
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On January 30, 2019, when the doctors were taking down his case history, the child told that he was molested two years back. After which, the medical college authorities informed the police. The Thiruvananthapuram Fort police registered a case and arrested the accused. During interrogation, other doctors who treated the boy also said that his illness had worsened due to the torture.
