Retired Merchant Navy officer convicted for impregnating minor girl

A retired petty officer from the Merchant Navy, who was earlier arrested for impregnating a minor girl, was convicted to rigorous imprisonment for the remainder of his life by an Additional Metropolitan Sessions Judge of Nampally court, Hyderabad. He was also slapped with a fine of ₹10,000.

The uncle of the girl was also convicted to undergo rigorous imprisonment for 20 years along with a fine of ₹10,000.

Police said that Clawrence Fransis, aged 76 during the time of his arrest in April 2021, stayed adjacent to the house of the victim aged 16 years.

“In April 2021, the man sexually assaulted the girl at his house leading to the victim getting pregnant. Her relative, who frequented her house, threatened and also sexually assaulted her,” said the police.

Following the assaults the victim developed health issues and her mother took her to a doctor for examination. “The doctor told the mother of the victim about the pregnancy. On enquiry, the woman came to know about the sexual assault on her daughter and approached the police who registered a case against Fransis and her uncle,” added the police.