State of Kerala (Police) vs NISHAD — 812/2025

Case 812/2025 Summary Court Decision: The Special Judge convicted Nishad, a 40-year-old elephant handler, of sexually assaulting a 15-year-old child on two separate occasions in April-May 2025. Key Findings: The court found credible testimony from the survivor that the accused committed penetrative sexual assault and other sexual offenses. Despite defense arguments about delay in reporting and lack of physical evidence, the judge determined the survivor's account was reliable and corroborated by circumstantial evidence, medical examination details, and the accused's admission of knowing the child and the location of incidents. Sentence: 20 years rigorous imprisonment with ₹50,000 fine for the most serious charge; 10 years with ₹25,000 fine for attempted sexual assault; and 3 years with ₹10,000 fine for sexual assault—sentences to run concurrently, with ₹50,000 compensation to the survivor. This case analysis is maintained by casestatus.in based on publicly available court records.