Mumbai: Two sailors have been convicted by a Navy Court Martial of raping minor girls in Karnataka and sentenced to 12 and 15 years of rigorous imprisonment.
The two men, arrested in July 2015, have also been dismissed from service. Their identities were not revealed.
"The Court Martial verdict pertains to cases which happened late last year at Karwar (Karnataka)," a defence spokesperson said in Mumbai on Wednesday night.
Earlier in the day, the spokesperson said the verdict pertained to sailors raping a minor girl in Mumbai in 2015.
"A case of alleged sexual offence by two naval sailors against a minor girl had been reported. The cases were investigated in detail and a court martial was constituted.
"The court martial has found both sailors guilty and sentenced them to rigorous imprisonment for 12 years and 15 years, respectively, and dismissed from naval service," the defence spokesperson said.
Besides relevant sections of IPC, the duo was also tried under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act, 2012.
"The naval trial ensured safeguards, including protection of identity of the victims as per POCSO Act, 2012.
Further, in accordance with the provisions of the act, other details of the case are not being disclosed," the spokesperson said.
